Outward

 PC
User Score
7.1

Mixed or average reviews- based on 175 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 111 out of 175
  2. Mixed: 21 out of 175
  3. Negative: 43 out of 175

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  1. nilsy
    Apr 7, 2020
    4
    Cant remember the name of a single NPC
    Lack of content and bad battle mechanics.
  2. username1222
    Jun 27, 2021
    0
    This game is a total joke. It seems like an old school RPG at first but they made it retarded. You can't jump, you can't save the game and then when you get out of town you die of cold instantly. what a **** CHORE. I don't get why dumb as **** devs make such CHORE games. isn't it supposed to be fun ? Idiots.
  3. lapkina
    Nov 24, 2020
    3
    Laughably bad and overpriced. I like the idea of sandbox rpg with survival stuff, but maybe if it's price was around 10 buck i would say that this is not awful, just bad and unpolished game for one evening. Poor perfomance on high-end pc, ugly character models and clunkiest combat i've seen. Not worth it.
  4. Berkaydesu
    Mar 1, 2020
    7
    Good game with a huge potential to be a great one, I just hope the dev group won't waste that
  5. AzorAhay
    Dec 24, 2021
    5
    Me and my friend enjoy this game (with all problems) until we get to Vendavel Fortress, get in mine to work, we run from there paying 30 silver and lost everything, we go back and die from guards trying get our stuff back, when wake up my friend have he's backpack but me no, I lost it forever, very bad bug. I'm mad and sad now because this game have so much potential but I lost all myMe and my friend enjoy this game (with all problems) until we get to Vendavel Fortress, get in mine to work, we run from there paying 30 silver and lost everything, we go back and die from guards trying get our stuff back, when wake up my friend have he's backpack but me no, I lost it forever, very bad bug. I'm mad and sad now because this game have so much potential but I lost all my progression because of this.
    Plus some problems of the game, poor combat, poor level design, poor graphics (not very bad, okay for this game), poor story, poor characterizations, open world feel empty...    … Expand
  6. Alias243
    Jan 13, 2023
    3
    A lot of people have mentioned that this game is difficult. That's fine. I'm okay with the fact that on the map you aren't given your location. I'm fine with the lack of fast travel as tedious as it is. What I can't get over is how unnecessarily grindy the economy is and the garbage combat with no real skill.

    I'm a gamer that enjoys a challenge. I have played and beaten all of the souls    A lot of people have mentioned that this game is difficult. That's fine. I'm okay with the fact that on the map you aren't given your location. I'm fine with the lack of fast travel as tedious as it is. What I can't get over is how unnecessarily grindy the economy is and the garbage combat with no real skill.

    I'm a gamer that enjoys a challenge. I have played and beaten all of the souls games and many others like them. I love a combat system that rewards timely dodges and parries, but in this game the blocking and recovery after a weapon swing make combat a game of patience and armor statistics.

    Hitboxes make no sense and no matter how I try spacing just doesn't work. I really wanted to like this game since I'm always on the lookout for Local Splitscreen games I can play with my girlfriend, but after 6-7 hours I just can't find a reason to keep going.

    This is nothing like Dark Souls, there is no skill in this combat system.    … Expand
  7. Zenren
    Feb 10, 2020
    4
    I wanted to like this game. It seemed to have so much potential, however it's just not there. The initial mission is difficult to complete, ended up dying and having no where to rest, had to restart the game because I had my bedroll in my backpack. Just buy something else. If it was $14.99 or less it could be a weekend diversion, but honestly I doubt it will be anything more than that forI wanted to like this game. It seemed to have so much potential, however it's just not there. The initial mission is difficult to complete, ended up dying and having no where to rest, had to restart the game because I had my bedroll in my backpack. Just buy something else. If it was $14.99 or less it could be a weekend diversion, but honestly I doubt it will be anything more than that for most people.

    Pros-

    Survival game. It does it poorly, very poorly, but it is supposed to be a survival game.

    Cons-

    Poor graphics- maybe it was designed to run on any machine, but even at ultra and high the graphics are really bad.
    Controls- Difficult and awkward, can't enter combat without tabbing and locking onto your enemy, or else you will never be able to aim at them. Very poorly done. Also keep in mind there is no Jump. Literally a foot high wall will prevent you from moving forward. Just lazy programming at its finest.

    Final Verdict- Don't buy this game, there are so many good games out there. The hype from big name gaming mags has a lot to do with advertising dollars, not actual gameplay.    … Expand
  8. Nosmont
    Mar 26, 2019
    10
    You don't need incredible graphics to make a good game. This by the way is an amazing game.
    There is no hand holding, it is quite difficult as well. But the number 1 reason to get this? FRIGGEN SPLITSCREEN COUCH CO-OP Number 2? No buying items in game with real world cash/ no loot boxes. If anything, get this game to play that, have put 3 hours into the co-op mode and it is just about the    You don't need incredible graphics to make a good game. This by the way is an amazing game.
    There is no hand holding, it is quite difficult as well. But the number 1 reason to get this? FRIGGEN SPLITSCREEN COUCH CO-OP Number 2? No buying items in game with real world cash/ no loot boxes. If anything, get this game to play that, have put 3 hours into the co-op mode and it is just about the most fun I have had in years.
    It is funny how a game with dated graphics, and made by a team of 10 people invokes the same enjoyment of exploration that only Breath of the Wild was able to do so well.    … Expand
  9. MGee
    Jul 30, 2020
    0
    Don't believe the people who say this is like Gothic 1/2 or some other Piranha Bytes game. Those are actually good games. This sure as hell isn't. It does everything those games do, but poorly. Poor combat, poor crafting, poor level design, poor graphics, poor story, poor characterizations, poor absolutely everything having to do with this game. This is one of the rare instancesDon't believe the people who say this is like Gothic 1/2 or some other Piranha Bytes game. Those are actually good games. This sure as hell isn't. It does everything those games do, but poorly. Poor combat, poor crafting, poor level design, poor graphics, poor story, poor characterizations, poor absolutely everything having to do with this game. This is one of the rare instances where I think a zero-rated review is absolutely justified.… Expand
  10. DeepspaceAU
    Mar 27, 2019
    10
    I love this game. Not for everyone, but if you crave old school open world games, it delivers beautifully. It's a bizarre cross between dark age of camelot, DDO, early elder scrolls, a 3D version of wizardry 8, ultima 9 ascension (you read that right), with a pinch of dragon's dogma, and then add survival elements. It really brings back that 90's rpg vibe very nicely. The genius is theI love this game. Not for everyone, but if you crave old school open world games, it delivers beautifully. It's a bizarre cross between dark age of camelot, DDO, early elder scrolls, a 3D version of wizardry 8, ultima 9 ascension (you read that right), with a pinch of dragon's dogma, and then add survival elements. It really brings back that 90's rpg vibe very nicely. The genius is the death system, which for some reason just keeps you going back, when in many other games I would have ragequit by now. I love the combination of fantasy and survival, and I can't think of any game that has done this before...although kingdom come does come to mind. Yes, there is some janky combat. Get over it. It seems that some folks don't like it, but if you like a deep old school rpg with survival management, then this may be your favourite new game.… Expand
  11. gokury
    Mar 31, 2019
    10
    Outward 2 whennnnnnnn???????????????
    Outward 2 whennnnnnnn???????????????
    Outward 2 whennnnnnnn???????????????
    Outward 2 whennnnnnnn???????????????
  12. Steve4500
    Mar 28, 2019
    10
    Fantastic, this takes me back to the Gothic series, mixed with a tiny sprinking of dark souls.

