Ape Out reminds me of Hotline Miami with the top-down, stylish, brutal killing gameplay. This time you play as an ape on the run, and can take a couple of hits before you die.
Your form of attack is to lash out, or throw objects. You can even grab people as a temporary shield or ranged attack since your hostage will fire a few rounds as they struggle. The enemy types have different guns, so you are up against pistols, machine guns, armoured troops, explosives, or flamethrowers.
It’s a good idea to aim your swipes so enemies collide into each other, or are slammed against a wall for more damage. The game does a good job of making you feel incredibly powerful, yet you are well aware of your weakness to bullets.
You make your way through various themed areas, such as offices, jungle, and cargo ship. These layouts are fairly linear with some branching paths, with doors or glass walls to smash. There’s an interesting set of levels in the dark, and you work out where enemies are by their torches.
You don’t need to defeat all enemies, but need to clear a safe path to get to the next floor. The gameplay often keeps you moving, and you need to think fast to protect yourself. If you are in range, then you need to grab or slam enemies. If you don’t think you can get there before they pull a shot off, then you may opt to flee, but turn sharply and try to get behind cover.
This leads to some stealthy moments, especially when you are outnumbered. The levels near the end where you are on the cargo ship are very challenging, and I found it really helpful to break the shipping containers as a makeshift protective tunnel to keep me out of sight and give me an alternative path.
Unlike Hotline Miami, you can’t really see that far ahead due to the camera position and all the high walls. This aspect also creates tension and makes you think fast, rather than strategically planning.
The other impressive aspect of the game is the style. It’s one of the most stylish games I have played. The graphics and colours may look simple, but looks great in motion, then has extra presentational touches like film grain. The jazz soundtrack is exceptionally good, and the way the music dynamically reacts to your actions is so impressive; with extra cymbal crashes when you slam enemies into the walls.
The levels only take a minute or so to get through, and it is a fairly short game overall, but the action is great that you won’t mind. There’s extra content to play once you complete the initial playthrough. There’s a bonus level where you break into a building, reach the end, then have to backtrack to escape. There’s Arcade mode where you try to score the most points with one life, and a “Harder” mode.