RIDE AND DIE

OUTRIDERS is an inconsistent looter shooter that isn’t worth the ride.

- Morgan Park

When I think of People Can Fly, I think of Bulletstorm, an absurdist FPS remembered a decade later for its outrageous weapons, like the crazy-ass drill gun that could be steered in mid-air and penetrate multiple enemies. By the end of that game, launching bodies 20 feet in the air and energy-whipping them into an explosive barrel was one of the most mundane ways to solve a problem.

It’s almost hard to believe that Outriders shipped with the same studio logo on the box, because it looks like the bland shooter that Bulletstorm’s meathead characters would make fun of. It’s a surprisingly shallow looter shooter that tries very hard to look like Destiny and play like Gears of War. But honestly, I’d rather replay any of the games I’ve already mentioned than spend more time on Enoch.

In my first 13 hours with Outriders, I said that I was still waiting for it to impress me as I completed the campaign and looked toward the endgame Expeditions mode. My opinion has brightened a bit: Expeditions do represent the best that the game has to offer, but they’re not compelling enough to fuel a habit.

I have larger problems with the core fundamentals underlying the game. Outriders’ shooting mechanics, loot, level design, and matchmaking aren’t very good. The sum is a mediocre b-movie looter lookalike that can be safely skipped.