    Oh and its split screen coop! As a 90's gamer this is a dream come true. No transactions, no pay to play. What a refreshing approach in a market flooded with underwhelming £50 AAA games that take 7 hours to finish.
  13. Ignatius3
    Mar 27, 2019
    10
    Truly, this game is a diamond in the rough. With the bad taste left by Fallout 76 and Anthem (debatable) Outward is the knight in shining armor coming to save the day! Ironic given how you aren't the hero. I really do love this game and cannot wait to see what Nine Dots will be up to next.

    Pros: Hard, but rather fair combat that will appeal to fans of action games or dare I    Truly, this game is a diamond in the rough. With the bad taste left by Fallout 76 and Anthem (debatable) Outward is the knight in shining armor coming to save the day! Ironic given how you aren't the hero. I really do love this game and cannot wait to see what Nine Dots will be up to next.

    Pros: Hard, but rather fair combat that will appeal to fans of action games or dare I Souls-borne, beautiful art style, a sense of exploration reminiscent of Breath of the Wild, robust crafting system, interesting survival mechanics that add to the game without making it tedious.

    Cons: Literally only the fact that the graphics are subpar by AAA standards, but come on, graphics do not mak-eth the game.

    Conclusion: A lot of critics have been doing their job and criticizing this game, but it feels rather unfair to do this. Sure the graphics may not be up to date, and it may have a collection of bugs, but it was released yesterday. Just look at what happened to the Witcher 3. It released with a slew of bugs but people gave it a chance and it became one of the best RPG's of all time. So give Outward a chance. It really is a deep, immersive, RPG that brings back memories of Gothic, Risen, and Fable with a bit of Morrowind in there. I really think that this has the possiblity to be big but it justs needs people to have an open mind. And no, the game is not empty to all who say that. Adventure isn't going to be every 50 meters like in Skyrim. But when you do find it, the rewards are sublime.    … Expand
  14. slenk
    Mar 29, 2019
    10
    This is an ambitious game by a small dev team. Absolutely loving my time in the game and being an ordinary adventurer in an extraordinary world. Outward doesn't hold your hand, something too many games do nowadays, and it's a refreshing change of pace. Can't wait to see what Nine Dots does next!
  15. Gamertimexxx
    Jun 24, 2019
    1
    Please do not compare this clunky unintuitive mess to dark souls or fable. Everything ‘interesting’ about the gameplay is a bland quirk to add difficulty to an otherwise personalityless game. The world may have been interesting if it were at all populated or had anything to do in it except excessive walking. Literally play anything else.
  16. Vollos
    Oct 5, 2019
    1
    I created an account to warn others to not buy this game.

    Outward was on sale for $25 from $40. I wanted something fun to play with a friend, and we could go exploring the world together. Well, I thought I'd try it out before I wrangled someone into buying this. Which was a good idea! It HAD a good start, Shipwrecked on a beach, a chance to explore the countryside! Nope, you go    I created an account to warn others to not buy this game.

    Outward was on sale for $25 from $40. I wanted something fun to play with a friend, and we could go exploring the world together. Well, I thought I'd try it out before I wrangled someone into buying this.

    Which was a good idea!

    It HAD a good start, Shipwrecked on a beach, a chance to explore the countryside! Nope, you go to sleep and get teleported to your home which is promptly taken from you for a quest you have three in game days to complete. Don’t like it? Get Rekt.

    Figured I would go outside to farm some kills to make money to get house back, can’t leave the city until I get a waterskin, a backpack, and a weapon. Awesome! Slowing down progress! Fun times! /s.

    Finally get outside, combat is clunky, weird, and punishing.
    * You will get swarmed and murdered
    * The swing animations make it easy to miss targets
    * You will die, and it will not get better.
    * no agro falloff for monsters, they will follow you back to town.

    I'm fine with a game being hard. Darksouls and monster hunter have some bullcrap mechanics where the game hits the "you lose" button. Fine, I can handle that. I feel like Outward was hitting that button from start to finish.

    I ended up refunding this game in the end, I only had 2 hours maximum to test before steam stops you from refunding. I only needed 41 minutes.

    Other complaints:
    Human resources found homeless people to do the voice acting.
    Steam reviews/PC gamer review feels like it has been manipulated.
    There is no way this game is worthwhile or enjoyable. Even if some people enjoy being pooped on, or beaten, this game should not even fulfill those kinks.

    Outward Release Date: Mar 26, 2019.
    Good games don't go on sale for 40% off 6 months after release.

    To the people who made this game, I’m sorry. I know this isn’t what you wanted to make. It’s probably management's fault. I wish you the best of luck in the future and hope the next game you make isn’t a complete dumpster fire.    … Expand
  17. ClarkKunt
    May 28, 2020
    8
    It’s pretty hard to get in to the game at first., but it’s worth it.... and for studio of this size is game like Outward incredible accomplishement.

    +Co-op (full time, no half assed stuff) +Big region open world with lots of interesting places to explore +RPG elements are interesting and different +death/respawn system (you can’t save manually) +great magic system +good    It’s pretty hard to get in to the game at first., but it’s worth it.... and for studio of this size is game like Outward incredible accomplishement.

    +Co-op (full time, no half assed stuff)
    +Big region open world with lots of interesting places to explore
    +RPG elements are interesting and different
    +death/respawn system (you can’t save manually)
    +great magic system
    +good crafting/cooking/alchemy system
    +survival elements (at first I thought it was **** but in time i found appreciation for the immersion that this stuff brings to table)

    -graphics
    -sounds
    -melee combat is not great, but not terrible
    -story just average, but that’s because it’s not main focus of the game    … Expand
  18. Elco32
    Apr 15, 2019
    4
    Combat is bad. And I like Gothic and Risen. This is just bad combat. And the world is empty, the interface is dated. Nothing about this game says quality or fun. I asked for a refund. Hopefully I didn't put quite 2 hours into it,
  19. Codems
    Mar 27, 2019
    10
    I have played for 5 hours, for now the game is spectacular, is a role-playing game like others of the genre but has peculiarities that make it even better game.

    The open world favors exploration and does not chain you to mission after mission following a story. As you play you realize that everything is against you, both the environment providing you with illness and tiredness as    I have played for 5 hours, for now the game is spectacular, is a role-playing game like others of the genre but has peculiarities that make it even better game.

    The open world favors exploration and does not chain you to mission after mission following a story.

    As you play you realize that everything is against you, both the environment providing you with illness and tiredness as well as the enemies themselves.

    In the world that Outward proposes there are no heroes, it is only you against the world.

    Highly recommended.    … Expand
  20. Kafkan
    Mar 29, 2019
    8
    Después de leer muchos comentarios negativos por su apartado gráfico (cierto es que no son lo mejor del mundo) y su dificultad, he de decir que el juego te da una libertad enorme con multitud de oportunidades y además a esto le añades el modo coop que le añade un plus de diversión.
    Un rpg de corte clásico que no agradará a todos pero si a los que busquen un reto como los de antes.
  21. mikesuper666
    Apr 7, 2019
    10
    It's a wonderful game, with cooperative graphics ambition graphics and exelent animations.
    I highly recommend this game fdeitos for only 10 people and with very few bugs that may have already been resolved at that time.
    I leave here my public congratulations to the creators of this game. Portguês... É um jogo maravilhoso, com o modo cooperativo gráficos ambientação e animações    It's a wonderful game, with cooperative graphics ambition graphics and exelent animations.
    I highly recommend this game fdeitos for only 10 people and with very few bugs that may have already been resolved at that time.
    I leave here my public congratulations to the creators of this game.

