Outridersfor Windows

Outriders is an action role-playing game by Square Enix. Outriders is part of the game genre called “looter shooters,” wherein mass item drops and large-scale battles characterize the gameplay. A free demo is also available for Outriders.

Features

As a looter shooter, Outriders features an enormous world designed for massively-scaled third-person shootouts. The game uses a cover system alongside its third-person camera angle to give players a tactical advantage. Much like other games in the genre, Outriders has several character classes to choose from and customize.

Each player class has unique abilities and traits that change how you play. Unlike some competitors, players can fully customize their outrider after choosing their class, offering a full character creation suite. The game features a cooperative mode of up to three players, allowing you and two friends to explore the immense in-game world.

Drawbacks

The overall story of Outriders is shoved into the player’s face heavily. The backstory is immediately imposed upon players before the game begins rather than being discoverable. Single-player gameplay is practically impossible due to its difficulty, making co-op nearly mandatory.

Competition

The looter shooter genre is populated with unique titles that seeking to grab your attention. The Outriders has to compete with many others, including the series that popularized the genre, Borderlands, and Destiny. However, Outriders is also often compared to a game of similar caliber called Godfall - a hack and slash looter RPG. 

Borderlands 3 released in 2019 and, alongside its predecessor, remains a driving force for looter shooter RPGs. The gameplay is focused on finding fun weapons, fighting waves of enemies, leveling up, and being generally action-packed.

Destiny 2 has released plenty of content since its initial debut, keeping the space-themed looter shooter at the forefront of gaming. 

Tom Clancy’s The Division 2, however, is a different story. Boasting a similar overall playstyle to the cover-based third-person shooter gameplay of Outriders, Division 2 may give Outriders a run for its money.

Our take

Outriders is an RPG that feels like a fusion of its illustrious predecessors. The gameplay is similar to Division, while traversal mechanics are similar to Borderlands, and the leveling system is similar to Destiny.

Should you download it?

Yes, if you want a fun new gameplay experience.