Outward is one of my favorite games of all time. I have spent over 50 hours playing the original, traveling the magical world solo, and exploring its mysteries. When Nine Dots Studio announced Outward 2 was in development, I have tried following the game ever since. Finally, with the Outward 2 open beta rolling out, I had a chance to play the sequel extensively, well, the locations I had access to at least. If you have been looking for Outward 2 first impressions from a player who enjoyed the original, then stick around and read my impressions below.
Outward 2’s Character Creator Sold Me Before the Adventure Did
One of the big criticisms of the original Outward I had was the lack of character customization. The options to create a character were there, but they boiled down to a handful of preset body types with limited customization options. Outward 2 has completely changed that, adding an extensive character customization that I thoroughly enjoyed. A change very much like brought in Dragon’s Dogma 2 compared to its first part.
However, there were a ton of options in the character customization, the system still felt lacking compared to many recent games. Customizing your character also felt quite hard, especially as the advanced customizations are still locked to the body model you choose early on. The developers also need to add some sliders to players to modify designs a bit more freely.
What I truly enjoyed about the character design is the addition of the new background design system. This allows players to add multiple character traits at first, getting various passive buffs or negatives, while also creating a lore for themselves. Overall, the new character is quite refreshing for Outward’s standard, but lacking when compared to modern games.
Exploration is Still King, And The World Has Never Looked Better
My biggest reason for enjoying Outward was its incredible sense of adventure while exploring the world. The original always made me feel like an insignificant adventurer who is slowly unravelling the secrets of the world. Although many amazing games do try to achieve that, very few reach what Outward accomplished. Every nook and cranny held an adventure that was not tied to a questline. And on top of that, you can do it alongside a friend. Outward 2 truly is one of the best games to play with friends.
Outward 2 builds on that exact feeling, giving a much bigger and gorgeous new open world to explore. The visuals, particularly, have received a major overhaul, and I love it wholeheartedly. Every area looks amazing, including the starting city, which feels much more fleshed out compared to the first part.
What’s more is that Outward 2’s world feels actually alive. You will find many NPCs like guards, merchants, or other adventurers roaming around the world. These are not simple, mindless beings, but actual jump into action when facing bandits or monsters. For the first time, you are not alone in the overworld and can fully utilize a group of patrolling guards to defeat the bandits that jumped you at night.
The open world also has much more variety than the first part, and I also noticed a large number of enemy types. However, the world still felt empty in many places, but I am willing to overlook it for now, as the game is only in open beta. Hopefully, we get more dense content before the game’s release.
Combat Is More Accessible, Though It Sacrifices Some Identity
The first Outward game had a slow and deliberate combat system, which was extremely punishing if you weren’t always prepared. The game relied on setting up traps and finding advantageous terrain to win fights that always felt stacked against you. Outward 2 has changed it up quite a bit, adding a ton of new skills and making the combat animations much faster and quick-flowing.
In theory, it should feel much better, but that wasn’t what I felt while playing the open beta. While the movement felt crisp and fluid in training, during actual enemy encounters, it felt ‘too fast.’
Both my movements and the enemy’s movements felt oddly fast, and the fights often boiled down to who had a better weapon. The old methodical way of fighting felt way superior for some reason, and I simply couldn’t enjoy the new combat. This was a far cry from the combat I experienced recently in the Onimusha Way of the Sword demo.
A large reason for my distaste was how oddly the enemy reacted to your attacks. It often felt like input reading, instead of an actual attack or movement pattern the enemy follows. Still, the base combat system is an improvement from the first part, but they really need to tone down the combat speed if they plan to win back the same player base.
Outward 2 Delivers Most of My Wishlist, but Leaves Behind Part of Its Soul
Outward 2’s open beta looks highly promising and has me excited for the game’s release. I loved the new visual style and upbeat adventure music. The exploration feels great and builds on this sense of wonder from the original, and the game’s world feels much more fleshed out.
However, I cannot wrap my head around the new combat system, even though it technically is more fluid and quick. The slow and methodical approach of Outward’s combat was one of the reasons I enjoyed the game, and seeing it missing has been disappointing. Also, even though the exploration is good, I miss the old map that lacked a character cursor and relied on identifying large landmarks to make your way around.
The current map of Outward 2 feels lacking in that regard, and that’s maybe why they have decided to add a player cursor this time. If it stays like this, I doubt it can compete against the upcoming games in 2026.
So, have you played Outward 2’s open beta? Tell us what you think of my first impressions of the game in the comments section below.
Ishan Adhikary