    Portguês...
    É um jogo maravilhoso, com o modo cooperativo gráficos ambientação e animações exelentes.
    Recomendo muito esse jogo fdeitos por apenas 10 pessoas e com muitos poucos bugs que pode até ja ter sido resolvidas nesse momento.
    Deixo aqui meus parabéns publico para os criadores deste jogo.    … Expand
  22. Rose_
    Mar 29, 2019
    10
    Very good to play, you'll have a lot of fun, tho I do recommend using a wiki, the game is a bit confusing but very fun
  23. Kimikal
    Apr 1, 2019
    10
    Este juego es BRUTAL.

    Sin llevar apenas 13h con el mismo (haciendo el tutorial detenidamente, aprendiendo las mecánicas y jugando los primeros minutos de la campaña), uno se da cuenta del potencial que tiene entre manos. Se puede decir que técnicamente Outward no es un juego destacable, pero ojo, para nada es malo, cumple y en ciertos aspectos de manera notable; donde para mí el juego    Este juego es BRUTAL.

    Sin llevar apenas 13h con el mismo (haciendo el tutorial detenidamente, aprendiendo las mecánicas y jugando los primeros minutos de la campaña), uno se da cuenta del potencial que tiene entre manos. Se puede decir que técnicamente Outward no es un juego destacable, pero ojo, para nada es malo, cumple y en ciertos aspectos de manera notable; donde para mí el juego realmente despunta es en la jugabilidad, la esencia del entretenimiento, hace una mezcla excelente de títulos como por ejemplo Skyrim, Don't Starve, Montser Hunter o Dark Souls, por mencionar algunos, ofreciéndote un poquito de lo mejor de cada uno y consigue que para los amantes de este tipo de juegos una experiencia original con personalidad propia.

    A disfrutarlo.

    Puntos a destacar:
    - Originalidad en muchos aspectos: mecánica de juego, argumento, realismo, etc.
    - La mezcla RPG y supervivencia es una locura.
    - Banda sonora.
    - Dificultad alta, exige un alto nivel de gestión de inventario y preparación previa.
    - Controles muy bien adaptados con gamepad (recomiendo jugar con este).
    - Cooperativo local y online.    … Expand
  24. IrishNinja
    Apr 12, 2019
    10
    TL,DR: Buy it, because it's an awesome experience and this dev should be rewarded for their efforts.

    This game pays homage to various mechanics and designs of older RPG's that are almost non-existent in today's AAA market, while adding its own spice. As someone who grew up playing games like Morrowind, Ultima, Everquest and even Materia Magica; this title brings me back to those roots    TL,DR: Buy it, because it's an awesome experience and this dev should be rewarded for their efforts.

    This game pays homage to various mechanics and designs of older RPG's that are almost non-existent in today's AAA market, while adding its own spice. As someone who grew up playing games like Morrowind, Ultima, Everquest and even Materia Magica; this title brings me back to those roots in so many ways.

    I personally don't think it's empty, and graphically while the character models are a bit dated, overall it's a gorgeous game with great music. A lot of the game focuses on immersive survival and difficult combat, they can't just have mobs of enemies everywhere. The Health and Stamina system coupled with food, water, sleep, and weather, forces you to really prep for adventuring Outward into the world. And really consider what fights you pick as you're adventuring, as it only has a built in Autosave, no manual save. Little things like choosing not to sleep directly on or next to a path even play into the ambush chance while you sleep. Or having a campfire to keep you warm at night so you don't catch a cold. Etc.

    And while the game has its flaws, namely some simple quality of life stuff and various bugs (the latter I'm sure will be patched in time). I think all of the good this game offers far outweighs the bad, especially when you consider this is an Indie title made by a small Developer Studio . And if you truly want to challenge yourself and not be Hand-held or Spoon-fed like a pleb, you should try this game.    … Expand
  25. yousuck55
    Apr 14, 2019
    10
    this game is to hard and needs to much brain for most gaming tester sites :)
    that means, its a awesome game for ppl who like real games and not interactive movie crap
    hulda
  26. LordAzuRa
    Mar 26, 2019
    10
    Absolutely lovely title!

    Definitely one of the best adventuring simulator on the market, it is harsh, it is fair, it is pretty and there's lots and lots to do! It always manages to pique my sense of curiosity, there's always something I'm wondering about and something I want to do. Sure the world isn't extremely over-populated... but I believe that's part of the vision that sparked    Absolutely lovely title!

    Definitely one of the best adventuring simulator on the market, it is harsh, it is fair, it is pretty and there's lots and lots to do! It always manages to pique my sense of curiosity, there's always something I'm wondering about and something I want to do.

    Sure the world isn't extremely over-populated... but I believe that's part of the vision that sparked the creation of this game. Again, this is an adventure simulator... and part of an adventure, is seeking an adventure. In plain fields, in real life, there isn't a point of interest every 50 meters.

    They take a few very interesting twist on well known game play elements (see Magic, Alchemy, etc.)

    Sure there's a few frustrations here and there, and a few issues here and there, but overall I am so pleased with the title that I believe it deserves a well rounded 10/10.

    Oh did I mentioned it has Drop In/Drop Out SPLIT-SCREEN COOP!?    … Expand
  27. kaltorak
    Apr 11, 2019
    9
    Awesome game. It's a mix of Dragons Dogma + Monster Hunter + Gothic

    From Dragon's Dogma: The general feel of the type of game From Monster Hunter: The type of progression and activities. There isnt xp or levels, but there is a lot of progression through items, money, recipes and trainers From Gothic: The nostalgia, the story type, the awesomeness, and yes, also a bit the    Awesome game. It's a mix of Dragons Dogma + Monster Hunter + Gothic

    From Dragon's Dogma: The general feel of the type of game

    From Monster Hunter: The type of progression and activities. There isnt xp or levels, but there is a lot of progression through items, money, recipes and trainers

    From Gothic: The nostalgia, the story type, the awesomeness, and yes, also a bit the clunkiness.

    The game is hard. But not dark souls hard. It's also hard to know what you are supposed to be doing. It has a steep learning curve, but it is awesome    … Expand
  28. GrilledBacon
    Apr 6, 2019
    10
    Gothic + Dark souls + Survival = Instant classic

    Play if you love hardcore RPG games.
  29. CRISTIAN9505
    Apr 9, 2019
    10
    es un juego increíble, no cuenta con los mejores gráficos, pero te brinda algo que muchos juegos AAA modernos no logran llegar a hacer, inmersión total y una experiencia fantástica
  30. KhaimovMR
    Apr 15, 2019
    10
    Best Fantasy RPG, that I've played in years.
    Want a Survival + Fantasy RPG? Get the Outward.

    The only con is a lack of information on it - the hardcore gameplay is much harder without any info on the game.
    Loved it anyway!
  31. Koloski
    Apr 3, 2019
    9
    Great idea, a ton of fun. I wish there were more games made like this. While it is missing some AAA graphics and flair, the overall game design is top notch. Hope this game is a success so they can make an Outward 2 with AAA graphics, sound and polish.
  32. Shehriazad
    Apr 11, 2019
    10
    Fable + Dark Souls + Co-op....in a quirky new IP...what more is there to say?

    If you like RPGs, Hardcore games, Dark Souls and games in that direction...you'll feel right at home!
  33. Bebesurf
    Apr 8, 2019
    9
    Awesome game !

