Look Outside is a survival horror RPG that challenges the conventions of its genre by trapping the player in the mundane. Developed by Francis Coulombe and published by Devolver Digital, this pixel-art masterpiece is a testament to the power of atmosphere, psychological tension, and meticulous resource management. The premise is terrifyingly simple: a mysterious event outside your apartment has turned anyone who looks out the window into a grotesque monster. You are left in the supposed safety of your apartment, but with a growing urge to look outside. The game isn't about running from monsters; it's about the slow, creeping dread of being confined, the paranoia of who to trust, and the difficult choices you must make to survive. This article is your comprehensive guide to navigating the 15 days of this harrowing ordeal, mastering its unique mechanics, and uncovering its many secrets.

Look Outside is a game of push and pull. You are driven to explore the apartment building to gather resources and answers, but every step outside your door increases the danger. The game expertly blends survival horror with turn-based RPG combat, creating a loop that is as rewarding as it is terrifying. We will break down every essential component, from managing your character's mental state to surviving encounters with horrifying monsters and making the most of your limited time and resources.

How to Manage Your Sanity and Needs Inside Your Apartment

Your apartment is your only true safe haven in Look Outside, but it’s far from a place of comfort. Your character, Sam, has several needs that you must manage to stay sane and effective. Neglecting these needs will lead to negative status effects that can hinder your performance in combat and exploration.

Your needs are represented by various stats, including Hunger, Hygiene, Calm, Social, and Morale.

• Hunger: You must eat to prevent hunger. You can cook food using the oven or eat a pre-packaged meal. A full belly gives you a boost in battle.
• Hygiene: Take a shower to maintain your hygiene. A dirty character can become uncalm and suffer from a penalty to evasion.
• Calm and Morale: These are crucial for your mental state. You can restore your calm by doing relaxing activities like reading or taking a shower. Morale can be boosted by playing video games on your laptop or having a meal with your roommates.

It is vital to check your reflection in the bathroom mirror, as this is the only way to get a visual representation of your needs. Before venturing out, ensure all your stats are in the green. A well-rested and well-fed Sam is a more effective survivor.

How to Master Turn-Based Combat and Its Nuances

The combat in Look Outside is a turn-based RPG system with a unique twist. The game accounts for the space between you and your foes, making positioning a key element of every fight. You can’t just stand there and trade blows; you must strategically move, attack, and use items to survive.

Combat is a resource-intensive activity.

• Weapons and Durability: Your makeshift weapons have durability and will break after a certain number of uses. You must carefully manage your weapon usage and know when to switch to another.
• Special Attacks and Skills: Many weapons have unique special attacks that cost stamina. Knowing when to use a powerful special attack to finish a tough enemy or when to conserve stamina for a quick escape is a crucial skill.
• The "Danger Meter": This meter increases the longer you stay out of your apartment. As it rises, more dangerous enemies will spawn. You’ll hear them before you see them. Knowing when to retreat to your apartment and when to push your luck is a constant, terrifying decision.

Every enemy in the game is hand-crafted and has its own weaknesses. Pay attention to their attack patterns and a key part of your survival will be figuring out the best way to deal with each one.

How to Manage Your Inventory and Resources

Every item in Look Outside is a valuable resource. From a broken bottle that can be used as a weapon to a scrap of cloth that can be used for crafting, every single thing you find has a purpose.

Resource management is a meticulous process.

• Loot Everything: Don't leave anything behind. You never know when a simple scrap of metal might be the key to crafting a powerful new weapon or a vital healing item.
• Crafting: Your apartment has a crafting station where you can combine items to create new ones. The game has a convenient recipe list that tells you what you can make with the items you have. This is where you can make powerful new weapons, healing items, and even new tools to unlock new areas.
• Trading: You will encounter traders who knock on your door. They sell a variety of useful items, from food to weapons. You must decide if what they are selling is worth the price, which is often very high. You can also haggle with them to try and get a better deal.

How to Strategically Explore the Apartment Building

The apartment building is a labyrinth of secrets, dangers, and valuable resources. You can't just run from one end to the other; you must plan your route carefully.

• Non-linear Exploration: The building opens up over time. Certain areas may be locked until you find the right key or until a specific day in the game's cycle.
• The "Time" System: Your time is a precious resource. The game operates on a day and night cycle. Certain actions, like exploring, cause time to pass. You must balance the time you spend exploring with the time you spend in your apartment taking care of your needs.
• Vending Machines: Coin-operated vending machines are scattered throughout the building. They can be a great source of supplies, but you must have the coins to use them.

How to Recruit and Manage Roommates

You don't have to face the horrors alone. You can recruit various strange and unique characters to join you as roommates. They can join your party and help you in combat.

Recruiting roommates is a crucial part of the game.

• Door Encounters: Your potential roommates will sometimes knock on your door. You must be polite and friendly to them, as a wrong word can turn a potential ally into a hostile enemy.
• Managing Your Party: When you have roommates, you must also manage their needs and keep them happy. They can also get injured in combat and will need to be healed.
• Combat Advantage: A party of two or three is far more effective in combat than a solo Sam. They can help you take down tough enemies and make scavenging runs much safer.

How to Decipher the Narrative and Uncover its Mysteries

The story of Look Outside is told through a series of cryptic clues, notes, and strange encounters. There is no traditional narrative; instead, you must piece together the story yourself.

The story is a slow burn that unfolds over the 15 days of the game.

• Notes and Diaries: You will find notes and diaries left by the previous residents of the building. These documents provide a fragmented look into the tragedy that befell them and can give you clues about the nature of the monsters.
• Strange Encounters: You will encounter a variety of strange and unnerving characters, some of whom are hostile, and others who are not. These characters are not just enemies; they are part of the story, and talking to them can reveal a lot about the world.
• The "15-Day" Countdown: The game is a countdown to a specific event. The true nature of this event is a mystery that you must uncover. Your actions throughout the game will determine the ending you get.

How to Deal with the Body Horror and Cosmic Dread

Look Outside is not for the faint of heart. The game features a unique pixel-art style that manages to be both retro and deeply unsettling, especially in its depictions of body horror and cosmic dread.

The horror is not from jump scares.

• The Monsters: The monsters in this game are truly grotesque. They are amalgams of teeth, limbs, and other bodily parts. The game’s pixel art style makes these creatures all the more unnerving.
• The Atmosphere: The sound design is a masterclass in building tension. Every creak of the floorboard, every distant scream, and every strange whisper in the dark is designed to make you paranoid and afraid to leave your apartment.
• The Unseen: What is truly outside? The game never fully shows you, and the fear of the unknown is one of its most powerful tools.

How to Unlock All Endings and Secrets

The game has multiple endings, and the one you get is determined by your actions and choices throughout the 15 days.

To get all the endings, you will have to play the game multiple times.

• Moral Choices: The game presents you with many moral choices. Do you help a stranger, or do you save your resources for yourself? Your choices will have a direct impact on the ending you get.
• Exploration: Many of the endings are locked behind specific items or areas. You must fully explore the building and find all the hidden secrets to get the true ending.
• Different Playstyles: You can play the game in different ways. You can try to be a lone wolf, or you can try to recruit as many people as possible. Each playstyle will lead you down a different path and a different ending.

Conclusion

Look Outside is a triumph of indie game development, a fusion of survival horror and RPG that is as clever as it is terrifying. It is a game that teaches you that true horror isn't found in a cheap jump scare but in the quiet moments of paranoia and the moral dilemmas of survival. By mastering its unique mechanics, managing your resources, and embracing the chaos, you will uncover the secrets of the apartment building and face the ultimate question: what happens when you finally do look outside?