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August

Outward - Definitive Edition @ Review

by Hiddenx, Friday - August 05, 2022 12:38

Movies Games and Tech has reviewed Outward Definitive Edition:

Review: Outward Definitive Edition

A crafting survival RPG that strays into simulation territory as it wants you to do everything yourself, Outward – an RPG of the fantasy variety – removes all modern conveniences from fast travel to levelling up, making you walk every inch of the map and defeat enemies just to get you meal to meal. 

This is mostly in the name of exploration and discovery rather than quest-led gameplay as you pull out your own bed, grab a huge cooking pot and stare at the stars when it’s become too dark to continue exploring. As the trailer states ‘Forget what other games have taught you’, Outward certainly does head in a different direction to what you might expect – a somewhat realistic one. 

[...]

Outward is quite the divisive title and will likely continue to be a dichtomy amongst gamers. Some will love the lack of hand holding, the long walks and the creative combination of crafting and survival gameplay, while others will pick apart its average implementation and frustrating mechanics. It is often said that when trying to write a story, it is helpful to think of the ending first and write backwards. Outward seems to think that the gameplay needs to be much the same, putting the onus on the player to make it fun through a significant time investment and hoping something sticks, instead of first making the formula fun.

Score: 6/10

July

Outward - Review @ Mortismal Gaming

by Hiddenx, Thursday - July 14, 2022 16:27

Mortismal Gaming checked out Outward:

Outward: Definitive Edition - Review After 100%

May

Outward - Definitive Edition @ Review

by Hiddenx, Tuesday - May 17, 2022 17:42

WolfheartFPS reviewed the Outward: Definitive Edition - this version has been released today:

Outward Has A Definitive Edition.. One Of My Favorite RPGs Of All Time

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March

Outward - Definitive Edition Available this May

by Silver, Saturday - March 12, 2022 04:53

Gematsu reports that Outward: Definitive Edition will be available on consoles and PC in May.

New content includes new unique encounters in dungeons, new defeat scenarios, and new diseases. Quality of life improvements highlights include being able to access your stash even while visiting a friend’s world, less finicky enchanting, totem workshops in every region, and more accessible crafting.

Users who already own the base game and both downloadable contents will be able to upgrade to the Definitive Edition for free.

[...]

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December

Outward - Three Brothers DLC Available December 15th

by Silver, Sunday - December 06, 2020 19:56

The Three Brothers DLC for Outward will be available December 15th.

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Dive into our latest Dev Diary for Outward with Guillaume Boucher-Vidal, CEO at NineDots. There is more than destruction on the path of an adventurer, the time for rebuilding has come in this latest DLC for Outward -  The Three Brothers!

Outward: The Three Brothers is available December 15th on PC! Console version to follow early 2021

October

Outward - New DLC: The Three Brothers

by Hiddenx, Wednesday - October 28, 2020 17:43

Yemeth spotted an upcoming DLC for Outward - The Three Brothers:

NEW OUTWARD DLC – "The Three Brothers"

Dear adventurers,

the time has come. The world of Aurai has opened its gates & the path leads to "Caldera".

Outward's second DLC "The Three Brothers" opens up a new region & will be filled with new quests, skills, weapons, recipes, and a city-building mechanic!

Get ready to continue your adventure in December!

June

Outward - The Soroboreans DLC released

by Hiddenx, Wednesday - June 17, 2020 18:05

The Soroboreans DLC for Outward has been released:

The Soroboreans is OUT NOW!

The latest expansion for Outward - The Soroboreans - is out now!

Dear adventurers

The day a lot of us have been waiting for is finally here!

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Outward - the unique survival RPG - has come a long way since its release. Thanks to your support, the small Canadian studio Nine Dots reached over 750.000 units sold and delivered consistent improvements that made Outward accessible to players all over the world.

We've all played the base game for countless hours, exploring every small corner of Aurai, and now a whole new expansion has landed!

The Soroboreans is out now and will add to your experience like never before.

Explore new lands, fight new creatures and learn new skills – the journey ahead will be long and even more treacherous than what you've experienced. Adapt your gameplay with the new speedster and hex mage classes, and find ways to shake off the newly introduced corruption status effect or meet an untimely end. With the introduction of the brand new enchanting system, you may just have a chance to survive...

Are you ready? Prepare yourselves, we warned you!