    The game is all about learning, you start with having trouble against every enemies you encounter, and then you make really enjoyable fights against greater enemies, thanks to your new skills and equipments :D ! There is a huge survival aspect, which is greatly appreciated, granting you penalties or buffs ! You can be the white knight who saves everyone in his path,    Awesome game !

    The game is all about learning, you start with having trouble against every enemies you encounter, and then you make really enjoyable fights against greater enemies, thanks to your new skills and equipments :D !

    There is a huge survival aspect, which is greatly appreciated, granting you penalties or buffs !

    You can be the white knight who saves everyone in his path, crushing his evil enemies, or be more "gray" and be mean sometimes (I don't know yet if you can be very mean, I made the white knight man).

    Quests can be accomplished in different ways, with different results, but this is not a HUGE part here.

    Some people say the graphics are not good, well, they may not be as beautiful as the nowadays AAA games, but they are coherent with the universe, the world, and the gameplay.

    I don't put 10/10, because of the few lags, and the choices in quests which, to my mind, do not have as huge an impact on the game as I would like.

    For 40€, the game is totally worth it, buy it !

    PS : I absolutely want a 4 co-op mode to have huge fun with 3 friends :DDD    … Expand
  34. MrVic20
    Apr 9, 2019
    10
    This game is getting lower scores for not being like other games. Guess what? That's a GOOD thing! This game is not for everyone, that's true, but that doesn't make it bad. Its quite good in fact, and many of the design choices are deliberate not an oversight. There are a million ARPGs built just the way the others are, why not let this stellar gem gleam in its own manner? Fantastic title,This game is getting lower scores for not being like other games. Guess what? That's a GOOD thing! This game is not for everyone, that's true, but that doesn't make it bad. Its quite good in fact, and many of the design choices are deliberate not an oversight. There are a million ARPGs built just the way the others are, why not let this stellar gem gleam in its own manner? Fantastic title, with a lot of heart!… Expand
  35. Caspertoo
    Mar 26, 2019
    2
    Ok I read the "pre-reviews" and liked what people were saying. I pre-purchased it and spent about 5 or so hours playing it today. What's the best way to describe it? How about a MMORPG that has no other players in it and almost no enemies to battle. You go everywhere on foot and there is a long distance to go sometimes. The graphics are more reminiscent of something in the midOk I read the "pre-reviews" and liked what people were saying. I pre-purchased it and spent about 5 or so hours playing it today. What's the best way to describe it? How about a MMORPG that has no other players in it and almost no enemies to battle. You go everywhere on foot and there is a long distance to go sometimes. The graphics are more reminiscent of something in the mid 2000's. Your choices for things to battle (that you stand a chance of beating) are these big chicken looking things, hyenas, and bandits. Literally everything else can kill you with 2 or 3 hits while you shoot them with 30 arrows and make multiple melee attacks on it. You finish the starting quests in the starting city fairly fast, then are given the instructions of traveling across the map to pick a faction, but the problem is, anything outside your starter city area will kill you instantly. It's just not a fun game, sorry I really wanted it to be, but no. I asked for a refund.… Expand
  36. deathbringer
    Apr 22, 2019
    10
    Great Survival RPG! The combination of the classic RPG gameplay (which is 10x better than most modern "RPG's" which AREN'T even RPG's) with survival mechanics which are very well thought out, this makes for a truly great game! One of the best RPG's I've played in a while and probably one of the best survival game as well, all in one kit.

    The low ratings from the critic reviews are    Great Survival RPG! The combination of the classic RPG gameplay (which is 10x better than most modern "RPG's" which AREN'T even RPG's) with survival mechanics which are very well thought out, this makes for a truly great game! One of the best RPG's I've played in a while and probably one of the best survival game as well, all in one kit.

    The low ratings from the critic reviews are pathetic, and it's just another sign of the incompetence of these so called "experts" who run away when things become a bit difficult. Casual f-ing D-heads is what they are, being bought by the "AAA" companies to give them 10/10 ratings and low ratings to actual masterpieces by smaller developers.    … Expand
  37. pentag0n
    Jun 13, 2019
    10
    Classic RPG system which i havent seen in many years. Best RPG i actually played last 5 years for sure. A lot of build possibilities and choices to make that stay and affects your game later. If given a bit of patience in the start, u find out the game is great. played over 40h last 4 days and im not even finished.
  38. Chadpowers
    Jul 30, 2019
    3
    It's empty, doesn't respect the players time, the systems are unnecessarily complicated and slow paced and the combat is no fun at all. Also it doesn't even have stats to raise, as if my character would have this not very exciting but long and drawn out adventure and never gets even a tad stronger or better in anything.
    It's the absolute opposite of what they promised in the description    It's empty, doesn't respect the players time, the systems are unnecessarily complicated and slow paced and the combat is no fun at all. Also it doesn't even have stats to raise, as if my character would have this not very exciting but long and drawn out adventure and never gets even a tad stronger or better in anything.
    It's the absolute opposite of what they promised in the description of the game and I feel scammed out of my money and time.

    Graphics: 3/10 really, really poor world design
    Sound: 5/10 meh
    Story: 4/10 utterly mediocre
    Gameplay: 0/10
    Overall: 3/10    … Expand
  39. LesPaul
    Jun 1, 2019
    10
    This game has a well thought-out fantasy world with well-functioning mechanics. I have put in about 30 hours of gameplay and experienced only two minor bugs. With my graphics settings (very high with 3.4 Ghz processor, Windows 7, GForce GTX 1050Ti) the game looks and plays beautifully. It is a pleasure to view the landscape as my character jogs around. The combat and magic systems areThis game has a well thought-out fantasy world with well-functioning mechanics. I have put in about 30 hours of gameplay and experienced only two minor bugs. With my graphics settings (very high with 3.4 Ghz processor, Windows 7, GForce GTX 1050Ti) the game looks and plays beautifully. It is a pleasure to view the landscape as my character jogs around. The combat and magic systems are geared towards thoughtful play and not the faster-than-light play style that others might enjoy. And if a DEBUG.TXT file is laid in the Outward_Data folder, then multiple save points and debug console options/cheats become available. Outward is as enjoyable as Skyrim was, though lacking all the Skyrim DLCs, is not as diverse. But on the up-side Outward is ultimately more coherent. Note: death is not final in Outward, and your equipment at the time of death can be eventually recovered after you spawn again.… Expand
  40. Rovot
    Jul 6, 2019
    8
    died from cold a few feet from the starter town. I've gotten trampled by a pair of roaming thieves and drank some bad water, that I assume gave my character the squirts. I'm not the Dragonborn, Chosen One, or the Acid Dropping Macaroni Messiah. I'm just a man trying to get to a merchant with all the wares I looted off bodies of the creatures or thieves I bested in order to get some sweetdied from cold a few feet from the starter town. I've gotten trampled by a pair of roaming thieves and drank some bad water, that I assume gave my character the squirts. I'm not the Dragonborn, Chosen One, or the Acid Dropping Macaroni Messiah. I'm just a man trying to get to a merchant with all the wares I looted off bodies of the creatures or thieves I bested in order to get some sweet coin.
    I really like that    … Expand
  41. Khrope
    Oct 31, 2019
    10
    This is my favourite RPG this year. It is certainly not for everyone because of the small size of the studio and the limitations that imposes but the originality of some of the ideas with some of the interesting gameplay have made this one of my most played games this year
  42. fuatX
    Dec 4, 2019
    4
    +Good
    +Good graphics.
    +Good map and skill system
    +You can feel like real advanturer
    +Souls-like game

    -Bad
    -no level system
    -U HAVE NO CLUE WHERE U ARE EXACLY
    -Boring musics
  43. zechms
    Apr 5, 2019
    3
    The way this game was hyped was as a story-light and harsh-but-fair low-budget-Skyrim type of experience, which had me hammering at the door.

