APE OUT

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Critics Recommend

Average Score

Total Reviews: 65

Play It

Ape Out is a wickedly inventive power fantasy with amusing aesthetics and a jazzy soundtrack.

Play It

Critics Recommend

Critic Reviews: 65

Critics Consensus

# Reviews: 65

Ape Out is a wickedly inventive power fantasy with amusing aesthetics and a jazzy soundtrack.

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Critic Reviews for APE OUT

Critic Reviews

Score Distribution

65

Reviews

Average Score - 83/100

83%

Ranges

8/10

GameCentral (Metro GameCentral)

A fantastically entertaining action game that combines gameplay, visuals, and audio into an irresistible orgy of violence and… improvisational jazz.

February 28, 2019 |

Full Review

Ape Out is a beautiful and bloody game that’s given surprising depth by a tremendous soundtrack.

March 1, 2019 |

Full Review

Recommended

Johnny Chiodini (Eurogamer)

70/100

Tyler Wilde (PC Gamer)

A sensational audiovisual experience that starts to drag around halfway in.

March 7, 2019 |

Full Review

GameCentral (Metro GameCentral)

8/10 - (Read Review)

A fantastically entertaining action game that combines gameplay, visuals, and audio into an irresistible orgy of violence and… improvisational jazz.

Johnny Chiodini (Eurogamer)

Recommended - (Read Review)

Ape Out is a beautiful and bloody game that’s given surprising depth by a tremendous soundtrack.

Tyler Wilde (PC Gamer)

70/100 - (Read Review)

A sensational audiovisual experience that starts to drag around halfway in.

**Read all 65 critic reviews on the desktop version of VSG.

Read the Reviews (65 total)

