"Outbuddies DX" Review

"Outbuddies" is more 90s than games that were actually made in the 90s.

Wearing its Super Nintendo and Sega Genesis influences as proudly as a Hypercolor shirt with rolled-up sleeves, developer Julian Laufer channels his adoration of the 16-bit era into a sprawling Metroidvania opus.

You guide a duo of adventurers -- one human and the other robotic -- as they explore a sunken fortress teeming with hostile creatures that seem to have spawned from the overactive imagination of a 15-year-old.

Although "Outbuddies" ratchets up the challenge level enough to make you cry out to the heavens in frustration, there are also plenty of comedic nods and cheeky references to keep you chuckling.

You mix and match the protagonists' skills to confront cleverly-designed obstacles as you seek to gradually unlock the mysteries of the deep.

"Outbuddies" lays out a vast and challenging world that is as fun to get lost in as it is to work your way through. Expect plenty of backtracking, dead ends and overpowered bosses standing in your way, but all that adds to the twisted brand of masochistic fun that fuels the adventure.

If you bring a friend along, you'll get even more thrills out of "Outbuddies," which centers on cooperative ingenuity. Even when the challenges mount, the peppy soundtrack helps keeps your spirits up.

Bolstered by heartfelt storytelling, "Outbuddies" is more than a standard nostalgia trip. It's a reimagining of a well-worn genre that challenges you to keep hacking away at its myriad challenges.

Publisher provided review code.