If Outcast – A New Beginning had arrived at the start of the PS4/Xbox One generation, it might have been the perfect sequel that gave the original premise the scope and audiovisual spectacle it deserved. When Outcast released in 1999, a vast but shallow 3D open-world was a novelty that offered an incredible sense of scale and freedom. A decade ago, the iconic status of the IP, coupled with the quirky setting and jet pack traversal, might still have impressed. In 2024, I’d imagine there are few gamers left with significant attachment to the original, while the market is so saturated by open-world games that it’s hard for games with a “AAA” budget and production values to stand out.



It’s not essential, but it helps if you’re familiar with the first game or the unpolished remake, Outcast: Second Contact (which was apparently successful enough to green-light this sequel). Cutter Slade’s attempt to travel back to Earth goes awry, he finds himself back on Adelpha with partial memory loss, receives voices and visions from the Talan gods (the Yods!), and he’s unable to fully die – which, in gameplay terms, means respawning near your objective.



Rediscovering his memories is a good hook for new players, especially those of daughter and partner he can’t fully remember, but most significant to the plot is his message for the “Almayal” leaders of the Talan. They need to themselves from extinction at the hands of new invaders – Cutter’s former military pals that are now stereotypically evil colonialists.

As the typical video game protagonist, Cutter is once again on quest to save Adelpha again by clearing map icons and collecting things to tick off checklists.

The Almayal are split on how to interpret the Yods’ warning. One seeks to ally with the remaining militant guardians to destroy the invaders' camps and reclaim the “White Helidium” needed for “The Spear” – an energy shield that protects their holiest city. The other believes they need to reunite the tribes by reconnecting the “Daoka” portal network and re-establishing the “Okastok” mating festival. As the typical video game protagonist, Cutter is once again on quest to save Adelpha again by clearing map icons and collecting things to tick off checklists.



The problem with Outcast – A New Beginning, in 2024, is that these activities feel uninspired and the game instead relies on its wonderously alien setting and jet pack mechanics to keep you entertained. You know the drill: collect X of something or kill Y number of something; race against the clock to complete jet pack races; destroy dozens of bases and giant drills protected by a droid army, and even complete escort missions – a design I had hoped was extinct by this point.

That generic gameplay loop also feels less polished than you’d expect, with janky movement, perfunctory combat with only a handful of cool abilities, and simple upgrade mechanics that unlock too slowly. There’s also constant busywork like grinding upgrade materials and having to collect green or red Helidium crystals that function as ammunition. For those who remember the bad old days of open-world design, this means respawning after burning through resources during a tough battle can often see you having to scavenge/craft/purchase more before getting back into the fight.



Now I’ve been down on the gameplay so far, but Outcast – A New Beginning benefits from a lack of pretension and very rarely drags out simple quests with minutes worth of dialogue or elaborate cutscenes. There is optional dialogue for those that want it, but Cutter cuts to the chase (no pun, honest), quest-givers rarely ramble on unless it’s part of their personality played for a joke, and the game has excellent mission flow-maps so you can bounce between tasks with minimal downtime. It gives the game better pacing than you might expect, and it’s easy to have fun when you’re not forced to slow down and consider how mundane or repetitive the activities are.

Now I’ve been down on the gameplay so far, but Outcast – A New Beginning benefits from a lack of pretension and very rarely drags out simple quests with minutes worth of dialogue or elaborate cutscenes.

Thanks to that brisk pacing, there’s a decent narrative flow too. Destroying outposts bolsters the strength of The Spear shield but also puts Cutter in contact with other human factions (some from the first game) and he reclaims lost gear. More interesting – from both a narrative and gameplay perspective – are the quests to help each village thrive and re-establish the Okastok ritual. These are often multi-part affairs that bounce you around Adelpha, feature some truly weird characters and writing, and ultimately unlock an organic weapon Cutter can summon in battle: think swarms of stinging insects, angry birds, immobilising vines, and an alien dragon mount.



Another unexpected highlight was Cutter Slade. He’s lost a lot of the snark and forced sarcasm, and straddles the line between old-school action hero and modern sad-dad. He’s still instinctively rebels against any authority figures and can act like a man-child, but also demonstrates touching dad-vibes when supporting the many younger Talan in a world disrupted by conflict.

Wrapping up, how much you enjoy Outcast – A New Beginning will depend on your tolerance for a traditional open-world game that can feel a decade behind the curve. I enjoyed it most during the first dozen or so hours (of about 25 if you just focus on the main quest tasks) as the jet pack allowed me to tear around Adelpha and stay mobile during firefights. The problem is it does too little to differentiate itself in the long run - with only a handful of scripted mission sequences that don’t boil down to busywork followed by a cutscene – and it never comes close to feeling like a classic PC sandbox either. On the upside, Outcast – A New Beginning also never felt like it was wasting my time by pretending to be more than it is.

*Review code provided by ZamZam Distribution