We had a chance to dip our toes into Outward, an open-world survival RPG from the Canadian developer Nine Dots Studio. It is an impressive feat from a small team who has created a charming and atmospheric game that feels wildly unique.

I stood on a mountain, my partner beside me, looking out across the land. I had just escaped a narrow death at the hands (paws?) of large dog-like foes and the only thought I had was “Well, now what?” This was not the first time and it would not be the last as Outward drops the player into a game world, shrugs its shoulders, and leaves ...