Why Look Outside Remains the Best Cosmic Horror RPG Update You Need to Play

The sky is broken. Anyone who looks at it turns into something out of Call of Cthulhu. Fortunately, the authorities say they'll have it fixed in 15 days. Maybe they're going to turn it off and then on again? Until then, you just have to hunker down in your apartment building with your baseball bat and your videogames and wait the whole thing out. Of course, you venture out and explore that apartment building. Your neighbours keep knocking at the door, and sometimes slithering. Some of them might have ignored the warnings and looked outside a little bit.

Look Outside is a cross between Yume Nikki, Fear and Hunger, and World of Horror. It stands as a premier cosmic horror RPG featuring Earthbound-style menu combat, yet it offers one every real CRPG head should try. The game is full of surprising interactions, unexpected quest solutions, and companions you didn't realize you could recruit until you tried that One Weird Thing. It remains a bottomless well of horror and delight for those willing to dive in.

The Latest Patch Fixes Overpowered Copy Dad Mechanics

Though it was shadowdropped out of the blue last year, Look Outside has continued being updated with significant content. Version 2.3 is out now with a substantial list of changes, including a huge amount of balance tweaks designed to refine the gameplay loop. The strangeness of the title comes across in some of these updates, such as the specific fix: The rat child's Copy Dad ability no longer copies gun skills for free.

Other notable adjustments include making Col Squeakums' bites not have a chance to remove sleep, confusion, or charm effects from the target. Enemies that have been improved include the Shrimp Knight, the Shark, the Starfish, and Lethargy, ensuring they remain threatening without being insurmountable. Monty's pyromania skill now does much less damage to the party than what it does to enemies, a crucial balance change for survivalists.

Why This Indie Horror Oddity Still Matters

Some of the patch notes deal with spoiler-territory stuff, and there are quite a few of them. Just trust me that it is cool an indie horror oddity like Look Outside is still being updated so thoroughly after its initial release. The game was cowritten by CBoyardee of Barkley, Shut Up and Jam: Gaiden fame, and if that pedigree doesn't intrigue you, nothing will.

If you are looking for more updates or want to play this unique title yourself, Look Outside is available on Steam and GOG. It continues to be a standout example of how indie developers can maintain quality in the horror genre long after launch.

For those interested in other genres, here are some curated lists:

  • Best MMOs: Most massive
  • Best strategy games: Number crunching
  • Best open world games: Unlimited exploration
  • Best survival games: Live craft love
  • Best horror games: Fight or flight