***

C4G has some gameplay tips:

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Outward - Review

by Hiddenx, Friday - June 12, 2020 18:45

SsethTzeentach checked out Outward:

Outward Review | Prepare to Fry™ Edition

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May

Outward - Game Night with the Creative Director

by Silver, Sunday - May 10, 2020 01:37

A recent game stream with Creative Director Guillaume B-Vidal, had him talk about the upcoming DLC ''The Soroboreans'' for Outward.

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The creative director of Outward will join me on the stream! We'll talk about the upcoming dlc ''The Soroboreans'', and the game in general. We'll also talk about different rpg features, and similar topics that I usually make videos about. Feel free to ask some questions as well!

Thanks Farflame!

April

Outward - Dev Diary #6 The Soroboreans

by Silver, Saturday - April 04, 2020 21:04

Dev Diary #6 focuses on The Soroboreans which is an upcoming DLC for Outward.

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Guillaume Boucher-Vidal, CEO at Nine Dots Studio takes you through some of the fresh and exciting new content in the latest OUTWARD Dev Diary!

You have battled your way through the landscape, dedicated yourself to your favourite faction and died countless times. Allow yourself to be immersed in Aurai once again and see what’s coming in the new, hard hitting DLC for OUTWARD, “The Soroboreans”.

You do remember where you left your backpack, right?

 

February

Outward - The Soroboreans DLC This Spring

by Silver, Tuesday - February 18, 2020 09:56

@Gematsu New DLC for Outward called The Soroboreans will launch this spring.

Outward downloadable content pack “The Soroboreans” will launch this spring, publisher Deep Silver and developer Nine Dots Studio announced.

Here is an overview of the downloadable content, via Deep Silver:

[...]

November

Outward - New Free Content Release

by Silver, Monday - November 18, 2019 08:50

DSOGaming reports on the new free content now available for Outward.

...

Here are the key features of this new free content patch for Outward:

  • Hardcore Mode: With the new Permadeath option, defeat may bring only a temporarily setback, but there is also a chance characters actually die permanently (save game deleted).
  • Hidden Endgame Boss Fights: We will say no more at this point, but they are waiting for you.
  • Vastly Improved Legacy Chest System: We’ve added a surprising new functionality which is better experienced without us spoiling it.
  • More End Game Items: A wealth of incredibly valuable and powerful items to further transform you into the ultimate warrior.
  • Languages, Languages and More Languages: Added the following languages (text only): Polish, Russian, Japanese, Korean, Chinese (Simplified), Portuguese (Brazil), and Turkish.
  • Addition of an Unarmed Attack: Take a (figurative) page out of Monty Python black knight’s playbook – you don’t need arms to fight.
  • Poutine: The Quebec super food.

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Thanks Farflame!

October

Outward - Dev Diary #5

by Hiddenx, Friday - October 04, 2019 16:51

New free content and a hardcore mode is now available for Outward:

OUTWARD - Dev Diary #5 - Permadeath, Postgame, and Poutine [NA]

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April

Outward - Review @ Gamereactor

by Hiddenx, Wednesday - April 24, 2019 18:34

Gamereactor has reviewed Outward:

Outward

Nine Dot Studios has crafted an utterly unique fantasy adventure, but it's one where you've got to take the rough with the smooth.

Outward is a survival-orientated, third-person action-adventure, emphasising exploration and timely quest completion, with deliberately different approaches to fantasy game tropes and some fresh world-building. There are ample crafting opportunities, RPG-style character building, strange locations to see, and three different main quest paths. It also sports local and online cooperative multiplayer. Quite a list. How all these elements coalesce is a bit more complicated, however, as we'll see below.

[...]

Plus
Unique and creative setting, Survival elements just the right level of involved, Both character and player progression feel earned.

Minus
Combat can be awkward and difficult to practice ahead of time, Timed quests cruelly punish but are hard to track, Game systems can sometimes leave you feeling stranded.

Score: 7/10

Outward - Review @ Invision Game Community

by Hiddenx, Saturday - April 13, 2019 19:07

Invision Game Community has reviewed Outward:

Outward Review

Outward is the 3rd game to be developed by Nine Dots Studio, a 10 man game development studio, as a loving remembrance of old school RPGs. Combining elements of Two Worlds, The Elder Scrolls and slight Diablo tones, Outward is a beautiful mash of RPG design. Playing as an almost common person, you will have the option of following 1 of 3 paths as you work to make a name for yourself, save the world or simply keep your tribe alive in a harsh world.

[...]

