Game: Outcast Tales
Developer: Hardlane Studio
Publisher: Inner Pocket
Genre: Roguelite Tactical RPG
Released: October 26, 2026
Price: Free (no microtransactions)
Platform: PC (Windows, SteamOS / Linux)
🎒 How we reviewed it: on PC, via Steam. Outcast Tales is completely free, with no store, no in-game currency, no paid DLC and no supporter packs, so there was nothing to buy. We’ve also noted what early players are saying where it helps.
$0Price
0Microtransactions
15Endings
59Achievements
3Heroes per Crew
🎁 Know this first: it really is free. Not free-to-play: free. There’s no shop, no battle pass, no in-game currency and, according to the developers, no paid DLC or supporter packs planned. If you played the demo, your progress and unlocks carry over automatically. It’s single-player only, and it’s currently available in English and Russian.
☢️ Adventuring With Complete Idiots
Outcast Tales is a challenging, post-apocalyptic, roguelite turn-based RPG about the psychological stresses of adventuring with complete idiots. You lead a crew of three flawed heroes across a ruined world full of robots, mutants and desert raiders, and mostly try to survive the consequences of their own terrible decisions.
The question at the heart of every run: can you keep your heroes together when everyone thinks they’re in charge?
Be tactical. Or mash buttons. Might work just as well.
From developer Hardlane Studio and publisher Inner Pocket (the team behind Burn With Me), Outcast Tales mixes Darkest Dungeon-style turn-based fights with node-map roguelite runs, choose-your-own-adventure events and a surprisingly rich relationship system. Players keep comparing it to Darkest Dungeon and Wildermyth set in a post-apocalypse, and that’s a pretty fair description. It launched with a Very Positive rating on Steam, and the most common review is some version of “why on earth is this free?”
Our verdict: “Hardlane Studio crafts a compelling tactical RPG where your squad’s personality-driven relationships matter as much as strategic combat.”
Class + Personality = Chaos
The cleverest idea in Outcast Tales is that every hero is built from two choices: a class and a personality. Together, they shape that character’s abilities, how they handle events, and how they get along with the rest of your crew. As the developers put it, a Preacher Mercenary and an Antihero Mercenary will behave very differently.
⚔️ Turn-Based Fights
Robots, mutants and raiders all have tricks up their sleeves. Find their weaknesses and combine your abilities.
🎲 Skill Checks
Dozens of unique situations. The Pacifist talks, the Egghead sets traps, the Daredevil starts blasting.
💞 Relationships
Heroes can form deep bonds, fall in love or come to despise each other, all depending on your choices.
📺 Twitch Integration
Let your chat vote on events, routes and upgrades. They love you. Probably.
That system is what keeps runs feeling fresh. Your crew might become a wholesome found family or three strangers constantly at each other’s throats, and the personalities you pick can even change which of the game’s 15 endings you unlock. One player who finished four reasonably complete runs said they still weren’t seeing much repetition, thanks to how much events depend on who you bring along.
Genuinely Funny
😂 A Party Made Entirely of Idiots
Roguelites often treat story as an afterthought. Outcast Tales doesn’t. The writing is one of its biggest strengths: once you’re past the tutorial, it’s sharp, frequently hilarious and full of banter between your heroes. Several players single out the humor as the thing that hooked them, and one appreciated that the narrative is a substantial part of the game rather than flavor text between fights.
The hand-drawn, comic book art style suits it perfectly. It’s easy on the eyes, the main characters have plenty of poses, and the world-building comes through in every screen. There’s no voice acting, but for a free game, nobody’s complaining.
Know Your Crew
You’ll unlock more heroes as you play, including the brand-new Alchemist added at full release. Here are some of the classes and personalities you’ll be mixing and matching:
The Alchemist
New at launch
Uses a life-loss mechanic and hands allies stimulants that boost their defenses.
Mercenary · Technomancer · Savage · Hound
Some of the classes
Each class has its own abilities, and many are strongest in combination with others.
Pacifist · Egghead · Daredevil
Some of the personalities
Personalities change how heroes tackle events, from talking their way out to setting traps or opening fire.
Preacher · Antihero
More personalities
Pair one with a class and you get a hero with a completely different set of skills.
Players’ advice: choose your class and personality carefully. They matter more than you’d think.
Where It Stumbles
⚠️ A Few Rough Edges in the Wasteland
1. You probably won’t win your first run. Like most roguelites, Outcast Tales leans on meta-progression. One player felt it was close to impossible to win before unlocking upgrades, which made early runs feel like wasted time. Another found some early encounters a little unfair.
2. Not as deep as Darkest Dungeon. The combat is solid, and many players call it above average, but at least one player found it simpler and less deep than the game it’s compared to most. Another found the fights repetitive.
3. A small roster. One player wished there were more heroes, with some locked at the start, and noted that you can’t change their appearance at all. If you pick characters for their looks, you’re stuck with what’s there.
4. Two languages. It launched in English and Russian only, though the developers are recruiting volunteer translators.
🤔 So Why Is It Free?
It’s the question in almost every review. According to the developers, they simply want as many people as possible to play it without a price barrier. They’ve criticized games that are “free” until a store or battle pass appears, and promised “no microtransactions, no dark patterns, no catch.” They also say publisher Inner Pocket won’t profit from it.
If you want to support the team, they’ve asked players to leave an honest Steam review, tell friends or join the translation team. In their words: “Keep your money.”
🎮 Platforms & Settings
Available on Windows and SteamOS / Linux, with full controller support (Xbox and PlayStation). Steam Deck compatibility hasn’t been rated yet. It’s light on hardware, with a minimum of a Core 2 Duo and 3 GB of RAM. There are nine accessibility features, including adjustable text size, adjustable difficulty, camera comfort options, a mouse-only option and save anytime. There’s also Steam Cloud, leaderboards and Family Sharing.
The Good, The Bad, & The Ugly
| The Good |
The Bad |
The Ugly |
| Actually FreeNo store, no battle pass, no DLC, no catch. |
Brutal First RunsMeta-progression can make early runs feel unwinnable. |
No Appearance OptionsYou can’t customize how your heroes look. |
| Class + PersonalityA clever system that makes every crew different. |
Simpler CombatNot as deep as Darkest Dungeon, and some find it repetitive. |
— |
| Genuinely FunnySharp, frequently hilarious writing and banter. |
Small RosterOnly a handful of heroes, with some locked at the start. |
— |
| Gorgeous ArtA hand-drawn comic book style that fits the world. |
Two LanguagesEnglish and Russian only, for now. |
— |
| 15 EndingsPlenty of reasons for “one more run.” |
— |
— |
The Verdict
Outcast Tales would be an easy recommendation at $20. At $0, it’s a no-brainer. It’s a polished, funny, genuinely clever tactical roguelite, with a class-and-personality system that makes every crew feel different, writing that’s actually worth reading, and enough endings and events to keep you coming back for a long time.
It isn’t perfect. The combat isn’t as deep as Darkest Dungeon’s, early runs can feel stacked against you, and the roster is small. But those are the kinds of complaints you have about a game you can’t stop playing. As one player put it, it’s the definition of “one more run before bed” that turns into a 4 a.m. bedtime.
The honest read: if you like Darkest Dungeon, Wildermyth or turn-based roguelites, download it right now. It costs nothing, and it’s better than plenty of games that cost a lot more.
For more game reviews, check out our full reviews section.
Score Breakdown
Class & Personality System9.0/10
Difficulty & Fairness6.5/10
Final Score
8.2/10
Outcast Tales — Hardlane Studio
A polished, hilarious tactical roguelite that costs absolutely nothing.
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