A lone, unsuspecting man gets caught in a freak accident and thrown into a huge, deadly, hostile alien world.
In his cell, he meets another alien who befriends him and they make a run for it, taking one of the guard's pistols and using it as required. The pistol has more than just a laser shot: it can be charged briefly to create a shield protecting against laser blasts, although Lester and the aliens are free to walk through them. Apart from the shield, it can be charged even longer to expel a blast so strong that it can literally knock out walls. Out of this World was released on multiple consoles and computer systems throughout the years before and after this SNES porting.
Good: Great use of 3D graphics in cutscenes and environment * Apart from a fast trigger finger, logic is required for some of the complex sections * A sick gun that can blast out walls * Plenty of action to keep you on your toes * Great, fitting soundtrack * Short passwords * Unexpected surprises await every corridor
Bad: Occasional framerate problems * Short game when you know what you're doing * Some fighting scenes seem completely unfair * No extra difficulties or replay value (except for the pleasure of playing through again)
Graphics: Plenty of things about this game stand out and glisten proudly. That statement certainly does not exclude the graphics. They may be outdated today, but to imagine yourself back when this game was released, it was definitely a shock to see on the SNES. From fully-rendered 3D cutscenes to 3D-like environments and interactive obsticles and elements everywhere, even down to details like reflections on glass decorations on the ceiling of guards walking down below, it's amazing. Animations are clean and flow nicely, although there is one problem that can occur from these high-tech graphics: framerate. There are times in the game where, depending on how much is going on in the screen, it will lag a considrable amount perhaps causing delay in a life-saving jump or a shot that must be quickly fired. It's simply one of those things you have to expect and learn to deal and work with. Apart from that little catch, there really are no other downsides to these highly-detailed grahpics, from anatomy to fantastic views of the strange alien city.
Sound/Music: This is one of those games where you'll want to turn on your surround-sound. Plenty of laser blasts, walking/running sounds and other expected sound effects from such a platformer, the part where the audio really stands out is the music. While it may be repetitive after awhile, it never really grows old. Each musical piece fits every situation perfectly and sounds like something straight out of a dramatic sci-fi movie.
Difficulty: While not painfully complex, Out of this World isn't simply a run-and-gun platformer. It may have its fair share of action, plenty of it in fact, there are also a number of events and puzzles that must be completed, some of them only through trial and error. Perhaps a chain of events must be triggered perfectly as to avoid certain death when it is set off. Every detail must be thought through carefully. Something like mastering how to avoid deathtraps after blowing out a wall that allows water to flood the cavern so you won't drown or fall into one of the pits as you escape the rushing water. If it weren't for these troubling puzzles, this game would actually be awfully short.
Gameplay: Out of this World actually plays a lot like the classic Prince of Persia games and Blackthorne in a way, so there's an idea of how it works. Lester moves from screen to screen; left, right, up or down, as he makes his escape from this hostile place with his new alien friend, getting into gunfights with one or many enemy aliens and avoiding deathtraps and other obsticles. It's honestly hard to explain too much about the game without giving away major spoilers, but there's always a shock or a surprise lying in wait. Combat and puzzles aside, acrobatics also come into play as Lester must make carefully-planned jumps, climb, swing and roll his way to victory. Playing the game simply gives the player a rush as it begins to take off. It's hard to get enough of it. As checkpoints are reached throughout different points in the game by entering new areas and sections, four-character passwords are given upon death, convenient for those who aren't fond of long, frustrating passwords, letting you back in on the action in no time.
Control: As complex as the game sounds, the control system is actually quite simple. It mainly consists of walking left or right, shooting (holding down the button goes through the charge sequences), jumping, running, running and jumping and ducking. Very easy to learn and not hard to master.
Overall: This is one of those unheard-of games which, sadly, suffered the fate of being forgotten and buried under a mound of others like it on the SNES. For a cheap price it can be found almost anywhere that sells games (particulary online) and the few bucks you spend are worth it. It's a game unlike any I've ever played before while blending schemes from other games like Prince of Persia and Blackthorne together nicely. It's unfortunate that it never got the recognition it deserved, but it's still out there and playable, so go for it, pick up a copy and try it out! It's a great little game that'll put a smile on your face in the end.