Tips from a Veteran: 1: There are places that has 0% I repeat, absolutely 0% ambush chance. Look for places with small butterflies flying around, usually these are close to important supplies such as a well. So you can devote all of your time sleeping and repairing. 2: Always take a sip of water before combat, that provides a stamina recovery buff 3: do not be ashamed of being a scumbag, trapping your enemies is not a warcrime, human bosses usually has dialogue before the fight. So you can turn the boss room into a trap house. And make him walk all over it. His lackeys/mobs provide enough material to make those traps (weapons and armor, dismantle them for metal and cloth, then make traps with it). Only idiots fight fair. Tip the scales to your favor.
I know this is just a game, but "only idiots fight fair" is not a message to broadcast carelessly. This is the line of thought that leads to bombing hospitals at war.
@@rayaqin bruh you have no idea how many holes in the Geneva Convention you can exploit that does not involve bombing hospitals, and they cannot do anything about it until they appeal/add them that a fellow combat engineer told me. And fuck that train of thought. I know what it feels to be bullied by someone stronger/taller than you. Needless to say I decided that the bullying doesn't stop if you ask a teacher and you have to go against them Vietnam War style. So No. For the sake of my own self preservation. I am going to fight dirty. After all in war, your enemy is also a dirty fucking scoundrel. And separate real life from games, if you cannot differentiate between the two, then it's your problem.
It was pretty boring, too convoluted and highly complex. Sounded good on paper but failed to achieve greatness, I could only handle about 3 hours of it.
This video is more effective at showing what a game really is about than any other review I've ever seen. The things that I really want to know about a game, the nuance, is generally never there in rushed reviews that have to come out on a deadline. GREAT job here.
I bought this one on launch day. It was a fun experience. One little detail I've loved about the game is the relaxed stance you can take with polearms while traversing. The way my character's spear rests on the shoulder. It just looks like I'm a soldier traversing a great distance.
Outward is one of my favorite games and it is nice to see it reaching out of its niche. Its one of the most rewarding games ive ever played, and getting good in it is just as rewarding, if not more then getting good in a Formsoft game. Outward truly makes you feel like an adventurer going on a grand quest, not a kid sitting on a ride in the theme park, you get lost, you find something new, you are filled with both wonder and dread. We need more games like this, and am glad to see your are giving it the attention it deserves.
I think survival games are becoming more popular and more developed to run on consoles with understandable gameplay, controls and mechanics. My first survival game on console was rust a while back that helped me understand how most survival work glad to see more types of survivors on console 🎉
I bought Outward because of your first video discussing difficulty in Souls-likes. When I started, I was greatly put off, even deleted my 1st save after getting captured by the bandits. After a week, I gave it another try, and had a great experience for about 20 hours until I felt overwhelmed with joining Sorobor and how difficult it became to upgrade my weapon beyond the desert shark variant. However, this video reignited my interest and after a 5 month break I will continue my journey
Sorobor was added later and it shows as it's a much more difficult path, even if it opens access to more items and skills. Outward was made to be played several times for each faction and you can put some pieces of the story together if you play the Blue Collective first and then the other initial two factions and Sorobor lastly. This video did make it very clear that Outward is meant to test you in the most harsh way but if you stick to it, it's a blast. Definitely one of the best RPGs i ever played.
Same man, I’ve tried this game 2 or 3 times but everything feels so obtuse it’s hard to get into a groove and enjoy the game itself. I think I’ve logged 10 hours, tops.
@georgeitsvetkovski9705 - Man, getting captured by the bandits was one of _the_ best things that happened to me, because it allowed me to make that experience part of my character's backstory: he became a rogue while being a slave to the bandits. Other prisoners taught him how to make shivs and backstab people. The whole experience toughened him up and made him a thief and a killer.
This is the game that introduced me to your channel. I followed the development for a while and played it non-stop. Nothing but love for this game and your channel
Morrowind will always have a special place in my heart. Truly an amazing game despite it's flaws. Even now, with some basic quality of life and graphics mods, it holds up really well.
Outlook did not grab me. I loved morrowind because it was solely character skills rolls that made combat. Outward dark souls style combat player skills matter more than character skills.
Outward is definitely a hidden gem. Low budget and clunky as hell, but so many amazing ideas. I got sincerely emotional after learning rune magic and practicing with it a little bit. It’s really a simple system and there aren’t that many spells, but no game I’ve ever played has handled the “feeling” of casting magic better than rune magic in Outward. The tl;dr is that you learn a bunch of runes that do nothing on their own, but when you cast different runes in sequence you end up with a spell based on the types and order of runes you cast, and as you become more experienced you can create longer rune patterns to cast more advanced spells. I loved being a rune mage running around without a weapon, and having to keep an eye out for dangers so I could preemptively cast the runes to summon a glowing magic 2-handed lightsaber
My favorite builds are the assassin where you basically run super fast and stab people for insane damage, and the hex caster where you stack multiple debuffs on an enemy and detonate them.
As a rune mage I start running with a bow so when I was out of mana i can still fight. But once you get the Gold Lich Armor, the proper book, backpack and tent (all of this give you close to 99% no mana cost for spells), you become an infinite spell mage and need nothing than good reaction to cast your spells! This game is so strategic in the combat system! It's AWESOME!
Inventory Is A Backpack mod for Oblivion circa 2009. 😊 "When you drop your backpack, all items that are not equipped and are not bound (e.g. clipped to your belt, pocket, etc.) to a key are dropped with the backpack. You can drop your backpack by pressing G." Just finished the video. Outward is definitely a must. And it sounds like a game studio/publisher has finally realised what mod makers (endurance mods, weather effects, remove GPS, no fast travel, slower healing, eat and sleep etc.) have been doing to RPG games for at least a decade.
@@solomaxlevelplayer5582 I'd say overcoming challenges is satisfying. A lot of games either frontload or backload their difficulty, and it's usually not that big a challenge. Your first playthrough of Outward is overwhelming as hell. Every new area seems impossible, but it's very satisfying to overcome once you learn.