Outlet	Author	Score	Date	Quote	Read
3DNews	Александр Бабулин	9 / 10	03-17-2019	Brilliant jazz improvisation in a game form. Fun, instinctive and harmonious.	Read review
AnaitGames	Marta Trivi	7 / 10	03-10-2019	An author game, Ape Out is a rhythm way in which we set the beat –punching our way through it.	Read review
AusGamers	Kosta Andreadis	8.5 / 10	03-05-2019	And it’s here where once you understand the rhythm and feel of a level, the splashes of blood and primate rage truly becomes an instrument.	Read review
CGMagazine	Harrison Dressler	8 / 10	02-28-2019	Deceptively simple and undoubtedly original, Ape Out’s fast and frantic jazz infused gameplay never loses sight of what videogames are really all about: having fun.	Read review
Checkpoint Gaming	Hailey McKay	Recommended	03-01-2019	Ape Out by Greg Cuzzillo is a fun fresh game that’s too addictive for its own good. You’d be bananas not to give it a shot.	Read review
COGconnected	Patrick Anderson	88 / 100	03-03-2019	A refreshingly original game that takes its gaming influences and runs with them like a jazz soloist on a Saturday night, Ape Out is one game that elevates ultraviolence to an art form.	Read review
Cultured Vultures	Jimmy Donnellan	8 / 10	02-28-2019	While the procedural generation makes it slip on a banana peel somewhat, the rest of Ape Out is such a stylistic and hyperviolent joy that you can’t but be charmed by it — even the jazz.	Read review
Destructoid	Chris Moyse	9 / 10	02-28-2019	Ape Out is a marvelous example of what can be done with gaming when a handful of talent think outside the box. Challenging, occasionally annoying, but addictive gameplay, painted in gorgeous splashes of colour and quirky, attractive visuals, all backed with a breathless score. This odd release is proof positive that creativity in gaming remains alive and well. Go Ape.	Read review
Digital Chumps	Eric Layman	8 / 10	02-28-2019	Ape Out parades the alliance between thunderous jazz and an irritated bloodthirsty gorilla. Two unrelated objects defined by being out of control are both under your control in the form of a violent top-down brawler. Symbols crash when gorillas and humans clash and the performance is beautiful and preposterous.	Read review
DualShockers	Ben Bayliss	8 / 10	02-28-2019	Channel your inner Harambe in the very brutal and primal Ape Out.	Read review
Electric Bento	Drew Meadows	9 / 10	03-19-2019	The soundtrack, gameplay, and visuals all work together to provide a stellar experience that, to me, felt better in short bursts.	Read review
Eurogamer	Johnny Chiodini	Recommended	03-01-2019	Ape Out is a beautiful and bloody game that’s given surprising depth by a tremendous soundtrack.	Read review
Everyeye.it	Claudio Cugliandro	9 / 10	02-28-2019	With a resoundingly evocative and cathartic ending, and with various, small secrets waiting to be unveiled by the community and by the players, Ape Out is already a classic of the genre, for its extraordinary aesthetic and sound style, and for the excellent quality of the his game design.	Read review
Expansive	Ray Willmott	Recommended	03-01-2019	Ape Out is a very special, surprisingly wonderful, downright brutal arthouse experience	Read review
Explosion Network	Dylan Blight	8 / 10	02-28-2019	Ape Out is a simple premise brought together wonderfully with the procedural nature of its music and level design to truly make you the maestro of your own escape.	Read review
FingerGuns	Rossko Keniston	10 / 10	02-28-2019	Ape Out is persistently challenging, completely bonkers and deliriously entertaining.	Read review
Flickering Myth	Shaun Munro	8 / 10	03-02-2019	Ape Out is the Whiplash of gaming – jazz-as-ultra-violence and sure to be one of the year’s most brutally cathartic gaming experiences.	Read review
Game Informer	Javy Gwaltney	8.3 / 10	02-28-2019	Ape Out is a wickedly inventive, ultra-violent romp that doesn’t overstay its welcome	Read review
Gameblog	Thomas Pillon	8 / 10	02-28-2019	Ape Out is a clever mix somewhere between the twin stick shooter and the beat’em all genres, which rely on its colorful yet simple visuals and a fantastic sound design focus solely on the drums to deliver a violent and quite unique experience in a very, very difficult adventure to freedom. Those brave enough to fight hundreds of armed to the teeth guards will experience a tough but rewarding game will enjoy its beautiful artistic direction for sure.	Read review
GameCrate	David Sanchez	8.3 / 10	03-11-2019	Ape Out is a fun and fast-paced action game with nary a dull moment. The brutal difficulty can go overboard at times, but even then it’s never too daunting. This is one of the coolest games of 2019 so far, and any fan of slick, stylish action games should give it a go.	Read review
GameGrin	Alan Wen	8.5 / 10	03-07-2019	A striking abstract visual style soundtracked by a jazz freakout as improvisational as its gameplay, Ape Out glories in its primal rage for a wild ride. Give into its rhythm and bloodlust, and just go ape!	Read review
Gameplanet	Alan Bell	9 / 10	03-12-2019	Ape Out’s near-perfect procedural polyrhythmic gameplay and music stays fun and exciting throughout. The games unique art style lends itself perfectly to the chaos and murder carried out by the games titular ape. While it can be a bit on the challenging side at times, the tight gameplay and frantic action will keep you coming back for ‘just one more run’ long into the night.	Read review
