Its the holidays, and theres no better time to gather around a console for some couch games. <\/p>\n
But if youve been playing Overcooked, then you might know all too well that theres a fine line between laughing together and everyone questioning their friendships and relationships. Sure, the first few levels seem like an episode of The Three Stooges where everyone is laughing at the silly onscreen antics but things quickly morph into what seems like an elaborate heist movie, where precise timing and teamwork are needed to beat the harder levels. <\/p>\n
Ive had friends who need to take a minute after having their dish accidentally slapped out of their hands by a dashing teammate, spoiling the entire level. Mercifully, no controllers have been thrown. <\/p>\n
If youre not entirely burned by the experience and are still interested in couch cooperative games, then I would suggest taking a look at Out of Space, a 2020 release where, this time, you and a team of up to five friends are tasked with cleaning out a derelict space station. It still has the same goofy art style and welcoming approach of Overcooked, but it offers more manageable leaps in difficulty. <\/p>\n
You and your friends will take on the role of astronaut roommates moving into a spaceship where the previous renters must have forfeited their deposit, failing to clean up an alien infestation. Youll work together, moving from room to room to clean up the goop and clear out the aliens with a broom, a refillable water bucket and a grinder to turn the trash into money. <\/p>\n
In addition to clearing out rooms, youll need to manage your characters energy and food levels, which plays out with you building out the rooms as you move through the station. In rooms newly freed from the alien goop, youll be building simple bedrooms, kitchens and other utilities that will help you stay on your feet and equipped for the challenges. <\/p>\n
It still requires teamwork and coordination with players, but the pace is friendlier. Beyond your hunger and sleepiness, theres no ticking time clock on the game, and you can clear rooms at your own pace. <\/p>\n
In our playthroughs this holiday, wed work methodically through the ships by doublechecking everything for specks of infestation before moving onto the next room, us all gathered around the airlock with brooms, buckets, and a sink installed nearby. In it, theres a pleasant rhythm of housebuilding management and panicked action when an alien slipped past our defenses and laid eggs in the kitchen. <\/p>\n
Those moments of panic when the alien infestation gets out of hand when an alien has slipped past or snuck in through an air vent are some of the best. If you let your guard down, it doesnt take much to get overwhelmed, but a bit of quick thinking and teamwork can usually stabilize the situation. You might have lost access to the bedroom, but you can work together to figure out a solution, even if its as basic as splashing water on your sleepy teammates. <\/p>\n
In many ways, Out of Space is what I wanted Overcooked to be. <\/p>\n
The slower pace and more manageable challenge means that you get to spend more time digging into the roleplaying elements of a management simulator. Instead of each level feeling like you were getting set in the blocks of a sprint, each new level of Out of Space feels like an opportunity to try something new and have fun with friends. <\/p>\n
Theres still plenty of failure and frustration to be found in Out of Space you can definitely mess things up by opening a door before everyones ready, just ask me how but it seems like you always have a chance to dig yourself out of the tailspin and emerge a stronger team ... as long as you dont go opening the airlock too early. <\/p>\n
Rating: Four of five stars <\/p>\n
Platforms: PC (reviewed), MacOS, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, PlayStation 4 <\/p>\n
Release Date: Feb. 26, 2020 <\/p>\n
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In space, no one can hear you scream ... at the alien-infested space station you're cleaning - Fairbanks Daily News-Miner<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Its the holidays, and theres no better time to gather around a console for some couch games. But if youve been playing Overcooked, then you might know all too well that theres a fine line between laughing together and everyone questioning their friendships and relationships Continue reading