Great video, and what a cool interview at the end there! It's been on my radar since it's release but I haven't yet commited to delving into the experience. I think watching this sent me over the edge
Never finished it (rarely finish games) but its one of my favorite games in the last decade. The exploration, immersion, and theming is fantastic. The music is also amazing.
thank you for putting this on my radar! edit: the part about magic and the amount of preparation behind it feels reminiscent of how Monster Hunter once was with gathering. i, and some others, genuinely miss the realism of inventory management (optimizing your limited item pouch around pickaxes, bug nets, etc.) super excited about this one despite how tedious it may be to the majority
That interview at the end was actually a very informative outlook on what Outward aims to be. Your review as a whole is very well structured. Made me remember Outward again and wonder why I ever stopped playing it. I am grabbing it now.
Yessss dude! This was why I subbed to you in the first place and although I haven’t beaten outward yet it’s such a great game, I really gotta go back to it and give it more of my time
Absolutely one of my favorite games to have existed in the last 10+ years. It’s such a phenomenally unique experience and EVEN BETTER WITH A FELLOW VAGABOND.
I played this game long before the new DLC's came out and had a wonderful time. The music was super immersive and wormed its way into my head after hours wandering. Adventuring through the world felt like it had stakes. Each journey outside the walls of whatever city felt like a true journey I had to prepare for. Even as the game gets easier, the fear of encountering something beyond my preparation was always there. The journey you have to take to learn magic and become a stronger mage was unlike any other game I had played as well. Made for some really unforgettable moments.
Happy to see you covering the DE after I discovered you’re channel way back via your series on vanilla Outward! It’s easily one of my absolute favorite games, I have well over 1000 hours into it, and I love it dearly. Also one of the coolest dev teams from what I know.
This game looks incredibly immersive. Very old school d&d. Dropping your backpack to fight especially makes me think of d&d. I want to play it now, dang it man I only have so much money for games.
It routinely goes on sale, wishlist it and you should be able to grab it on your budget. Definitely get it. It's also split screen, so if you have a couch co-op buddy, you can do some seriously old school gaming.
I’ve been playing for a few weeks now and can confirm it is the closest thing to old school D&D that I’ve ever played in video game form. There are even scenarios in which you can be captured or taken somewhere far away from where you were and you’ll spend the next in game week just figuring out how to deal with it.
Well, there's always a way. Most of the games I've bought I actually tried earlier via "extended demo" (aka "shiver me timbers" edition). You have to be careful with your money. Especially since every second AAA game nowdays makes you regret the purchase.
That was one of the things that jumped out at me when I first tried playing it, though I never did get very far. You're just wandering around in, like, the Chersonese or Berg and the music is just going full banger for no apparent reason.
This game has been on my shortlist for a long time. I played maybe five hours a few years ago and life got in the way. For whatever reason, I put it on the back burner. I've always wanted to give it another go. It's going to happen after getting through this string of huge releases over the next few months.
I picked up and played Outward because of the first videos on this channel. I love how they tied the use of magic to the survival mechanics. In fact, I still plan on going back and playing that game more because I've got more builds I need to make.
you sold me this game with that last clip at the end but in your video about difficulty, I knew outward for a while but the looks and the price tag always kept me away but man how much I regret not playing it sooner, as someone trying to develop a game outward inspired me in many ways, thanks for giving a bit more of spotlight to outward, it truly deserves it.
I don't know if this really applies to Outward but I really miss how many old school games got easier as you power up giving a huge sense of progression. Old NES RPGS would almost always start with you leaving town, fighting one battle against over world monsters and having to go back and rest after each one until you powered up. The old Might and Magic games would see you getting only 1/3rd the way through early dungeons before you had to pack it in back to town because you didn't have health/healing to go on. And then when they became a cake walk by the end it felt amazing. But alas nowadays difficulty curves need to be flat or increase and everybody whines like babies if the final boss is "too easy" or the early game "too hard".
Outward is in a pretty unique position in the genre. There's no enemy difficulty scaling a la TES, there's no leveling up as there is in most RPGs, there's very little progression-based bonuses to your character. There is some equipment progression and some skills are better suited to some situations than others but the game really emphasizes getting good at the combat and being prepared for encounters. There is some of that feeling that you can roflstomp early enemies later on in the game but it's much more constrained because it's less about your level vs theirs and more about what armor/weapon/skills you're using now vs. when you just started. You absolutely can still get your shit pushed in by 'weak' enemies if you're not paying attention.
Morrowind would probably scratch your itch. NPCs and enemies you find have scripted levels and there is no level scaling. You can find enemies to fight at lower levels that are manageable and you can also wander into areas where you will be killed easily. The skill system and necessity to practice efficiency leveling can be frustrating, but once you understand the mechanics of it, it's very rewarding. You need patience because until many of your skills get to about 45-60 (out of 100), they aren't that reliable. When you start with weapons at a low skill level, you miss a lot of strikes with it and you do little damage. As the skill increases, you land hits more often and do more damage. Same with leveling up... You'll eventually find enemies that give you a hard time become fair challenges and/or easier to defeat.
It's in my all time top ten. Just know - in Outward, there are no bad builds, just better ones. Everything is viable, so long as you learn the systems. Great video, and you nailed it..!
I keep wanting to return to give Outward another chance, but I honestly can't get over the timers. They made this interesting world that I want to take my time and explore, but there are a fair number of time-gated quests which put a cloud over the more laid back exploring that I prefer. I get what the game is going for, but I don't have the time to replay the same game repeatedly these days.
I'm so glad I watched your outward videos ages ago. Been butting my head against this game for years now and everything finally clicked a week ago. Been playing the crap out of it ever since, such a good game that really emphasizes the value of knowledge and learning.
Outward is an underrecognized gem for sure. It is a slow, grinding, oftentimes punishing experience that rewards you for paying attention and planning ahead. I've played it with a friend of mine a few times over the years and we consistently end up gaming well past a reasonable hour. 11/10 would recommend to the other "sophisticated gamers" out there.
@@mhjmstultiens I don't recall any additional/unusual bugs in co-op. We played split screen on console and the experience was smooth. Also helped level the playing field for more difficult fights. That said, we still died plenty.
thank you for making this video. I had played about 2 hours of outward previous to this and didnt find much enjoyment, now i am 15 hours into a character and i cant stop playing, this game is truly a gem for those of us who want these types of games.
I Absolutely love this game, and agree with everything you said! This game really clicked for me once I got the ability to cast runes, and for the first time, I really felt the weight of everything I did. You really do truly feel like a mage, especially if you sacrifice a significant portion of your health/stamina for mana.
Now this, this is true understanding of realism means in a game. Subbed! Great video and you are exactly the youtuber I need for this perspective into games. Happily subbed and thumbs up. Keep up the great work!
