One that is cast out or refused acceptance.
Thats the Merriam Webster definition of outcast and quite fitting for Simple Machines new release The Outcast. The Outcast is a cypher of an experience, not easily accepted into a classification or genre. No doubt there will be some wholl refuse to accept The Outcast as a game.
Simple Machine is describing The Outcast as a passive adventure
where youll explore a vast and dangerous world. Subverting any and all notions of what a game is, the first thing The Outcast asks of you is to close the app. Long-form experimental storytelling is what The Outcast is about; throughout the day, youll be notified of random events and situations such as discovering a bridge, finding an inn, getting attacked, and so on. These events may cost you health, supplies, gold, or you may find coins or be healed. You check in, then close the app, and move on.
In its current state, The Outcast is bare bones but intriguing, with the potential to become something special. It should be noted that the current version of the game is 0.01; theres a long road ahead for The Outcast and Simple Machine is determined to let community input shape the games future. I emailed developer Kurt Bieg about Simple Machines plans for The Outcast and his response made me glad to have purchased the game early on:
Our big idea: The Outcast becomes this amazing interactive adventure that plays out over 6 months to a year. As you incorporate these small events from the game into your daily life, youll explore this vast unpredictable world while making decisions along the way that sculpt your character, ultimately crafting their place in this shifting world.
We already have some of the world mapped out (as in timeline, not terrain) and well be sharing that soon, and how we made it, it was a lot of fun.
The Outcast will grow on a bi-weekly basis, with the upcoming August 21st update adding new environments art, music, and other features. The developers have already received a substantial amount of feedback and suggestions, from adding falcons, incorporating a log of the games text so you can follow your journey, to implementing choices and decisions.
For fans of experimental games that play with and subvert how a narrative is experienced, or for those who simply enjoy having a hand in shaping a game, The Outcast is worth checking out. You can purchase the game for $1.99 and follow its progress and development on
Simple Machines blog.
