Back in 1999, the world felt like it was on a precipice. The scary 2000s were just around the corner and some people thought it would be the end of all things and that the robots would destroy us before the fireworks began on New Year’s Eve. But it was a year that provided some amazing content – a new Star Wars film, The Matrix, and a game called Outcast. Released on PC, folk seemed to love it, many proclaiming it as the RPG of the year.
Now after all this time, we have a re-imagining of that story and a sequel game for our consoles in the form of Outcast – A New Beginning. It’s a tale that still feels of that time, but it has a lot of fun to offer.
The story tells the tale of Space Man Cutter Slade who wakes up on a planet called Adelpha. Having had his memory wiped he is at a loss to how he got here, but it’s those shoes that we find ourselves in. He comes across an alien race called the Talons; a peace-loving community who are being hunted by a group of robots to extinction. Slade finds out – quite quickly in fact – that the humans are behind this and he can be the hero to save the world, the Talons, and get back the memories of his past life.
I liked this huge space opera of a story, even though at times I felt a bit lost about what was going on. Nicely, you don’t really need to have played the previous games, but I did feel that I was playing a little bit of a catch up at times. The writing is good and there are some witty exchanges between characters, however Outcast – A New Beginning does feel slightly dated at times. That said, it’s still capable of an enjoyable bit of storytelling.
The gameplay puts you into the third person, mixed with RPG-style gameplay, exploration and combat. The exploration and RPG sections come with the usual mixture of tasks and fetch quests; you’ll know whether you will love or loathe these. However, the world you walk around, while pretty and fascinating at first, can feel a bit empty at times. There is wildlife, settlements and tech places to visit along the way, as well as different environments in the world from dense forests, to lava landscapes and frozen tundra, but you’ll probably think it all feels a tad sparse. Later on, you will find a way to fast travel on a beasty too, which is fun.
Combat consists of the use of a shield and a gun, at least initially. The mechanics are all good and gunfights can be as hard or as easy as you want, all depending on the difficulty levels you choose from the beginning. There’s the chance to go upgrading and customising those weapons too and Outcast – A New Beginning reminds of Mass Effect in combat terms, and that isn’t a bad thing at all.
You and Slade also have access to a jetpack at the beginning of the game, allowing you to boost into the air at will. As you progress through the game you can upgrade this, flying higher and further than ever before. Before you know it you are gliding and exploring the world in a very exciting way. It’s this jetpack that is by far my most favourite part of the game, one where the mechanics work brilliantly.
The lush world of Adelpha is also a bit of a star, with its different environments and magnificent colours and textures. The way the characters are designed is good without being remarkable and the creatures you fight feel okay, albeit slightly generic. I’ve been impressed by the audio though – the voice-over cast do a superb job and, amazingly, the game is fully voiced throughout as the actors bring the world alive. Soundscore and effects are all top-notch as well in this space adventure.
Outcast – A New Beginning is a very good action-adventure RPG that will happily provide a good old chunk of gaming time. Yet while it’s a solid game, it does at times feel a bit old school, especially in terms of the gameplay. Outcast – A New Beginning certainly doesn’t do anything that you haven’t seen before, but the space narrative is bonkers and witty at times.
It’s in the jetpack use where the highlights will be found, but if you are on the lookout for a new adventure on a different planet then you’ll not go too wrong with Outcast – A New Beginning.
