Ape Out

If you are a fan of puzzlers and want something different, Ape Out is a terrific diversion. While you may only play it for a few weeks (it’s not a very long game), you’re going to have a blast doing it.

Ape Out's near-perfect procedural polyrhythmic gameplay and music stays fun and exciting throughout. The games unique art style lends itself perfectly to the chaos and murder carried out by the games titular ape. While it can be a bit on the challenging side at times, the tight gameplay and frantic action will keep you coming back for 'just one more run' long into the night.

Ape Out is the embodiment of video game perfection. A clear artistic direction perfectly marries and compliments a simple, yet challenging, gameplay hook that keeps you coming back time after time. Additional challenging modes provide further replayability, and any excuse to keep playing is a good one in my books.

Ape Out mixes action, stylish visuals and amazing jazz so well, it is too bad it is such short lived. However: this great, hypnotizing game is definitely one to experience yourself.

With splotchy, shimmering visuals and stunning reactive jazz albums that play along to your every charge, swipe and limb-separating bash, this gorilla escape simulator looks, feels and sounds amazing in equal measure, and it all combines for an uncomplicated but addictive good time.

An addictive riot of a video game, and an essential purchase.

Ape Out is simply an outstanding and utterly enjoyable experience. The moment I became that big, angry monkey, I was glued to the screen and never wanted the action to end. The music dropped my jaw, the visuals made my eyes go wide, and the addictive gameplay kept me entranced until I reached the final level. The ape is truly out, my friends.

Even death in Ape Out is brilliant. The screen freezes and turns negative, zooming out to a marvellously stylised map revealing the path you took before your demise. Hands down, it’s one of the best death screens I’ve seen...Oh, I do wish there was a button you could press to make the ape grunt and beat his chest, though. That’d have been good.

Whilst the concept is there in the title, the intricacies of Ape Out’s are revealed the more you play. Every aspect creates a dazzling jazz mixtape that reverberates from eyes, to ears, to thumbs. And you’re an ape. Which is great.

The Nintendo eShop would be a considerably more exciting and interesting place if it were packed full of games like Ape Out, it’s a refreshingly original experience that more than deserves a place in any Switch owner’s library. Difficult, frenetic gameplay, a strong art direction, and an even stronger jazz drum soundtrack make this the sort of memorable game that you’ll likely keep coming back to over and over for another few runs at the arcade mode. We’d give Ape Out a strong recommendation to anyone looking for a distinct and unforgettable game for their Switch collection; it’s a bit of an acquired taste, but this is well worth your time.

Yes, Ape Out is a short game but the action, visuals and soundtrack are simply bananas. Plus, the price is definitely right at just $14.99 US. That’s a lot of primate pandemonium for a pretty fair price, and that’s not even mentioning the extra Arcade Mode in which you earn points for kills and speed. A refreshingly original game that takes its gaming influences and runs with them like a jazz soloist on a Saturday night, Ape Out is one game that elevates ultraviolence to an art form.

Ape Out is an intoxicating fusion of percussion and destruction that oozes style from every angle. Its procedurally built levels tend to blend into one another a bit but its bloody rampages are filled with nuance. Beneath the simple controls is depth that’s kept me returning for days after successfully completing the epilogue. Gorgeous and compulsive, if this ’50s-inspired, jazz-fueled jaunt is the future of gorilla warfare, the team behind Ape Out can make a monkey out of me anytime.

Ape Out is frantic and sophisticated. It is an excellent game both in its presentation and in its gameplay, although it may be short for some players.

A striking abstract visual style soundtracked by a jazz freakout as improvisational as its gameplay, Ape Out glories in its primal rage for a wild ride. Give into its rhythm and bloodlust, and just go ape!

Ape Out grabs you by the bananas and doesn't let go. A glorious combination of cathartic action, addictive gameplay and a rousing jazz backing.

The sheer enjoyment of flinging guards into each other or through a high-rise window to their doom doesn’t really get old, but the striking use of color and perspective truly set this game apart. If you don’t mind the gratuitous body count and related blood splatter, Ape Out is a funky and fresh take on the top-down action genre. Now if you’ll excuse me, I need to rock out with my Ape Out.

Ape Out gloriously celebrates its simple, splattery premise with creative gameplay that I can’t wait to return to in the near future.

Not only is Ape Out primed to be one of the most stylish games of the year, but it’s a strong argument for how far style can elevate material.

If you’re looking for something with a deep story, items to collect and a leveling up system, then Ape Out is not what you’re looking for. However, if you want something that gets straight to the point and plays like Quentin Tarantino’s take on the Cowboy Bebop opening, then get ready for some whiplash whilst spanking the monkey.

Ape Out is great fun and really engaging experience for people who enjoy arcade-like action. And for the music-lovers out there, this game’s (in)direct control of the soundtrack gives all of the on-screen action feedback but can’t really be experienced anywhere else. It’s a shame that Ape Out is so short and returning to replay the game doesn’t present any new experiences/rewards, but for the 1.5-2 hour duration, you’re in for a real smash.

Ape Out has some underwhelming shortcomings that keep it from true masterpiece status. Thankfully the good far outweighs the bad. The boring level design can be ignored in the face of the pulse pounding soundtrack.

Ape Out breaks its cage with amusing aesthetics and a wonderful and jazzy soundtrack, both of them procedurally generated. In some way, it plays like Hotline Miami, with its own ideas, and a constant feeling of urgency. A game with an overwhelming personality, that even shows up when our ape dies, in a memorable and stylish death recap screen.

Ape Out is a great little gem and one that works great as a portable single-player game for when you want to kill time. Loading times are adequate and don’t keep you staring at your reflection for too long, and the art style and the music work together in harmony. If you’re not a fan of twin-stick titles and potential bursts of rage-quitting, then this might not be the game for you. But if you want to be a banana munching gorilla on a rampage, then Ape Out is right up your alley.

A fantastically entertaining action game that combines gameplay, visuals, and audio into an irresistible orgy of violence and… improvisational jazz.

Ape Out is a clever mix somewhere between the twin stick shooter and the beat'em all genres, which relies on its colorful yet simple visuals and a fantastic sound design focused solely on the drums to deliver a violent and quite unique experience in a very, very difficult adventure to freedom. Those brave enough to fight hundreds of armed-to-the-teeth guards will experience a tough but rewarding game and will enjoy its beautiful artistic direction for sure.

While it can be fun to run around smashing stuff and listening to a cool soundtrack, Ape Out is a bit of a one-trick pony. When you boil it down, it’s a maze runner with a smash-the-bad-guys element. Don’t get me wrong—the theme may be simple, but the game is fun to play. It’s challenging enough to keep you entertained for several hours so go let your inner monkey run wild for a while.

While Ape Out doesn’t last all that long, it certainly doesn’t overstay its welcome, either. The game is an absolute blast to play, and an experience that will delight most players. Between the game’s stylish presentation and unique use of music, Ape Out feels unlike much else on eShop. The game is very much an impressive achievement from developer Gabe Cuzzillo, and those who value quality over length will find a great option in Ape Out.

Sometimes frustrating and too minimalist, Ape Out has a really good concept where music and action are linked. Here, you don't aim to kill, you try to escape by reducing the threat surrounding you, which is a really interesting gameplay philosophy.

Even though Ape Out is undeniably a top-notch production with its graphics and sound, its gameplay is disappointingly short-lived, especially after the novelty of it all starts to subside.