People Can Fly's latest game, Outriders, is nearly here after suffering a variety of setbacks and delays. The third-person shooter from the maker of Bulletstorm and Painkiller is definitely on par with the developer's previous work in terms of gameplay. It's an action-packed romp that supports between one and three players. The story, however, is a bit of a departure from the studio's prior games.
At a basic level, Outriders is a science-fiction story set in the 22nd century. In this future, humanity is capable of long-distance spaceflight, as well as various other technologically-advanced undertakings. There are magical powers in the world of Outriders, but overall it is presented as being 'realistic' and recognizable. The opening hours of Outriders are more akin to Star Trek than Star Wars.
Despite that, the story - which players can experience in the Outriders demo - begins with a text crawl. It explains that Earth's livability has been eroded to the point that humanity must colonize a new planet if they are to survive. The planet Enoch is identified as the last, best hope for survival, and two colony ships are dispatched. Only one survives the 83-year journey to Enoch. Upon arrival, a small group (including the player character) is sent planet-side.
The Story of Outriders
Players assume the role of a titular Outrider. Their role, in this instance is to be part of the advance team that will first land on Enoch. They are reminiscent of the "Pathfinders" from Mass Effect: Andromeda. Among the first to land on Enoch, the Outriders are sent to recover probes that contain data valuable to the colonization effort. Through dialogue, it is revealed that this group, including the player, aren't "real Outriders" and are instead mercenaries hired to replenish the ranks following a fatal accident back on Earth. There is tension between the Outriders and the other groups within the colonization effort because of this.
The shoot-first Outriders are at odds with the scientific minds of the ECA, who are the group in charge of authorizing the full landing of the populous onboard the colony ship. After successfully recovering one probe, the ECA hastily approves the full landing, despite warnings from the Outriders that there is something wrong. While on a mission to recover another of the ECA probes, the Outriders encounter "The Anomaly" - a storm that infects and kills many of the colonizers.
The player character, having been infected themselves, is placed into a cryogenic sleep. They are out of commission for some thirty years. During this time, those affected by The Anomaly develop all manner of strange powers and split into different factions who are openly hostile to each other. Awakened to this bloody future, the player finds themselves caught between the warring states left in the wake of the failed colonization attempt.
Outriders has a dark tone, much darker than People Can Fly's other games. Bartek Kmita, the Creative Director on Outriders, warned that the game gets even darker after this opening. Players can experience this serious tone for themselves by playing the demo, available now, or the full game, which is set to be released on April 1.