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The first thing I do in Look Outside is follow instructions. Clicking the window in my dingy, pixelated bedroom and pulling back the curtains – at the behest of a literal eyeball peeking out from the wall, no less – was never going to be a good idea. But if I was going to play a survival horror RPG, I felt it wise to know my enemy...
One of the most intriguing (and horrifying) new games of 2025, Look Outside is an eerie point & click adventure that has grabbed indie horror fans by the molars and refuses to let go. The solodev project from Francis Coulombe is equal measures scary and funny, riffing off the best survival horror games and pixel role-playing games like Stardew Valley to deliver an off-kilter scare-'em-up you won't soon forget.
Hell in the hallways
Your task is simple in Look Outside: don't look out the window (unless you want to see the game over screen), and try and stay alive for 15 days.
This should be enough time for the danger to pass, according to Sybil the wall eyeball. Yes she has a name, and yes she seems friendly. With limited food supplies and a scant array of leisurely items to pass the time, though, trying not to Look Outside over these 15 days sounds hard in itself. But that is why our intrepid hero must venture forth into the rest of the building to check on his neighbors, learn more about the phenomenon outside, and see just how strange things have gotten in this once-normal apartment block...
The thing that impresses me most about Look Outside is how clever it is. As a pixel RPG with a survival horror framework, my time is split between personal maintenance (not unlike The Sims 4), exploration, puzzles, and turn-based combat encounters. Digi-synth beats accompany me every step of the way, amping up the 80s sci-fi vibe as Look Outside's cramped world of nightmares grows more claustrophobic by the minute.
When I'm not facing the warped entities shuffling about the apartment building, I'm fighting to simply keep my body going. Eating, sleeping, showering, even brushing one's teeth are core aspects of the game's RPG systems; some actions boost health and stamina, earning a little XP while I'm at it, while others are about simply making time tick by and getting some nice status buffs. Playing a couple hours of video games is fun despite the more humble time sink, though it bestows a sense of Calm in the process. On the other hand, embarking upon four hours of crossword puzzles is "soul-crushingly boring" even if it does pass a good chunk of time.
If all these things help you maintain your stats, it makes sense that others can throw them into chaos. Especially when, ultimately, the best way to make time go faster in Look Outside is to muster up some courage and venture out of your apartment... if you dare.
Gnawing shadows
A circlet of dim yellow light surrounding your player character is often all that illuminates the space...
Dare, you should. Look Outside's savvy survival horror flair makes every dangerous trip outside your safe room more than worth the risk. Think grotesque enemies with uncomfortable names like Toothling, Teratoma, Observer, and Onlooker, as well as limited ammo, new weapons to find while exploring, and plenty of locked doors with hidden keys to hunt down as you investigate the curious happenings around you.
Unless playing on Easy mode, the only way to save is to go back to your apartment and chat to Sybil, much like collecting ink ribbons for typewriter saves in the best Resident Evil games. Thanks to the RPG elements, there's also a clothing equipment mechanic on top of your weapons loadout. So far, I've stumbled across a set of rags, a hoodie, and a tank top on my journey, each with requisite attack or defense buffs to give you an edge in combat.
The combat encounters themselves borrow elements from the best Pokemon games, but with insidious, horrific twists. Instead of a wild Clefairy appearing in tall grass, enemies lurk in the darkness all around. A circlet of dim yellow light surrounding your player character is often all that illuminates the space, whether running from an enemy down a never-ending hallway or creeping through a neighbor's apartment. You can click on a wandering enemy to start a battle yourself, but don't worry – they'll make a beeline straight for you if you don't. Look Outside's turn-based combat is simple but effective, with both regular and special attacks at your disposal.
Look Outside's cramped world of nightmares grows more claustrophobic by the minute.
Special attacks cost a little Stamina, and also pose a marginal risk. From a weapon being damaged to inflicting some damage upon yourself in the process, these risks do often pay off for the high reward output. I eventually get my hands on a pistol and some ammo, perfect for encounters with more powerful enemies, though upon encountering such foes, the game points out in a barefaced hint that "you feel the urge to run away". Since most health items cannot be used mid-combat, aside from tonics, sometimes it's best to hedge your bets and make a beeline for your safe room – unless you fancy committing the cardinal survival horror sin and wasting bullets on the small fry.
I've only experienced a few hours of Look Outside's quirky yet haunting universe, and I'm already charmed by it. Each in-game day that ticks by could be rife with boredom – it may well be possible to sit out the whole 15 day period with video games and pizza bites, for example – but the intrigue of it all keeps you exploring. What happened here? What are these extra-terrestrial beings that "burn away living essence" with a mere glance? What do I do with all this cash I've amassed? You never know what you'll find behind a locked door in Look Outside, from an overly friendly NPC who asks for a kiss in exchange for some photo film to a young man with teeth erupting across his entire face. I kissed the NPC. I killed the young man. I went home and ate some pizza bites. Life could definitely be worse, but hey – at least I didn't look outside (again).
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