Outward: Fantasy Survival in a Harsh World

Updated On: February 14, 2024 by     What is Esports? Team  

Uncovering a game that delicately marries the thrill of adventure with the right dose of challenge can be quite the quest. We’ve journeyed through the vast expanse of gaming realms, much like yourself, in pursuit of a tale that nudges us to our limits without sending us over the edge into dismay.

It was during this voyage that we discovered Outward – a gem that artfully combines enchanting fantasy RPG elements with unyielding survival mechanisms to shepherd you across its perilous lands.

Join us as we delve together into mastering the untamed wilderness of Aurai!

Key Takeaways

• Outward blends RPG elements with tough survival mechanics, demanding players manage basic needs and combat challenges in a magic-rich world.
• Developed by Nine Dots Studio, this open – world game offers freedom with its freeform design and nonlinear objectives, pushing strategic play to repay tribal debts.
• The harsh environment of the game is intensified by unforgiving combat inspired by Dark Souls and deep survival systems where decisions are consequential.
• Multiplayer capabilities include split-screen and online co-op modes, providing a collaborative approach to tackling the game’s difficulties.
• Unique death mechanics bring added depth as players must escape captivity upon respawning, influencing single-player and cooperative experiences alike.

Overview of Outward

Outward is an open-world RPG with survival elements developed by Nine Dots Studio and released in 2019. It features a freeform design, nonlinear objectives, and a focus on repaying debts to your tribe.

An open-world RPG with survival elements

In Outward, we plunge into a vast and unforgiving world where our survival hinges on every choice. The game melds classic roleplaying elements with challenging survival mechanics, pushing us to master the environment around us.

We need to manage our basic needs like hunger, thirst, and fatigue while exploring treacherous landscapes filled with danger at every turn.

Our adventures take us across diverse terrains as we forage for resources, craft tools and gear up to face the harsh wilderness. Magic plays a critical role in this journey, offering both perilous challenges and empowering solutions as we navigate its complexities.

Up ahead lies an even tougher test: learning how not just to survive but also thrive in combat that demands strategy and persistence.

Developed by Nine Dots Studio

Nine Dots Studio, the talented team behind Outward, has crafted a captivating open-world RPG that challenges players to survive in a harsh and unforgiving environment. Released in 2019, this survival adventure game invites you to embark on perilous expeditions across untamed lands and discover hidden dungeons while undertaking varied missions.

With an emphasis on survival elements, every decision carries high stakes, making each small triumph feel like a major victory.

The developers have taken inspiration from Dark Souls for the punishing combat system that adds an additional layer of challenge to the gameplay. Additionally, they have successfully integrated deep magic systems into the world of Outward, allowing players to explore unique spells and abilities as they navigate through this dangerous landscape.

Released in 2019

After being developed by Nine Dots Studio, Outward was released in 2019. The game is an open-world RPG with survival elements that challenges players to navigate a harsh fantasy world.

It features punishing combat inspired by Dark Souls and a deep survival and magic system that adds high stakes to every decision made by the player. Moreover, its nonlinear objectives and freeform design make for a unique gaming experience that offers a high level of replayability.

Outward’s emphasis on survival elements ensures that even small victories feel like major triumphs, making it an enjoyable open-world action RPG for both solo play and co-op mode. With split-screen and online co-op features, players can brave the unforgiving environment of Outward together, adding another layer of depth to this immersive gaming experience.

Gameplay

Outward offers a freeform design and non-linear objectives, allowing players to explore and engage with the world in their own way. The focus on repaying debts to your tribe adds an extra layer of challenge to the game.

Freeform design

Outward features a freeform design, allowing players to explore and interact with the world in their own way. The game does not force a linear progression, giving freedom to tackle quests and objectives at their own pace.

Players have the flexibility to make choices that impact their gameplay experience, creating an immersive and personal journey. This open approach encourages creativity and problem-solving as gamers navigate through the harsh world of Outward.

The freeform design promotes individuality and strategic thinking, making every playthrough unique. With no set path or predetermined outcome, players have the autonomy to mold their adventure based on their decisions and actions within the game’s dynamic environment.

Nonlinear objectives

Transitioning from freeform design to nonlinear objectives, players will find that Outward presents a refreshing departure from linear quest structures. Instead of following a set path, the game encourages exploration and decision-making without imposing a strict sequence of tasks.

This allows for a more organic and immersive experience, where players have the freedom to pursue their own goals and shape their own journey within the game world.

Players in Outward are not bound by predetermined storylines or forced into specific missions. The game offers a dynamic environment that responds to player actions, providing an open-ended experience with multiple paths to progress and achieve objectives.

Focus on repaying debts to your tribe

Players in Outward are tasked with repaying debts to their tribe, adding a unique layer of responsibility and consequence to the gameplay. This focus on honouring obligations creates an immersive experience where each decision is crucial.

