Developers: Appeal Studios
Publishers: THQ Nordic
Genre: Action, exploration
Release Date: March 15th, 2024
Where to buy: Steam, Xbox, PSN
Outcast: A New Beginning reintroduces players to the alien world of Adelpha, this time with an open-world format. Players take control of Cutter Slade, a wisecracking engineer tasked with liberating the enslaved Talans. While the story provides context, the focus lies squarely on exploration and combat.
Exploration is a double-edged sword. Adelpha boasts stunning visuals with diverse landscapes, from lush jungles to arid deserts, all begging to be uncovered. However, clunky jumping mechanics and a somewhat restrictive jetpack can hinder the exploration experience.
Combat offers another mixed bag. The gunplay is decent, with a variety of weapons to collect and upgrade. However, enemy variety is sorely lacking. Players will face the same types of foes repeatedly, leading to a sense of repetitiveness in combat encounters.
The saving grace lies in the quest design. Helping the Talans with their problems, from simple fetch tasks to intricate puzzles, injects a sense of purpose and allows interaction with a well-crafted alien society. These quests often utilize Adelpha’s unique flora and fauna, adding a layer of intrigue and environmental puzzle-solving.
Length:
Outcast: A New Beginning’s playtime can vary depending on your approach. Here’s a breakdown:
- Main Story: Completing just the main storyline can be achieved in around 8 hours.
- Main Story + Side Quests: Dedicating time to side quests alongside the main narrative can extend your playtime to roughly 16 hours.
- Completionists: Players aiming for 100% completion, including collecting all items and tackling every challenge, can expect to invest around 20 hours.
Overall Value:
The overall value of Outcast: A New Beginning depends on your expectations. Fans of the original will likely appreciate revisiting Adelpha and Cutter Slade. However, newcomers might find the dated open-world mechanics and repetitive combat elements underwhelming. The core gameplay loop of exploration, questing, and combat offers some enjoyment, but the lack of polish and enemy variety can make it feel uninspired compared to other open-world titles.
