We Love It's Guide to…
Play an escaping ape in a top-down brawler: grab captors as shields, hurl them at foes, and race through danger to each exit.
Released 28 Feb 2019
Use Captors as Shields
Throw Guards Into Walls
Kills Change the Beat
APE OUT is a wildly intense and colorfully stylized smash ‘em up about primal escape, rhythmic violence, and frenetic jazz.
Developed by Gabe Cuzzillo, Bennett Foddy, Maxi Boch · Published by Devolver Digital









You play as an ape breaking out of captivity, pushing through guarded spaces toward each level’s exit. There is little story beyond the escape; the focus is on the ape’s desperate route to freedom.
Move quickly through corridors, open areas, and labyrinthine layouts while avoiding gunfire, traps, and other hazards. Grab captors to hold them as shields, throw them into enemies or walls, or push past opposition and dodge attacks.
Levels are arranged as albums and tracks, with new enemies and level mechanics appearing along the way. A percussion-led soundtrack shifts with the action, while additional hard and arcade modes offer further challenges.
In this sample, players often praise the bold visual style and the way the responsive, percussion-heavy soundtrack turns combat into part of the music. Many also enjoy the direct, fast-paced grab-and-throw action and its short, intense format. Some find the later challenges frustrating or enemy layouts unfair, while others wish the campaign were longer or less repetitive.
| Platforms | Windows, macOS |
|---|---|
| Achievements | 23 |
| Age ratings |
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| Controller support | Xbox |
| Controller required | No |
| Metacritic | 83/100 View on Metacritic |
| Website | Official website |