I’m so desperate for new games. Even the slowest years still have some major releases in the early months, but this year has been exceptionally slow for big games, likely thanks to the pandemic and the strain it started putting on developers last year. As a self-described Looter Stan, I can’t survive without a quality Looter Shooter/Schlooter/Looty McShooty to sink my teeth into. After the failed promise of Marvel’s Avengers, I really, really need Outriders to be good.

If you’re a Looterman like myself, these are some dark days. Destiny 2 is in the lull of its 13th season, and as we approach the midway point for the expansion, it isn’t exactly the most exciting time for Destiny players. Similarly, Diablo 3’s Season 22 is winding down, and while Season 23 will start on the PTR next week, Diablo 3 has basically been in maintenance mode for years. BlizzConline didn’t provide even a hint as to when Diablo 4 would be coming out, leaving us in a looter-less dark period.

using special abilities in Outriders

Marvel’s Avengers was supposed to be the chosen one, and while there’s always hope for the looter-that-shouldn’t-exist, there’s no denying that the game completely failed to meet expectations when it launched last September. I still really enjoy the combat in Avengers and it’s a ton of fun to play with friends, but in terms of collecting gear, RPG class designing, and meaningful progression, Avengers isn’t scratching that itch. Maybe it can turn things around the upcoming Hawkeye update, but unless there’s an entire revamp of the gear system planned, it seems unlikely.

Related: Outriders Coming To Xbox Game Pass On Same Day As Release

Which leaves us with Outriders, the Looty McShooty I’ve got all my hopes pinned on. If Outriders turns out to be a bust, we’re looking at many, many months without a competent ARPG to grind. If it turns out to be good, on the other hand, then Outriders will be the answer to all my prayers.

I’ve been grinding the Outriders demo pretty hard. I’ve gotten all four classes up to demo level cap and have managed to farm a couple of legendary weapons. I’m incredibly optimistic, but not without reservation. While it’s reassuring to see People Can Fly consistently patching the demo with bug fixes and balance changes, the way the studio handled the game’s first loot cave gave me pause. Ultimately, the developers made the right call by giving players what they want and letting them easily grind the demo’s easiest side mission. It’s just the fact that this changed back and forth that makes me a bit nervous.

decked out character, head on

My other concern may not be the most popular opinion, but I’m disappointed that Outriders isn’t a live service game. I know people scoff at the live service label as if it's synonymous with loot boxes and predatory microtransactions, but for me, live service means that the game will get support and additional content for as long as it's successful and popular. I don’t want People Can Fly to release Outriders and then move onto the next thing. If it’s a good game, I want long-term support and lots of content. A looter is only as good as the endgame grind, and since Outriders isn’t a live service game, that seems to mean that the endgame is finite. Eventually, I’ll have done all the content, collected all the gear, and there will be nothing left to do. I know lots of people enjoy a game that ends, but I like my looters to go on forever.

Outriders isn’t the only ARPG on the horizon. The beta for free-to-play Diablo-like Magic: Legends starts later this month, and I’m sure there’s plenty of cool stuff happening in Warframe and Borderlands 3, if that’s your thing. Outriders is just exactly what I need right now, that is, if it turns out to be any good.

Next: Outriders Fan Has Been Playing The Demo For 17 Hours A Day Since Its Launch