Overall, Outward gets a 7/10, it is an amazing experience full of fun encounters, short puzzles alongside a lengthy story that can be replayed 3 times. Co-Op systems may put some off from approaching the game, as progress is very skewed toward the main player, but playing with a friend improves the experience several times. The world is rather big, but quests force you to backtrack way too often. Combat is tactful if a bit underdeveloped in places with the overall game feeling very challenging throughout. With some more polish, an updated script along with some balancing work, Outward could be an amazing game, but right now it is an unpolished gem waiting to shine in the spotlight.

The Good

  • Large world with several optional dungeons.
  • 3 whole story paths.
  • Interactive magic systems.
  • Realistic weight and backpack dropping mechanics.
  • Great travel immersion.
  • Can be played fully in Co-Op.

The Bad

  • Overuse of backtracking.
  • Survival systems become redundant too quickly.
  • Some sharp difficulty spikes.
  • Unclear dialogue and decisions.
  • Too many glitches.
  • Co-Op partner gets reduced or no rewards.
  • Poor music looping.
  • Very minimal voice acting.

Score: 7/10

Outward - Review @ PC Gamer

by Hiddenx, Thursday - April 11, 2019 18:37

PC Gamer has reviewed Outward:

Outward review

A few rough edges don't stop this gem of an RPG from shining.

A game where you can never die sounds like it'd make you fearless. Why worry about failure when instead of dying in a battle you simply fall unconscious and wake up somewhere else?

It turns out the opposite is true in fantasy RPG Outward. Failure costs you something more precious than a videogame life: It costs you time. Time to heal, to rest, to repair your gear and restock your supplies, to fill your belly with food and cure your ailments with potions, to travel all the way back to the site of your defeat to try again—and possibly to fail again. Immortality is far more terrifying than death.

[...]

Outward's unusual design provides a different experience than I've found in most RPGs. It completely breaks the common habits of fast-traveling, gaining a fortune in loot, becoming an all-powerful god, and reloading saved games when things don't go as planned or you make a choice you regret. It makes minor setbacks feel like major obstacles to overcome and it makes small victories feel like utter triumphs. Outward is harsh and occasionally frustrating, but it does what so few games do. It requires you to put real thought into the choices you make, and it makes those choices feel like they really matter. Most of all, it makes you approach each and every encounter as if your life depended on it—even though you never die.

Score: 89/100

Thanks henriquejr!

Outward - Video Review

by Hiddenx, Wednesday - April 03, 2019 17:17

The Nathan NAPALM checked out Outward:

Outward : Why It's THE RPG For Me (And Many Others)

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Outward is very NICHE, some are LOVING it and falling head over heels with it's systems, difficulty, seasons, combat and world, OTHERS hate it! I want to break down why it is the single player RPG of the decade for me, and explain why there is such a divide over this fantastic game!

March

Outward - Reviews

by Silver, Sunday - March 31, 2019 05:34

Some reviews for Outward from Farflame.

3/5 PCInvasion

My root issue with this is that Outward is really, really cool on the surface, but the combat is bad and you’re going to be spending practically all of your time walking from point A to point B. Walking makes up the bulk of the experience. There are three separate quest lines that you can do, although you can only do a single one per playthrough. I only did one, but it didn’t have much to it and seemed to mostly give you a guided tour of the areas. In other words, it makes you walk places.

RockPaperShotgun

I am not incredibly enthused to fight more baddies in Outward. I’m not that excited to speak to more of its cardboardy NPCs. I’m not looking forward to getting up from my chair to do some light cardio while I wait for my character to warm up by a campfire in the middle of a snowstorm, so I don’t get diseased and have to trek to the nearest village for a herbal tea and sleep for a day before I’m healthy again.

Outward - Review @ PCGamesN

by Hiddenx, Saturday - March 30, 2019 14:38

PCGamesN checked out Outward:

Outward is a survival RPG that has no respect for your time

Ten hours into Outward and it feels more like hoovering up than playing a game

Survival games are all about lacking power. They depict a struggle against a world that’s not only uncaring but actively trying to kill you. Where’s the fun in that? It’s usually found in the elation of making it to day 100, whereas before you could barely struggle to day 50 – you learned to tame the environment, better manage your resources, and how to more effectively fight off the immediate threats. These are games about incremental improvement, starting from weakness and growing slowly, from a sap to a survivor and typically nothing more.

[...]

