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Outcast: A New Beginning

Name: Comprehensive Review and Analysis of Outcast: A New Beginning
Item: Outcast: A New Beginning
Author: Critik Editorial Team

2024

GenresAdventure, Action, Third Person Perspective, Shooter, Open World, RPG, Single Player

AvailableMar 15, 2024

PlatformPlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, PC

DeveloperAppeal Studios

Overview

Explore the breathtaking alien world of Adelpha, support the local Talans in their struggles and fight your way through fast-paced battles against invading robot forces in this 3rd-person, open world, action adventure sequel to the 1999 cult classic.

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Game analysis

Monster Scorecard

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Story and Narrative

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SCORE DISTRIBUTION FOR STORY

Story Score

Positive (80-100)

44%

Mixed (50-79)

44%

Negative (0-49)

13%

Based on analyzing reviews that specifically scored or critiqued the story and narrative.

The Story of Outcast: A New Beginning has garnered a mix of positive and negative feedback from various critics. Many reviewers praised the engaging narrative, character development, and worldbuilding in the game. Eurogamer Poland and COGconnected highlighted the engaging storyline with a mix of exploration and interesting characters, drawing from classic themes and adding depth to the world of Adelpha. IGN Spain and GamersRD appreciated the modern and enjoyable open-world experience, engaging lore, and charismatic main character Cutter Slade, with clever twists in the plot and the use of native language adding depth to conversations. On the flip side, some critics expressed concerns about the story's execution in Outcast: A New Beginning. Critics like God is a Geek and Try Hard Guides criticized the storytelling for being talky, filled with waffle, dated, and overreliant on tropes, leading to a lack of investment in Cutter Slade's plight and the fate of Adelpha. GameSkinny and Worth Playing mentioned lackluster characters, cliched villains, and repetitive quests, which hindered the overall narrative experience. Wccftech also noted issues with the mediocre delivery, writing, voice acting, and cutscenes that failed to immerse players in the story. Overall, the consensus among critics regarding the Story of Outcast: A New Beginning leans towards a mixed reception. While some reviewers appreciated the engaging storyline, character development, and worldbuilding, others found fault with the dated storytelling, lackluster characters, and repetitive nature of the quests. The game seems to offer a blend of classic sci-fi elements with modern twists, but its execution falls short in delivering a wholly immersive and captivating narrative experience. Critics like XboxEra and Try Hard Guides highlighted the weaknesses in the story's writing and plot beats, indicating that there is room for improvement in future iterations of the Outcast series to truly captivate a wider audience.

TL;DR

story and narrative

Critics have mixed feelings about The Story of Outcast: A New Beginning. Some praise its engaging narrative, character development, and worldbuilding, while others criticize its talky storytelling, lackluster characters, and repetitive quests. The game offers a mix of classic themes with modern twists but falls short in delivering a fully immersive experience. There's room for improvement in future iterations to captivate a wider audience.

Gameplay Mechanics

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SCORE DISTRIBUTION FOR GAMEPLAY

Gameplay Score

Positive (80-100)

19%

Mixed (50-79)

75%

Negative (0-49)

Based on analyzing reviews that specifically scored or critiqued the gameplay mechanics.

The gameplay of Outcast: A New Beginning received mixed reviews from critics, with some standout positives highlighted by various reviewers. Critics such as GamersRD and Vandal praised the game for its open-world exploration with jetpack mechanics, diverse activities, engaging combat, and modernized features like skill trees and weapon customization. The inclusion of unique features like weapon upgrades, jetpack abilities, and shield enhancements, as noted by Generación Xbox, added depth and strategic advantages to the gameplay experience. Additionally, the deep weapon customization and traversal mechanics, as mentioned by Twinfinite, were also appreciated by some critics. On the other hand, several critics pointed out various negatives in the gameplay of Outcast: A New Beginning. Issues such as clunky combat mechanics, repetitive quests, lackluster combat, and technical flaws like imprecision in movement and controls were highlighted by critics like CGMagazine, COGconnected, and Wccftech. Some critics, such as PlayStation Universe and Try Hard Guides, mentioned that the gameplay could feel repetitive due to reliance on fetch quests and basic combat mechanics, with the lack of engagement in in-between activities being a drawback. Overall, the consensus among critics regarding the gameplay of Outcast: A New Beginning leans towards a mixed reception. While some critics appreciated the unique features, engaging combat, and modernized mechanics, others criticized the clunky combat, repetitive quests, and technical flaws that hindered the overall experience. Worth Playing noted that the standout mobility mechanics made exploration enjoyable, indicating that despite its flaws, the game still had some redeeming qualities. The varied opinions from critics showcase that while the game had its strengths in terms of gameplay elements like exploration and combat customization, there were also significant shortcomings that impacted the overall enjoyment for some players.