    HARSH-BUT-FAIR Firstly, if you die you respawn in town with all your stuff. Just catch a quick nap and get back out there. Secondly, I only played the game for about five hours before I stumbled upon a seated, solitary NPC whom, when talked to,    The way this game was hyped was as a story-light and harsh-but-fair low-budget-Skyrim type of experience, which had me hammering at the door.

    HARSH-BUT-FAIR
    Firstly, if you die you respawn in town with all your stuff. Just catch a quick nap and get back out there. Secondly, I only played the game for about five hours before I stumbled upon a seated, solitary NPC whom, when talked to, my character immediately surrendered their weapons and items and walked straight into a cell. Excuse me, but that's not story through gameplay, that's story in spite of gameplay. Everyone said "Outward doesn't hold your hand", but it sure tied both my hands behind my back for the sake of some forced story. Thirdly the combat system is one of those where the only real difficulty is trying to get the game to recognize inputs that aren't wrapped inside full seconds of inactivity. I thought the game would be unfinished except for the combat but instead it is no exception.

    STORY-LIGHT
    You're not the chosen one, no, but I was amazed to realize that you start the game with a pre-established character who grew up in the game world, has ties within it, and has a story of their life which you are thrust into the middle of. This makes the game even more difficult to enjoy your own RP with than the world-centric protagonists its marketing was so proud to have resisted. I was shown a character creator, I designed someone to play as, I named them according to who I decided they were, and then all of a sudden they were the child of a lighthouse keeper living under the burden of a blood debt their old grandmother left them with. This character lore then follows you and determines your story path, refusing to be ignored. What happened to story-light? I would rather be in the prisoner's cart, please.

    LOW-BUDGET-SKYRIM
    I'm trying to think of what Outward has that a challenge run of modded Skyrim doesn't. If you set the difficulty to maximum, limit your save/loads, and install a mod to skip the opening, I believe you'd be playing a far superior version of the type of experience Outward was marketed on. A nobody with a world-stomping destiny is 100% closer to nobody than Outward's somebody with the same world-stomping destiny but minus a lore explanation. Furthermore a world where you can actually die is 100% harsher than one where you miraculously teleport to safety. And a combat system that somewhat rewards good play, rather than only punishing bad play, is some >0% fairer than one where you are mainly fighting the controls. In short I think that Outward's design principles were either failed or not actually in line with the design principles that everyone hyping the game was repeating them to be. It's not harsh, it's not particularly fair, you're not nobody, and without these things I don't see a justification for putting up with the extremely low-budget quality.    … Expand
  44. DreamEvil
    Mar 28, 2019
    6
    I have about 20 hours of experience with this game. At first it seemed very interesting, but over time it seems tedious.

    Minuses: - a small number of quests - in the first city there are 2, where one is the main theme and the other is a side quest. In another city it was similar. - no extensive history of the world - a lot of time to travel from one city to another (it takes about    I have about 20 hours of experience with this game. At first it seemed very interesting, but over time it seems tedious.

    Minuses:
    - a small number of quests - in the first city there are 2, where one is the main theme and the other is a side quest. In another city it was similar.
    - no extensive history of the world
    - a lot of time to travel from one city to another (it takes about 15-30 minutes)
    - weak dubbing, often the same for a few characters (It would be better if it was not)
    - sometimes You'r weapon can be lost (I lost my bow like that)

    Pros:
    - Survival elements have an interesting effect on the game
    - backpacks!
    - a large variety of combat methods (traps, guns, each weapon has a different set of attacks)
    - possibility of cooperation in the game

    Underlying the game has little content, but the game mechanics introduce many innovations in a long-unchanged RPG system. The game can be surpassed only by some RPG fans    … Expand
  45. arthur666
    May 5, 2019
    2
    you can sleep while holding a torch........................................
  46. BlackMetal
    Apr 8, 2019
    10
    Biggest surprise of 2019!

    Mix of Gothic series RPG elements and atmosphere with Dark Souls combat mechanics.

    This game still need some improvements, but god, i like it!
  47. Timboboy
    Apr 15, 2019
    9
    I didn't expect much to be honest. The game looked a bit outdated and rough at the edges, but I decided to buy it.

    Well, it surprised me. I can't tell you very much about the story since I completed one main quest by now. Nevertheless. I played this weekend I were sitting in front of Outward for 34 hours. The game is fun. The combat is taxing, the world has actually enough to    I didn't expect much to be honest. The game looked a bit outdated and rough at the edges, but I decided to buy it.

    Well, it surprised me. I can't tell you very much about the story since I completed one main quest by now. Nevertheless. I played this weekend I were sitting in front of Outward for 34 hours.
    The game is fun.

    The combat is taxing, the world has actually enough to explore and is interesting, hunting for new equipment pieces is actually fun and the limited space and backpack system feels just right on this one.
    I think that one is my surprise game of 2019.

    It feels a bit like Zelda with survival elements but without fast travel in old school.
    Nevertheless, there are some bugs and the game has som clunky mechanics but I can look over them since the rest of the game is fun.    … Expand
  48. DizzyStyle
    Nov 17, 2019
    10
    Short:
    One of the best RPG in 201X
    Full: This game is like updated Gothic 2 for 2019. Gameplay is amazing. Yes this isn't DOS2 or Witcher 3 but this is something more. Usually I'm trying to skip crafting, consumable and buff system aspects in other games. But not in Outward. I want to craft. I want to use some potions and buffs. How they manage to achieve this? I don't know. But    Short:
    One of the best RPG in 201X

    Full:
    This game is like updated Gothic 2 for 2019. Gameplay is amazing.
    Yes this isn't DOS2 or Witcher 3 but this is something more.
    Usually I'm trying to skip crafting, consumable and buff system aspects in other games. But not in Outward. I want to craft. I want to use some potions and buffs.
    How they manage to achieve this? I don't know. But this system is uniq.
    I played about 100 hours in this game and there is still some undiscovered locations and items.

    In conclusion:
    Don't skip this game. If you a hardcore darksouls player - play SOLO.
    if you like playing some easy mode - play with friends.
    Play for yourself, don't rush. Don't trying to complete the story line.
    This game is about exploring and this is the best RPG after DOS2, Witcher 3 and Skyrim in 201X    … Expand
  49. MatteumPrimo
    May 13, 2019
    8
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. [ITA] Outward e la “non morte”, ma a misura di indie – Recensione PC / Singolare mix di feature che non troverete da nessun'altra parte. La coop è bellissima. Scricchiola su bug e grafica.

    Vale la pena di essere giocato? Andiamo per ordine. Outward si presenta agli occhi del giocatore come un action GdR dalla meta non ben definita. Si parte da un presunto naufragio la cui colpa ricade sul protagonista e del quale dovrà rendere conto seguendo una delle tre storyline. Questo elemento favorisce la rigiocabilità, anche grazie al fatto che è presento una sorta di modalità New Game + in cui è possibile lasciare in “eredità” pezzi dell’equipaggiamento.

    In Outward la discendenza è quasi sacra. E i debiti degli antenati ricadono sui discendenti, passando da generazione in generazione. Oltre al disastroso naufragio, il protagonista di Outward è infatti anche coinvolto in un debito di Sangue che dovrà ripagare entro pochi giorni (di gioco) e che ammonta a migliaia di monete d’argento. Una tale situazione lo costringerà a lasciare la città natale di Cierzo, in un modo o nell’altro, per redimere le colpe di altri e non solo le proprie.

