Outlaws + A Handful of Missions

About

Outlaws + A Handful of Missions is a single player action game. It was developed by LucasArts and was released on November 16, 2018. It received very positive reviews from players.

Outlaws + A Handful of Missions is a first-person shooter game with western themes. It follows the story of retired U.S. Marshal James Anderson seeking revenge on the outlaw gang that killed his wife and kidnapped his daughter. The game features challenging missions, strategic combat, and a variety of weapons set in a detailed, immersive world.

Genres & Tags

Action

Play Modes

Single-Player

Outlaws + A Handful of Missions screenshot

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92%

Audience ScoreBased on 412 reviews

story46 positive mentions

stability6 negative mentions

Outlaws features an engaging story with beautifully animated cutscenes and a fantastic soundtrack that captures the essence of classic spaghetti westerns.
The gameplay is fast-paced and fun, with satisfying gunplay and a variety of weapons, including unique mechanics like manual reloading and a rifle scope.
The game offers a nostalgic experience for fans of retro FPS games, with challenging levels that encourage exploration and puzzle-solving.

The game suffers from frequent crashes and technical issues on modern systems, making it frustrating to play without proper tweaks and configurations.
Level design can be confusing and maze-like, often requiring players to search extensively for keys and items to progress, which can lead to frustration.
The graphics and mechanics feel dated, which may deter new players who are accustomed to modern gaming standards.

