If you want to go somewhere, you're walking there. There's a hefty amount of exploring to do in 'Outward,' and the map feels bigger than it is because there's also no fast travel and no mounts. Hardcore mode adds a significant challenge: When you fall in combat, there's a 1 in 5 chance your character dies and is permanently deleted. In addition to fighting enemies and completing quests, players must also hunt or forage for sustenance, brew potions, craft new equipment using minerals mined from deposits and find ways to survive areas filled with bitter cold and scalding heat.
'Outward' is not just an RPG but a survival RPG. That's not to say you aren't effectively immortal in 'Outward,' as dying is not the end of your story, but combat resembles that of 'Dark Souls,' albeit with heavier consequences. Tired of every role-playing game lauding you as the chosen one, with a destiny to save the world? Here comes 'Outward,' which assures players they are in fact no one special, just common adventurers, the kind that meets doom on a regular basis. Rating: Mature for some fantasy violence, blood and gore
