This class is incredibly versatile, taking on the role of support with the ability to heal teammates while outputting intense damage. Lastly, the Technomancer is a great class for those who love engineering specs because it harnesses technology meaningfully to rain damage from the sky. While not as durable as other classes, a Pyromancer's explosive arsenal makes them the perfect addition to any group taking on the world of Enoch. The firewall skill plows through enemies in an especially satisfying way. Pyromancers are a medium-ranged class that specializes in AOE damage by wielding the destructive power of fire. Devastators are strong, meaty, and can control gravity, which gives them a protective edge, letting them draw fire from your crew and sending enemies into the abyss. Devastators are the tank of all tanks and the backbone of any group. It feels intrinsically satisfying, and nothing compares to being able to slow time itself to control the battlefield. The Trickster allows you to teleport behind an enemy when they are paralyzed for a K.O. Regarding the four classes themselves, Outriders provides a playstyle for everyone, and that left me excited to replay it to try out the different types of combat. ![]() There are more strategic branches as well, taking on full defense, or a hybrid approach, all of which are streamlined in a way that isn’t overwhelming and didn’t leave me second-guessing if I made a wrong choice. I love charging into battle like Leeroy Jenkins, so the Pyromancer and Devastator classes are my favorites, and I specialized each by choosing the more offensive branching skills. The four classes each have three branches to perfect their combat style. The skill tree draws obvious inspiration from the Diablo franchise, but there are other influences such as Path of Exile. Leveling up in Outriders is satisfying and easy to manage. That nuance is felt in the combat, the leveling, and the story, with characters that become more and more compelling as the narrative continues on. From combo-ing an epic attack against the final boss to dealing with the petty shenanigans of your cohorts, Outriders' adventure is full of dimension. This distinction is clear in all aspects of the game, from the class variation to the subtle smirks and exasperated looks between speaking characters. Like other People Can Fly games, Outriders is more about the feel rather than the look. The intermittent scenes of normalcy add a layer of depth that enriches the game. The characters feel wildly different from each other, with some offering a return of innocence to this world and others showing off the brutal reality of what it’s like to stay on top when the rest of the planet wants you dead. ![]() The fast-paced, action-packed moments convey the need to keep moving, and those moments are even starker thanks to calm-before-the-storm story sequences that introduce the characters along the way. While the beginning sequence goes all-in with the action, the true start of the story kicks in soon after and goes hard on the fight-or-flight instinct in a new world that challenges what it means to be a survivor. Outriders begins its adventure with a cutscene heralding the arrival of humans on a new planet called Enoch, a world that was meant to be their salvation brimming with promise as a fresh start for humankind. It also has the subtle, dry humor that People Can Fly is known for, especially to Bulletstorm fans. That action coincides with a tale that rests within sci-fi fantasy but holds a modicum of truth regarding human instincts and how we react when there is nothing left to lose and everything to lose at the same time. That storyline is more immersive than I expected, and while it takes about an hour to really pick up momentum, it eventually becomes a cacophony of in-your-face action. ![]() The entire adventure is macabre with a dark narrative that centers on survival, the ability to adapt, and the journey to prove you're the biggest badass on the playground. I love shooters and RPGs, and Outriders amalgamates these genres perfectly. Despite launch day connection issues, I couldn't put Outriders down and after running two complete character builds through the main story and endgame content, I'm happy to say that this game has lived up to every one of my expectations and hopes. Outriders is an explosively chaotic looter shooter that pulls from the best of the best of People Can Fly's previous games while offering a new tale that takes some seriously wild turns.
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