You can spend four hours working on getting new gear and walk away with a new pair of boots that might reduce the damage you take. It just isn’t worth it. There is some weird charm in how Outward delights in obfuscating progress. I supposed it’d work on me if there was nothing else to play. But there just isn’t enough here to warrant it when so many games do respect your time. If you truly want to give your all to one game then maybe Outward is for you. But, if you’re hoping for a game that you can jump into for a few hours, then actually going outward is a better choice.

Outward - You Never Die @ PC Gamer

by Hiddenx, Thursday - March 28, 2019 19:15

Henriquejr spotted an Outward article on PC Gamer:

You never die in RPG Outward, and that makes your character's story stronger

The developer of the fantasy survival RPG talks about how not dying lets you fail your way to success.

It's weird to think of it like this, but my character in Skyrim, the legendary Dragonborn, over hundreds hours of adventure, never once died. Technically, I mean. In reality he died a number of times, but I could always erase those deaths by reloading my last save. From a roleplaying standpoint, according to my character's actual written history (if there were such a thing), my Dragonborn never lost a fight. Never failed a quest. Never messed up. Never died. He is the perfect hero, undefeated.

I can't say the same of my character in fantasy survival RPG Outward. Like my Dragonborn he's never died, but that's only because you can't die in Outward. The RPG auto-saves your game constantly so you can never rewind time and reload an earlier save. And when you're defeated in combat, you're not killed but instead you wake up somewhere else on the map.

[...]

Outward - Review @ Destructoid

by Hiddenx, Wednesday - March 27, 2019 18:44

Destructoid has reviewed Outward:

Review: Outward

An uphill battle

During my first ten hours in Outward, I was mauled by wolves three different times, kidnapped by bandits twice, and left shanghaied on a magic-infused mountain by a mysterious stranger. I fought subterranean monsters and laid tripwire traps in a desperate ploy to take on foes much stronger than me. At one point, I found a new backpack—one that I could attach a lantern to—and felt a genuine twinge of emotion. On my way back to town, a giant bird pecked me to death. It was a rough start, but nothing in Outward ever comes easily.

[...]

Taken as a whole, Outward practically screams "cult classic." Its consistent challenge, cumbersome combat, and co-op systems won't resonate with everyone. But for a particular type of player—ones that don't mind trading dozens of frustrating moments for open-ended experiences—Nine Dot Studios' RPG is sure to find a dedicated audience. Outward's aspirations are commendable, but just like its protagonist, the end result is just average.

Score: 6/10

Outward - Last Developer Diary Video

by Myrthos, Tuesday - March 26, 2019 20:50

The fourth and last developer diary video, highlighting the multiplayer co-op gameplay of Outward, has been made available.

PREPARATION IS HALF THE BATTLE!

DEV DIARY #4 HIGHLIGHTS THE STRUGGLES AND BENEFITS OF COOPERATIVE GAMEPLAY!

March 25, 2019 - Walnut Creek, CA - Publisher Deep Silver and developer Nine Dots have released a new Developer's Diary video for their hardcore fantasy adventure OUTWARD.

A treacherous journey awaits players in the fantasy world of Outward, but you don't have to brave it alone. Tackle the dangers that lie ahead together with drop-in and drop-out local or online multiplayer. Will one player act in support, carrying the heavy equipment and loot while the other player handles combat? Or will you choose to explore the world separately to cover more ground? Whether you choose to play in local split screen or online with a faraway friend, the world and its hostile inhabitants will grow stronger with another player so plan your steps accordingly.
 
OUTWARD is a hardcore RPG that tempers fantasy elements with realism... but with the right preparation, you will be able to overcome most challenges that OUTWARD will throw at you.

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Outward - 4K Screens and Info Graphic

by Silver, Monday - March 25, 2019 18:20

Some more screenshots for Outward and an interesting info-graphic found by porcozaur.

Hello fans of beautiful views,

Have we got something for you! If you enjoy looking at scenic 4K screenshots, make sure to check out the Outward collection here[imgur.com]. More images will be added throughout the week!

Who else is putting one of these as their background image?

Thanks Farflame!

Outward - Demonstration

by Hiddenx, Tuesday - March 19, 2019 18:56

Porcozaur spotted a two-hour Outward demo:

Outward Demonstration - March 6th 2019

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Outward - Gameplay Preview

by Hiddenx, Friday - March 15, 2019 19:01

ESO checked out the survival RPG Outward:

Outward Gameplay Preview – The Best RPG Survival Game I’ve ever played!

