At an early preview event forOutsiders,Game Rant was given extensive hands-on time with thenew People Can Fly gamethat started from the prologue and ran through to the first major boss fight. It was substantial enough to give players a chance to understand the mechanics of the game, test out some of the powers available to the classes, and see some diverse environments, and depending on skill level and side quests it took about 2-3 hours to complete the demo.
While theOutriderspreview was fairly extensive, the developers at People Can Fly suggested that it barely scratches the surface. In an interview with Game Rant, two PCF team members confirmed that the hands-on demo was only 1 chapter of about 20 or more that are planned for the game. According to them, players should expect about 40 hours' worth of content inOutriders, depending on how many side quests they complete and how much grinding they do.
RELATED:Watch the Outriders Gameplay Stream
In many games likeOutriders, the content comes from repeating encounters in the hopes of better loot. And while the game does have a loot system and world tiers to help drop rates, it also seems like People Can Fly is seeking to tell a complete story that satisfies players from beginning to end. Those concerned that this might be aDivisionorDestinyimitator will find thatOutridershas more in common with a game likeMass EffectorDiablo. Replayability puts a lot of focus on the playable classes, like thespeedy Tricksteror the tank-like Devastator.
That being said, People Can Fly does have plans for endgame content inOutridersbut the developers weren’t ready to discuss that just yet. This was the first time that anyone outside of the studio had played the game and so they wanted to competently communicate howOutridersplays, what its goals are, and how its world works.
Even if the endgame isn’t as deep as some of those aforementionedloot-based shooters, there is an incentive to keep playingOutridersbeyond a single runthrough. With four playable classes, players can get a different experience each way through, mixing and matching the various passive upgrades with the handful of skills that are available to each class.
Game Rant was able to try out two of the four classes (one class was kept completely secret), the Trickster and the Pyromancer, and each felt unique enough to warrant changing up one’s playstyle. Through a number ofOutriders' mechanics, People Can Fly encourages players to experiment rather than apply the same strategies regardless of class.
So while the goal might be 40 hours ofplaytime inOutriders, there are going to be plenty who spend a lot more time with the game. Seeking out cool loot, checking out the other classes, or just challenging oneself on a higher world tier – there is the promise of a lot of depth in the game.
Outridersis targeting a holiday 2020 release on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X.
