Outward Reviews
Outward is simultaneously mesmerizing and full of missteps. What could have been a truly special game is damaged by how tedious and ill-advised so many of its design decisions are.
A beautiful concept marred by poor fighting mechanics, lacklustre graphics and a punishing learning curve that sucks all the fun out of adventuring. Outward has the potential to earn cult status, but will turn away all but the most diehard of fans.
For those players looking for a truly hardcore experience, Outward is more than happy to provide but for others, it may just be too much effort for too little payoff.
Good ideas and interesting systems held back by clunky combat and the occasional bad design decision, Outward is an RPG for a very specific pallet. You will either really like it, or find it insufferably aggravating.
Overall Outward is a fun and unique experience for those who desire the harder type of gameplay reminiscent of Souls like games. The blend of survival with this combat and its different take on magic make for a fun ride. It's light story and issues in sound work detract from that though. At $40 USD though it can offer hours and hours of gameplay alone or with a friend.
Outward isn't a game for everyone. It's challenging, rough around the edges and you need to persevere during the initial three our four hours to finally see some progress. Slowly it starts to creep under your skin, each new region being its own reward, each new jaw-dropping landmark filling you with awe and a true sense of accomplishment. How you've grown, from someone in its undies into a daring warrior carrying a larger-than-life sword.
Outward isn't revolutionary, but there's a lot to be said for the sense of achievement the game grants in both single and multiplayer.
At the end of the day, it’s undeniable that Outward‘s combat is sub-par, and that its systems prove to be very punishing when combined.
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.
Outward may show a ton of promise, but it is pretty rough in its current state. Those interested should check back after a couple of patches.
Outward is an extraordinary RPG with its difficulty and deep RPG system. You can fight with another player, but the AI is not quite good and the controls are a bit clonky. It is a shame the graphics are also outdated.
Review in Dutch | Read full review
I remain undecided whether I enjoyed my playtime with Outward. On one side it’s an interesting throwback experience to a time long-forgotten, ignoring the Souls games of recent times that is. No clear direction, fiddly combat and the fact you can just roll up somewhere after a KO are quirks not seen in many games these days. I would say fair play for attempting to offer this aspect. For people who don’t want hand-holding and require a more methodical gaming experience then this works…kind of. This is a good game, not a great game in my view and really it is what is it. No amount of changing it will make it any better. Perhaps the developers should actually just keep it this way to appeal to its specific audience. I’m done though.
Great combat, goblins, angry birds, common cold, and who knows what else being thrown at you, Outward is a great game and I see myself coming back to it well after this review comes out and trying to perfect the combat roll! It is a great game and except for a few graphics issues (which once again I am being picky) it is a solid game. I am happy to give Outward the Thumb Culture Platinum Award and look forward to seeing it’s future!
One of 2019's biggest surprises so far. Outward brings a whole slew of unique and interesting mechanics together to create a sub-genre of its own. With 30-40+ hours of content alongside a lower than normal $40 / £28 price-tag, it's hard not to unequivocally recommend the game. It's admittedly not perfect, but there's certainly a whole lot to like here.
Outward is a fun, challenging, if empty and slightly misguided, open-world roleplaying game where death is not only common, but guaranteed (do not be like me and accidentally drink the salt water; you will die … fast). Beautiful but hollow, Outward is an absolute must for those looking for something different, but be warned, you might bite off more than you can choose.
Though filled with interesting ideas and mechanics, Outward is let down by poor combat, dated visuals, and performance issues. Hardcore RPG fans are likely the only people who will want to delve into the nitty-gritty of this title.
Overall I wouldn’t recommend this to anyone other than the most die hard RPG fans, there are some decent flashes of ideas in there such as the magic but everything and I mean everything in the game is a grind and lacked enjoyment for me.
Outward is an ambitious game which lays a solid foundation that can be improved and expanded upon in future updates or a potential sequel.
Outward is a deep, engaging and rewarding survival RPG. If you put in the time and the effort, you're going to be well rewarded
Outward is billed as a survival RPG and that it is. The survival elements do make it an interesting adventure to an extent but sometimes it goes overboard and frustrates. The fighting is awful, the spells are too confusing and convoluted and as mentioned it’s really hard to give a crap about your character. Massive kudos to Nine Dots for embarking on a game of this magnitude and there is some great ideas here to make it stand out from the glut of other fantasy RPGs.