Been playing a lot of project zomboid lately and this game kind of reminds me of a lot of its gameplay concepts, but of course different setting/genre. Great breakdown of the game, I really like what you showed about it, and I'm gonna need to con my friend into getting this so we can coop.
outward is such a hidden gem, definitely not for everyone but if it clicks it feels great :) just got back into it too and i wanna do the heroic kingdom and blue chamber questlines :3
13:00 If you put up a tent or bedroll while under butterfly clusters you can find around the map they reduce your ambush chance to 0% to make things a little easier
Lovely overview. This is such a special game. I come back to it time and again, because it is always fun, there is always something new to do, and most importantly, you can always get killed by a pearlbird if you aren't paying attention. Even if you are wielding Brand.
Outward is a lot of fun! Figuring out what weapons work for you is a good feeling. Incidentally, this game’s Hammer, thanks to the poise system, is almost as cathartic to me as MH’s!
I remember playing outward, and loved every single moment of it. I actually took out a piece of paper and started writing down the successful combinations of spells for rune magic before actually checking the stats with my phone because I loved that style of play, and the entire game was just a shock in what I thought games could be. I don't play it as often as I used to, but I loved every moment of that game; and might try getting the dlc content to see what it has in store for me one day.
I played outward maybe 2 years ago with a friend and we had a blast exploring and getting in way over our head. It was very fun. Only problem I remember when I started the game, all of the characters you could possibly make are uuuuugly.
there are a few better options now, you should check out the Definitive edition. it not only has both dlc, but adds a lot of stuff from those into the main game, and a bunch of other stuff like new mini bosses. the DE is only on PC and current gen consoles tho.
It's pretty coincidental I started playing this shortly after I finished reading all the lotr books, this game reminds me A LOT of frodo and Sam's part of the books. Slow travel, real adventure, sleeping and eating, worrying about rationing food, etc. Just micromanaging an immersive adventure really reminded of the books
The game Kenshi actually has a very similar inventory system, since you mentioned not knowing others that worked in this way. Inventory is grid based like RE4, and every item also has an individual weight. Encumbrance diminishes character stats. Backpacks have larger storage space than character inventory, and higher quality backpacks will decrease the weight of items inside by various percentages. Backpacks don't directly change the move set of the character, but do impose stat penalties. The whole bag can be dropped or recovered mid-fight as needed.
is it finished? i bought it in 2012 or 13 and i remember it was in alpha and it took a long time to even be "half" decent. i havent check in 5 years or so
This is a good game not just because of the things they put into it, but for the things they purposely left out. There's no map markers to follow, no in game quest reminders explaining exactly what to do, no real hand holding to be seen. This means you have to remember whats in the world and how things work, and because that is how you are getting around and figuring everything out, it immerses you and makes it all feel more like an adventure. It's always exciting leaving one of the cities because there's nothing really forcing to you follow a set path and there's a ton of stuff out there to see
It doesn't make the game good in your opinion. Clearly not in the opinion of the OP. You do know the difference between subjectivity and objectivity, right? @@ExpertContrarian
@@ExpertContrarian I literally just showed that I did lol. By stating that you two have different opinions. Your original comment is stated objectively, even though it's a subjective statement. Keep up, kiddo.
Never played but looks awesome! Thanks for the review. I think I’m actually going to play this because your review was so good and well thought out. Thanks M8 !
Outward is one of my favorite games of all time. The game really felt like a breath of fresh air, and splitscreen coop being in it was awesome as well.
@@globalistgamer6418 Oh, that's a deeper topic but yes. "Removing friction" is also a good one. I love friction. Friction is exactly where the compelling gameplay comes to life.
@@MATCHLESS93Right? I mean, a frictionless gameplay experience may as well just be a movie. Friction demands player input and player input is what defines video games as a medium.
@@Jay0hAychYou can have plenty of player input without making every interaction and mechanic clunky and time consuming. The more time you have to spend on every little thing, the less time you have to experience the actual enjoyable parts of the game.
I love games like this. Far too many games these days hold your hand and make things braindead easy so that you artificially feel accomplished. We need more games that are slow and challenging- making you think more with high risks and high rewards.
This is a really good summary of the game. I have never played it but the way you explain it makes it sounds almost exactly like RuneScape - every new encounter is just a new problem to solve! I will probably pick this up the next time it is on sale. Thank you for the video.
I bought this on yours and Ruri's recommendation on one of his podcasts. While I couldn't get into it as much as I would have liked because of life stuff it's definitely a game worth checking out and trying to figure out on your own. I hope I'll be able to go back to it some day preferably with a buddy.
I loved this game when it came out, played it out with my gf now my wife. It was her first experience playing a video game, and an rpg for that matter and it was one of the best experiences for both of us. To survive to learn and to depend on another because I was the tankie character and she was the archer up until one point we decided to switch when she felt more courageous and started swinging like a barbarian, that was tough but fun. The exploration and the pacing of the game is what really set it apart from any game, not to mention the difficulty in the realism it brings. 10/10 ❤
Escape from Tarkov also has that “pockets and backpack” system where u can also drop ur backpack at a button press and pick it later. In that game it’s about sound and movement speed, stamina / visibility that prompt you dropping it tho.
Such a great game that I never got to finish. (Kept glitching on me during my two attempted playthroughs) I wish more games would incorporate the no map marker mechanic though. Make people use landmarks and actually feel the impact of proper adventuring via navigation.
This game was brutal, but in a good way. I played it co-op and it was a great experience. I never experimented with magic because it seemed too complicated, but this is always on my to-play-again list. Does the new edition fix the odd enemy spawns, where in the overworld a new enemy would spawn almost immediately after you killed one up to a finite point? Then no more enemies of any kind would ever spawn?
The magic is I think one of the absolute best systems in any game. It actually feels like magic. The preparation is rewarded with serious power, but it’s not just an I-win button
I don’t say this for no reason. This is the best breakdown video about this game I have watched. You really explain everything that is so brilliant about this game. There are all these little systems that come together to make something so immersive. It’s about the journey. You are a nobody. Even though this game is tough, I find it so relaxing because of the immersion and sense of adventure. You really nailed all this with this breakdown.
