Hands up how many of you forgot that LucasArts made a quirky Western themed FPS with cool comic cut scenes. Cut scenes that look awesome and really remind us of classic Lucas games such as Full Throttle and Monkey Island. Outlaws has been dormant for a long time and didn’t create the biggest of stirs upon initial release due to the market shifting. Those that did play it though will remember a fresh take on a genre that was becoming a bit over saturated and generic and certainly one that was filled with character.
It's always helpful when the original game is solid to start
with so Nightdive have been able to concentrate on polishing it for a new
audience. Outlaws was released well into the point the FPS genre had taken hold
and as such allows for things like jumping and ducking and some more precise
movement and shooting. The transition to game pad has been handled excellently
with controls mapped smoothly and you’ll be able to switch weapons and items
easily with an in-game selection wheel. We did struggle to work out how to use
the medical bags for a while though.
The updated graphics
and interface don’t seem like such a huge jump from the original due to its
comic book style, everything is of course much more HD but switching between styles
isn’t particularly jarring. The environments also lend themselves to the
limitations of the time. While Doom would have you traversing labyrinthian
areas of corridors, Outlaws it mainly set in farmsteads and Western towns
meaning it gives a more open approach to levels and the environments without
looking sparse or lacking in detail.
Levels themselves are well structured with plenty of action
and an emphasis on key finding. Certain buildings are normally locked, so you’ll
need to find whichever bandit has access to get in and continue. It rarely
becomes a chore though as the Western theme lends itself to levels being more
clearly laid out than some other first-person shooters. There is also a handy
in game map to show where you have and haven’t been. A whole host of secret areas are squirreled
away to find as well and clever players will also note you can thin out the bad
guys in a lot of locations by shooting them through the windows first.
One thing that might have been helpful is just a brief
tutorial on how the controls work. There is an in-game reference card but that
still doesn’t really explain things like how to select individual items or how
certain interactions work. It’s not that difficult to work out but a few pages
of explanation at a minimum would have really helped in sorting out the
controls more quickly. That said, we did
work things out.
In terms of content, you not only get the addition of the extra
missions included but there is also a whole host of gallery material. It’s
always great to see how much the studio puts into its releases. It makes the
games feel like complete and definitive packages and makes them all the easier
to recommend. We can’t remember the last time we wanted more from a Nightdive Studio
release as they are always so well curated and put together.
Overall, Outlaws is another example of Nightdive Studios
taking a slightly niche game and really giving it the love and attention it
deserves. It is likely to have a limited audience again, but that is a real
shame. If you missed out on Outlaws, the first time this is the perfect way to
get into it. It’s a game that really deserves much more praise and attention
and this version of it is well put together, fun and essential for FPS fans.
Overall 8/10
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