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Outward - Combat Gameplay Video

by Silver, Sunday - March 03, 2019 09:02

@DSOGaming A new gameplay video for Outward focuses on combat mechanics.

Deep Silver and Nine Dots Studio have released a new gameplay trailer for their upcoming title, Outward, focusing on the game’s combat mechanics. Outward is an open-world fantasy adventure game featuring deep simulation and immersion.

[...]

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February

Outward - Interview @Gamingbolt

by Silver, Sunday - February 24, 2019 20:57

The developers of Outward were interviewed by Gamingbolt.

What exactly do the dynamic defeat scenarios in Outward entail?

When the player is defeated, there is a variety of different scenarios that can happen depending on the area where the player was defeated and which type of enemy was the closest when they were defeated. Scenarios can be very simple, such as a slide explaining you were found by a passing hunter and brought back to the nearest town, or can be elaborate, such as being captured as a slave by bandits. Where the player respawns and in which condition varies greatly, and it sometimes can even be beneficial. Whenever the players are KOed, we want them to nervously ask themselves “Oh, what will happen to me this time?”

Spellcasting in Outward seems to be centred on step-by-step approach- can you talk to us about what exactly this entails, and how it’ll function?

Every important spell require some pre-requisite to be met, usually implying a step by step setup before the final delivery. For instance, to cast a rune spell, the player must equip the appropriate magical tome called a Lexicon, and cast the correct runes in the right order. Another example would be a fire sigil, which requires you to expand a firestone to place a magic circle on the floor, and then casting a spark while standing in that magic circle to be able to cast a fireball. Everything feels more involved that way, and it leads to exploration in how to cast those spells and how to efficiently pull them off in a fight.

In fact, even melee special skills follow that formula, requiring from the player some specific conditions such as being under an enraged status or a focus status to do skills such as the Predator Leap or the Precise Strike. The key to win in Outward is preparation, and our skills reflect that.

[...]

Thanks Farflame!

Outward - Interview @thexboxhub

by Silver, Saturday - February 16, 2019 08:47

The developers of Outward were interviewed by the XBOX Hub.

Are there any benefits to passing things down to the next generation of your family? Or is it simply a way of introducing a new-game+ type affair to the game?

The legacy system is not something we are detailing much at the moment as I want to see how quickly the players will get it and start using it, but I can say that essentially yes, it serves the purpose of a New Game + type of experience.

Often in games that bring magic into combat, we find that later on the magic aspects simply reach near overpowered levels. Is this the case in Outward and if not how have you ensured that traditional combat and magic remain fair and equal?

Magic in Outward comes at a very real cost of permanently sacrificing maximum health and stamina. The reduction of stamina is especially painful as it means less dodging, sprinting or attacking. Equipment that increases magical power also offer less protection against physical attacks. Moreover, magic is very resource intensive, usually requiring to use up magical components. Overall, there are situations in which mages are better and others in which warriors are better suited. It is also possible to play a hybrid character. What matters is always whether or not you are well prepared before heading down into combat, and this is true for both approaches.

[...]

Thanks Farflame!

Outward - Preview @ Gamebanshee

by Silver, Monday - February 11, 2019 07:22

Gamebanshee has an extensive preview of Outward.

Outward puts you in the shoes of an unfortunate individual who has to make regular payments to their tribe as punishment for some transgressions of their ancestors. To make matters worse, right before the game starts, your character catches a lucky break and earns a small fortune overseas, but then on the way back, a shipwreck sends all that hard-earned money to the bottom of the sea. Which means that you start the game with nothing but a pair of shorts and a family lighthouse that's going to get taken away if you don't come up with a hefty sum of silver within the next few days.

In order to do so, you'll have to “borrow” whatever basic gear your fellow villagers have lying around, or alternatively drape yourself in makeshift garbage, and then venture outside the relative safety of the village walls.

[...]

Outward - Preview @ IGN

by Hiddenx, Sunday - February 03, 2019 15:51

IGN checked out the open world RPG Outward:

Outward's Open-World RPG Makes You A Nobody...and Treats You Like It

Outward is coming to Xbox One, PS4, and Steam on March 26 from developer Ninedots and Deep Silver.

In the two hours I spent playing Outward, an upcoming open-world RPG from developer Ninedots, I got the feeling that this was the kind of fantasy game made just for me. It’s not outwardly accessible -- no pun intended -- but that cryptic charm is something that I tend to really appreciate about the games I want to really dive into. In addition, Outward is completely playable with a friend, in online or local cooperative multiplayer.