How can you list so many things that I have a craving for in 20 minutes. This might be a _little_ bit too hard for me, but I feel like testing my upper limits so I think I'll have to go and find out.
as the guy above stated, buffs are very necessary. there are a few channels that have great content for outward too. actually, this was some of Ratatoskr’s earliest content. just be patient with it. and only carry what you need.
You'll be fine. The learning curve is real, but most of the "hard" stuff is as much about player knowledge and skill as it is about your character. Things like stamina management, disease, weather, etc. all become mostly trivial once you understand how to deal with it. As long as you become reasonably competent at combat you'll be able to finish one of the main questlines without worrying about advanced builds or optimization. The game is hard to learn, but not terribly hard to play. I find Outward to be a mostly relaxing experience.
This video simply put, just made me smile. It's such a strange and sometimes off putting game, however, the trials you faced I faced as well... In almost the same order actually haha. I recall PlayStation 2 days and this game gives me such familiar energy from those days. The grind, the struggle, embracing it, overcoming it and finding such beauty in a place where people would see an unfinished game. I couldn't have explained outward better myself, it truly is a realistic fantasy RPG. Only those with enough patience and open mindedness can truly understand its appeal.
I put down Outward a while ago. And I don't know if I have the same patience to commit time to games like this as an adult. But this was an incredibly compelling video. Just wanted to say you have an awesome skill in presentation.
This game looks amazing but every single description for every single thing you have to do sounds like more of a pain in the ass than working an actual job.....that you don't even get paid for. I want to play it to explore the cool looking environments but I know I wouldn't make it because at its essence its basically just a self flagellation simulator.
I was with you until "the food will spoil". The game sounds amazing but I can't deal with micro managing everything all the time. I don't want them to change the game because I understand that this is their direction but it's just not for me.
I really got into outward recently, in my opinion this game has THE best magic system ever, and you said the exact same thing I was thinking of! it really does make you feel like a mage, and it was really great to hear I'm not alone thinking that! really great video, finally this game gets some well deserved appreciation!
game sounds more like a chore than a game its always a red flag for me when we have to say things like "the game will _eventually_ be fun", just keep trying
Best video explaining why outward is such a great game, i really like this game but i always had a hard time explaining why i love this game so much. I usually like challenging game, but outward offer a different challenge than most other challenging game, and your explications nailed it. Thank you sir.
the problem with outward is that it doesn't make traversing the terrain fun, it just feels inconvenient, specially because the maps you are traversing don't feel interesting or immersive. they made great theme park maps that are fun to explore and play around, but they are not fun to traverse, specially if you have to do it multiple times. the game should have had a fast travel with events like Kingdom Come so just going to a different town wouldn't feel like wasting time for zero progress. with that they could also add things like mounts or pack animals.
It's literally the best coop rpg experience I ever had. Played it with my ex back then. Now every time I go into the forest on and irl adventure, I hear the soundtrack when you leave cheresones.
actually such a good review video, everything up until the section with the interview had me interested in it (after I got frustrated with the game years before, was no DLC out since then) but the last part sold me on it to pick it up on PC (I played previously on xbox) also shoutout to WolfheartFPS, great guy
This game sounds tedious, painful, slow, and complex. I shall start tonight
That's exactly what I thought at minute 10. YES
How was it?
@@livetohelpothers8401 it really is slow bruh 😭😭😭😭 good game tho I'm enjoying it
@@livetohelpothers8401on sale on the ps store rn btw
@@Al-Maghrebi you play solo?
Tips from a Veteran:
1: There are places that has 0% I repeat, absolutely 0% ambush chance. Look for places with small butterflies flying around, usually these are close to important supplies such as a well. So you can devote all of your time sleeping and repairing.
2: Always take a sip of water before combat, that provides a stamina recovery buff
3: do not be ashamed of being a scumbag, trapping your enemies is not a warcrime, human bosses usually has dialogue before the fight. So you can turn the boss room into a trap house. And make him walk all over it. His lackeys/mobs provide enough material to make those traps (weapons and armor, dismantle them for metal and cloth, then make traps with it). Only idiots fight fair. Tip the scales to your favor.
I know this is just a game, but "only idiots fight fair" is not a message to broadcast carelessly. This is the line of thought that leads to bombing hospitals at war.
@@rayaqin bruh you have no idea how many holes in the Geneva Convention you can exploit that does not involve bombing hospitals, and they cannot do anything about it until they appeal/add them that a fellow combat engineer told me.
And fuck that train of thought. I know what it feels to be bullied by someone stronger/taller than you. Needless to say I decided that the bullying doesn't stop if you ask a teacher and you have to go against them Vietnam War style. So No. For the sake of my own self preservation. I am going to fight dirty. After all in war, your enemy is also a dirty fucking scoundrel.
And separate real life from games, if you cannot differentiate between the two, then it's your problem.
Dude. What? Get off the internet@@rayaqin
@@jordon2074 completely or just for a while?
If you fail to prepare, prepare to fail. If you don't overwhelm your enemies, they will overwhelm you.
OUTWARD APPRECIATION IN 2023. THANK YOU
Bought it a while back and have been dying to get into it but seems very daunting
It was pretty boring, too convoluted and highly complex. Sounded good on paper but failed to achieve greatness, I could only handle about 3 hours of it.
@@TheGamerLifeit's sooo much fun, especially with a friend, so many moments of failure but also laughter, these two go hand in hand in this game 🤣
2024 💙😌
This video is more effective at showing what a game really is about than any other review I've ever seen. The things that I really want to know about a game, the nuance, is generally never there in rushed reviews that have to come out on a deadline. GREAT job here.
Warlockracy does great in-depth reviews and helps you understand how games feel to play
I bought this one on launch day. It was a fun experience. One little detail I've loved about the game is the relaxed stance you can take with polearms while traversing. The way my character's spear rests on the shoulder. It just looks like I'm a soldier traversing a great distance.
The way my character looks and moves in even the most basic tasks really grips me into a game so I fully understand! 🙌🏽
I LOVE Outward! I have spent almost 1k hours doing builds, playing co-op and enjoying the enviroments/music. Such a gem.
Yes! The music is absolutely amazing! It really is a gem of a game!
Most boring game ever.
not for everybody@@kevinburke1325
gemerald,even
Can you co-op right at the start?
Outward is one of my favorite games and it is nice to see it reaching out of its niche.
Its one of the most rewarding games ive ever played, and getting good in it is just as rewarding, if not more then getting good in a Formsoft game.
