Outward Definitive Edition

Just save your sanity and avoid this game. Playing this game for over 40 hours and the further i get the more I wonder if the devs actually played their own game. The combat just effing sucks. I have tried different builds/weapons now and its just stupid. Skills have some sort of ridiculous locked delay where it locks you into a slowmo animation for a second after you execute your skill where you cant do ANYTHING while the enemy can just hit you as much as they want to. Im done. F this game. And F the combat. And devs, stop making the combat design, just outsource it.

Picked up this game up maybe 2 years ago while on sale. Attempted to start it multiple times but lost interest pretty quickly each time. In 2024, I began to crave a hardcore RPG experience with survival elements, but didn't want anything too flashy or power-creepy. Seeing the trailer for Outward 2, I gave Outward one more try, and this time... It clicked. The game is punishing and can feel grueling at times. You constantly feel weak going into fights. There are several layers of environmental mechanics to grasp early on. You end up dieing a lot. To weather, to sickness, to enemies, to traps, to magic. But if you're persistent, you WILL begin to learn. And survive. And maybe even enjoy the experience. The game does a good job of leaning heavily on mechanics that you could typically get away with ignoring in other RPG's. Learning recipes for alchemy, cooking and crafting, and having to hand forage/hunt these ingredients is part of the gameplay loop to increase your chances for success. The magic system in this game is something special, and is particularly challenging to master. Spells need to be learned from different masters, require different materials, need to be cast in specific orders, or under certain conditions, to maximise their efficacy. Some might say this makes it feel tedius, but it only forms another area of challenge and discovery for a player. The games only failing (minor gripe) is physical combat. Enemies - even bosses - tend not to have too much nuance, just unlimited stamina bars and several attack patterns. It makes fighting enemies less dynamic than other games and a bit of extra time to cook would have vastly improved the experience. That being said, every encounter is a measured experience and can be lethal, whether you're 10 hours or 100 hours in. This is the core principal of the game and if you enjoy that, you'll probably like this. NOT LIKE: Skyrim, Dragons Dogma, Dragon Age MORE LIKE: Valheim, Kenshi, monster hunter, elden ring

Ok so. This review is coming many years after finishing it with a friend. And im not sure if things have changed. But this was my experience with it. Brutally hard for a while, getting better gear is the only thing that will make you stronger really. There is other things but, they are negligible in comparison. Playing coop with my friend, he progressed his story and got his rewards, but i did not get mine. It required me to play through 2 times so we could both get our gear. Very annoying and time consuming. This is very much a slow progression game. Dont expect to make monumental progress every time you sit down and play it. Because that just isnt going to happen. The survival mechanics are great and add a sense of "i need to take care of myself" with decent food and water requirements that dont go completely overboard like some survival games, that require you to eat more than a horse and drink an ocean on a daily basis. I dont own any of the dlc. And i cant comment on that stuff. Nor the endgame boss fights past the end of the story as my friend got bored of it and we moved onto other games. But i imagine the best most challenging fights are to be found there. But getting to them, is also a big pain in the butt. Not to mention even defeating them. To me this game is like. Dark souls, meets Green Hell, Meets Morrowind. My biggest gripe would be traveling from place to place. Takes a very long time, and sucks very badly. Also the inventory is quite realistic, so you cant just pack your bag with all the things that drop and that you find. The more weight you carry, the slower you get. But if you like games that dont hold your hand. And you have a good buddy to experience the game fully with. There is alot of fun to be had here.

В кое то веке Гог не кинули на апдейт, и ещё как обладателю игры и всех длс для дали забрать бесплатно.

The Definitive Edition is the best way to experience Outward, with stash sharing across houses and two DLCs. After 51 hours in the base game, upgrading and restarting wasn’t just easy—it was exciting. For me, being eager to restart is a clear sign of a great game, and Outward nails it. Crafting, cooking, and alchemy are standouts. Limited descriptions for consumable effects pushed me to track notes, which felt like an extension of the game’s immersive design. Far from busywork, this process mirrors the deliberate pace of exploring without fast travel or a detailed map. These additional efforts make the experience richer and more engaging, reinforcing the idea that effort and discovery matter more than convenience. Modern games often overwhelm with minimaps and constant markers, sacrificing engagement for accessibility. Developers claim this helps average players, but my experience with Gothic 1 proves otherwise. That game’s steep learning curve—whether its unconventional controls or lack of guidance—rewarded persistence with a deeper, more memorable experience. If I could master it as a kid, there’s no reason adults can’t. Combat borrows from Souls-like games but is less advanced and more punishing. Death doesn’t just reset your progress—it leaves your health, stamina, and gear damaged, often requiring a long trek back. This design adds weight to every encounter, forcing preparation and making victories feel earned. It makes every step in the world feel important. The absence of fast travel defines the game. You must plan carefully and approach exploration thoughtfully. Initially, the slow pace was daunting, but, much like with Gothic 1, it became incredibly rewarding once I adapted. Outward reminds you that the journey itself is the real adventure, not just the destination. If you’re considering a replay, don’t rush—immerse yourself in the experience. Outward isn’t just a game; it’s a challenge that rewards your time and leaves a lasting impression.