There are a number of things I like about Outward, mostly because I’m a huge fantasy nerd and love games that make you work for it, and that marriage is immediately evident in the opening hours. The premise of Outward is thus: rather than being The Chosen One, or The Inquisitor, or The Dovahkiin, you’re just a normal schlub.
[...]
To combat this, you’re able to drop your backpack with the push of a button, and then once you’ve won, or retreated, you can go back and pick it up. But the catch is you’re essentially trading quick access to everything in your backpack for the sake of being more nimble, or vice versa. But knowing what’s worth carrying is harder than it sounds, because items you pick up don’t have values attached to them. You think that sword you looted is probably worth something, but it weighs 25 pounds, so is it worth more than 25-pounds of the other stuff you’ve already collected? The only way to know for sure is to see what a trader will give you for it. That’s pretty cool to me.

It’s those sorts of little design elements that I really appreciate in Outward – like the fact when you’re “killed” there are a number of different, dynamic outcomes that could happen to you (like your “killers” looting your body and leaving you for dead, as you awake hours later alone in the dark trying to get to safety).

I’m intrigued in what Outward seems to be. And it’s really delightful to see something like this come from a small, relatively unknown developer. I’m eagerly waiting to pull up a couch and jump in with a friend when it’s out in a few months.

January

Outward - A Tour of its World

by Silver, Saturday - January 19, 2019 19:54

@IGN A new video for Outward explains the importance of the backpack and explores the fantasy world.

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The developers of the medieval fantasy RPG Outward take you on a tour of the world of Aurai and explain the gameplay importance of the backpack during your travels.

December

Outward - New Video

by Silver, Friday - December 21, 2018 10:13

Outward has some new video.

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Imagine a new world in which you are not some powerful hero, but a true adventurer.

In OUTWARD, that is exactly who you are. You are not some special chosen one or one to fulfill some great prophecy, you are an adventurer who is constantly in danger.

You have to balance everything from weight management, hunger, thirst, sleep, and more. You are vulnerable. No matter what you do, every situation you find yourself in must be handled with care and with a strategic mind.

You're death will be neigh assured as you travel across the world fighting monsters and bandits, but don't worry this is not the end! With Outward's dynamic death scenarios you won't find yourself resetting at some checkpoint to fight the same enemies in the same situations.

Some deaths may lead to you being captured by bandits or waking up somewhere completely different. Experience Outward alone or with a friend in local and online co-op with a friend and travel the world however you please, with no tethers to the host of the world!

Outward is the adventure game for those who seek to enjoy a true adventure and experience a dynamic story where your choices make a real impact in the world!

Outward will be available on PS4, Xbox One, and Steam on March 26th, 2019

October

Outward - New Screenshots

by Silver, Saturday - October 27, 2018 11:12

@DSOGaming Some new screenshots for Outward.

Deep Silver and Nine Dots Studio have released a new set of screenshots for Outward. Outward is an open world RPG that you can play alone or with friends, either online or in split-screen, and it’s described as more than just an open world RPG you can play coop.

[...]

Thanks Farflame!

September

Outward - Pax West 2016 Trailer

by Hiddenx, Tuesday - September 06, 2016 08:55

A new trailer for the open-world RPG Outward:

Outward - PAX West 2016 Trailer

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Outward is an open world RPG in development for PC and console.
No announcement on a release date yet.

July

OutWard - Is now Funded

by Myrthos, Monday - July 13, 2015 12:45

The Kickstarter for Outward was canceled last May, but it has received funds from the Canadian Media Fund, so development is continuing with a much higher funding than they were going at in the Kickstarter campaign.

Today, the Canada Media Fund announced the different projects it will help fund with its Experimental Stream program. Here's the list.

Among the 22 projects you'll notice that Outward was picked!!! We are awarded over 950,000 Canadian dollars, meaning that the game's development is now funded!

This isn't just a handout, it's a huge responsibility that we are honored to be entrusted with. Having built this company from almost nothing, you can bet that we understand and respect the value of this money and will maximize every single cent of the budget to make the best game we can.

So expect to hear more from us and see the project evolve until it's finally ready for gamers to enjoy!

A big thank you to the Canada Media Fund and thank you to our backers for believing in the project since the start.

May

OutWard - Kickstarter Canceled

by Myrthos, Friday - May 08, 2015 13:27

The Kickstarter for Outward has been canceled after reaching about a third of its goal and most likely not reaching that goal.