Outward truly makes you feel like an adventurer going on a grand quest, not a kid sitting on a ride in the theme park, you get lost, you find something new, you are filled with both wonder and dread.
We need more games like this, and am glad to see your are giving it the attention it deserves.
nah
I think survival games are becoming more popular and more developed to run on consoles with understandable gameplay, controls and mechanics. My first survival game on console was rust a while back that helped me understand how most survival work glad to see more types of survivors on console 🎉
I bought Outward because of your first video discussing difficulty in Souls-likes. When I started, I was greatly put off, even deleted my 1st save after getting captured by the bandits. After a week, I gave it another try, and had a great experience for about 20 hours until I felt overwhelmed with joining Sorobor and how difficult it became to upgrade my weapon beyond the desert shark variant. However, this video reignited my interest and after a 5 month break I will continue my journey
Sorobor was added later and it shows as it's a much more difficult path, even if it opens access to more items and skills. Outward was made to be played several times for each faction and you can put some pieces of the story together if you play the Blue Collective first and then the other initial two factions and Sorobor lastly. This video did make it very clear that Outward is meant to test you in the most harsh way but if you stick to it, it's a blast. Definitely one of the best RPGs i ever played.
Same man, I’ve tried this game 2 or 3 times but everything feels so obtuse it’s hard to get into a groove and enjoy the game itself.
I think I’ve logged 10 hours, tops.
@georgeitsvetkovski9705 - Man, getting captured by the bandits was one of _the_ best things that happened to me, because it allowed me to make that experience part of my character's backstory: he became a rogue while being a slave to the bandits. Other prisoners taught him how to make shivs and backstab people. The whole experience toughened him up and made him a thief and a killer.
@@AlkisGDsounds like Kenshi
That literally sounds AWFUL. good luck though 😂
This is the game that introduced me to your channel. I followed the development for a while and played it non-stop. Nothing but love for this game and your channel
Played it earlier this year - one of my favorite games. Brought me back to Morrowind times when I really liked RPGs.
Morrowind will always have a special place in my heart. Truly an amazing game despite it's flaws. Even now, with some basic quality of life and graphics mods, it holds up really well.
Outlook did not grab me. I loved morrowind because it was solely character skills rolls that made combat. Outward dark souls style combat player skills matter more than character skills.
Game is nothing like morrowind
Game is nothing like Morrowind.
Why did they slip a gameplay clip of Morrowind in there is what I don't get lol
Outward is definitely a hidden gem. Low budget and clunky as hell, but so many amazing ideas.
I got sincerely emotional after learning rune magic and practicing with it a little bit. It’s really a simple system and there aren’t that many spells, but no game I’ve ever played has handled the “feeling” of casting magic better than rune magic in Outward. The tl;dr is that you learn a bunch of runes that do nothing on their own, but when you cast different runes in sequence you end up with a spell based on the types and order of runes you cast, and as you become more experienced you can create longer rune patterns to cast more advanced spells. I loved being a rune mage running around without a weapon, and having to keep an eye out for dangers so I could preemptively cast the runes to summon a glowing magic 2-handed lightsaber
My favorite builds are the assassin where you basically run super fast and stab people for insane damage, and the hex caster where you stack multiple debuffs on an enemy and detonate them.
As a rune mage I start running with a bow so when I was out of mana i can still fight. But once you get the Gold Lich Armor, the proper book, backpack and tent (all of this give you close to 99% no mana cost for spells), you become an infinite spell mage and need nothing than good reaction to cast your spells!
This game is so strategic in the combat system! It's AWESOME!
I only played this for a couple of hours for the first time and i don’t find it clunky at all, it’s rather pretty smooth, better than most games tbh?
That's really cool! So it's basically a Noam Chomsky Spell system then?!
“It was awfully fun, eventually” is a fantastic way to summate this video at the end!
Inventory Is A Backpack mod for Oblivion circa 2009. 😊 "When you drop your backpack, all items that are not equipped and are not bound (e.g. clipped to your belt, pocket, etc.) to a key are dropped with the backpack. You can drop your backpack by pressing G."
Just finished the video. Outward is definitely a must. And it sounds like a game studio/publisher has finally realised what mod makers (endurance mods, weather effects, remove GPS, no fast travel, slower healing, eat and sleep etc.) have been doing to RPG games for at least a decade.
The Matthew effect, Moskowitz's Perfect Pasta Sauce and Outward. The 3 founding pillars of this channel. Praise be.
Glad you're playing Outward! Had an incredible experience in my playthrough last year. Very satisfying learning curve.
"Very satisfying learning curve" 🤣🤣🤣
@@solomaxlevelplayer5582 I'd say overcoming challenges is satisfying. A lot of games either frontload or backload their difficulty, and it's usually not that big a challenge. Your first playthrough of Outward is overwhelming as hell. Every new area seems impossible, but it's very satisfying to overcome once you learn.
Great video, and what a cool interview at the end there! It's been on my radar since it's release but I haven't yet commited to delving into the experience. I think watching this sent me over the edge
Never finished it (rarely finish games) but its one of my favorite games in the last decade. The exploration, immersion, and theming is fantastic. The music is also amazing.
thank you for putting this on my radar!
edit: the part about magic and the amount of preparation behind it feels reminiscent of how Monster Hunter once was with gathering. i, and some others, genuinely miss the realism of inventory management (optimizing your limited item pouch around pickaxes, bug nets, etc.)
super excited about this one despite how tedious it may be to the majority
That interview at the end was actually a very informative outlook on what Outward aims to be. Your review as a whole is very well structured. Made me remember Outward again and wonder why I ever stopped playing it. I am grabbing it now.
Yessss dude! This was why I subbed to you in the first place and although I haven’t beaten outward yet it’s such a great game, I really gotta go back to it and give it more of my time
Got it a month ago. Me and the wife have been playing it split screen continuously ever since. It's quickly becoming on of our all time favorites
Surely not continuously. o.O
Absolutely one of my favorite games to have existed in the last 10+ years. It’s such a phenomenally unique experience and EVEN BETTER WITH A FELLOW VAGABOND.
Thank you so much for showing me this game. I found the game when you described it in your difficulty options video and it was love at first sight.
