Outcast: A New Beginning Review

Outcast: A New Beginning provides you with a slightly unexpected dive into a vibrant world that feels like something out of an Avatar movie. The title suggests a fresh start, perhaps both for the game’s universe and for players seeking a new venture into science fiction realms. Beauty aside, does the game offer enough substance to provide an exciting adventure? Just about!

At its core, Outcast: A New Beginning presents itself as a shooter that prioritizes immersion and ease of engagement over revolutionary gameplay mechanics. Its most striking feature is undeniably the lush, colorful environments that players find themselves in. These settings are not just backdrops but play an integral role in pulling the player into a convincingly alive world. This vividness feels like it belongs in the universe of James Cameron’s Avatar movies. The minimalistic approach to tutorials is a breath of fresh air, allowing players to dive into the action without the cumbersome hand-holding that plagues many contemporary titles. The game mechanics and controls are intuitive, with most elements being self-explanatory, and the few that aren’t are clearly elucidated as the game progresses.

Outcast: A New Beginning may not set new benchmarks in video game innovation, but it excels in executing the basics with a commendable level of polish. The gameplay, at its core, is an enjoyable shooting experience. It doesn’t take risks but instead focuses on crafting a world that significantly enhances the overall enjoyment of a rather straightforward shooter. This decision to focus on world-building over gameplay innovation pays off by providing a setting that is both engaging and immersive. The shooting and platforming mechanics give you just enough engagement to stop you feeling bored when the true driver is exploring the beautiful world.

Despite its strengths, the game is not without its flaws. A prominent issue is the game’s voice audio, which, for reasons that might involve technical decisions, carries an odd, radio-like effect. This choice undermines the clarity of the voice work, which is particularly disappointing given the professional quality of the voice acting itself. This issue persists even after adjusting the audio settings, indicating a deeper, perhaps design-related problem. It just sounds like the voices are coming through a cheap walky-talky that needs to have its volume turned up.

Another point of criticism is the animation of the main character, for the most part, it’s not awful, just a little stiff but when running, it genuinely looks like he has taken a poop in his pants. It feels like a run that would fit better in an early demo of Temple Run. It doesn’t ruin the game but every time he runs I can’t help but feel distracted at how bad it looks.

The game’s soundtrack also presents a rather strange vibe, often feeling mismatched with the on-screen action. The music, while independently pleasing, sometimes evokes a sense of whimsy and mischief more suited to a different genre, like a Harry Potter adventure, rather than complementing the alien jungle environment of the game.

I am a big advocate of not holding player’s hands when it comes to quests. I don’t want a satnav that shows me exactly where to go. Games should encourage players to get lost. The design of the game’s objectives sometimes leaves players feeling aimless or misled. While the intention might be to encourage exploration and discovery, the vague and occasionally misleading nature of these objectives can be frustrating, detracting from the game’s overall engagement.

Outcast: A New Beginning is a game that manages to carve out its niche in the action-adventure genre through its vibrant world and streamlined gameplay. It’s a testament to the power of environmental storytelling and the appeal of intuitive game design. However, it’s a package that comes with its set of imperfections—audio issues, animation stiffness, incongruent background music, and occasionally aimless objectives—that can mar the experience to varying degrees.

THE VERDICT