GameSkinny	RobertPIngram	8 / 10	03-22-2019	An Ape on the run looking for a way out is fierce to face, and fun to play as. Guide your ape to freedom, smashing any gun-wielding captors who get in your way!	Read review
GameSpew	Kim Snaith	8 / 10	02-28-2019	Ape Out isn’t for the faint-hearted, but if you enjoy Hotline Miami-style gameplay, I urge you to give it a go.	Read review
GameSpot	James O’Connor	7 / 10	03-07-2019	Ape Out prioritizes style over substance, but it’s weird and interesting enough to justify a play.	Read review
GameXplain	Jordan Van Glish	Recommended	02-28-2019	Video Review	Read review
Gaming Nexus	Sean Colleli	9 / 10	03-11-2019	Ape Out is that rare mix of great art, sound and game design. It’s a short but addictive experience with challenging, satisfying gameplay and an audiovisual style that instantly grabs your senses and doesn’t let go.	Read review
Geeks Under Grace	Sam Kim	7 / 10	08-27-2020	Despite a few missteps in level design, Ape Out delivers a solid beat ’em up experience with its aesthetic.	Read review
God is a Geek	Chris Hyde	8.5 / 10	03-04-2019	Ape Out grabs you by the bananas and doesn’t let go. A glorious combination of cathartic action, addictive gameplay and a rousing jazz backing.	Read review
Hardcore Gamer	James Cunningham	4.5 / 5 stars	02-28-2019	Ape Out is an absolutely fantastic action game with an incredible sense of style.	Read review
Hobby Consolas	Alberto Lloret	80 / 100	02-28-2019	Ape Out breaks its cage with an amusing aesthetics and a wonderful and jazzy soundtrack, both of them procedural generated. In some way, it plays like Hotline Miami, with its own ideas, and a constant feeling of urgency. A game with an owerhelming personality, that even shows up when our ape dies, in a memorable and stilysh death recap screen.	Read review
IGN	Luke Reilly	8.8 / 10	03-01-2019	Ape Out is an intoxicating fusion of percussion and destruction that oozes style from every angle.	Read review
IGN Italy	Davide Mancini	8.5 / 10	03-07-2019	Ape Out is a pure adrenaline rush. A joy to play, to watch and to listen to, where game, graphic and sound design work to bring together a true synesthetic experience.	Read review
Impulsegamer	Paul Stuart	4.5 / 5 stars	03-20-2019	Still, if you are a fan of puzzlers and want something different, Ape Out is a terrific diversion. While you may only play it for a few weeks (it’s not a very long game), you’re going to have a blast doing it.	Read review
Metro GameCentral	Unknown	8 / 10	02-28-2019	A fantastically entertaining action game that combines gameplay, visuals, and audio into an irresistible orgy of violence and… improvisational jazz.	Read review
New Game Network	Josh Hinke	62 / 100	02-28-2019	Mashing up unique aesthetics and gameplay doesn’t always yield a perfect result, and Ape Out tries to fit together two disparate ideas without successfully navigating the challenges of such an endeavor. Too many elements just don’t work at a fundamental level, making it an uneven effort at best.	Read review
Nintendo Enthusiast	Miguel Moran	9 / 10	03-01-2019	Still, despite those issues, Ape Out is simply an outstanding and utterly enjoyable experience. The moment I became that big, angry monkey, I was glued to the screen and never wanted the action to end. The music dropped my jaw, the visuals made my eyes go wide, and the addictive gameplay kept me entranced until I reached the final level. The ape is truly out, my friends.	Read review
Nintendo Life	Mitch Vogel	9 / 10	02-28-2019	The Nintendo eShop would be a considerably more exciting and interesting place if it were packed full of games like Ape Out, it’s a refreshingly original experience that more than deserves a place in any Switch owner’s library. Difficult, frenetic gameplay, a strong art direction, and an even stronger jazz drum soundtrack make this the sort of memorable game that you’ll likely keep coming back to over and over for another few runs at the arcade mode. We’d give Ape Out a strong recommendation to anyone looking for a distinct and unforgettable game for their Switch collection; it’s a bit of an acquired taste, but this is well worth your time.	Read review
NintendoWorldReport	Jordan Rudek	8.5 / 10	02-28-2019	The Arcade Mode and harder difficulty will test even the best of players and provide a decent incentive to come back. The sheer enjoyment of flinging guards into each other or through a high-rise window to their doom doesn’t really get old, but the striking use of color and perspective truly set this game apart. If you don’t mind the gratuitous body count and related blood splatter, Ape Out is a funky and fresh take on the top-down action genre. Now if you’ll excuse me, I need to rock out with my Ape Out.	Read review
OnlySP	Mike Cripe	3 / 5 stars	03-11-2019	Ape Out is a beautiful game that is impossible to forget, yet finds itself with plenty of imperfections. The lengths the game goes to empower players in the world of a trapped gorilla are perfect and make the game easy enough to recommend. That said, some minor tweaks to the procedural level generation and more options to take out goons could have given Ape Out the tools to rise to the top. A sequel could do more to improve on the gameplay formula and should be on everyone’s radar, assuming Ape Out 2 is planned for the future, of course. Until then, Ape Out remains as an experience everyone should give a try, even if its gameplay does not quite meet the savory standards of its own presentation.	Read review