TL;DR

gameplay mechanics

Outcast: A New Beginning gameplay gets mixed reviews: praised for open-world exploration and modern features like skill trees, but criticized for clunky combat, repetitive quests, and technical flaws. Some critics appreciated unique mechanics and engaging combat, while others found it lacking in variety and immersion. Overall, opinions are split on the gameplay experience, with standout positives and significant drawbacks.

Graphics and Visual Design

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SCORE DISTRIBUTION FOR VISUALS

Visual Score

Positive (80-100)

31%

Mixed (50-79)

56%

Negative (0-49)

13%

Based on analyzing reviews that specifically scored or critiqued the graphics and visual design.

The critics generally praised the Graphics and Visual Design of Outcast: A New Beginning for its positive aspects. Generación Xbox appreciated the diverse biomes and well-designed NPCs and enemies, while COGconnected highlighted the consistent and detailed art direction, well-designed environments, lighting, character designs, and enemies that created a visually cohesive world. IGN Spain also commended the impressive visuals with a vast open world, diverse biomes, urban centers, and enemy bases that balanced modern and retro elements. Games.cz found the alien landscapes visually appealing and beautiful, enhancing the immersive experience for players. These positive aspects indicate that the game had a visually engaging world with attention to detail in various elements. However, several critics pointed out various negative aspects of the Graphics and Visual Design in Outcast: A New Beginning. CGMagazine mentioned that Talan designs were lacking and performance mode issues detracted from the experience. GamersRD highlighted issues such as image tearing, occasional slowdowns, and frame rate drops, impacting the overall visual experience. Try Hard Guides criticized the bad optimization of the Unreal Engine, struggling to maintain a stable FPS on medium graphics, which affected the visual quality. Additionally, Twinfinite noted occasional lack of polish and performance issues, while Vandal mentioned shortcomings like stiff animations and limited facial expressions. These criticisms indicate that the game faced challenges in terms of optimization, design inconsistencies, and technical issues that affected the overall visual presentation. Overall, the consensus among the critics regarding the Graphics and Visual Design of Outcast: A New Beginning is mixed. While there were commendations for the diverse environments, detailed world design, and impressive visuals from critics like PlayStation Universe and Worth Playing, criticisms from reviewers like XboxEra and Eurogamer Poland regarding performance issues, lack of polish, and limited character expressions indicate a lack of consistency in the visual quality of the game. The positive aspects of the game's visual design were often overshadowed by technical issues, optimization problems, and design inconsistencies, leading to a varied reception among critics. Despite some positive elements, the overall sentiment suggests that the game's Graphics and Visual Design could have been more polished and optimized to provide a more immersive and visually satisfying experience for players.

TL;DR

graphics and visual design

Critics praised Outcast: A New Beginning for its stunning graphics and visual design, highlighting diverse biomes, well-designed NPCs, and detailed art direction. However, they also criticized issues like performance problems, lack of polish, and technical glitches that detracted from the overall visual experience. The consensus is mixed, with some praising the visuals while others pointed out flaws in optimization and design consistency. Overall, the game's visuals were engaging but marred by technical challenges, leading to a varied reception among critics.

Music and Sound Design

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SCORE DISTRIBUTION FOR SOUND DESIGN

Sound Score

Positive (80-100)

27%

Mixed (50-79)

64%

Negative (0-49)

Based on analyzing reviews that specifically scored or critiqued the music and sound design.

The Sound Design and Music of Outcast: A New Beginning received a mix of positive feedback from critics. Generación Xbox praised the soundtrack, likening it to space operas like Mass Effect and Star Trek, which enhanced the gameplay experience. Eurogamer Poland also appreciated the dynamic soundtrack that retained the charm of the original game. COGconnected highlighted the rich and varied musical background by composer Lennie Moore, along with good environmental sound design and well-done voice acting. IGN Spain commended the compelling sound design and Spanish voice acting for enhancing the immersive experience of the game. Vandal noted that the soundtrack elevated the audiovisual experience, making the game stand out above average. On the flip side, some critics pointed out negatives in the Sound Design and Music of Outcast: A New Beginning. CGMagazine found the music forgettable but highlighted standout voice acting performances that brought life to the world. God is a Geek mentioned that the abundance of talking, often in a made-up language, could be distracting and uninteresting. Worth Playing criticized the average voice acting, with some characters under- or overacting, impacting the immersion. XboxEra noted that while the lush orchestral soundtrack was a standout positive, it was plagued by jarring audio cuts and technical issues, detracting from the overall experience. Overall, the consensus among critics regarding the Sound Design and Music of Outcast: A New Beginning is mixed. While there were standout elements such as the soundtrack's resemblance to iconic space operas, dynamic music, and well-done voice acting that enhanced immersion, there were also drawbacks like forgettable music, uneven voice acting performances, and technical issues. Despite these mixed opinions, the general sentiment leans towards the positive side, with many critics acknowledging the audio elements for contributing positively to the overall experience of the game.