    I primi minuti di gioco sono quindi molto simili a un Dark Souls: ogni cosa ti può asfaltare. Ma la parte più interessante è che non esiste un “You DIED” o game over alla sconfitta del protagonista, ma il gameplay si evolve. Il vero punto focale della recensione (PC) di Outward è quello che chiamo la “non morte”. Il personaggio non morirà mai.

    Questo aspetto di gioco ideato da NineDots Studios è da una parte geniale e dall’altra un po’ forzato, soprattutto nelle fasi di gioco più avanzate. Lo si vede quando un fantomatico esploratore di passaggio ci soccorre dopo essere stati sgranocchiati da un branco di iene. E questo non è per niente male visto che ci lascia anche una pozione ricostituente affianco al giaciglio improvvisato. Ma piuttosto quando si dovrebbe morire da eroe affrontando una “cosa” grande come un fienile, ci si ritrova sempre e comunque vivi ma con qualche ammaccatura.
    Non dico che la “non morte” di Outward si sposi male con il gameplay, perché è parte di esso. Venendo sconfitto il personaggio ha infatti la possibilità randomica, ma contestuale, di venire a conoscenza di luoghi segreti, o essere imprigionato in un campo di banditi e costretto a tentare la fuga con solo pochi stracci addosso.

    Il fatto di “non morire” è una scusa ingegnosa per giustificare il proseguimento dell’avventura di gioco. L’ho capito quando dovendo affrontare una sorta di mini boss all’interno di una locanda, la finestra di caricamento di gioco mi aveva lasciato intendere che il locandiere aveva preso le mie monete pagando la stanza e le cure per rimettermi in sesto e “ritentare la boss fight”.

    Potrà essere una “scusa” o una “stupidata”, ma non lo è. Una tale sorta di giustificazione l’avrei voluta sperimentare in un gioco come The Witcher, in quanto il fallimento di Geralt avrebbe sì portato al caricamento di un salvataggio precedente, ma con stile e portando il giocatore a nuove svolte della trama.

    In Outward è possibile modificare la trama con le nostre azioni? Sì e no. Sarete confusi, ma all’inizio dell’avventura lo ero anche io quindi è tutto ok. Dovete sapere che alcune missioni di questo indie games sono realmente a tempo e se non completate vi faranno perdere dei bonus.
    Prendendo come esempio la missione iniziale del pagamento del Prezzo del Sangue, lì vi sono esattamente 5 giorni di gioco a disposizione del player per non perdere la casa nel faro. Tutto ciò cambierà il finale di Outward in qualche modo? Alcune missioni si incentrano su importanti accordi tra le fazioni di gioco, piuttosto che di debiti per una casa sul faro.
    Alcuni giocatori ci hanno svelato di aver fatto [spoiler] bruciare Cierzo. Si può quindi presumere che le azioni del giocatore modifichino la trama di Outward, ma non così percepibili nello stilare la recensione PC. Complice il fatto degli intrecci della storia, l’impossibilità di caricare salvataggi precedente e di conseguenza vederne le conseguenze; avrete la vostra avventura.

    Tuttavia anche qui c’è un’idea di fondo di NineDots Studios in cui ho avuto la netta sensazione di dovermi sbrigare perché gli eventi prendessero la piega che volessi. La sensazione era quella che altri personaggi stessero tessendo i propri fili e inviando i propri campioni a ottenere alleanze, fomentare rivolte per vincere le proprie battaglie… Siamo ritornati alla domanda iniziale: Outward vale la pena di essere giocato? Sì. Nonostante tutti i difetti e una grafica di altri tempi, Outward unisce un singolare mix di aspetti di gioco che non potrete trovare da nessun’altra parte.    … Expand
  50. godofcoding
    Nov 17, 2019
    10
    Hard and Cool
    Beautiful and Monstrous
    This game looks like Gothic in 2019, plays like Subnautica in RPG world..
    And in the end - unique experience
    Definitely recommended. (Especially after all patches where they fix all of majority bugs)
  51. IlyaHero
    Mar 26, 2019
    0
    Cons: empty open world, outdated and clunky combat, ton of bugs and bad performance, unbalanced enemies
  52. eduhmell0
    Mar 27, 2019
    5
    The game feels a lot bland, the graphics are great, the maps are huge, but the gameplay feels slugish and very shallow.
  53. Gamerinheart
    Apr 5, 2019
    7
    For developers of 10 is quite deep game. Feels empty, but i guess this is on purpose. It is not bad - and is not AAA game. Take it for what it is ... and there is a plenty of fun!!! I give 7.5/10.
  54. Chezidek
    Nov 23, 2019
    10
    Amazing adventure game!
    Here we are not another hero, we play for an ordinary person and we have to survive in a cruel world!
    For me it's game of the year, I'm delighted! Such emotions, impressions and such a gaming experience I have not experienced for a long time!
  55. monsieurpooh
    Nov 5, 2020
    9
    Pros:
    -Compared to other games like Skyrim, it is very difficult to become overpowered for a very long time.
    -Compared to other games, Hardcore mode is actually viable because you won’t get physics-glitched to death. Cons: -World not as detailed as in big budget games such as Witcher 3 or Skyrim. -Soundtrack can be hit or miss. I have composed fan-made replacement tracks and made    Pros:
    -Compared to other games like Skyrim, it is very difficult to become overpowered for a very long time.
    -Compared to other games, Hardcore mode is actually viable because you won’t get physics-glitched to death.

    Cons:
    -World not as detailed as in big budget games such as Witcher 3 or Skyrim.
    -Soundtrack can be hit or miss. I have composed fan-made replacement tracks and made this available on NexusMods.

    Illegitimate complaints:
    -Someone claimed the combat sucks because they needed to kite an enemy for 90 seconds. They clearly didn’t learn the mechanics, because you can simply move left-forward at a 45-degree angle to get behind them after they attack. Yes, combat is janky like Gothic/Risen style, not cinematic and fluid, but looking cool should always be secondary to having good balance/mechanics, in an RPG.
    -Someone claimed they got lost because the map doesn't show the "you are here" icon. That's actually a good thing because you are role-playing an actual adventurer in the wild, not a Google Maps app user!

    Requirements to enjoy:
    -Play hardcore mode. When you see something new you should be in awe, and a little scared. Not just run up to it and “die first, question later” like you would in most other games.
    -Don’t google anything unnecessary
    -If, like me, you feel the DLC music is not up to par with expectations, please check out the Outward Soundtrack Overhaul mod I made on NexusMods.    … Expand
  56. slanderbot
    Jun 18, 2020
    8
    A beautiful fresh fantasy experience. When playing it tugs at my old memories of playing Morrowind or dungeons and dragon adventures with a group of friends.

    This game expands beyond the generic standard of most fantasy games, reaching more for the outlandish, strange, and mysterious art direction. Exploration and experimentation are by far the biggest draws in this world. You don't    A beautiful fresh fantasy experience. When playing it tugs at my old memories of playing Morrowind or dungeons and dragon adventures with a group of friends.

    This game expands beyond the generic standard of most fantasy games, reaching more for the outlandish, strange, and mysterious art direction. Exploration and experimentation are by far the biggest draws in this world. You don't "level up" but instead gather knowledge from across the land and through training. Your power is solely dependant on your knowledge, your equipment, and your preparation.

