Out of Line

Out of Line is a simple, sweet game with clever puzzles scattered through a beautifully dystopian steampunk setting that suffers only from its short length.

Out of Line is a puzzle-platformer that features a stunning art style, intuitive gameplay, a very interesting co-op component involving its NPCs, and a difficulty level that will fit perfectly with beginners. While more seasoned players might not find it very challenging, Out of Line's gameplay mechanics and audiovisual environment make it a game very deserving to be part of the Nintendo Switch catalogue.

Out of Line is a very short experience (it took me two hours to finish it), and while the length of a game shouldn’t define a game’s quality, I would’ve expected Out of Line to be at least a bit more fulfilling. That being said, I would recommend the game to those who aren’t looking for overly complex puzzles and a deep, meaningful story. Out of Line is one of those games that won’t challenge puzzle enthusiasts nor appease players looking for an appealing narrative.

Out of Line is a good time while it lasts, but the gameplay is much less memorable than the art style. Overall, it feels like a light experience that could be enjoyed by players of all different levels, perhaps a good fit for introducing younger gamers to the medium. As someone with a lot of puzzle-platformer experience, I would have liked to see a greater variety of play mechanics, but outside of a few glitches requiring a restart (invisible walls preventing progress, for example), there isn’t much to dislike about the game. Out of Line simply ends up playing it fairly safe, so if that’s what you’re looking for, then maybe you’ll want to get in line.

All in all, Out of Line isn’t a terrible experience; I only wished there was a stronger emphasis on establishing its odd setting, along with something more that I could point to as being exceptional.