What’s old is finally new again.
I never played the original Outcast, so I’m not quite sure if it was a popular game or what it did well (or not). It released at the end of the 90s and was set in space, or something.
But I do know that this sequel, 25 years in the making, wears those 90s vibes on its sleeve while adding gorgeous visuals, and surprises me with an experience as silly and fun as it ends up being.
And it has jetpacks!
Outcast: A New Beginning really feels more like some of the best medium tier action games of the Xbox 360 era of game development. That’s not a bad thing, and in fact it’s actually welcomed here, making playing the game feel familiar. I never played the original, but I felt right at home here. Perhaps it is that jetpack that we get early on, which lets us jump great distances or can be upgraded to zip around the entire planet fort no real reason. Or maybe it’s that era’s busywork that creeps into the questing system, or the unlocks and upgrades which look like just about every other skill upgrade path we’ve ver come across. Or perhaps it’s the campy plot and characters that feel ripped out of Star Trek.
Or, probably all of that.
Whatever drives the way the game presents itself, it’s silly enough to be enjoyable and not take itself too seriously.
Just be ready to fall back to those old gaming tropes, no matter what year it is now.
This review is based on a Steam code sent to SideQuesting by the publisher. It originally appeared on The SideQuest Live for April 14, 2024. Images and Video courtesy Appeal Games & THQNordic.
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