Outlawful

Outlawful is an open world western first-person shooter video game designed by George Alder, developed by NCS Hamburg and published by NINE100 Studios. It was released on March 5th, 2024 for the Anima and Microsoft Windows. The game's story follows an outlaw group known as the /Redwaters/, who are looking to control the entire state of /South Alexandria/.
The game allows the player to play through a story-based campaign consisting of numerous missions, as well as several side quests, for characters prominent in the story as well as a host of new characters. The player can choose one of four characters to play as, and is able to switch characters at any point in the game. Each character has a different weapon proficiency and ability, allowing for a range of different approaches for every mission.
The game has a strong cooperative multiplayer focus, with up to four players being able to play online. Every part of the game is playable in co-op, and the number of players will change different aspects of the game, from small dialogue changes, to gameplay alterations such as fewer enemies. While co-op is the focus, the game can be played offline in single-player.
==Gameplay==
At the start of the game, the player chooses one of four characters, each with different proficiencies and abilities. Handy Hughes, who focuses on shotguns, Jane Holliday, who focuses on rifles, Gus Bozeman, who focuses on knives, and Abraham Madsen, who focuses on handguns. The player can switch between these characters at any point in the story at any fort. After completing the introduction of the game and being given the open world to explore, the player is free to partake in story missions, side quests or other activities. All will reward the player in some way, often money but also cosmetics and weapons. The player can continue the story at their own pace, although some side missions and activities will only become available after reaching certain points in the story.
The game features it's own unique first-person gameplay. Alongside the standard shooting mechanics, the game has a dynamic melee system, adapting to the environment and objects near to the player. For example, if the player decides to execute a stunned enemy near a railing, he would be pushed off it or slammed into it, rather than a regular execution. Enemies will also often try to use melee on you, and using the dodge mechanic, you can avoid in and return with a counter attack. The player can also use weapons while on horseback.
The player is able to carry four weapons, although they can only choose two. Alongside the default Knife and Dynamite, the player can carry a heavy weapon (rifle or shotgun), and a handgun. Each character also has a unique Proficiency and Outlaw Ability. For example, Handy Hughes is proficient using shotguns, and upon using his Outlaw Ability, he uses two Lever-Action Shotguns, with extremely fast spin loading and improved reload speed. The weapons used during the Outlaw Ability are always the same and are a part of the character's model. In combat, health does not replenish, and the player will have to use Bandages to gain health. If a player loses their health while playing in single-player, they will die and respawn at the last named location they were in, either a town or a fort. If playing in co-op, you will become downed, and other players can revive you. If everyone is downed, you all respawn.
While the player can often find ammo and bandages, sometimes they will need to purchase them. Alongside consumables, the player can also buy cosmetic items, to change the look of their character, and new weapons, as well as gambling their money and using it to partake in mini games. Vendors are available in every fort the player has taken, as well as most towns, and mini games are scattered around the open world. Money is gained by completing missions, finding it, winning it in mini games or robbing it. The player can fast travel between taken forts and discovered towns at any time.
==Plot==
===Setting===
Outlawful takes place in the fictional U.S. state of /South Alexandria/ during the turn of the turn of the twentieth century in 1901. Despite efforts from local law enforcement, South Alexandria is almost entirely under the control of various outlaw gangs. The four player characters are part of the /Redwaters/, a comparatively new gang who use Fort Rivers as their base. Their leader, the old outlaw Obadiah Alford, is a bitter and vicious man, who wants to exterminate the other gang trying to own the state. The player characters are veteran outlaws, who are sent throughout South Alexandria to end the wars by ending every other gang.
===Story===
The game begins in Old Amerson, a small town in the west of South Alexandria, where the the Redwaters are planning to massacre an opposing gang in the town saloon. Upon killing near all of the inhabitants, the Redwaters are forced to flee from the town authorities on horseback to their base of operations Fort Rivers, where the authorities are fended off by riflemen. Upon entering the fort, the player meets Obadiah Alford (Jeff Bridges), the leader of the Redwaters. He sends the protagonists to seize the now weakened Fort Elijah from the massacred gang.
Following the seizure of Fort Elijah, the protagonists are ordered to capture Johnson Atkins, a former mole working with the Old Amerson authorities. Atkins is kept alive and a prisoner at Fort Rivers. With the Old Amerson authorities locked in a hostage situation, the protagonists are sent east to the large town of Dusty Springs, currently plagued by morphine addiction caused by the /Red Lions/. After learning more about the town and the Red Lions, the protagonists destroy the Red Lions' existing morphine stock. Upon learning that a large train shipment is due to arrive at the town soon, the protagonists plan to stage a heist to steal the shipment and destroy the train.
===Missions===
Outlawful has a story consisting of numerous missions, given by several characters and consisting of various unique objectives. There are also a large selection of side missions given by an array of characters around the open world, which are generally separate from the main story. Note that only one mission, Expanding Business, involves taking a fort. Taking other forts are not counted as missions, although still reward the player with money.
===Characters===
There are four main playable characters in Outlawful, Handy Hughes, Jane Holliday, Gus Bozeman and Abraham Madsen. Each character has unique abilities and is customizable to some extent. Alongside the player characters, there are many other characters in the story and in side missions, each with their own personality and traits.
==Development==
===Trailers===
*/Bullets and Blood Trailer/
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Category:NINE100 Studios
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Category:Outlawful
Category:Open world