It is a rather painful thing to do, but we had to cancel the campaign and redirect our efforts. From the start, it was obvious that without the involvement from the press to help spread the word around, we wouldn't be able to reach enough backers to meet our goal.

Running a kickstarter campaign is a very time-consuming effort, and time is a resource we have less and less of. Given that we were obviously not going to meet our goal, we decided that we should focus the rest of our resources on alternative ways to get funding.

First, we have submitted an application for something called the Canada Media Fund. If we get approved, then the project is fully funded. It's the best case scenario, but once again we'll need a bit of luck. We should hear back from them in June or July.

Secondly, we will try and find either investors or publishers. It is very hard to evaluate our chances of getting one, and it largely depends on how flexible we are with the terms of the contract. The thing is, we aren't. So we'll see if we can find a publisher that has a vision in tune with our own, or find an investor who has a high level of trust in our ability to deliver a high quality game that gamers want. Since looking for a publisher is about as intense as running a Kickstarter, this is where we will be directing our efforts for the time being.

Third, we'll try and find ways to generate more revenue from GoD Factory: Wingmen, our previous title. I don't expect that this could fund the next project entirely, but it could definitely buy us more time, increasing our chances of securing a larger investment. "Live long enough to get lucky", as they say.

Believe me when I say that no one is more saddened than me that I had to cancel the Kickstarter. Outward is our dream project, something we all want to make at Nine Dots. It's not over yet though.

We will keep you posted on updates about the game. We have a new forum where people can stay in close contact with us. If there's enough activity there, we might also send out a playable demo of our game to forum members to gather feedback. Maybe once we have something playable, it will be easier to get the attention from the press and thus build a larger community.

Here's the link to the forum: http://ninedotsforums.com/

Thank you 1029 times for your incredible support. We'll do everything we can to make Outward a reality. Those who have known Nine Dots for a long time know that we don't give up easily.

OutWard - Teaser Video

by Myrthos, Tuesday - May 05, 2015 12:34

A new video has been made available for Outward, which with 5 days to go could use some extra attention to reach their $150K goal on Kickstarter.

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OutWard - Legendary Developer Endorsements

by Couchpotato, Friday - May 01, 2015 05:54

The Outward kickstarter campaign has nine days left to get funded, and has only made $38,000 of the $120,062 goal. A new update talks about a few endorsements. 

Hi all! In the past few days we've been a bit silent but we were working very hard behind the scenes. Our new trailer is finally done! We're now sending it to press and waiting for it to get posted.

Twitter love! <3

We've been lucky enough to get noticed by quite a few high profile developers :D

Chris Avellone, writer and creative director on many beloved RPGs

https://twitter.com/ChrisAvellone/status/592429573473640448

John Romero, creator of DOOM

https://twitter.com/romero/status/592930598659862528

Cliff Bleszinski, creator of Unreal and Gears of War

https://twitter.com/therealcliffyb/status/593062181840752640

Thank you for increasing your pledges!

We noticed that many of you have increased your pledge levels and we thank you a lot for it. This is a huge help and prevents the campaign from stagnating. We're aware that the campaign has been slowing down recently, but we've been preparing for a much harder push! For the next 10 days, we'll be posting more updates and we'll be reaching out to press with new content.

So once again, thanks for your support and keep sharing the campaign!

April

OutWard - New Articles & Greenlight

by Couchpotato, Thursday - April 23, 2015 06:49

Nine Dots Canada posted the next update for OutWard with news about a new article on Polygon, and share their results of the games greenlight campaign.

Articles popping up, greenlight, and whats to come!

We invite you the join the conversation at polygon and give us your thoughts on the system, as we will be reading through and addressing your questions in the comment section.

Showing your support is what tells people that their audience wants to see more stuff about Outward. The most valuable thing you can do as a fan is tell people about why you like the thing you support.

Steam Greenlight:

We have smashed through greenlight in just seven days thanks to the help of our fans. We want to openly talk about development and our journey. Part of that is sharing the results of our actions whether they be good or bad so you as fans can know of any issues as soon as they come up, and how we will be dealing with them in the future as well as sharing in the joy of accomplishing something big.

Today we are sharing the results of our greenlight campaign. Together we pushed through very quickly. 

OutWard - Developers Vision for Co-op Update

by Couchpotato, Tuesday - April 21, 2015 05:31

Nine Dots Canada posted an update for OutWard about the developers vision for Co-op. So if you like Co-op games it seems the game will deliver. Here are the details.

