Publisher THQ Nordic and developer Appeal Studios today unveiled Outcast 2 - A New Beginning as the long-awaited sequel to 1999’s action-adventure game. Older gamers will remember the original Outcast quite fondly, thanks to its distinctive voxel graphics and a non-linear approach to narration, but will also be happy to hear that Cutter Slade is making a return.
Outcast 2 - A New Beginning picks up where the first game ended, its protagonist stuck in time for 20 years. Having never made it back to Earth, he discovers that Adelpha is overrun by an army of robots that enslaved the local Talan population who, incidentally, deem him their messiah.
Cutter needs to save the planet and free the Talan from enslavement but, according to the publisher, “everything is not as black and white as it seems.” The sequel promises modern graphics – admittedly, the original’s two-decade-old engine hasn’t aged well – as well as an original story that appeals to both older fans and new players.
During a press event preceding THQ Nordic’s 10th anniversary showcase, we got a sneak peek at the game, including a handful of screenshots depicting areas with Aztec-like ruins surrounded by lush jungle, and a tall mountain in the desert, with a settlement placed down into its carved middle.
Outcast 2 - A New Beginning has reimaged Cutter’s jetpack and remains a third-person shooter at its core, boasting a modular weapon system. At the same time, its dynamic world features plenty of verticality and builds upon the non-linear narrative that made the original stand out. In addition, Talan superpowers that will “make you connected to the world you explore” were also mentioned.
The title gives players plenty of land to cover across its 8x8km map and shoots for a ”self-ironic, wholesome take on sci-fi themes.” Cutter Slade remains the same “dry-witted guy” but change was named as one of the game’s notable themes. As the screenshots already suggest, Outcast 2 won’t be gritty and dark.
We also got to see a few very short bits of pre-alpha gameplay, during which Cutter used his shield both to protect against enemy attacks and dish out damage in melee, but also fought at range using a pistol.
Outcast 2 - A New Beginning has been in development since late 2018, the publisher said, 10 people from the original team – including the game director, art director, and composer – being actively involved. There’s no release date yet, but the sequel is headed to PC, Xbox Series X/S, and PS5.
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