Out of This World/Another World

I have once again reached far back into the vault, and this time 1991 fell out. Via Steam sale + extra Steam Wallet monies from selling silly trading cards, I picked up "Another World" for a whopping .56 cents. Back when it was originally released, my brother had it on the Apple IIGS. It was titled "Out of This World" for that version, and that is what I will forever call it. Out of This World tells the story of a scientist who, after an experiment gone wrong, has been transported to another world in which he's just fighting to survive.

Finally playing it myself, it was like a blast from the past. I recall very vividly many of the scenes that played out as my brother played it. I was about 6 at the time. I had watched him play many games, but this one seems to have stuck more in my mind than the others. It had a great art style and looking at it now, it had a very cinematic feel that you just didn't see in other games at the time.

...or even now. This game did so much with so little. It's very impressive.

I like the fact that he, and I say he because I'm pretty sure this game was the work of one dude, Éric Chahi...I like how he used simple polygons to such dramatic effect. The monster at the beginning, for example, is little more than a black mass and a suggestion of teeth, but this suggested form is perhaps more powerful because your imagination can conjure up far scarier things to fill in the visual blanks. In a world where modern games are so obsessed with looking more and more realistic, it's interesting to see a game like this still be so successful at sucking you into this world and evoking emotions of fear, relief, camaraderie, success, and the like.

As gameplay mechanics go, you have a small, manageable quantity at your disposal. You have basic movement of forward, back, jump, crouch, and additionally, you have a gun which, based on how long you hold CTRL, will either shoot, put up a temporary force field, or create a blast powerful enough to break small barriers. The way these limited mechanics are used seems very inventive throughout. I can't recall a game of this period that allowed you to do so much with the environment itself. The environment wasn't just a set piece. It often had to be used. What looked like decorative stalactites actually could be climbed on, a well placed superblast turned a rock formation into a handy ramp leading to freedom, and you learn that sometimes chandeliers are good for dropping on heads.

As a neat addition for the 20th Anniversary edition, there are some extra bonus features included with your purchase. They include two PDFs of design documents and a video with the creator and composer about the making of the game. Each provide an interesting look behind the scenes of this excellent title. It's been 23 years, and gladly, it still holds up. Definitely worth my .56 cents.