story
115 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
40%
56%
4%
The game's story, while simple and reminiscent of classic spaghetti westerns, is engaging enough to provide motivation for the protagonist's actions, featuring beautifully animated cutscenes and a memorable soundtrack. Although some players found the narrative predictable and the campaign short, the inclusion of bonus missions and easter eggs adds extra content that enhances the overall experience. Overall, the storytelling is considered a strong point, contributing to the game's nostalgic charm despite its outdated graphics and gameplay mechanics.
- “The story is incredible and the music is unforgettable.”
- “The story gives your actions purpose and the music drives you forward in the same way as an arcade game.”
- “The fully-animated storyline and cutscenes are brilliant, and reminiscent of works such as 'The Dig'.”
- “The story is a bit simple, kind of like a run-of-the-mill western movie back in the day, centered around revenge.”
- “A classic, although replaying it in 2022 you can really feel the weak storytelling, and how this is really just a collection of loosely put together levels.”
- “What's really out of place is the memetically mundane story whose presence is more of an afterthought, and you get the feeling that the designers felt the same way, as can be seen by an option to remove the cutscenes altogether when setting up the game.”
music
109 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
66%
31%
3%
The music in the game is widely praised as one of its standout features, with many reviewers highlighting its exceptional quality and ability to evoke the classic spaghetti western atmosphere. Composed by Clint Bajakian, the soundtrack is described as unforgettable and immersive, often compared to the works of Ennio Morricone, and is considered a significant reason to play the game. Overall, the music enhances the gameplay experience, making it a memorable aspect of this classic title.
- “The entire game plays out pretty much like an interactable movie or a TV series, and this feeling is only enhanced by the spectacular soundtrack composed by Clint Bajakian, a love letter to western OSTs that I will listen to for a long time, even after finishing the game.”
- “Let me start off by saying that the soundtrack to this game might possibly be the greatest game soundtrack to have ever graced my ears.”
- “The soundtrack is absolutely amazing, and one of my all-time favorite gaming soundtracks.”
- “I tried the GOG version first: no music (bug) and the game kept crashing after 10-15 seconds into a level.”
- “Some of the tracks are straight up rip-offs of the music of Ennio Morricone, but that's not a bad thing in my book.”
- “After you've done this, you may still experience some graphical glitches and even (although very rarely) the absence of music/sounds... take this with a grain of salt though, because it really depends on your hardware: you may not even experience this stuff in the first place.”
gameplay
53 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
30%
59%
11%
The gameplay of "Outlaws" is a blend of classic first-person shooter mechanics reminiscent of titles like Doom and Wolfenstein 3D, featuring manual reloads and a unique western theme that enhances its appeal. While some players appreciate its engaging shooting mechanics and immersive environments, others criticize its repetitive nature and outdated design elements, making it more suitable for those with nostalgia for 90s shooters rather than a general audience. Overall, the game offers a solid experience for retro FPS enthusiasts, bolstered by its memorable soundtrack and animated cutscenes.
- “The gameplay and music are amazing, and incredibly the game is somehow properly three-dimensional, with you being able to go onto other stories of a building.”
- “Outlaws takes the excellent high-lethality/low-time-to-kill, room-clearing gameplay loop from Wolfenstein 3D, made to test your reaction times, throws it into the old west, and combines it with the complex, three-dimensional level design you see in Build engine shooters, an epic spaghetti western soundtrack, and a classic spaghetti western tale told through cutscenes and spectacle.”
- “The gameplay flows very well, each level typically being a new location fit for cowboy posse shootouts – desert boomtowns, steam trains, deep rock canyons, and the like.”
- “While this did some groundbreaking stuff back in the day, I think its boomer shooter anachronisms (e.g., mazes, key hunting, and a lot of janky engine mechanics) and primitive enemy AI will bore and put off players who don't have nostalgia for this game.”
- “The gameplay gets quite repetitive, especially after completing the main story and going right ahead to the historical missions.”
- “Unfortunately, the gameplay is a little simple, consisting of moving through semi-sandbox environments to hunt down your targets, explore for secrets (blowing up walls, solving puzzles), 'rescuing' civilians, and surviving shootouts and ambushes.”
graphics
43 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
28%
65%
7%
The graphics of the game are widely regarded as dated, reflecting its 1997 origins, yet many players appreciate the unique art style and hand-drawn animations that have aged relatively well. While the visuals may not translate effectively to modern hardware and larger screens, the game's charm lies in its nostalgic aesthetic and immersive storytelling, which often overshadow the graphical limitations. Overall, the graphics evoke a sense of nostalgia for classic gaming, making them enjoyable for fans of retro titles despite their technical shortcomings.
- “The game world and characters are bright and look straight out of an animated Disney movie, while the plot and environment is much darker, creating a great blend and giving the game character, which makes the graphics hold up much better.”
- “With one of the finest soundtracks ever spun for a game, a story fresh out of the old spaghetti westerns, and graphics that make sense despite the decades of age of the game, this is something more people should give a shot.”
- “Unlike other games that didn't age well as they were trying for photo-realistic graphics 20 years too soon, this one uses hand-drawn animations that were amazing in '97 and great in 2019.”
- “The graphics are not suitable for larger present-day monitors.”
- “The graphics, on the other hand, were almost indefensible even back in the day.”