    Combat is simple, feeling clunky at first, yet it does have a finesse to it that when mastered you can show off a dance of death to whatever challenges you.

    This game is not for those who want to dive in and zoom through the experience. It's complex, slow-paced, and deeply immersive by design. Also a word of advice, there is no such thing as being too prepared in this harsh world.    … Expand
  57. Leer468
    Mar 19, 2020
    10
    At first you think it is a game like any other, but when you take an hour and leave the city the game becomes incredible, the feeling of freedom is unique
  58. Anastasyah
    Jan 17, 2020
    8
    Great game but it lacks quests. I have not been so involved in a game process for many years.
  59. Xandl7
    Dec 16, 2020
    10
    cool game
    great atmosphare with the music
    not for everyone
    hard start in the game
  60. ragepatate
    Jul 31, 2020
    10
    TL;DR : pure masterpiece.
    This game is the best and made me lose many nights of sleep.
    I can bet you all my horror chitin that people who give negative scores didn't even experience the 2nd zone. Interesting take on the survival RPG . Survival becomes less of a chore later-on in the game as you get better gear. The sense of adventure is always there. You move to places because you    TL;DR : pure masterpiece.
    This game is the best and made me lose many nights of sleep.

    I can bet you all my horror chitin that people who give negative scores didn't even experience the 2nd zone.

    Interesting take on the survival RPG . Survival becomes less of a chore later-on in the game as you get better gear.
    The sense of adventure is always there. You move to places because you feel compelled to , not because some old blacksmith lost his hammer. High replayability with different play styles, endings and customization.    … Expand
  61. InQuasi
    Jan 2, 2020
    10
    What a phenomenal breath of fresh air, this game is a must buy for anyone that likes a more realistic/tangible approach to fantasy adventure.

    Outward focuses much more on strategically planning your trip into the wilderness. Each quest requires carefully selecting your equipment, food and survival necessities as well as knowledge of the road/memory of the paths that take you to your    What a phenomenal breath of fresh air, this game is a must buy for anyone that likes a more realistic/tangible approach to fantasy adventure.

    Outward focuses much more on strategically planning your trip into the wilderness. Each quest requires carefully selecting your equipment, food and survival necessities as well as knowledge of the road/memory of the paths that take you to your destination. With an organic feel to the world and being so fully lost in it with just a map, no player marker, and a compass you can only rely on the visible landmarks and your previous experiences to navigate each tightly constructed area.

    With balanced survival mechanics, entirely useful loot and rich combat this game hits all the right marks and in full stride when achieving its creative goal. I haven't been so immersed in a dangerous world since I first played each Dark Souls game, and when it comes to mechanics Outward certainly doesn't fall short of the greatest RPGs, I'd argue it even surpasses them in certain capacity.

    Looking forward to forming a better opinion on it and hopefully sharing it to anyone that might be on the fence about this title.

    Buy. This. Game.    … Expand
  62. Dave_B
    Apr 29, 2020
    10
    Amazing game if you like using your brain & can remember when graph paper & notes were necessary... Many other people with rating of 10 have said it better... I won't repeat.
  63. Papapapab
    Jun 19, 2020
    9
    Fantastic game, Pros: difficulty, you cant see yourself on the map, great magic, ambisous game made by small team, perfectly balanced survival and the skill system is awsome!

    Cons: a bit clubky mele combat, bad story and quite buggy. All in all it is a great game and i recommend buying it if you want a old school feeling survival rpg.
  64. sundam
    Sep 12, 2020
    10
    Amazing Game !!! I ve spent lots of hours creating news builds, creating weapons and defeating the final 12 bosses like a Dark Souls Game.
  65. LooTcher
    Mar 18, 2021
    9
    An amazing game, some few messes, but the devs constantly patch the game for balance and fixes. the two DLC are very good, with an well made environment. The bad thing im see is that it's very expensive for an indie game, but it's indeed well made for such small team.
  66. metacriticsuckz
    Apr 16, 2021
    0
    Absolute Garbage. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
  67. keens
    Mar 11, 2020
    6
    This game is far from perfect but after I added a couple of mods I really enjoyed playing it.
  68. ShinraZ
    Feb 11, 2021
    6
    First of all, many aspects of the game feel really unpolished, from the graphics to some game mechanics.
    The combat is sluggish, some say that they wanted to give an “old” feeling to it, but this is a crap excuse, the old games (early 2000-2005) just couldn’t do better at the time with the technology they had available.
    The game wants to be an open world experience that lets the player    First of all, many aspects of the game feel really unpolished, from the graphics to some game mechanics.
    The combat is sluggish, some say that they wanted to give an “old” feeling to it, but this is a crap excuse, the old games (early 2000-2005) just couldn’t do better at the time with the technology they had available.

    The game wants to be an open world experience that lets the player explore everything himself without hand-holding, and that’s fine, but the starting difficulty is just crap and unbalanced.
    When you start the game, every single enemy needs 8-12 hits to die depending on the weapon you have, while they can kill you with 3-4 hits (even some **** chocobo-like birds).

    The crafting system just plain sucks, fighting enemies doesn’t feel rewarding compared to their difficulty. I played around 7-8 hours and the character upgrades felt average at best.

    There are some other seriously bad things that I really hate about the immersion in this game, like the rain that doesn’t clip and it can be seen even if you are under a HUGE cover. This is 2010 level stuff, put a little more time to make such things a little less immersion breaking. Also, there is no rain sound, WTF?
    Another immersion breaker is the water, there is no water interaction with it, walking on water has no visual/sound effects.

    The aesthetic of the game can be good at times (it reminds me of Dragon's Dogma), but the horrible models and textures make the game feel like it was released 9-11 years ago, with some minor exceptions. The characters look worse than the vanilla Skyrim that came out in 2011, and the character creation is a joke.

    The camera is bad and I even found it to be annoying at times.

    To sum it up, the game is for those that want to play something really old with every meaning of that word. From sluggish mechanics, outdated graphics, immersion-breaking visuals and effects, bad audio design, and horrible combat and enemy design.

    This game has some good ideas and it’s trying to bring back some of the good “old-school” RPG mechanics, but it fails horribly to make it with today's standards. It plays like a 2005 game, with the visuals of a 2010 one, while it released in 2019, it is mediocre at best.    … Expand
  69. alkir-2
    Mar 20, 2021
    4
    Finally decided to write a review of this... thing - for lack of better word.
    Others have said it many times already - the game is unpolished, has poor graphics (the landscapes aren't bad, though), and is, generally, a mix of interesting, but poorly executed ideas.
    For example, a system any Dark Souls veteran knows well - all actions cost stamina - is taken to the next level in Outward    Finally decided to write a review of this... thing - for lack of better word.
    Others have said it many times already - the game is unpolished, has poor graphics (the landscapes aren't bad, though), and is, generally, a mix of interesting, but poorly executed ideas.

    For example, a system any Dark Souls veteran knows well - all actions cost stamina - is taken to the next level in Outward and completely destroyed at the same time. On the one hand, when stamina (health and mana too, for that matter) is used, your max stamina is sligtly lowered as well, until you rest or recover it otherwise. This simulates fatigue and is an overall nice touch. But at the same time, stamina regeneration, even with buffs, is so painfully slow, you have to run around te enemy in circles for about a minute after attacking and roll-evading a couple of times.

    Attacks and rolls are yet another matter. And I'm going to talk about blocking here as well.
    First of all, there is no "action interrupt" in Outward. Which means, once you started an attack, you must wait for it's animation to finish, up to a point of returning to the original "ready" position, before you can block or roll. In most situations it means getting hit, which can be fatal wit stronger opponents.