The game’s emphasis on survival elements enhances the sense of urgency and importance, making every action feel significant. By prioritising debt repayment, players must strategise and plan carefully to navigate the challenges of the harsh world of Outward while meeting their responsibilities.

Harsh World of Outward

Outward’s harsh world offers no hand-holding, punishing combat inspired by Dark Souls, and deep survival and magic systems that will test your skills to survive. If you want to learn more about how Outward challenges players in a fantasy survival setting, keep reading!

No hand-holding

Outward immerses players in a harsh world where there is no hand-holding. This means that the game doesn’t offer tutorials or prompts, leaving you to figure things out on your own.

You must use your wits and observation skills to survive, creating an experience that rewards perseverance and discovery.

In Outward, there are no quest markers or waypoints – instead, you must rely on directions given by NPCs or landmarks within the environment. The absence of hand-holding elevates the sense of accomplishment when overcoming challenges and unraveling the mysteries of this unforgiving world.

Punishing combat inspired by Dark Souls

Outward’s combat system draws inspiration from Dark Souls, delivering a challenging and unforgiving experience that requires precision, timing, and strategy. Every encounter demands careful consideration of the enemy’s movements and attack patterns, making each battle intense and rewarding.

Players must master dodging, parrying, and attacking to survive in the harsh world of Outward.

The punishing combat in Outward adds depth to the game’s survival-focused gameplay, creating an immersive experience where every victory feels hard-earned. The combat mechanic contributes to the overall sense of accomplishment when overcoming formidable foes or emerging victorious from perilous expeditions across untamed lands.

Deep survival and magic systems

Outward’s deep survival and magic systems offer a challenging yet rewarding experience. Players must master essential survival skills such as cooking, crafting, and managing resources to endure the harsh environments.

The game’s magic system is intricate, requiring strategic use of spells and incantations to overcome adversaries and mystical obstacles in the world.

Challenges within Outward’s survival mechanics make every decision impactful, amplifying the sense of achievement with each successfully navigated hurdle. As players delve deeper into its magic system, they uncover ancient rituals and powerful enchantments that can turn the tide in their favor.

Multiplayer Features

Outward offers both split-screen and online co-op gameplay, allowing you to survive and thrive in the harsh world with a friend. The game also introduces a unique way of handling death and respawning, adding an extra layer of challenge to the multiplayer experience.

Split-screen and online co-op

Outward offers an engaging split-screen and online co-op experience, allowing players to explore the game’s harsh world together. Whether teaming up with a friend sitting next to you on the sofa or joining forces with someone across the globe, this multiplayer feature adds a new dimension of enjoyment to the fantasy survival RPG.

In co-op mode, players can strategise and engage in challenging combat scenarios while working together to overcome the demanding survival mechanics that define Outward.

With split-screen and online co-op capabilities, players can truly immerse themselves in Outward’s perilous expeditions and varied missions alongside friends or fellow adventurers.

Unique way of handling death and respawning

When players die in Outward, they don’t simply respawn at a previous checkpoint. Instead, they wake up as a captive of one of the game’s many factions and must find their way back to freedom.

This mechanic adds an extra layer of consequence to death, making survival feel more significant.

Additionally, in multiplayer mode, if one player dies and respawns as a captive, the other player can choose to help them escape or continue on their own adventure. This unique approach to handling death and respawning encourages cooperation and strategic gameplay in both single-player and co-op modes.

Moreover, each faction has its own agenda which affects the player’s experience after respawning. Players have to adapt their playstyle according to who captures them — adding depth to respawning that is rarely seen in other games within this genre.

Conclusion

Immerse yourself in Outward’s harsh world, where survival is an art and every victory feels monumental. Traverse untamed lands, undertake perilous expeditions and uncover hidden dungeons.

Play alone or team up with friends to brave the challenges of this unique fantasy survival RPG. Experience the thrill of high-stakes decision-making and discover the endless possibilities that Outward offers.

FAQs

1. What is “Outward: Fantasy Survival in a Harsh World”?

“Outward: Fantasy Survival in a Harsh World” is an open-world roleplaying game where players survive and adventure through a tough fantasy landscape, facing soulslike combat challenges.

2. Can you play “Outward” with friends?

Yes, “Outward” offers coop gameplay so you can join forces with friends to explore its vast open world together and tackle obstacles as a team.

3. Is the combat difficult in “Outward”?

The game has soulslike combat which means it’s challenging and requires strategy and skill to overcome enemies throughout the harsh world of Outward.

4. What makes “Outward” different from other roleplaying games?

What sets Outward apart is its blend of survival features within the open-world game environment, demanding not just battling foes but also managing your character’s needs against the unforgiving elements.