Outcast – A New Beginning Review for Xbox Series X/S

Outcast – A New Beginning, by Appeal Studios and THQ Nordic, takes place on the alien world of Pandora, I mean Adelpha, where human hero Commander Shepherd, sorry, I mean Cutter Slade, has to save the world. Alright, I’m done, seriously, no more obvious comparisons, but that’s the plot, and the vibe, of this third-person, open(ish) world, action adventure.

Story

The story begins when Cutter Slade, the Mel Gibson of this universe, wakes up on Adelpha with some light amnesia and a need to save the locals. It turns out that the bad guys destroying the planet are, wait for it, the human military. Despite being human military himself, Cutter sides with the Talans and travels across Adelpha, helping to push back the invaders, and fetch a few quests, all while regaining his memories, and figuring out why he is on Adelpha in the first place.

Gameplay

Unfortunately, the shooter aspect of the game leaves something to be desired. The pistol players start off with is a little underwhelming, and aiming is not seamless. The moment I started facing off against robots, I was immediately wishing for a sniper rifle a la Mass Effect. The game’s shooting style mechanics requires players to step out of cover, fire a few rounds, and then dive back for the safety of some boxes. Thankfully players can customize their weapons, allowing each player to lean into their personal playstyle.

The other aspect of combat is melee, and I will admit, nothing is more satisfying than smashing an enemy into the ground with your shield. I actually found myself shifting to more of a melee style in Outcast just because I enjoyed those mechanics more than the pistol.

But the highlight of the entire game is the jet-pack. Players will get this piece of equipment at the opening of the game. The jet-pack allows you to jump, sprint, and glide over the terrain. It’s clear the Devs were designing with the jetpack in mind because the environment is as much vertical as horizontal, allowing players to get sweeping vistas and the opportunity to dive off of mountain peaks and jet-pack down into the jungle.

Overall

This is a tricky one.

I’d say the story is a meh out of 10. But I had a lot of fun playing, and after a while, I was laughing hysterically at Cutter’s endless sarcasm. I didn’t even mind how much the game reminded me of Mass Effect. I love Mass Effect, and at least Outcast doesn’t have Mako missions. Yes, in 2024 it feels derivative, but then again, everything Y2K is in again, clothes, music, makeup, why not video games?

The only actual complaint I have about the game is the price tag. $60? For a 30-hour game? Charm aside, that feels way too high. If I’m paying $60, then I need a minimum of 100 hours of gameplay and at least two DLCs to look forward to.

So let’s say:

7/10 and wait for a sale. If you loved the original, love third-person action adventures, or just need to shield-smash some robots, then you will enjoy this.

Outcast – A New Beginning is out now on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X. For more information, visit HERE

Related: Reviews by Michelle Jones

Michelle Jones

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I'm a completionist gamer who just needs to find that one last object and clear that final dungeon. I love all video games, from open world sandboxes on a console to a mindless match three on my phone. In addition to gaming and writing, I am a graduate student working on a thesis about the ancient Icelandic Sagas. Feel free to ask me anything about Vikings.

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