An open beta test for adventure RPG Outward 2 is now available for PC via Steam Nine Dots Publishing and developer Nine Dots Studio announced.
Here is an overview of the game, via Nine Dots Studio:
About
This July, Outward 2 will usher players into Aurai, an unforgiving world that is gentle to no one. You are no prophesized savior with some innate power to carry you to glory. The definitive adventure simulator casts players as ordinary adventurers, where critical thinking and preparation are the only tickets to grand experiences. Drop your backpack before combat so that you’re able to move freely. Scout out a dangerous creature’s path and lay traps to weaken it before the killing blow. Every decision matters and consequences are real. Even death is no respite, as this only turns the page to the chapter where you must pick yourself up from the mud, find your backpack, and continue your journey with renewed vigor and insight.
Key Features
- An Average Joe on a Remarkable Journey – You’re not a hero of legend. Shape your modest and meager beginnings through three distinct starting scenarios and eleven backgrounds, which will determine where to start in this brutal world. If you’re knocked out, your journey continues, and you must live with the consequences.
- A Living, Evolving World – A full-year seasonal cycle transforms the world of Aurai and its four distinct areas. Regions will feature their own biomes, seasons, and specific gameplay.
- Growth Through Mastery – Every factor in Outward 2 molds your playstyle. Your tactical choices as a player, from the weight and material of your armor to particular weapons you use, are reinforced by the new Exercise system, where passive skills will spark and grow based on how you play. Seek out special trainers scattered around Aurai, who will teach you how to survive the most brutal encounters for a fee.
- Ritual Spellcasting and Tactical Combat – Cast spells through rituals, like sending a fire stone into the air to create a ring around you that allows you to empower your skills with deadly flames. Challenging combat, where every weapon has its own distinct moveset, is further enhanced in the sequel with a larger variety of tools and weapon combinations, along with animations that bring more fluidity and control to players. Major combat improvements were cultivated based on extensive player feedback from the original.
- Intentional Inventory Management -Your backpack is your lifeline, and every space within is worth its weight in gold. Pack provisions, potions, weapons, and camping gear for an expedition, but manage it carefully as you gather more along the way, though not all will be worth taking up space. In a fight, you may want to drop your backpack to attack and evade more deftly. The sequel adds a mule you may earn to carry your wares throughout your journey, but its vulnerability may influence your path as well. Weigh each decision carefully.
- Two-Player Split-Screen and Online Cooperative Play – Aurai is a grueling place, but you mustn’t go alone. Plan and prepare alongside a friend, covering each other’s weaknesses and marrying your strengths. Teamwork expands the opportunities and options for tackling the many challenges you will face in Outward 2.
Outward 2 is due out in Early Access for PC via Steam, Epic Games Store, and GOG on July 7.
Watch a new trailer below.