Oyungezer Online	Emir Ataç	7.9 / 10	03-10-2019	Ape Out is a game worthy of Devolver Digital portfolio with its amazing jazz music and unique art direction, but it may not appeal to everyone.	Read review
Pardis Game	Parham Aghakhani	7.5 / 10	04-01-2019	Ape Out is a fantastic audiovisual experience with a gameplay which is easy to pick up and also enjoyable. However, while its length is perfect for a single playthrough, it doesn’t offer much to encourage playing more. And the randomness, while offering a fresh & unique experience on each playthrough, sometimes paves the way for unfair situations & deaths	Read review
PC Gamer	Tyler Wilde	70 / 100	03-07-2019	A sensational audiovisual experience that starts to drag around halfway in.	Read review
Player2.net.au	Paul James	Recommended	03-20-2019	Ape Out is a rare breed. An arcade experience that both infuriates and ingratiates itself to you thanks to exciting, riveting mechanics and a wonderful sense of style that is only seriously held back by its brevity.	Read review
Polygon	Jeremy Winslow	Recommended	03-01-2019	Like so many games, Ape Out is a power fantasy. Unlike so many games, Ape Out seems keenly aware of its purpose.	Read review
PowerUp!	Greg Newbegin	8.1 / 10	02-28-2019	All told, Ape Out is a blisteringly fun game	Read review
Rock, Paper, Shotgun	Alice Bell	Recommended	02-28-2019	If nothing else, this is a game where you, a gorilla, can punch a man so hard that he crumbles into his constituent parts, and then pick up his arse and hoof it at one of his mates. I don’t know what else to tell you.	Read review
Screen Rant	Derek Stauffer	4 / 5 stars	03-01-2019	Devolver Digital’s Ape Out is a terrific and creative jazzy adventure for Nintendo Switch and PC.	Read review
SECTOR.sk	Matúš Štrba	8 / 10	03-14-2019	Ape Out is a really surprising indie gem based on a dynamic music system with jazz tunes. The game is pretty short though.	Read review
Shacknews	Chris Jarrard	8 / 10	03-05-2019	Should you dive into APE OUT? Indie junkies who were enamored with Hotline Miami beyond its aesthetic will find lots to like about the feel of the combat and tight integration with the soundtrack.	Read review
Slant Magazine	Steven Scaife	4.5 / 5 stars	02-28-2019	The game not only gets you to behave like a rampaging gorilla, it forces you to adapt like one.	Read review
SomHráč.sk	Karel Šír	90 / 100	03-11-2019	Ape Out is a stylized, adrenaline-filled action game that won’t give you a single moment to breathe. If you’re looking for a short, intense videogaming experience, the escaping gorilla won’t let you down.	Read review
SpazioGames	Daniele Spelta	9 / 10	03-03-2019	Ape Out is a brutal and primordial smash’em up, a gorilla race on a jazz base.	Read review
TechRaptor	Brian Renadette	8.5 / 10	02-28-2019	Short yet sweet, Ape Out combines a highly stylish aesthetic with enjoyable gameplay to make for an exciting experience.	Read review
The Digital Fix	Chris Patrick	9 / 10	03-04-2019	An addictive riot of a video game, and an essential purchase.	Read review
The Games Machine	Stefano Calzati	9 / 10	03-11-2019	Cuzzillo, Foddy and Boch have torn the cage of the creative processes by creating a model of their own. Ape Out is pure jazz: overwhelming, defiant and free. The monkey has escaped, infuriated, and wants to sow panic on the gaming industry.	Read review
Thumbsticks	Tom Baines	4.5 / 5 stars	03-13-2019	Ape Out is a dynamo of a game, simultaneously stylish and meaty, that manages to succeed as both a technical demonstration of procedural generation – particularly that magical audio – and a bloody fun game to boot. Between this, Gris, and Pikuniku, Devolver Digital is absolutely crushing it right now.	Read review
VGChartz	Stephen LaGioia	7 / 10	03-01-2019	A fun little action gore-fest	Read review
Video Chums	A.J. Maciejewski	7.2 / 10	02-28-2019	Even though Ape Out is undeniably a top-notch production with its graphics and sound, its gameplay is disappointingly short-lived, especially after the novelty of it all starts to subside.	Read review
VideoGamer	Colm Ahern	9 / 10	02-28-2019	Whilst the concept is there in the title, the intricacies of Ape Out’s are revealed the more you play. Every aspect creates a dazzling jazz mixtape that reverberates from eyes, to ears, to thumbs. And you’re an ape. Which is great.	Read review
Wccftech	Rosh Kelly	8 / 10	02-28-2019	Ape Out is great if you’ve only got a few minutes or a few hours. Its simple design, constant excitement, and reward loop mean you can be satisfied with one turn or twenty.	Read review
We Got This Covered	David Morgan	4 / 5 stars	02-28-2019	Ape Out delivers a deliciously impactful take on the frenetic twin-stick formula. It uses the closeness of its melee encounters and excellent sound design to create an atmosphere of pure, unstoppable tempo. Its style is undeniable, and the craft on display is well worth the short time it takes to play through each of the game’s four acts.	Read review

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Game Info

Game Description / Storyline:

APE OUT is a wildly intense and colorfully stylized smash ‘em up about primal escape, rhythmic violence, and frenetic jazz. Build up nearly unstoppable momentum and use your captors as both weapons and shields to crush everyone on your procedurally generated path to freedom.

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Developed by Gabe Cuzzillo. All titles, content, brand names, trademarks, logos, artwork, and associated imagery are trademarks and/or copyright material of their respective owners. © All rights reserved.