Out of this World remastered with high-res graphics
by Christopher Grant 
{ Apr 15th 2006 at 9:15PM }
A high resolution version of Eric Chahi's 1991 masterpiece Out of this World (that's Another World for gamers outside North America) has become available for the Windows platform and can be downloaded here. The shareware demo can be unlocked for 7€ (about $8.50). The project, hosted at www.anotherworld.fr, appears to be the work of Magic Productions, the group responsible for porting Out of this World to the Symbian cell-phone operating system last year.
The remastered version is Windows only, but Mac users know what they can do. This looks beautiful ...
[Via Waxy]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Enigma @ Apr 15th 2006 9:19PM
This was one of the greatest nad most under-rated games of all time. I loved the whole series. Even the Sega CD ones people didnt like.
Flashback, OoTW, etc ... good stuff!
Brings back memories.
waffle @ Apr 15th 2006 9:24PM
I loved Flashback...and that is exactly what this reminded me of when I saw that screenshot. created by the same guy, this Eric Chahi?
i'm gonna have to see about this game.
EJFLEX @ Apr 15th 2006 9:31PM
It would be nice if I understood French
Brody Brooks @ Apr 15th 2006 9:34PM
Man, if only more games could have the 2D girth of this remake. While I wish they did something with the player's avatar, those backgrounds are simply breathtaking. Great artistry goes a long way, and game creators have lost touch with that rule.
MD/V @ Apr 15th 2006 9:38PM
Ten bucks for the DEMO? What is the world coming to?
jay @ Apr 15th 2006 9:38PM
inspiration and nostalgia. I loved Another World. When Tomb Raider first came out it felt like the 3D progression had begun. Inspiration too, because I'm working on a giant pixel art piece at the moment and yea. it's just good to see pixel backgrounds. pixel art plays such a huge part of my life still.
jay @ Apr 15th 2006 9:41PM
um. it's $8.50 for the full version. no UK price? isn't it coming out in the UK?
baochan @ Apr 15th 2006 9:51PM
Is there a link where a demo of the shareware version can be downloaded, without paying first?
C. Grant @ Apr 15th 2006 10:05PM
You can download the shareware demo from here:
http://www.anotherworld.fr/anotherworld_uk/index.htm
As far as I know, you can get the unlock code using your credit card. Your credit card company will charge you using the going rate for currency conversion (or something close to it).
striderhayasa @ Apr 15th 2006 10:12PM
I agree with you jay. I was an animation major in college and one of the inspirations for that decision came from Out of This World and Flashback. But I played them on the Amiga (jeez I miss that platform) back when they ruled at computer gaming.
Out of this world is a great example of superior creativity with limited tech to create a masterpiece.
Sweet.
Kevin, Princess Warrior @ Apr 15th 2006 10:16PM
I like the graphics but I don't want to pay for the game. I'll just look at the new screen shots while playing the original game. Same thing right?
burn @ Apr 15th 2006 10:20PM
If they did this with Flashback I would totally pay for it.
OOtW was fantastic, but I actually had a better time playing Flashback. The story, IMO was much more up-my-alley..
though, I will probably cave and buy this anyway.
Barry @ Apr 15th 2006 10:21PM
Baochan - Download the game, and you can play the first level/section for free. After that, you'll have to pay, but there is a free demo in there.
Fuzz @ Apr 15th 2006 10:48PM
Man, that game was groundbreaking in its day. I rember being in aw at every scene I saw. Then dying from a damned poison slug. I grew to hate slugs.
AJ @ Apr 15th 2006 11:07PM
Wow, cool.
OoTW was absolutely awesome - I'd say it ranks above anything else of the time as far as using the technology in an artistic way goes. It's just so damned cinematic. And the controls were amazing too, context sensitivity and everything.
Oh, and it's all vector graphics rather than pixels isn't it?
Leshrac @ Apr 16th 2006 12:28AM
I played through my SNES version several times... absolutely loved this game.
Some things annoying about this version... It runs too fast on my computer (and it's a laptop), and the awesomely intense music apparently added to the SNES version is gone... I may need to stick to my emulated SNES version for this.
LK @ Apr 16th 2006 1:40AM
I remember the game as amazingly difficult and horrifying.
