While the Outriders demo shares a lot in common with most other digital demos out there, it also has some fairly unique aspects that aren’t always seen in these types of releases. While Xbox Game Pass owners can try the full game at no extra cost, PlayStation and PC players who are unsure whether to invest in Outriders should consider downloading the demo, especially since Square Enix has not announced any plans to remove it.
10 It’s Fairly Long
For the most part, demos will give the player a snapshot of what they can expect in the full game, either as a stand-alone level or by giving the player access to the opening act of the game to get them hooked on the story. While some demos, like Prey’s, are quite long in order to keep the gameplay from suddenly ending, the Outriders demo takes this to whole new levels as players can spend hours in the game with few limits.
In order to finish every main and side quest available, it will take at least a couple of hours, maybe even longer, before players are shown the screen to purchase the full game.
9 You Can Find Legendary Gear If You’re Lucky Enough
Even though it’s only a demo, some players have reported being able to find Legendary gear in repeat attempts at certain missions, giving them an enormous edge for when they dive into the full experience.
While these items are incredibly powerful and go a long way to making the titular Outrider a walking weapon of mass destruction, Legendary drops are incredibly rare. Many players will be unlikely to find them even with dozens of hours poured into the demo.
8 There Is A Level Cap
As is the case with most demos that involve some kind of level system, the Outriders demo has placed a cap on the level that the player can reach. While the player can only reach level 7 in the demo, this allows enough growth for players to get a general idea of just what each class is capable of in battle within a relatively short time frame.
Unfortunately, this does mean that players don’t get to see what some of the later skills do or how they affect gameplay. However, the demo provides a sample of the types of skills available in Outriders, allowing players to make an informed decision on whether the combat is for them.
7 There Is A Material Cap
With many items costing a large amount of Scrap and several items needing crafting materials such as Leather and Iron, the Outriders demo places a limit on how much of these materials the player can obtain, so as not to give players too much of an advantage in the full game.
In the demo, players will only be able to obtain a maximum of 25000 Scrap, 1000 Iron, and 1000 Leather. This is more than enough for players to try a large variety of different gear but not so much to give them access to overpowered weapons early on in the full game.
6 The Prologue Is Slow But Skippable
When players first fire up the demo, they will have to play through a prologue event that shows how humanity came to be on this strange new planet. It also sets up several future characters that are instrumental in the fight for humanity’s survival in the main game.
This prologue, while informative, would be a slog to walk through every time the player wanted to try a new powerset. Thankfully, this section of the game can be skipped entirely, with the player being dropped into the thick of the fight and as soon as their powers awaken.
5 You Can Engage In Online Multiplayer
One of the biggest draws to Outriders that sets it apart from other third-person shooters is the drop-in-drop-out co-op gameplay with up to three players at a time.
Despite some players reporting issues with trying to connect with their friends online, players are able to play the demo in co-op if they want. This makes a few of the more difficult gunfights much easier as enemy fire is distributed among the three players. A group of friends can try out the demo to see if they all like Outriders.
4 You Can Increase The Difficulty For Better Rewards
As is the case with the majority of looter-shooter games out there, players are expected to replay certain missions repeatedly in order to obtain greater rewards, level their character, and become even more powerful over time. One aspect of Outriders that serves to make this gameplay less repetitive is the World Tier system, which raises the difficulty and the level of rewards dropped as it is increased.
This World Tier system can be improved over time so long as the player is operating in the highest tier available to them. Each subsequent Tier that is unlocked grants new benefits at the cost of enemies being much more powerful.
3 The Cover Isn’t For You
There is a lot of cover in Outriders, making it feel an awful lot like Gears of War or similar cover shooters at first glance, but after playing for a few hours it quickly becomes apparent that the cover isn’t really for the player.
For the most part, this cover is for the waves of enemies that want to kill the player and gives them something to hide behind while they are attacked by fireballs, missile launchers, and teleporting assassins. While the player can use these covers for themselves, gameplay in Outriders is more suited to a hyper-offensive approach. Health can be easily recovered no matter which class is being used, often making it more efficient to simply run through gunfire rather than hide from it.
2 You Can Try Every Class Fairly Easily
After players have finished the prologue and chosen a class for the first time, they will be given the option to create more save files that give them the chance to try the other three available classes should they want.
This point in the game also allows the player to easily test each class in battle fairly quickly as they are immediately dropped into the thick of combat should they choose to skip the prologue event. If a particular class doesn’t feel quite right to the player, they can simply exit the demo, start a new save file, and skip the prologue to immediately try one that might be more their speed.
1 Progress Carries Over Into The Full Title
This feature appears in just about every modern game demo, but it’s one that suits Outriders’ playstyle more so than for other demos. The fact that all progress carries over into the full title means that players will not have to slog through the opening hours of the game all over again if they decide to buy the full version.
It also means that all of the time spent in the demo trying to find Legendary gear isn’t wasted.
Next: Outriders Complete Guide - Builds, Tips, Tricks, and Help
