Outriders Worldslayer Review - Altered, but Not Perfected — Too Much Gaming

People Can Fly just released the first expansion for their looter shooter Outriders. Worldslayer pushes the game’s overall story forward, adds more depth to class progression, and improves the endgame grind, allowing the player to compose the best possible loadout of gear and perks and become a force to be reckoned with.

The added content doesn’t drastically change major aspects of Outriders’ DNA from a gameplay and narrative standpoint, as this expansion simply gives you more of the same experience. While the new campaign is its weakest link, finishing it gives you access to the expansion's greatest strength, as the endgame is vastly improved. Outriders is at its best when you’re gear-hunting in the endgame.

Outriders Worldslayer picks off right after the events of the game’s base game. The anomaly that has shaped and ruined those living in Enoch is further evolving, as weather conditions are more severe and deadlier than before. This leads to your team venturing into uncharted territory to find more answers and face off against an Altered called Ereshkigal, who’s the leader of the hostile faction the Insurgents.

Cool villain, cool setting, but rushed story

The new journey was intriguing at first, but my excitement quickly waned once it started to unravel, as the events occurring in the expansion felt rushed. The continuation of the story suddenly starts and ends abruptly with no real satisfaction or conclusion. You are just left with more unanswered questions. Ereshkigal, the big bad of Worldslayer, felt underused, as she didn’t have enough screen time to really shine, or for the player to formulate a real impression of the character. It’s unfortunate, since her character design and personality had the potential to make a lasting impression. She felt like a means to an end, an unfortunate misuse of what could have been a good villain for the game.

The storytelling in Worldslayer, despite its expressing end-of-the-world situations, takes a back seat most of the time, as it was the enjoyment of killing waves of enemies in a much harder difficulty and improving my character that kept me eager to go on in the 4-5 hour campaign. There’s no new sidequests or room to explore, as the campaign is a more linear piece of content that doesn’t waste any time, so this will come as a disappointment for fans that wanted more from what the folks at People Can Fly has created.

The Worldslayer campaign does introduce new snowy locations and deadly enemy types, but no real change or risk was made to give the player something they’ve never seen before in Outriders. There’s no new gameplay interactions or instances that make the experience feel new and fresh, so whether you loved or hated the base game, you can simply expect more of that in Worldslayer’s short campaign.

The new campaign didn’t do it for me, but thankfully the core gameplay remains intact, because Outriders still feels great as a third-person looter shooter, and what I felt about the title from a gameplay standpoint in my original review still stands here. You just feel like a powerhouse, and mistakes only happen when you allow yourself to get overwhelmed by the sheer number of enemies coming at you. The expansion can be difficult for new players, as only characters that have reached the initial max level of the game will be able to play this new content. The design of each area in Worldslayer is made with the assumption that you have a good grasp of your class and how to play Outriders, so new players could have a tough time initially if they decide to skip the base game and dive to the expansion.

An endgame worth reaching and playing

Character progression is expanded with the inclusion of Ascension Levels, which slightly strengthen your character stats (overall health, healing received, long range damage, etc) with each point invested. There’s also PAX Levels, an extension of each of the four classes’ skill trees which are designed to greatly support possible playstyles for each class.These two are great additions to the game, since gameplay experimentation is half the fun in this subgenre, and you can begin tinkering with character crafting options even at the start of Worldslayer’s campaign.

A new type of gear was introduced in Worldslayer, as epic and legendary gear can drop as Apocalypse gear, items that come with a maximum of three perk slots. This is a big deal for Outriders veterans, as gear used to only have a total of two slots in the base game. This drastically changes things, as each piece of gear and weapon can have an additional perk, giving more room for crazier builds.

Once the campaign ends, you unlock the Trial of Tarya Guitar, the new endgame activity where you explore certain sections of a mysterious place called Tarya Guitar in the hopes of reaching the end. This new endgame activity made me feel like I was attempting to climb the peak of a mountain, but with a few side paths that could lead to specific rewards. As I delved deeper into this place, I was given more context as to the game’s story, so it’s more than just a loot hallway.

This endgame can consist of the usual areas filled with enemies you need to clear, or minor objectives such as defending a certain location. Some rooms have boss encounters with mechanics that can be rather challenging, and they have side areas that, if cleared, will reward you with loot for a specific type of armor like chests or boots, thus giving you the opportunity to find an upgrade for one particular armor type, should you choose to take the detour. I find this design for endgame a big improvement compared to Expeditions, the endgame activity from the base game. But Tarya Guitar runs aren't perfect, as there’s not enough variety to keep a player guessing. Each run can end up being predictable, giving repetition a chance to settle in.

Weirdly enough, this is where Expeditions comes in for me, as I usually do a few Expeditions runs to shake off the sense of repetition, giving me the impression that the new endgame isn’t solely meant to outright replace the old one, but just provide another way to grind for better gear.

Not recommended for new players

Outriders Worldslayer is a great expansion, but only if you’re completely sold on what the original game delivered, as the additions simply address why Outriders’ fanbase wanted more out of this game. I’ve spent over 10 hours grinding away in the new endgame, and still see so much room to improve my builds, plus the potential for other ways to clear areas as I unlock new gear with the right stat and perk combinations. Apocalypse Tiers, which increase the item level and level of each enemy (increasing difficulty), can go as high as 45, and I'm not even close to reaching the highest tier.

But this expansion doesn’t answer all of the game’s main problems. This isn’t new content that will entice new players, but will rather sustain the game’s current fans. Players new to the game will still have to determine if the Outriders formula is for them, as Worldslayer doesn’t improve the new player experience; it actually complicates it if one decides to skip the base game, as you’re given a weaker story and thrown into the deep end with all these skills and abilities available to you with no knowledge of what works best. In the end, for the series to grow, it will still need to rely on the base game. If you like what you see there, then the expansion is a good investment to get more out of your time with the game.

7/10

PROS

Ascension Levels and PAX levels greatly improve the endgame progression
Apocalyptic Tiers and gear make the hunt for better gear more satisfying, and the gameplay more chaotic
Trial of Tarya Guitar is a great endgame activity

CONS

Weak story that leaves you more confused and unsatisfied than before
Trial of Tarya Guitar needs more variety as repetition can settle in after hours of grinding