I still have nightmares about how it began with that monster in the water. I spent 10 minutes trying to get out of the water, and when I finally did, that monster came back up and killed me in the short moment I spent rejoicing. Another couple of minutes pass until I finally get to the next screen. Then, I was slain by a slug.
So, I doubt I'll give this a go, being that I'm a wuss and all.
AJ @ Apr 16th 2006 2:28AM
LMFAO @ LK
(no offense if it's not a joke and you really are that bad, different peeps have different skills) :p
Mr. Umeadi @ Apr 16th 2006 3:00AM
I'm just glad to see that after all this time, I wasn't the only one who was bested several times by the frickin slug.
rudimentalist @ Apr 16th 2006 3:23AM
My first computer was a 486 with 4 MB of RAM running Windows 3.1. Compared to looking at Windows 3.1, this game really was "Another World". But yeah, this really is the stuff of nightmares, especially when you're 10 years old.
epobirs @ Apr 16th 2006 3:25AM
Great revivial of a classic. And a good demonstration of scaling to suit different environments.
These guys have a bunch of Amiga/ST classics in their line of conversions. They need to add Xbox Live Arcade to their list of platforms. Another World, its sequel, and Flashback would look great in 720p but could be reasonably quick downloads. Nebulous would be a perfect game for XBLA.
yubastard @ Apr 16th 2006 4:04AM
oh yessss... I also wish they did it for Flashback... I really miss that game and I was thinking 'bout it the other day. awesome... killing my fellow chained slaves on purpose after they gave me info or items was a most relaxin' xperience...
sharpfish @ Apr 16th 2006 5:19AM
Wow.. I remember playing this back on the Amiga, it was like a revelation. The animation was superb.
Bedpanjohn @ Apr 16th 2006 5:34AM
yes one of my top ten fav games... oh the frustrating memories of when games were challenging.
Hitch @ Apr 16th 2006 8:43AM
Woah, 7 Euros. Thats like penny chew money, great value.
Now all I need is Flashback and Syndicate given the same treatment for the same price. Id happily spend the small amount of money asked for all those games and more.
Nick @ Apr 16th 2006 11:20AM
Where on that page is there a link to the demo? All I see is a form that I fill out which leads me to a page to buy the full version. In French.
Tony @ Apr 16th 2006 12:12PM
You can buy this from the US easily, but you need a Visa or Mastercard. Just put your information into the form this post links to and you'll be brought to the order page.
I just did it. The key they e-mailed me went in my spam folder, though... so be aware of that. The e-mail will detail what you have to do in English.
The key has to be put in a directory of the shareware version in order to unlock it, so go to http://www.anotherworld.fr/anotherworld_uk/index.htm to download it and install it (thanks to C. Grant for pointing that out).
Seems to work fine for me.
fielin @ Apr 16th 2006 12:56PM
Oh, god. I just have to buy this new version.
I remember shedding tears of emotion at the end of this awesome game, which did not happen with Flashback.
tiremfej @ Apr 16th 2006 3:34PM
I never finished it, this game was difficult!
Timby @ Apr 16th 2006 4:35PM
Wasn't there a really bad sequel for the Sega CD where you played as the alien fellow who helped you out in the first one?
Nintendo RS @ Apr 16th 2006 8:40PM
This game was Amazing. I loved it!
Sense @ Apr 17th 2006 11:54AM
I played the sequel on SEGA CD. I don't remember it being all that bad. I think it was shorter than the first one. And yes, you did play as the alien.
I don't know why I never thought of this, but I'd love to see this on Xbox Live Arcade.
Tyler @ Apr 17th 2006 3:54PM
When I bought this game for the Super NES I knew nothing about it. I played the game's trial and error quest all the way to the end, and loved every minute.
I'd love to see this, and Flashback in the Nintendo Revolution download service!
Neil @ Apr 17th 2006 8:01PM
This is the greatest game ever made. Yes it's a bold statement but very true! I hope some of the money goes to Eric Chahi!
fielin @ Apr 20th 2006 2:15PM
Ahem. Just finished it.
It lasts like, one hour.
Which brings an interesting question : are we becoming better at video games ? Is there a kind of evolution in the way we are able to beat the games we found so difficult and long some time ago ?