I’m talking about a time that people under 20 can’t possibly know, because back then it was 1999, and Outcast landed like a UFO on our PCs, offering one of the first 3D Open World experiences. And we’re not talking about an American production, but a Belgian one. And we’re proud of that! Except that the remake remaster released in 2017 was a cold shower for nostalgic fans, creating mistrust in this sequel, which goes from Outcast 2 to Outcast A New Beginning.
A very Belgian story.
Outcast is Appeal Studio’s lost and found baby. A small studio based near Charleroi that was bought out by THQ Nordic during the creation of Outcast 2. Yes, the license didn’t stay with Appeal; in the meantime, it’s been through several hands before coming back to its daddy. And so much the better! Except that while the remaster was published by Nacon, the sequel will be financed by THQ. And so this is the chance to finally finish their long-awaited game. But let’s be honest. When we saw what the studio had released before… It was looking bad until the reveal of the first trailer.
Where the studio had accustomed us to titles developed under Unity, Outcast will skip its turn to arrive on the Unreal Engine 4, an engine still widely used in the industry despite the arrival of the Unreal Engine 5. So, yes, we’re in for an overhaul and modernization of everything the studio has already presented.
Forget the charm of the past.
If you’ve played Outcast or its remaster, you know that the game doesn’t take the player by the hand to guide him. Unfortunately, this is no longer the case here. Between the quests and side-quests, the game offers a system that lets you know where you’re going. Which is a shame, given that the title’s strength lay in the use of notes and the like.
However, the strength of the open world and the constant discovery of the universe remain, with even more possibilities than before. And the sheer number of quests is impressive. It’s hard to know where to turn. Admittedly, the secondary quests aren’t the most gripping, but they do have the merit of being present and swelling the content in addition to the ever-present exploration aspect.
A not-so-immediate learning curve.
Well, if you’re new to the world of gaming, expect a title that won’t help you. Right from the start, there are very few cinematic explanations, and the dialogues are at times far too long. There’s also some staging that might put some people off. Yes, the first hour of play will make you want to run away from the game, as everything is disguised to disguise a tutorial that’s far too long, with sleep-inducing explanations.
However, once you’ve got past that, you realize what the title is trying to show you, and that’s when the fun starts, quickly making you forget that it’s just an AA. Yes, this isn’t a AAA title, but the studio wanted to be ambitious and offer as much as possible.
Unfortunately, you get the feeling that the animations are stiff and the gameplay is often from another era. At times, it’s too slow, which doesn’t make it dynamic. And yet, it’s only after you’re halfway through the game that you start to enjoy yourself and get past these shortcomings. The movement accessories, the jetpack and all the abilities make the game a pleasure to play. And it’s often more fun to explore the universe than to engage in combat.
Outcast A New Beginning is caught between two eras. It will appeal more to those nostalgic for the license than to younger players in search of a fast-paced, head-scratching game.
Finally, what more can I say about Outcast? That despite all the bugs, the slightly dated gameplay and the often lengthy dialogue… It’s fun. Because yes, Outcast is a game which, after its first half, becomes fun and offers so much content that we can’t say it’s empty. We only regret that the overall technique hasn’t had a bit more polish. On our side, we had a lot of fun in spite of all that.
