Open-world Survival-oriented RPG Outward PAX West 2016 Trailer

While the game has apparently been in development for a while, it wasn’t until I was sent a PR e-mail today that I learned about Outward, a new open-world RPG from the folks at Nine Dots Studio. The project is notable for putting a survivalist spin on the open-world fantasy RPG genre, while also offering co-op and even split screen modes. Survival mechanics have become very popular lately and co-op has been an oft-requested feature for The Elder Scrolls series, so I can certainly see the appeal to the elevator pitch, but a lot will rest on the execution.

Here’s the press release:

The Fantasy RPG gets a Reality Check – Outward PAX West Trailer

August 23, 2016 – We are not the children of gods. We are not heroes delivered by fate. We are simply the people who chose to break the constraints of mundanity, to explore the lands ahead and the caverns below, to rise above fear and venture outward.

Coming to PC and console (date TBA) from Nine Dots Studio, Outward blends fantasy and survival elements to create an open-world RPG of hard-won battles and lasting consequences. Journey across Aurai as one of four factions, each with its own story and ideology, and overcome hardship to earn your place in history.

Factors such as food, water, and sleep are merely the beginning. Constant auto-saving ensures that your actions have repercussions, while no level-scaling means you must be ready for the challenges ahead. Outward seeks to rethink the conventions of the genre, from how the environment impacts your use of armor (plate armor in the desert is a bad idea), to ritualistic magic requiring preparation to wield, and even how your inventory bag affects maneuverability.

You don’t have to travel alone though. When beginning a new campaign with a friend, Outward’s two-player co-op puts both players at the heart of the story. Outward even features the option for split-screen play both locally and online–for when you want the couch co-op experience sans couch.

Outward will makes its playable debut at PAX West at Booth #7303, and be sure to bring a friend.

And here’s the trailer:

Ultimately, we won’t have to wait too long to know how the game is shaping up, given it will be showcased to the press at PAX West in early September. Personally, I’m hoping to have another RPG to look forward to, but the title is definitely going to need a very competent execution to sound like more than a list of popular, marketable features.