MeinMMO author Tarek made a mistake in Outriders – he played the demo like a cover shooter. Why you shouldn’t make the same mistake is explained here.
I made this mistake: As a former Division player, I initially thought that my experience in the large multiplayer shooter would help me in playing Outriders.
So I initially started playing just like I played The Division. Tactically, cautiously, always in cover. I initially chose the Technomancer, the all-rounder class of Outriders.
But it quickly became clear that both games are hardly comparable. Although they share some similarities:
- Both are third-person shooters
- Both are cover shooters
- Both revolve around collecting gear, so they are loot shooters
However, it didn’t go well at first.
Typically, this allows for tactical gameplay, as the right position can make a difference in combat.
The passive playstyle caused me problems
This is how it went at the beginning: I took cover, threw my freeze weapon into the crowd, and tried to eliminate enemies gradually from my position of safety.
Often, enemies overwhelmed me, attacking from multiple sides and catching me off guard. Surrounded by enemies and under constant fire, it’s significantly harder to stay alive with the Technomancer’s healing abilities. Because he heals himself when he deals damage.
Additionally, the cover system in the demo was implemented rather poorly. For instance, the player character moves unpredictably when aiming with the precision rifle through the sight.
At certain walls, you can’t even take cover, and the cover jumps often don’t work, although they should. Especially when you’re used to the precise system from The Division. So, they often become obstacles and can be quite annoying under fire.
This is how I adjusted my playstyle: I decided to abandon my previous habits and only use cover in extreme emergencies.
Instead of hiding behind covers, I now charged across the battlefield towards the enemies. However, I still had to get used to it and got knocked down a few times.
All out on my face, with lots of explosions
This is how I play now: The more I familiarized myself with the gameplay and skills of the Technomancer, the better it went. With better gear and additional skills like the stationary rocket launcher, Tormentor, it flowed, and a certain rhythm set in.
- When I enter an area with enemies, I first look to see where most enemies are located and attack right there.
- First, I position the Tormentor, which instantly blows away most normal enemies and lets them explode into clouds of blood.
- Then the freeze weapon is placed to freeze the remaining enemies.
- I then finish them off with weapons and pest bullets and their poison damage while my skills are on cooldown.
- Usually, the abilities are already ready for the next wave and it starts again.
This all happens within seconds. The enemy groups explode in front of me, and I feel like a one-man army. Just like the poetic principle of Mr. Torgue from Borderlands: “EXPLOSIONS?!”
It was similar with other classes like the Trickster or Devastator. While each class has its special properties and playstyles, the principle remains: Covers are nearly irrelevant. Charge in and hit the enemies!
This gameplay illustrates quite well what I mean:
Why you shouldn’t rely on cover in Outriders
This is my conclusion: The cover system in Outriders is present, but plays a rather subordinate role. It’s good to have a breather in emergencies or when all skills are on cooldown.
Aside from that, one should play more offensively and apply constant pressure on the enemies. Especially when playing in a group, you can almost completely surprise enemies.
It feels like the cover is more for protecting enemies than for players. Currently, the system also technically doesn’t run smoothly. The issues mentioned above with imprecise controls and covers that can’t be jumped over may simply be things that need to be revised.
Demo is not the finished game, so this can change
Of course, it’s still to be seen how it will all be in the finished game. With the 15 World Tiers, there is still some room for difficulty, as in the demo it goes up to a maximum of World Tier 5.
However, since you also constantly find better gear and can create builds, there will certainly be plenty of room to play aggressively in higher ranks. What we’ve learned so far about the legendary armor sets is quite appealing to me as well.
Ultimately, it remains a matter of taste. There are certainly build and weapon combinations that allow for more passive playstyles.
What do you think? Do you agree or have a different opinion? Have you had similar experiences? Write in the comments.
If you want to start experimenting with skill trees now, check this out: You can already plan your skill builds before the release of Outriders
