The Outriders demo survival guide
About to get stuck into the Outriders demo? Here are some of the coolest things you should be aware of.Okay, okay, we heard you!
Ever since we first revealed Outriders earlier this year, fans have asked when they might be able to finally get their hands on the game. We can understand why - Outriders really comes to life when it’s played.
At long last, the demo is here! This isn’t merely be a single quest or 30 minute snippet - the demo features the ENTIRE opening chapter of Outriders!
It’s huge, with around 3 hours of gameplay and brimming with things to do - it’s certain to give you a great idea of what the full game has to offer.
You can download it right now on PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, and Steam:
I suspect you don’t need any extra persuasion if you’re still reading, but just in case, here are some hot tips to maximize your time and enjoyment on the brutal world of Enoch.
1. All classes are playable
All four classes in the game - Trickster, Pyromancer, Devastator, and Technomancer - are available for you to play in the demo. We encourage you to experiment and find your perfect class.
Will you be a fire-flinging tank capable of soaking up hits as your immolate your enemies? Or will you be a DPS-Devastator jumping into the fray to cause maximum mayhem in the mob? Mix and match abilities, give them a test-run, and find what suits you.
Eventually you’ll find the class that speaks to you - and when you do, you can start co-op. Which brings us onto…
2: There’s 3-player co-op
Not only is this the first time you’ll be able to hop into the world of Enoch, you can do so with the help of your friends! Outriders supports three-player teams, letting you tackle missions, explore the world and progress through the story together.
You can find a matchmaking terminal in your camp if you’re looking for squadmates.
Don’t worry about joining a player further ahead in the story than you - the game will warn you before you fully join to avoid any spoilers.
More info on matchmaking and online play can be found in Episodes 2 and Episode 3 of the Outriders Broadcast, so check those out if you haven’t already.
3. Full Cross-Play is supported
Speaking of multiplayer, here’s some more good news - the demo supports a complete cross-play experience.
PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X and S, PlayStation 4, Xbox One and Steam - no matter your platform, you can all play together.
This lets you play both the demo and the full game when it launches with your friends and other players no matter what system they’re on.
4. It’s a full RPG
The Outriders demo showcases the prologue of the game, which introduces the entire story.
This is a true RPG at its core – it’s not just pew pew, boom boom explosions the whole way through. The mystery hides at its centre - where is this strange signal coming from? What does it mean?
The demo will give you a sample of the epic journey you’re about to undertake.
5. There’s tons to discover in the hub area
Once you complete the game’s opening, you’ll be able to explore the first Hub in the game: Rift Town.
There’s loads to do here. You can chat to the locals, take in the sights, buy and sell with merchant, and more.
Quite a change of scenery isn’t it?
6: You can take on amazing side-quests
We won’t restrict you to just the main campaign in the demo. It’s swarming with side quests, all of which are replayable, and will adapt loot and enemy skill to your current character level.
Feel free to take on other missions from NPCs, and really dig into the layers of this environment and its inhabitants.
7: An extensive armory is about to open to you
Shooting is in the DNA of People Can Fly as a studio. They’re responsible for gunplay classics like Bulletstorm, Gears of War: Judgement, and Painkiller - Outriders continues that tradition of satisfying shootin’.
So, give their unique take on weapons a go. If you’re an up-close-and-personal type, a shotgun beckons. If you prefer to pick them off from afar, there’s a sniper rifle with your name on it.
There’s even a smidge of a chance that you could find a legendary…
8: You can unleash chaos with otherworldly abilities
But combat isn’t all about the guns. The anomaly storms on Enoch have granted you unique powers, evolving you into a species called the Altered.
As you progress, you’ll unlock more and more abilities that are exclusive to each of the four classes. From scorching waves of Pyromancer flames, to bending Trickster time and space, to summoning up an army of Technomancer aiding assault weapons, to shoving a stone Devastator spike through your enemies’ spine… you get the idea.
Powers are prevalent in the Outriders demo, and cooldowns are miniscule. Try mixing up different combinations and see what outcomes you achieve.
9: Your character is your own
A staple of RPGs (and, let’s face it, the menu you probably spend faaaar too long on) is character creation.
Well, settle in because Outriders has character customization too - whether you make your in-game avatar an ultimate badass version of yourself or a completely random person is up to you.
What’s more, you’re not stuck with the same features all the way through - you can swap within the camps as you go. There’s a camp in the demo if you fancy adding an awesome piercing or jazzing up your hairstyle. Go forth and create!
10 : You can transfer your progress to the full game
If you try out the demo and decide to go all-in for the full game, you won’t lose your progress. This includes if you play the demo on current gen and buy the full Outriders experience on next gen, as players will receive a free upgrade to PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X and S versions.
11. Cover is for cowards
This is possibly the most important of all on the list - whatever you do, play aggressive because we all know that cover is for cowards!
In Outriders, the scared hide, and the hesitant die. That’s because a key mechanic in the game is that you need to kill enemies to heal.
With your powers on tap and up to 8 in total that you can switch in and out of (yes, you can even hotswap them mid-gameplay) there’s no shortage of ways to create carnage on the battlefield.
Light ‘em up as a Pyromancer, Slice ‘em in two as a Trickster, employ a turret barrage as a Technomancer or crush ‘em into dust as a Devastator - whatever class you are, forget hiding behind cover - it’ll get you killed. Get out there and cause some brutal RPG devastation, Outrider.
Hopefully by now, you’re raring to go start causing trouble on Enoch because demo is available to download right now:
If you get a taste for the power that Outriders gives you, you can preorder the full game now, ahead of its release on April 1, 2021: