10 Add A Jump
Being vertically challenged in a game like Gears of War, something People Can Fly technically worked on, makes sense. In a game like Outsiders though with many tiered levels, it does not make sense to be without a jump. Even Marvel’s Avengers has a jump and/or the better ability to fly. The X button on the PS5, for example, is practically begging to have a jump function booted onto it.
9 Add A Photo Mode
Games that ship without a photo mode are not uncommon. One of last year’s biggest titles for example, Final Fantasy VII Remake, did not have it. In fact, the PS5 version is the first time the game will be receiving it after over a year. For an always online game like Outsiders it sort of makes sense to not have this option as it usually the pauses the game which can detract from the multiplayer. However, another online always game has it, The Division 2, so there’s really no excuse.
8 Active Reload
One of the coolest mechanics Gears of War introduced into shooters was the active reload. If players timed their reload just right, not only would the gun reload ammo quicker, but the gun would also be given a boost.
Reloading in this game is just kind of boring without it. People Can Fly know how to use the mechanic properly so it just feels weird seeing it absent from Outriders.
7 Create An Offline Mode
People Can Fly and Square Enix have come out to say that they don’t want players to think of Outriders as a live service project. That is a weird statement given the fact that the game has to always be online and that it shares a lot with other looter shooters like Destiny. Technically if one wanted to liken it to something else not related to this market, they could look at Borderlands. That was also a looter shooter before the genre was born which had online multiplayer but didn’t require players to always be online. So why not do this for Outriders? It’s a weird mixed signal is the point.
6 More Weapon Slots
Another thing this game could learn from Borderlands is the weapon slot assignment. That game allows for four guns to be equipped at a time. This game only has two slots and a third always dedicated to a pistol. There are many situations that call for a shotgun or sniper rifle, but having just those two specialties equipped will not do in other gunfights. As the game cannot pause, one cannot simply change their gear on the fly easily without dying.
5 Better Loot Boxes
The loot in this game is pretty fair. What this slot is actually calling for then is changing the box itself. They look like crates one would see in the background that normally can’t be interacted with. Sure, they glow blue which indicates they can be looked at, but they’re still hard to see due to their shape and size. Epic loot chests should be better proportioned and have some flair to them.
4 Cover Balance
Cover works relatively well in this game as one would expect from the developer. It might even be more fluid than something like Gears of War. However, there are two flaws that should be addressed. First of all, if one uses a power the player pops out of cover and doesn’t return unless they hit the prompt again. Also, if players get hit with an enemy ability they fall out of cover. In both cases, cover should never be blown entirely.
3 The Logo Intros
Part of the majesty of the PS5 and Xbox Series X, besides the load times, is the fact that intro logos can be skipped. For example, after the first time someone plays Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales, booting it up again will skip the intro stuff and go right to the title screen in a matter of seconds. This is not true for Outriders and what’s more it’s a cutscene that cant be skipped which lasts far too long. Yes, this technically is still using old consoles as a base, but this intro should either be able to be skipped or at least shortened.
2 Throw Grenades
Whenever a heavy enemy solider is defeated, like someone wielding a turret gun, they drop a bomb. The only interaction one can do at the moment is dodge out of the danger zone.
However, Outriders should learn from the best shooters like Call of Duty which usually allows from enemy grenades to be tossed back. It would give players a little extra to do in the field.
1 Color Gear
There doesn’t seem to be a way right now to colorize weapons, or armor. The shaders were one of the best features in Destiny so it should be an obvious addition to this game. Another recent game that did it, Monster Hunter Rise, did it and that’s a Switch game on a less powerful system. Shouldn’t it make sense then that the PlayStation and or Xbox family of consoles could handle a few color options?
