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.

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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.