    Opponents, or rather, their AI, is yet anoter problem with Outward. The AI is totally stupid and behaves accordingly. Enemies rarely care about their well-being, ignoring player's attack and slicing you up as you are trying to bash their skull in with a giant axe. When they do react to player's attacks, they do it AFTER being hit - they get damaged, roll away, and enter block mode. They may keep blocking while you block or just wait for an opening and then unexpectedly open up and try to attack you just as you finally decide to break their block. As a result, you mostly win (unless an enemy is too strong for your current equipment), but are always left slightly wounded, forcing you to heal.

    But the things I wrote about above are not just individual problems the game has. I believe, they all stem from a mistake developers made, while creating the game.
    You see, as I already said, AI is less than perfect. Should Outward have a well-polished system, like Dark Souls or even some other, less hardcore slashers, AI would simply not be able to cope with the player. And I believe, developers, instead of perfecting AI, decided to handicap the player.

    Take bows, for example. Enemies don't react to player shooting at them (they only react to being hit), but when you lock on, the aim reticle starts dancing around the enemy, making it close to impossible to hit them while evading their attacks. While it's OK for melee enemies (just aim manually, that's all), ranged foes bacome almost unbeatable with bows.

    Magic. Outward as a nice system of spell combinations - in order to cast a powerful spell, one must combine it with another one, wich often requires physical items or special spots in te world to be cast. And it's great. Except it's only the player, who has to go the long way. All enemies, not only Elementals or Magical Creatures, but also humans, can cast spells without any preparation at all. An Ice projectile, which, for the player, is a combination of two fairly advanced spells is a trivial flick of a hand for a common bandit wizard (who even studied with the same teacher as the player).

    Add to that the fact, that a player has almost literally zero motivation to actually explore the rather empty world (as there is rarely any useful unique loot in the dungeons and you can earn enough money by revisiting the fairly easy locations from te game start), and Outward loses all charm it might have had.

    Overall, a poorly made game, that could have been way better if done by just about any other studio.    … Expand
  70. Metacritic376
    Jul 21, 2021
    10
    Outward breaks the monotony of RPGs that hold the player's hand and guides them through everything, where there is almost no room failure. In Outward, you play as a loser. You do not a get a save point to fall back on if things go awry, you have to live with the consequences of your actions. You do not magically level-up after delivering your quest to fetch some rat tails or wolf peltsOutward breaks the monotony of RPGs that hold the player's hand and guides them through everything, where there is almost no room failure. In Outward, you play as a loser. You do not a get a save point to fall back on if things go awry, you have to live with the consequences of your actions. You do not magically level-up after delivering your quest to fetch some rat tails or wolf pelts etc. Nor do you effortlessly slay everything while spamming health potions. There is no indicator where you are on a map, rather you actually have to read it and orient yourself as you would in real life. And much like life, everything has a price.

    There are so many things that we took for granted from video games, things to which we have grown so accustomed to, that without which we feel at a loss. It is this realism that Outward surprises the modern gamers with. It shows how generic our approach to RPG games have become, and how little divergence we expect from them.    … Expand
  71. imreviewingstuf
    Mar 29, 2022
    10
    Cruel and unusual but I love it. Brutally difficult but still very fun. Has a few rare clipping issues
  72. Gramps
    Apr 6, 2023
    4
    When I heard about this game I was very excited because it seemed to be similar to Gothic 1 & 2, however, I was ultimately disappointed because for the following reasons:
    - World feels too big, and a bit empty
    - No fast travel - No mount or some ability to move around fast - No manual save - Too small inventory limit - Janky combat - Starting area/home is on the upper left corner of    When I heard about this game I was very excited because it seemed to be similar to Gothic 1 & 2, however, I was ultimately disappointed because for the following reasons:
    - World feels too big, and a bit empty
    - No fast travel
    - No mount or some ability to move around fast
    - No manual save
    - Too small inventory limit
    - Janky combat
    - Starting area/home is on the upper left corner of the map instead of the center of the map
    - Story and characters are boring / almost no quests at starting area
    - Graphics are outdated

    On their own these issues wouldn't be big deal, but combined together they create this situation where it makes me want to NOT explore:
    - going too far is annoying because then you need to walk all the way back to the vendor on foot (since no mount or fast travel) - usually for 5-10+ minutes because it's on the edge of the map instead of center
    - engaging in combat is off-putting because combat is bad, meaning I can die easily because of unfair reasons, and I have no manual save to save and just try out to fight some enemy, and even if I win it just feels like a high-risk low reward, because I can't loot weapon + armor due to inventory limit
    - In case my backpack is almost full then I kind of don't want to explore dungeons either because why would I if I cannot loot anything?
    - Trying out different weapons/builds is not that much viable because even with just one extra weapon you are already over the inventory limit...

    So what is the appeal of this game? Is it a walking/hunting simulator where you just go out to nature and enjoy the beautiful view? Well no because the graphics are kind of ugly/outdated too, so... I guess it's more like a survival game?

    As a survival game, it's fine, there is a nice crafting system, you go hungry, and thirsty, have to wear adequate outfits for different weather, etc. so in that aspect, I think they did a good job with this game.

    All in all, I feel like I would enjoy this game much more if they made the following changes:
    1. Fast travel to places we have already visited - maybe give us some teleporting stone or something like in Gothic for an immersive way to fast travel
    2. Double the inventory size of all backpacks - 50 is too little for starting where you wanna try out different weapons and are unsure about build
    3. Either add a mount (ex. horse or something) that we can ride, or add some easy-to-craft movement speed potion that would double our movement speed
    4. Add a main chest that is "shared" between areas - ex. if I store something in the main chest in City A, I should be able to retrieve it from the main chest in City B

    But as of now, I can't recommend this game unless you want to play CO-OP because it really feels like this game doesn't respect your time at all. The fact that we don't have what would be the very simple quality of life changes that I mentioned above, leads me to believe this was an intentional decision by the developer because they want to target a specific audience, and I seem to not be part fo this audience.

    Disclaimer: This review is purely based on my single-player experience.    … Expand

Awards & Rankings

55
#55 Most Discussed PC Game of 2019
67
#67 Most Shared PC Game of 2019

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
67

Mixed or average reviews - based on 19 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 6 out of 19
  2. Mixed: 11 out of 19
  3. Negative: 2 out of 19
  1. Cubed3
    May 9, 2019
    40
    Outward isn't so much bad as it is outwardly bland. Bolstered by its genuinely endearing premise, and an emphasis on a more "human" approach to the RPG genre, the title is simultaneously held back by lacklustre presentation, an underwhelming combat system, and a main game that goes on far too long to justify the onslaught of hostility thrown at the player. The survival elements do help to keep the experience engaging, but, more often than not, they hold back what would otherwise be a rather atmospheric and pleasant action-RPG. The hostility on offer is a genuine strength on a conceptual level, but it perhaps goes too far, resulting in an RPG that can't quite overcome its flaws despite its qualities.
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  2. The Overpowered Noobs
    Apr 26, 2019
    50
    A difficult survival game with some interesting elements that is significantly hindered by tedious mechanics and a superficial world.
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  3. GamingTrend
    Apr 15, 2019
    70
    Outward is an ambitious, uncompromising game, sometimes to its own detriment. There’s a lot to like about it, from its unique take on player character death to its focus on the mundane aspects of adventuring. But every moment when it really shined was surrounded by drudgery and frustration. Outward is sure to appeal to some players, but it often undercuts its own best features.
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