TL;DR

music and sound design

Critics had mixed opinions on the sound design and music of Outcast: A New Beginning. Positive feedback highlighted the soundtrack's space opera vibes, dynamic music, and good voice acting, enhancing the gameplay. However, some critics found the music forgettable, voice acting uneven, and technical issues distracting. Overall, while there were both praises and criticisms, many critics agreed that the audio elements added to the immersive experience of the game.

Voice Acting

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SCORE DISTRIBUTION FOR VOICE ACTING

Acting Score

Positive (80-100)

40%

Mixed (50-79)

40%

Negative (0-49)

20%

Based on analyzing reviews that specifically scored or critiqued the voice acting.

The voice acting in Outcast: A New Beginning received a mix of positive and negative feedback from critics. CGMagazine and COGconnected praised the voice actors for delivering performances with sincerity and authenticity, respectively. IGN Spain also highlighted the Spanish voice acting for enhancing the immersive experience and storytelling of the game. GamersRD appreciated the varied performances but pointed out that Cutter's voice sounded too youthful for his age. These positive aspects of the voice acting contributed to adding depth and captivation to the game world, as noted by several critics. On the other hand, some critics raised concerns about the voice acting in Outcast: A New Beginning. Games.cz criticized the forced alien language used in dialogues, finding it contrived and distracting, which impacted the overall experience negatively. God is a Geek mentioned that the Talan characters often had the same faces and voices, and the dialogue was overloaded with nonsense in a made-up language, diminishing the quality of the voice acting. Worth Playing noted that some characters in the game either under- or overacted, affecting the immersion of players. Wccftech and XboxEra also expressed disappointment in the voice acting, with Wccftech criticizing it for being subpar and failing to immerse players, while XboxEra highlighted weak writing and repetitive dialogue as hindrances to engaging with the characters. Overall, the opinions on the voice acting in Outcast: A New Beginning are divided. While some critics appreciated the depth, authenticity, and immersive qualities brought by the voice actors, others found issues with the forced alien language, repetitive dialogue, and inconsistent performances. The general consensus leans towards a mixed reception, with positive aspects such as sincerity and varied performances contrasting with negatives like contrived language and underwhelming delivery. Twinfinite's mention of fully voice-acted characters with interesting dialogue and dynamic glossary for alien terms adds a layer of complexity to the overall sentiment, showcasing that despite the criticisms, there are elements of the voice acting that are commendable and enhance the game experience for some players.

TL;DR

voice acting

Critics had mixed opinions on the voice acting in Outcast: A New Beginning. Some praised the sincerity and authenticity of performances, while others criticized the forced alien language and inconsistent delivery. Overall, the voice acting received a divided reception, with positives like depth and varied performances contrasting with negatives such as contrived language and underwhelming delivery. Despite criticisms, elements like interesting dialogue and dynamic glossary added complexity and enhanced the game experience for some players.

Technical Performance

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SCORE DISTRIBUTION FOR TECHNICAL PERFORMANCE

Tech Score

Positive (80-100)

Mixed (50-79)

71%

Negative (0-49)

21%

Based on analyzing reviews that specifically scored or critiqued the technical performance.

In terms of the positives for each gaming platform, Worth Playing had a smooth experience on PC without major technical issues, while COGconnected maintained a steady 30fps at 4K resolution with only a few framerate dips and collision detection issues. IGN Spain found the game on PS5 to offer a relaxed and enjoyable experience after initial technical issues were addressed in updates. These positive aspects highlight that the game had the potential to provide a good gaming experience on all platforms when technical issues were not prevalent. On the other hand, the negatives for each gaming platform were quite prominent. Generación Xbox experienced issues with performance on Xbox Series X, including frame rate drops and artifacts in both 30 FPS and 60 FPS modes. GameSkinny on PC noted frequent bugs like enemies stuck in the ground, frame drops, and game crashes impacting the overall experience. GamersRD on PS5 encountered frame rate drops, image tearing, occasional slowdowns, and minor bugs, while Try Hard Guides on PC struggled with optimization, low FPS on medium graphics, and disappointing performance on a modern machine. These technical issues across platforms hindered the gameplay experience and led to frustration among players. Overall, the consensus among the critics for Outcast: A New Beginning regarding its technical performance is mixed. While some critics like Eurogamer Poland mentioned that some technical issues were addressed in updates, others like Twinfinite and Vandal highlighted ongoing performance issues such as audio bugs, crashes, and AI shortcomings. The game's transition to Unreal Engine 4, as noted by Vandal, may have divided opinions among fans. Despite Worth Playing's positive experience on PC, the prevalence of technical flaws, bugs, and performance optimization issues across platforms indicate that the game still requires significant improvements to provide a consistently enjoyable gaming experience for all players.

