Nintendo Switch Critic Reviews

Outbuddies DX is the quintessential perfect game, regardless of how you cut it. From the music that sets the tone and ramps up in the heat of battle, to the many weapons available, and the iconic and memorable boss battles, it’s clear that years of development Outbuddies DX has gone through will revolutionize the Metroidvania genre.

Oh do just get this. It’s amazing. It totally deserves its price tag, although I’m convinced it’d shift a lot more copies if it were £10. That one person managed to make a properly good Metroid clone in their spare time is extraordinary, and let’s all finally give it some attention.

Is this the best Outbuddies has ever been? All scales are pointing to "Yes." While still carrying along some nagging inconveniences and some less-than-presentable pixel people, the DX version is deserving of its nifty moniker. The journey has been an enjoyable one to watch for this developer, and their efforts have given modern consoles an indie face that is more than its cartoon mustache. Not only is it among the best metroidvania games I've played, but it reasonably contends with some of the higher-profile games available for current-gen systems. Personal preferences for its accessibility measures aside, it was well worth the time it took to make (and update).

Outbuddies DX is a far more accessible version of this Metroid-inspired adventure. However, there’s still a lack of direction that causes many moments of frustration, which stem from the game’s complex control scheme and maze-like design. Regardless, if you’re looking for a challenging and intuitive retro adventure, then look no further than Outbuddies DX.

With only a cursory understanding of what makes a “Metroidvania” interesting, Outbuddies is a game you don’t need to explore.

If you look at the game’s Steam forums, you’ll see that Outbuddies DX is being updated continually (I suspect it was updated at least once since release), so I have some hope that it will, at some point, be a better game. Today, however, is not that day. If you’re itching for a Metroid-like, I did review an excellent one just recently. Without Outbuddies, I feel like the skeleton is there, but the meat needs some more time in the oven.

Outbuddies DX tries to mix things up a bit with unique features like a playable drone partner. The problem is, it tries to be a little too clever for its own good, and its failure to effectively pull off solid fundamentals like the controls and the map system means that the gimmicks suffer as a result. There's a lot we want to love about this game, but its constant annoyances make that hard.