Out There: Oceans of Time

This is a consummate sequel, building on all the good stuff from the previous game, adding new features and running better than ever. It’s really hard to get into in the beginning, however, and it also tends to be quite repetitive in the long run.

Out There: Oceans of Time tries to mix too many mechanics into one product, but none of them is entertaining. Even though ship management mechanics are well developed, mining for resources can lead to tedious and repetitive mining loops that can interfere with your journey through the universe.

A survival game with narrative and roguelike elements that will not disappoint former fans of the Out There saga, despite being hard to digest for newbies.

Oceans of Time is intriguing at first, but quickly overwhelms with a staggering amount of repeating, dull hassle. And that’s all there is to do, unless you want to count how many tired sci-fi tropes were crammed into this game.

While it may not tick every box in the quality department, there is something to be said for a game with an interesting core and Out There: Oceans of Time does hit that mark. It’s a story and universe that really offers a unique feeling sci-fi experience, and with a little time this ocean of stars could be more than worth flying through, even if there needs to be some more stability prior to that occurring.

Between the extreme early game difficulty curve and then the lack of challenge late game, Out There: Oceans of Time is a hard game to place. It provides an intriguing story with a great initial resource management system, however, it at points turns into a chore just to finish the story. The game boasts over 40 hours of gameplay with the ‘choose your own adventure’ style of story allowing for multiple playthroughs. However, knowing that there is a lack of randomly generated content, players might opt to skip the replay. For those looking for a super chill story with an initial challenge, this game might just be for you. If you are looking for a well-rounded sci-fi adventure, maybe check elsewhere.

Out There: Oceans of Time tries to be something bordering on an RPG and a space survival game, but its roguelike roots do not work well in this new formula. Additionally, the game’s infantile story and ugly graphics are not doing it any favors.

If you like to keep yourself busy while listening to a podcast or if you're craving for a sci-fi themed game, you may give Out There a chance. But if I were you, I'd go for a walk instead, that's time better spent.

Out There: Oceans Of Time looks gorgeous and has a remarkably creative setting, but is too mechanically complex. An inadequate tutorial doesn’t do enough to prepare players for Out There‘s unforgiving resource management, and the game’s narrative elements feel directly at odds with frustrating roguelike features. If your heart is set on Out There‘s premise, you might be able to get into the game’s groove with some trial and error – otherwise, look elsewhere for your cosmic kicks.