I played this game long before the new DLC's came out and had a wonderful time. The music was super immersive and wormed its way into my head after hours wandering. Adventuring through the world felt like it had stakes. Each journey outside the walls of whatever city felt like a true journey I had to prepare for. Even as the game gets easier, the fear of encountering something beyond my preparation was always there. The journey you have to take to learn magic and become a stronger mage was unlike any other game I had played as well. Made for some really unforgettable moments.
Happy to see you covering the DE after I discovered you’re channel way back via your series on vanilla Outward! It’s easily one of my absolute favorite games, I have well over 1000 hours into it, and I love it dearly. Also one of the coolest dev teams from what I know.
This game looks incredibly immersive. Very old school d&d. Dropping your backpack to fight especially makes me think of d&d. I want to play it now, dang it man I only have so much money for games.
It routinely goes on sale, wishlist it and you should be able to grab it on your budget. Definitely get it. It's also split screen, so if you have a couch co-op buddy, you can do some seriously old school gaming.
I’ve been playing for a few weeks now and can confirm it is the closest thing to old school D&D that I’ve ever played in video game form. There are even scenarios in which you can be captured or taken somewhere far away from where you were and you’ll spend the next in game week just figuring out how to deal with it.
Well, there's always a way. Most of the games I've bought I actually tried earlier via "extended demo" (aka "shiver me timbers" edition). You have to be careful with your money. Especially since every second AAA game nowdays makes you regret the purchase.
I picked it up for $8 on sale, wishlist it. It's such an amazing game
If you haven’t got it yet, and are on ps4, it’s on sale for $10
this is such a well made video. I appreciated how you talked about the game through its real progression.
Outward has one of the best soundtrack of any game from a studio this size! Almost worth playing just for the music.
That was one of the things that jumped out at me when I first tried playing it, though I never did get very far. You're just wandering around in, like, the Chersonese or Berg and the music is just going full banger for no apparent reason.
Cierzo music always makes me feels like home
The game that got me to your channel and the channel that got me to get into this little gem, of which we need more.
Same here!
yup. really curious what this studio does next. unfortunately they operate reeeeeeally slowly
This game has been on my shortlist for a long time. I played maybe five hours a few years ago and life got in the way. For whatever reason, I put it on the back burner. I've always wanted to give it another go. It's going to happen after getting through this string of huge releases over the next few months.
I picked up and played Outward because of the first videos on this channel. I love how they tied the use of magic to the survival mechanics. In fact, I still plan on going back and playing that game more because I've got more builds I need to make.
it brings me joy to still see videos being made about Outward, its really a special game
you sold me this game with that last clip at the end but in your video about difficulty, I knew outward for a while but the looks and the price tag always kept me away but man how much I regret not playing it sooner, as someone trying to develop a game outward inspired me in many ways, thanks for giving a bit more of spotlight to outward, it truly deserves it.
I don't know if this really applies to Outward but I really miss how many old school games got easier as you power up giving a huge sense of progression. Old NES RPGS would almost always start with you leaving town, fighting one battle against over world monsters and having to go back and rest after each one until you powered up. The old Might and Magic games would see you getting only 1/3rd the way through early dungeons before you had to pack it in back to town because you didn't have health/healing to go on. And then when they became a cake walk by the end it felt amazing. But alas nowadays difficulty curves need to be flat or increase and everybody whines like babies if the final boss is "too easy" or the early game "too hard".
Outward is in a pretty unique position in the genre. There's no enemy difficulty scaling a la TES, there's no leveling up as there is in most RPGs, there's very little progression-based bonuses to your character. There is some equipment progression and some skills are better suited to some situations than others but the game really emphasizes getting good at the combat and being prepared for encounters. There is some of that feeling that you can roflstomp early enemies later on in the game but it's much more constrained because it's less about your level vs theirs and more about what armor/weapon/skills you're using now vs. when you just started. You absolutely can still get your shit pushed in by 'weak' enemies if you're not paying attention.
Oh yes,I am playing AC Odyssey at the time and leveling up is useless
@@natbrownizzle1387
Did you turn off level scaling?
@@frog6054Level scaling is the worst.
Morrowind would probably scratch your itch. NPCs and enemies you find have scripted levels and there is no level scaling. You can find enemies to fight at lower levels that are manageable and you can also wander into areas where you will be killed easily. The skill system and necessity to practice efficiency leveling can be frustrating, but once you understand the mechanics of it, it's very rewarding. You need patience because until many of your skills get to about 45-60 (out of 100), they aren't that reliable. When you start with weapons at a low skill level, you miss a lot of strikes with it and you do little damage. As the skill increases, you land hits more often and do more damage. Same with leveling up... You'll eventually find enemies that give you a hard time become fair challenges and/or easier to defeat.
The description reminds me a lot of key points of kenshi. Outward has been on my list for a while now, I will need to get round to playing it.
Brilliant video!
You earned a sub!
I love that developer clip you added at the end :)
It's in my all time top ten. Just know - in Outward, there are no bad builds, just better ones. Everything is viable, so long as you learn the systems.
Great video, and you nailed it..!
I keep wanting to return to give Outward another chance, but I honestly can't get over the timers. They made this interesting world that I want to take my time and explore, but there are a fair number of time-gated quests which put a cloud over the more laid back exploring that I prefer. I get what the game is going for, but I don't have the time to replay the same game repeatedly these days.
There's a lot of quality of life mods available. My personal favorite is the one that removes food decay.
@@BrantMarckssonthat’s lame removing a core aspect of the survival .
there is a mod that removes quest timers!!
@@omensoffate how dare people have different preferences than you!!
ever heard of mods?
I'm so glad I watched your outward videos ages ago. Been butting my head against this game for years now and everything finally clicked a week ago. Been playing the crap out of it ever since, such a good game that really emphasizes the value of knowledge and learning.
Great Video. I never worked out the specifics of the Stability Bar and am now keen to jump back in and perfect my melee combat.
Outward is an underrecognized gem for sure. It is a slow, grinding, oftentimes punishing experience that rewards you for paying attention and planning ahead. I've played it with a friend of mine a few times over the years and we consistently end up gaming well past a reasonable hour. 11/10 would recommend to the other "sophisticated gamers" out there.
How's the co-op experience? Is it relatively bug free?
@@mhjmstultiens I don't recall any additional/unusual bugs in co-op. We played split screen on console and the experience was smooth. Also helped level the playing field for more difficult fights. That said, we still died plenty.