TL;DR

technical performance

Outcast: A New Beginning offers smooth experiences on various platforms when technical issues are minimal. However, performance problems like frame rate drops, bugs, crashes, and optimization issues plague the game on all platforms, hindering gameplay and frustrating players. While some critics note improvements through updates, ongoing technical flaws and mixed opinions on the transition to Unreal Engine 4 suggest that significant enhancements are needed for a consistently enjoyable gaming experience.

Replay Value

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SCORE DISTRIBUTION FOR REPLAY VALUE

Replay Score

Positive (80-100)

25%

Mixed (50-79)

63%

Negative (0-49)

13%

Based on analyzing reviews that specifically scored or critiqued the replay value.

In terms of positives, several critics highlighted the diverse tasks and challenges available beyond the main storyline in Outcast: A New Beginning. Eurogamer Poland praised the game for offering a variety of tasks, challenges, and upgrades for character and weapon development, enhancing the replay value. IGN Spain also commended the game for providing multiple paths, choices, and upgrades, catering to fans of classic gaming and sci-fi themes. Generación Xbox noted the additional content available through side missions and exploration, adding depth to the overall gameplay experience. On the negative side, some critics pointed out aspects that could hinder the replay value of Outcast: A New Beginning. GameSkinny mentioned issues like lackluster characters, repetitive tasks, and bugs that may deter players from revisiting the game. Worth Playing highlighted the limited depth in combat and quests, which could make subsequent playthroughs less engaging. God is a Geek also noted that while the game offers player freedom in approaching missions, the vast open world with little to engage players might limit replayability. Overall, the consensus among the critics regarding the replay value of Outcast: A New Beginning is mixed. While some critics like Eurogamer Poland and Try Hard Guides appreciated the unique mechanics, freedom in gameplay, and enjoyable upgrades, others such as GameSkinny and Worth Playing raised concerns about issues like repetitive tasks, lack of depth in combat, and limited engagement in the open world. Despite differing opinions, it is evident that the game offers a decent amount of content and choices for players to explore, but certain drawbacks may impact the overall replayability for some individuals.

TL;DR

replay value

Outcast: A New Beginning offers diverse tasks and challenges enhancing replay value, but faces criticism for lackluster characters and repetitive tasks that may hinder replayability. Critics are divided on the game's overall replay value, with some praising its unique mechanics and upgrades while others point out issues like limited combat depth and engagement in the open world.

Overall Verdict

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OVERALL SCORE DISTRIBUTION

Monster Score

Positive (80-100)

17%

Mixed (50-79)

83%

Negative (0-49)

Based on analyzing all available reviews that scored and critiqued the game.

In analyzing the opinions of the critics regarding the Overall Verdict of Outcast: A New Beginning, it is evident that there are several positive aspects highlighted by some reviewers. Generación Xbox commends the game for being a good starting point for new fans, with enjoyable missions and nods to the original game. IGN Spain appreciates how the game successfully blends new and retro elements to deliver a unique and entertaining gaming experience, catering to fans of classic science fiction and nostalgic gaming. GamersRD praises the sequel for its engaging gameplay, diverse activities, and charismatic characters, standing out among similar titles. On the other hand, there are notable negatives pointed out by various critics. CGMagazine notes that while Outcast - A New Beginning is not a bad game, it lacks uniqueness to stand out in a flooded market of open-world adventure games with RPG elements. XboxEra highlights the struggles of the game with technical issues, weak writing, and repetitive gameplay, leading to a disappointing overall experience. GameSkinny mentions limitations, bugs, and lackluster elements that ultimately mar the enjoyable features of exploration and combat, resulting in a hesitant recommendation. Overall, the consensus among the critics leans towards a mixed reception for Outcast: A New Beginning. While some reviewers appreciate its engaging mechanics, diverse world, and nostalgic appeal, others criticize its lack of innovation, technical issues, and repetitive gameplay. Eurogamer Poland and Games.cz find the game deserving of a spot on gamers' wish lists for its decent adventure and entertaining experience despite its shortcomings. However, Worth Playing and COGconnected point out that the game offers a solid but by-the-book open-world experience lacking standout features and flawless execution. The varied opinions suggest that Outcast: A New Beginning may cater more to fans of the series or those seeking a familiar, albeit imperfect, gaming experience.

TL;DR

Critics are divided on Outcast: A New Beginning. Some praise its engaging gameplay, diverse activities, and nods to the original game, while others criticize its lack of innovation, technical issues, and repetitive gameplay. The game struggles to stand out in a crowded market, with mixed opinions on its overall experience.

MONSTER

Reviews

94 reviews found

IGN Spain

PlayStation 5

Mar 14, 2024