Day one on XGP!
by Ben Kerry
by Welcome to your latest Xbox Game Pass roundup! Today, co-op camping sim Outbound joins the library as a day one Game Pass Ultimate title – and we’re going to do things a little differently and round up some of the game’s early reviews in this XGP update!
Of course, you can get a snapshot of the game via the trailer up above, and we’ll also drop a brief description of Outbound down below before getting into some of these reviews.
“Outbound is a cozy open-world exploration game set in a utopian near future. Start with an empty camper van and turn it into the home of your dreams – alone or together with your friends. Build and explore at your own pace. Collect materials, craft, and build in and on top of your vehicle with modular parts. Advance in technology and efficiently use energy to power your home.”
Without further ado, here’s what folks are saying about this new Game Pass title:
Vandal (8.7/10)
“Outbound is a triumph of the “cozy game” genre, transforming the most commonplace survival experiences into an exercise in creativity and tranquility. Its greatest strengths lie in the immense architectural freedom offered by the camper van and its beautiful design—elements that combine to generate a constant sense of satisfaction without ever needing to resort to urgency or punishment. It is a game that truly understands its niche: players seeking a sanctuary title amidst these times of madness, war, and chaos.”
SteamDeckHQ (8/10)
“Outbound is the equivalent of sitting in the countryside during late summer, knocking back a cold drink with ice, and relaxing while watching the sunset. This game may have the guts of the usual survival and crafting games that crop up all the time, but Outbound has done a great job avoiding many pitfalls in the genre.”
Nintendo Life (7/10)
“Outbound is a relaxing journey that will please anyone who wants to get away without going anywhere. Extensive exploration and a satisfying gameplay loop make for a joyful experience, and it’s easy to lose hours to driving around in your camper, collecting logs and unlocking new biomes. A few visual and control gripes might form bumps in the road, but otherwise this is a fun ride.”
Destructoid (6/10)
“Outbound is a cozy, visually striking van-life adventure game that nails atmosphere and customization, but struggles to keep its open world engaging. While building a home on wheels is a standout highlight and the picturesque scenery is consistently beautiful, the core exploration loop quickly becomes repetitive, with a world that often feels too empty to sustain long-term interest. It’s a relaxing ride, but one that doesn’t give you enough of a reason to keep driving.”
Gamer Social Club (6/10)
“Outbound is a game that, if given enough time, could be good in the future. It has a wonderful world that can be filled with things and people to interact with. A wonderful building system that can be improved with better delivery of blueprints. And a road-trip experience that can be improved with sound. Unfortunately, much like its world, right now it’s a game with a shallow gameplay loop that is difficult to stay interested in. Maybe it’s more fun with friends?”
ComicBook (5/10)
“The game really does deliver on a beautiful, cozy environment. I found myself pausing at vistas to take screenshots like I might snap a photo while camping in real life. If only that world offered a bit more engagement and a better overall balance of grind and reward, Outbound could deliver on its promise. The good news is, the game itself runs well on PC, and many of the biggest issues here feel fixable in time. As it stands, however, the game left me feeling more frustrated than immersed, and I wanted a bit more from this one.”
It’s a bit of a mixed bag so far with Outbound, then, but there’s still plenty of positive sentiment in these reviews. You can try the Game Pass title on Xbox Series X|S, PC and Cloud from 7am PT / 10am ET / 3pm BST / 4pm CEST today!
Planning a digital road trip to see what you make of Outbound? Talk to us about it down below.
Ben is a News Writer at Pure Xbox, and is a fan of action, racing and straight-up shootin’ in any Xbox game he can get his hands on. When he’s not clutching an Xbox controller like his life depends on it, Ben spends his time listening to music that’s far too old for him, watching football on the telly and probably eating somewhere.