I've never heard of this game until now, but I now appreciate its mechanics and am curious to check it out.
thank you for making this video. I had played about 2 hours of outward previous to this and didnt find much enjoyment, now i am 15 hours into a character and i cant stop playing, this game is truly a gem for those of us who want these types of games.
Bought outward many years ago because of your outward is perfect video. It's one of my favorite games of all time now.
I Absolutely love this game, and agree with everything you said!
This game really clicked for me once I got the ability to cast runes, and for the first time, I really felt the weight of everything I did. You really do truly feel like a mage, especially if you sacrifice a significant portion of your health/stamina for mana.
Damn it, now I want to play outward again, maybe there is time before AC6
What is AC6
@@meemes9785 Armored Core 6
@@meemes9785Assassin's Creed Mirage?
@@meemes9785Armored Core 6
Assuming he means armored core 6 - the upcoming From game
Now this, this is true understanding of realism means in a game. Subbed!
Great video and you are exactly the youtuber I need for this perspective into games.
Happily subbed and thumbs up.
Keep up the great work!
Been playing a lot of project zomboid lately and this game kind of reminds me of a lot of its gameplay concepts, but of course different setting/genre. Great breakdown of the game, I really like what you showed about it, and I'm gonna need to con my friend into getting this so we can coop.
outward is such a hidden gem, definitely not for everyone but if it clicks it feels great :)
just got back into it too and i wanna do the heroic kingdom and blue chamber questlines :3
13:00 If you put up a tent or bedroll while under butterfly clusters you can find around the map they reduce your ambush chance to 0% to make things a little easier
Amazing review. Really thorough and actually pushed me more towards getting the game. You are awesome
Lovely overview. This is such a special game. I come back to it time and again, because it is always fun, there is always something new to do, and most importantly, you can always get killed by a pearlbird if you aren't paying attention. Even if you are wielding Brand.
Outward is a lot of fun! Figuring out what weapons work for you is a good feeling. Incidentally, this game’s Hammer, thanks to the poise system, is almost as cathartic to me as MH’s!
This looks like such a tedious chore.
I remember playing outward, and loved every single moment of it. I actually took out a piece of paper and started writing down the successful combinations of spells for rune magic before actually checking the stats with my phone because I loved that style of play, and the entire game was just a shock in what I thought games could be. I don't play it as often as I used to, but I loved every moment of that game; and might try getting the dlc content to see what it has in store for me one day.
It is very nice to see you picked up outward again! Nice video ;)
I played outward maybe 2 years ago with a friend and we had a blast exploring and getting in way over our head. It was very fun.
Only problem I remember when I started the game, all of the characters you could possibly make are uuuuugly.
there are a few better options now, you should check out the Definitive edition. it not only has both dlc, but adds a lot of stuff from those into the main game, and a bunch of other stuff like new mini bosses. the DE is only on PC and current gen consoles tho.
There is not a perfect Outward video. There is only perfect Outward videos.
It's pretty coincidental I started playing this shortly after I finished reading all the lotr books, this game reminds me A LOT of frodo and Sam's part of the books. Slow travel, real adventure, sleeping and eating, worrying about rationing food, etc. Just micromanaging an immersive adventure really reminded of the books
been quietly stalking this game for about a year now. this was all i needed 😂
The game Kenshi actually has a very similar inventory system, since you mentioned not knowing others that worked in this way. Inventory is grid based like RE4, and every item also has an individual weight. Encumbrance diminishes character stats. Backpacks have larger storage space than character inventory, and higher quality backpacks will decrease the weight of items inside by various percentages. Backpacks don't directly change the move set of the character, but do impose stat penalties. The whole bag can be dropped or recovered mid-fight as needed.
tarkov.
i love kenshi
is it finished? i bought it in 2012 or 13 and i remember it was in alpha and it took a long time to even be "half" decent. i havent check in 5 years or so
This is a good game not just because of the things they put into it, but for the things they purposely left out. There's no map markers to follow, no in game quest reminders explaining exactly what to do, no real hand holding to be seen. This means you have to remember whats in the world and how things work, and because that is how you are getting around and figuring everything out, it immerses you and makes it all feel more like an adventure. It's always exciting leaving one of the cities because there's nothing really forcing to you follow a set path and there's a ton of stuff out there to see
Always disappointing when a new open world game comes out and your vision is obscured by quest markers. AAA devs just don’t get it.
That does not make the game good
It doesn't make the game good in your opinion. Clearly not in the opinion of the OP. You do know the difference between subjectivity and objectivity, right? @@ExpertContrarian
@@Largentina. I don’t think you do
@@ExpertContrarian I literally just showed that I did lol. By stating that you two have different opinions. Your original comment is stated objectively, even though it's a subjective statement. Keep up, kiddo.
I gave this game a shot because of your video and I've been loving it. Thanks!
Never played but looks awesome! Thanks for the review. I think I’m actually going to play this because your review was so good and well thought out. Thanks M8 !
Outward is one of my favorite games of all time. The game really felt like a breath of fresh air, and splitscreen coop being in it was awesome as well.
"It's not hard it's tedious" and "you want realism in a fantasy game" are my biggest pet peeve phrases.
Without context/nuance they’re both used as cop-out excuses to attack or defend a game.
"Quality of life."
@@globalistgamer6418 Oh, that's a deeper topic but yes. "Removing friction" is also a good one. I love friction. Friction is exactly where the compelling gameplay comes to life.
@@MATCHLESS93Right? I mean, a frictionless gameplay experience may as well just be a movie. Friction demands player input and player input is what defines video games as a medium.
@@Jay0hAychYou can have plenty of player input without making every interaction and mechanic clunky and time consuming. The more time you have to spend on every little thing, the less time you have to experience the actual enjoyable parts of the game.
❤❤❤ wanted this video for some time now! My dinner just got better
Aww that music. Brings back all memories of my hours put into this game. I love this game. give it time. feels like an adventure.
honestly this is such an underrated game they really went bananas making this
The opposite. It’s extremely overrated for what it is.
I love games like this. Far too many games these days hold your hand and make things braindead easy so that you artificially feel accomplished. We need more games that are slow and challenging- making you think more with high risks and high rewards.
This is a really good summary of the game. I have never played it but the way you explain it makes it sounds almost exactly like RuneScape - every new encounter is just a new problem to solve! I will probably pick this up the next time it is on sale. Thank you for the video.