It's dangerous to go alone: Our vision for Co-op in Outward

As gamers ourselves we know cooperative multiplayer is a very sought after feature for epic sized role-playing games, especially on consoles. Many of the features that sets Outward apart from the rest also have interesting applications in multiplayer, pushing these new concepts even further.

Intervention from multiple players in a single action

The concept of breaking down the actions of the players in multiple steps uncovered a wonderful multiplayer opportunity. Rather than cooperating by doing different actions for a shared goal, the players can now work together on the same action. For example, two players could work together to complete a ritual faster, or set up a camp by having one person on the campfire and the other one on the tent.

Furthermore, this leads to multiple stages or components used differently by both players. For example, one player sets up a fire sigil in order to throw fireballs. However, the other player could use the same fire sigil to enchant his spear with flames. The steps taken to create actions can thus be split into multiple subsequent actions, creating a lot of emergent gameplay through combinations.

Cooperative management of inventory

Having a backpack is the only way to transport a lot of items at once, and it comes at the cost of mobility. However, not all players need to have a backpack to have access to an inventory space. When a player drops his backpack to the floor, everyone has access to its content. This means that the players may share a single backpack, changing turns on who is wearing it or letting whoever is more fit for the role of carrying the items. This role of carrier brings new dynamics between players, adding importance to trust and sharing.

Cooperative lighting

Darkness in Outward is definitely an obstacle, and holding a lantern is cumbersome, especially when you would rather hold a shield. When playing in co-op, you can decide to have only one player handling a lantern, liberating the other player. Meanwhile, it is possible to attach a lantern to your backpack, so a group could have someone holding a lantern to illuminate the front while someone else with the lantern on his backpack illuminating behind them.

RPGWatch - OutWard Kickstarter Interview

by Couchpotato, Monday - April 20, 2015 05:46

Outward is a new an open world kickstarter RPG from developer Nine Dots Canada. I had the opportunity to ask developer Guillaume Boucher-Vidal a few questions this week.

Couchpotato: Welcome to RPGWatch to get started can you introduce yourself, and your studio Nine Dots Canada for our readers?

Guillaume Boucher-Vidal: Hey there! I’m Guillaume Boucher-Vidal, founder of Nine Dots Studio. My goal with the company is to create a more sustainable development culture than what is usually seen in the game industry. This means that we don’t do crunch time, ensure that the whole team has a creative input on the project and that we make the kind of games we want to play.

OutWard - Greenlight Progress & Press Coverage

by Couchpotato, Friday - April 17, 2015 05:35

Nine Dots Canada latest update for OutWard has a progress update about Steam Greenlight, and shares a bunch of links to various sites that covered the game.

Hello all! Quick update to show what's going on these past few days. Greenlight is going very well. We have an outstanding number of "yes" votes and we're already well on our way to reach Top100.

OutWard - Steam Greenlight Update

by Couchpotato, Tuesday - April 14, 2015 04:42

The second kickstarter update was released for OutWard with more information about funding, and the developer talks about the game on Steam Greenlight. 

First off, we have passed 400 backers and we're only a few hundreds away from $30,000 raised. Thank you so much everyone for your help so far! Keep telling your friends to back this project.

We just submitted Outward to Greenlight and if you have Steam, now is the time to upvote the project and make sure we get selected quickly by Valve. It costs nothing and gives us yet another chance at getting noticed.

I also have a new pitch video the developer kindly sent me a link to.

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Outward - A New Open World RPG Game

by Couchpotato, Sunday - April 12, 2015 04:15

Outward is a new game on kickstarter this month from a developer called Nine Dots Canada who is asking for $120,000 to help fund development of their RPG game.

Here is the game description as I can't find a YouTube video.

Outward is an open world RPG with a focus on simulating the life of an adventurer not a legendary hero. Outward started with a simple question: 

"What would it really be like to live the life of an adventurer?" 

From simulating the day-to-day lifestyle of living alone in a vast world filled with creatures of fantasy to retiring and passing on your knowledge and skills to your next of kin, Outward is about creating a complete adventuring experience. It's not just combat, it's not just survival, it's both and more.

Information about

Outward

Developer: Nine Dots Canada

SP/MP: Single + MP
Setting: Fantasy
Genre: RPG
Combat: Real-time
Play-time: 20-40 hours
Voice-acting: Partially voiced

Regions & platforms
Internet
· Homepage
· Platform: PC
· Released: 2019-03-26
· Publisher: Deep Silver