Outcasters

Outcasters is fun, fast, and easy to pick up. A shot-curving mechanic pushes the gameplay in interesting directions, allowing for unexpected levels of strategy. Though the number of modes is currently limited, the modes that are included are quite fun - and there is always room for expansion. The character collection aspect of the game is surprisingly deep and addictive.

Outcasters is truly a unique experience. For Stadia, it's no doubt a huge win. Splash Damage did an incredible job of homing in on the essence of what makes a great multiplayer experience – and the result is Outcasters. Curving bullets is a blast, every battlefield is blessed with adorable graphics, and the unlockable cosmetics and abilities give you plenty of reasons to keep coming back. I'm hopeful that Outcasters will eventually land on other platforms. Otherwise, it may not get the attention it truly deserves.

Outcasters isn't the stellar killer-app that Stadia so deparately needs, but it offers enough to pad out the Pro subscription for Google's cloud gaming service just a little bit further. It's an extremely fun game that delivers on the promise of being easy to pick up and play but difficult to master.

Ultimately, Outcasters mostly seems ready to settle into its niche that it’s created. It’s not designed to be the killer app that reels in a mass of new players, but it should attract some. Better yet, since it launched directly into Stadia Pro, it’s there on day one for the folks who are already the most committed. For a platform trying to find its footing in a crowded, competitive space, solidifying the publisher-player relationship is crucial. There will be bigger, flashier, and likely better games to come from Stadia Games and Entertainment in the years ahead, but for now, those already playing via Google’s tangerine-tinted cloud will find they have their first example of a fun, albeit flawed, multiplayer game they won’t find anywhere else.