I bought this on yours and Ruri's recommendation on one of his podcasts. While I couldn't get into it as much as I would have liked because of life stuff it's definitely a game worth checking out and trying to figure out on your own. I hope I'll be able to go back to it some day preferably with a buddy.
I loved this game when it came out, played it out with my gf now my wife. It was her first experience playing a video game, and an rpg for that matter and it was one of the best experiences for both of us. To survive to learn and to depend on another because I was the tankie character and she was the archer up until one point we decided to switch when she felt more courageous and started swinging like a barbarian, that was tough but fun. The exploration and the pacing of the game is what really set it apart from any game, not to mention the difficulty in the realism it brings. 10/10 ❤
Walking? Slowly? Across great distances?? Sold.
I love this game and am SO happy ur covering it. I was afraid it would never be in the limelight again.
Escape from Tarkov also has that “pockets and backpack” system where u can also drop ur backpack at a button press and pick it later. In that game it’s about sound and movement speed, stamina / visibility that prompt you dropping it tho.
Love this game
for some reason this video made me very hungry for pasta sauce....
Great video! Very clear breakdown of the game
Looks awesome! I probably won't play something like this but I definitely see the appeal.
Such a great game that I never got to finish. (Kept glitching on me during my two attempted playthroughs)
I wish more games would incorporate the no map marker mechanic though. Make people use landmarks and actually feel the impact of proper adventuring via navigation.
This game was brutal, but in a good way. I played it co-op and it was a great experience. I never experimented with magic because it seemed too complicated, but this is always on my to-play-again list.
Does the new edition fix the odd enemy spawns, where in the overworld a new enemy would spawn almost immediately after you killed one up to a finite point? Then no more enemies of any kind would ever spawn?
It did, now take in game days to spawn another. Also you can dismantle campfires and your stuff now despawns in the cities, except in your house.
The magic is I think one of the absolute best systems in any game. It actually feels like magic.
The preparation is rewarded with serious power, but it’s not just an I-win button
@@piedpiper1172 A Runic Trap build is pretty close to an I-win button, to be fair, but it's still got it's weaknesses.
Very well made video, I loved every bit of it!
I don’t say this for no reason. This is the best breakdown video about this game I have watched. You really explain everything that is so brilliant about this game. There are all these little systems that come together to make something so immersive. It’s about the journey. You are a nobody. Even though this game is tough, I find it so relaxing because of the immersion and sense of adventure. You really nailed all this with this breakdown.
That rune system sounds cool af, I'll give this game a try
How can you list so many things that I have a craving for in 20 minutes. This might be a _little_ bit too hard for me, but I feel like testing my upper limits so I think I'll have to go and find out.
if you find it too hard i'd advise convincing a friend to join you, its an awesome coop experience
It feels hard in the first few hours but eventually the game becomes very doable (for the most part). Buffs are your best friend.
as the guy above stated, buffs are very necessary. there are a few channels that have great content for outward too. actually, this was some of Ratatoskr’s earliest content. just be patient with it. and only carry what you need.
You'll be fine. The learning curve is real, but most of the "hard" stuff is as much about player knowledge and skill as it is about your character. Things like stamina management, disease, weather, etc. all become mostly trivial once you understand how to deal with it. As long as you become reasonably competent at combat you'll be able to finish one of the main questlines without worrying about advanced builds or optimization. The game is hard to learn, but not terribly hard to play. I find Outward to be a mostly relaxing experience.
This video simply put, just made me smile. It's such a strange and sometimes off putting game, however, the trials you faced I faced as well... In almost the same order actually haha. I recall PlayStation 2 days and this game gives me such familiar energy from those days. The grind, the struggle, embracing it, overcoming it and finding such beauty in a place where people would see an unfinished game. I couldn't have explained outward better myself, it truly is a realistic fantasy RPG. Only those with enough patience and open mindedness can truly understand its appeal.
I put down Outward a while ago. And I don't know if I have the same patience to commit time to games like this as an adult.
But this was an incredibly compelling video. Just wanted to say you have an awesome skill in presentation.
This game looks amazing but every single description for every single thing you have to do sounds like more of a pain in the ass than working an actual job.....that you don't even get paid for. I want to play it to explore the cool looking environments but I know I wouldn't make it because at its essence its basically just a self flagellation simulator.
I was with you until "the food will spoil". The game sounds amazing but I can't deal with micro managing everything all the time. I don't want them to change the game because I understand that this is their direction but it's just not for me.
Your videos are perfectly informative, you narrate clearly and articulately with a “warm” voice.
Can you please tutorial the new outward please?
I really got into outward recently, in my opinion this game has THE best magic system ever, and you said the exact same thing I was thinking of! it really does make you feel like a mage, and it was really great to hear I'm not alone thinking that! really great video, finally this game gets some well deserved appreciation!
game sounds more like a chore than a game
its always a red flag for me when we have to say things like "the game will _eventually_ be fun", just keep trying
I was just thinking the same thing … he lost me at making a campfire to eat the raw meat. I mind as well go cook me something in real life
Best video explaining why outward is such a great game, i really like this game but i always had a hard time explaining why i love this game so much.
I usually like challenging game, but outward offer a different challenge than most other challenging game, and your explications nailed it.
Thank you sir.
One of my favorite games. The music and environments are incredible. Combat is a real risk and your choice of gear makes a real difference
the problem with outward is that it doesn't make traversing the terrain fun, it just feels inconvenient, specially because the maps you are traversing don't feel interesting or immersive. they made great theme park maps that are fun to explore and play around, but they are not fun to traverse, specially if you have to do it multiple times. the game should have had a fast travel with events like Kingdom Come so just going to a different town wouldn't feel like wasting time for zero progress. with that they could also add things like mounts or pack animals.
This game sounds tedious and terrible. The phrase "is the juice worth the squeeze?" comes to mind. In this case it doesn't appear so.
It varies to each of us. I enjoy the hell out of it
It's literally the best coop rpg experience I ever had. Played it with my ex back then. Now every time I go into the forest on and irl adventure, I hear the soundtrack when you leave cheresones.
actually such a good review video, everything up until the section with the interview had me interested in it (after I got frustrated with the game years before, was no DLC out since then) but the last part sold me on it to pick it up on PC (I played previously on xbox)
also shoutout to WolfheartFPS, great guy
Such a fantastic title! Im an older gamer and the lack of hand holding and sense of discovery took me back to an earlier era of the hobby.