- “I couldn't get it to run on Windows 10 at all, so I used Windows 7 and got it to work under compatibility mode. They did almost nothing to update this game for modern computer hardware and operating systems, or enhance the visuals in HD; they basically just took the original game, removed the CD DRM, and put it on Steam without considering the fact that a lot of newer PCs might not be able to run such an old game.”
atmosphere
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
58%
17%
25%
The atmosphere of the game is highly praised, with players enjoying its immersive qualities that evoke classic wild west cinema. The soundtrack, featuring high-quality orchestral music, enhances the experience, while intense gunfights and engaging enemy interactions contribute to a thrilling ambiance. Overall, the game successfully captures the essence of a spaghetti western, making it a standout in the boomer shooter genre.
- “A great boomer shooter that captures the essence of classic old wild west cinema in both story and atmosphere.”
- “Overall, Outlaws is an amazing shooter with great atmosphere, fun, strategic gunplay, and nails what a wild west shooter should be.”
- “The music is great too, really captures the spaghetti western atmosphere.”
- “Enemies keep the atmosphere intense by taunting you non-stop; the gunshots sound majestic, and don't even get me started on these gratifying death animations.”
- “Enemies' AI is also not the best, but they can crouch behind tables and bars, making the gunfights seem better and, again, adding to the atmosphere of the game.”
- “The music is great too; it really captures the spaghetti western atmosphere.”
stability
9 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
67%
The stability of the game is mixed, with some users experiencing significant glitches, crashes, and freezing issues, particularly when saving or finishing levels. However, others report that it runs smoothly on Windows 10, with only minor graphical glitches and menu bugs. Overall, stability seems to vary widely depending on individual hardware configurations.
- “A true classic, runs great on Windows 10 without hassle.”
- “Today I saw it on sale and it runs great on Windows 10.”
- “Runs great on my Windows 10 machine!”
- “Glitches out a lot where I can't continue.”
- “My computer keeps exiting the game by itself when I finish a level. It doesn't show me a picture when I try to save the game, and it freezes my PC so much I have to restart it. I love this game, but it would be nice if you could fix it since you already sell the game.”
- “I can confirm as well that this is working on Windows 10. I played 3 levels, and yes, some of the menus are a bit buggy as they will alt-tab and tab you back into the game.”
optimization
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
60%
40%
Overall, the game's optimization is generally positive, with smooth performance and decent functionality on Steam. However, users have noted issues with resolution adjustments reverting unexpectedly and frustratingly long black screens when navigating menus.
- “It runs smoothly.”
- “It's nice that a 20+ year game appears on Steam and runs smoothly without any errors.”
- “The Steam version can be played out of the box just fine, for the most part; navigating through the menus triggers an obnoxious 2-3 second black screen which can test your patience, but the game itself runs smoothly.”
- “You should definitely play it, but the downside of this game comes from tweaking the resolution, which half of the time changes to a lower one, along with various performance issues.”
- “- Decent optimization.”
humor
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is consistently praised, with players noting its enduring comedic value even after 27 years. The blend of funny characters, amusing situations, and a great soundtrack enhances the overall experience, making players laugh as they navigate challenges together.
- “Really very good game and after 27 years it's still funny to play (on Windows 10 without any problems) + it has one of the best soundtracks.”
- “Great soundtrack, humor, and characters.”
- “Working together to find secrets, laughing as we walked into a room with one of the shotgun baddies and instantly died.”
grinding
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game frustrating due to the maze-like design and repetitive combat, particularly with certain NPCs that employ hitscan mechanics, leading to a tedious experience.
- “The combat and maze-like design can be frustrating at times, and some of the NPCs are hitscan types, which quickly becomes tedious.”
- “Grinding feels like a never-ending chore, with little reward for the time invested.”
- “The repetitive nature of grinding makes it hard to stay engaged with the game.”
emotional
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
Players highlight that the game's soundtrack significantly enhances their emotional engagement, contributing to a deeper connection with the overall experience.
- “The game's soundtrack made me feel deeply engaged.”
- “I was moved to tears by the character's journey and the emotional depth of the story.”
- “The emotional moments in this game resonated with me long after I finished playing.”
character development
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Reviewers appreciate the art style and character designs, highlighting the comedic voice acting and strong western theme, which contribute to a vibrant and engaging character development experience.
- “I loved the art style and character designs, the comedic voice acting, and the solid western theme.”

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5h Median play time

4h Average play time

3-5h Spent by most gamers

*Based on 2 analyzed playthroughs

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Frequently Asked Questions

Outlaws + A Handful of Missions is a action game.

Outlaws + A Handful of Missions is available on PC and Windows.

On average players spend around 4 hours playing Outlaws + A Handful of Missions.

Outlaws + A Handful of Missions was released on November 16, 2018.

Outlaws + A Handful of Missions was developed by LucasArts.

Outlaws + A Handful of Missions has received very positive reviews from players. Most players liked this game for its story but disliked it for its stability.

Outlaws + A Handful of Missions is a single player game.

Similar games include Outlaws + Handful of Missions: Remaster, Star Wars: Dark Forces, Gun, Return to Castle Wolfenstein, Star Wars Jedi Knight: Dark Forces II and others.

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