Outcast 2 - A New Beginning

A little similar to the current trend of releasing remakes and remastered versions of older games, we've seen a lot of sequels for older games come to life. Of course, not every game gets these benefits, it's pretty much reserved for games that have a cult following. This time, THQ Nordic took on the task to work with the original developing team of Appeal Studio, which made the first game, to create a sequel to their 1999 classic, we are talking about Outcast 2: A New Beginning.

It's worth noting that Appeal Studio already worked on a sequel for their classic game, but even though the development had already started and they did some serious progress, the game never came out. It was supposed to be for the PlayStation 2 until it was canceled. So, what's this sequel all about, now that we're finally getting a version suitable for modern-day gaming?

About the game

Outcast 2: A New Beginning is set twenty years after the first game, but it will be set in the alien world of Adelpha and will recover its main character, the ex-Navy SEAL Cutter Slade.

This time Adelpha is in danger of invasion by a robot army that is enslaving and murdering its inhabitants. Slade's (and the player's) mission will be to organize a resistance, free the slaves and put an end to the robot menace.

The official description states that "resurrected by the Yods, Slade has returned to find the Talans enslaved, the world stripped of its natural resources and his own past intertwined with the invading forces. It's up to him to accomplish a mission and save the planet once again."

THQ Nordic, which acquired the rights to the Outcast IP in 2019 (two decades after the original was published), says the new game is "a non-linear sci-fi story with a dynamic storyline that progresses based on the player's actions," with an open world rich in wildlife and hidden temples. In addition to Appeal Studios, the composer of the soundtrack for the first Outcast, Lennie Moore, is also returning.

A world to explore

Thus, the creators promise a varied open world, much more vertical than in the original game and huge: the map is approximately 64 square kilometers. The published images show scenes with lots of vegetation, ruined temples, deserts, and places where the machinery and metal of the robots that have invaded the planet dominate nature.

As for the gameplay, combat will be vertical thanks to the protagonist's jetpack, who will be able to mix melee, futuristic weapons, and Talan powers. As in the original title, the developers assure that one of the keys of the title will be the discovery of areas, stories, and more as the player explores.

Preview: 8.5/10

Outcast 2: A New Beginning is building up to be much more than we ever expected. It is much bigger than what could have ever been possible in the PS2, so in some ways, we should be getting this sequel so many years later.

Pros:

• Stunning graphics
• Great soundtrack
• Interesting characters

Cons:

• Not enough information available at this point