Out Zone

In a dystopian future where humans are in their last throes of an endless war against aliens, only a team of cyborg mercenaries can put a stop to the madness. That amazingly 80s plot is only one of the many things that make Out Zone one of the best run and gun titles ever released.

As intense as it’s fun, Out Zone embodies everything a player would want from an arcade game. Featuring a fairly balanced gameplay experience and solid controls, Out Zone is in a league of its own.

Rise to the Top

When we think of run and gun games, we usually see 2D platforming games like Contra, where the player navigates levels going from the left to the right side of the stage. However, Out Zone’s arcade origins dictate that the game plays on a vertical axis, similar to games like Ikari Warriors.

There are no fancy space vehicles or anything like that for the heroes in Out Zone. Sure, the aliens have access to such tech, but the player has to make do using only their character’s feet and nothing else. Fortunately for them, they also have access to a massive selection of guns to annihilate the aliens.

Lock and Loaded

One thing that Out Zone does amazingly well is how the game handles its weapons. From the very beginning, players have access to an auto-shooting gun that fires three pellets in the direction the player faces. Additionally, players can use their lasers to handle some of the more threatening enemy groups found in the game.

Using items found throughout the levels, players can upgrade their weapons’ capabilities. It’s worth noting that players need to pick an item to change between their main weapons. It would have been a considerable upgrade had the game given us the option to change weapons on the fly.

Additionally, players can collect special weapons in some select areas. These weapons deal much more damage than the standard weaponry, at the cost of being hard to find and severely limited in range and usability.

Fast-Paced Action

After playing Out Zone for just one hour, you’ll feel as if real life is moving slower than usual. The game’s known among fans for its uniquely fast-paced action, and it’s easy to see why it’s so beloved in the world of intense run-and-gun shooters.

Out Zone’s characters can die in just one shot, which means that players will have to keep avoiding enemy attacks with superhuman precision. It all becomes even more complicated once you reach any of the game’s bosses, which are significantly more complicated than anything else the game can throw at you.

Pros

• Intense fast-paced action
• Responsive controls
• Great 2D sprite art

Cons

• Can’t easily swap weapons
• Some levels feel unfairly tough