Outcast: A New Beginning – Review
OUR RATING: 7.5/10
Outcast – A New Beginning is an ode to the nostalgic era of the 90s and early 2000s gaming. While it may not be a groundbreaking AAA open-world game, it’s certainly more captivating than a majority of the releases we witness today. It’s reminiscent of those times when you’d rent a game purely based on the cover art, and then beg your parents to extend the rental because you were so engrossed in the gameplay.
The protagonist, Cutter Slade, an ex-Navy Seal, is a character straight out of a 90s action movie. His persona, combined with the game’s overall vibe, transports you back to a simpler era. The game successfully manages to create a bridge between the past and the present, making it an enjoyable experience for both veteran gamers and newcomers.
The game sets you on the alien planet of Adelpha, inhabited by the Talan, an alien race who recognize Slade as their Ulukaï or savior. Slade, who has lost his memory, gradually recollects it through flashes throughout the game. He agrees to help liberate the Talan from the invading human-led World Federal Army, who are after Adelpha’s resources.
While the storyline may not be groundbreaking, it is served just right for the game’s essence. The game cleverly connects back to the first iteration, helping you understand the storyline without making you feel lost.
The Talan people that Slade interacts with are a real highlight of the game. The quirky characters, their unique charm, and well-done voice performances add a comedic element to the game. The dialogues are filled with pop culture references that often catch you off guard, leading to bouts of laughter.
In terms of gameplay, the combat is serviceable but feels outdated. The arsenal consists of a rifle and a pistol, both of which can be modified with numerous modules that alter their function or buff stats.
Apart from that, the game brings some fun toys to the table with which you can enjoy yourself in this world. There is a shield that you can also use as a melee weapon, a jetpack that not only allows you to jump higher but also to fly or float along the ground at high speed, and one of the most striking mounts in the history of video games . You also have a number of weapons that you can customize to your liking using modules. Upgrades for Slade and his arsenal are obtained by completing certain side activities or collecting resources to purchase upgrades. Some of these activities are already on the map, but you will have to find the rest and fortunately this is not done using the typical Ubisoft-like towers. You will discover a few through missions, but the rest you will have to find through exploration.
Fortunately, exploring the world of Adeplha is very nice because you get a lot of freedom in where you can go and stand. Moreover, the environments in the game are often beautifully and atmospherically designed, with quite a bit of diversity ranging from exotic beaches and tropical jungles to deserts and mountainous areas. This with a wonderful touch of otherworldliness added. This is complemented by a wonderful orchestral score by Lennie Moore, the composer who also provided the soundtrack to the original. Each village has its unique story, and as you traverse through the different biomes, the game world’s depth and richness become more evident. The soundtrack ensures that everything comes across a bit more than it seems at first glance.
While the combat may not be the game’s strongest suit, the traversal mechanics are definitely a highlight. The jetpack equipped by Slade makes moving around Adelpha a delight. Once you’ve unlocked the core traversal mechanics, the game world opens up in front of you, allowing you to tackle quests in the order you prefer.
The effort put into building the world is incredible and quite extraordinary for a small studio. Like the original game, Outcast: A New Beginning features non-linear quests, but takes them a step further, with a useful quest log that shows us, graphically and schematically, how they relate to each other, what objectives we need to complete , where and at what point in our process, all so that we never feel lost. The main and side quests are closely linked in this title, so most of the side quests are essential to progressing in the story. The greatest achievement of this design is that the narrative is woven together in an organic way that feels very natural.
While the quests might feel overwhelming at first, you’ll quickly adapt to the flow and structure. The game manages to keep you hooked by offering constant updates about your quest progress.
Regarding technical performance, the game handles well, except for some minor glitches and performance issues. Some players might experience frame drops in certain areas or encounter invincible enemies. However, these issues are expected to be resolved with a Day One patch. The enemy AI also had some glitches every now and then, such as them simply walking towards me and just passing me by, getting stuck behind an object, or flying enemies hanging silently in the air until I was close enough or I took a shot.
Outcast – A New Beginning is a solid title that successfully bridges the gap between groundbreaking RPGs and forgettable ones. It’s not a masterpiece, but it’s certainly not mediocre. With its nostalgic charm, engaging characters, fun traversal mechanics, and an open quest system, it offers a unique gaming experience that’s certainly worth a shot. Despite its shortcomings in the combat department, Outcast – A New Beginning is a game that knows what it wants to be and embraces it.
