For as long as I can remember, I’ve had a deep desire to convert a Volkswagon Vanogan and disappear into the woods. And while that life goal persists, it has yet to come to fruition. However, with the release of Outbound, my dream can be achieved within the world of gaming. Outbound had “big wheels” to fill as its been one of my most anticipated games of 2026. Fortunately it lived up to those expectations. Fans of resource gathering, base-building, and cozy living, buckle up! You’re in for a wonderful ride.

Boondocking

Outbound is a quintessential cozy game. More specifically it is an open world exploration game with the central focus being living in a van. And yes, you can design the van to your liking. Not only can you customize your character and van, but you get to choose your license plate. Think of it like your gamertag specific to the theme of the game. There are several van models to choose from and if you purchase the DLC, you unlock access to a school bus. Once your pick your vehicle and preferred colors, you set out on the road.

While there is no core narrative to follow, the game has plenty of objectives for players to chase. Roaming and collecting resources has been where I’ve sunk a lot of my own playtime, but the game gives clear directives on what to do next. There is an in-game journal complete with a map and progression bars for blueprints, resources, crafting, collectibles, and more. Tracked objectives remain on the upper righthand side of the screen while roaming the wilds as well. And while some things are locked behind progression of said objectives, exploration is not hampered, meaning players can wander at will without feeling locked into one area.

Blueprints unlock abilities that bolster van life. This includes better tools such as leveling up your axe or in-van installations such as sawmills and sewing machines. Deeper into progression comes base-building and the ability to turn your van into a rolling palace, creativity only limited by blueprint collection. A really neat twist to obtaining blueprints is turning collected litter into tickets required to download said blueprints. The van runs off of resources collected in-game such as lumber, making the whole expedition eco-friendly.

Objectives range the gamut from simply introducing players to core mechanics to puzzles that unlock progression pieces. The more introductory objectives are things like lighting a certain number of bonfires across the map. As mentioned, there are puzzles such as arriving to the stunning POV of a windmill and discovering the secrets within.  While not incredibly difficult, they’re fun little ways to interact with the world of Outbound.

Community and Companionship

While I prefer to enjoy the game in solitude, Outbound offers the option to play cooperatively with friends. This mode allows for four people total, yourself and three friends, to explore the world and create a van-life community. Online co-op allows for cross-play across varying platforms. Players are not limited if they are playing with a friend who is not as far into building and other progression areas. While the world is shared, upgrades such as blueprints and tools remain unlocked based on personal progression.

Early in the game, players can discover the magic of feeding wild bunnies that roam the map. By picking berries and feeding these little furry friends, they not only follow you around, but you can pet them. However, this is not the end of adorable critters in-game. Later players can find themselves at Paws & Whiskers Lodge. The quest here culminates in adopting your very own dog. You are limited to one dog and once named, like the license plate for your van, you cannot edit this information. Van life can be freeing but lonely and having a furry companion alleviates the loneliness.

However, your four-legged friend is not solely for companionship. Your dog comes with their own backpack. Yes, that backpack can be upgraded similar to your own with use of the sewing machine. If you play like me, this can help with being able to hoard more resources and not become overcumbered in the process. Of course, you can also pet the dog as well as teach them tricks and commands. And what’s life without a buddy?

Into the Weeds

The game runs on a day and night cycle. During the day you can do as you please, collecting resources or pushing objectives. At night, the game forces you to rest by removing the ability to sprint. If players attempt to sprint, text pops up stating your character is “too tired”. While you aren’t stopped from driving your van, I did find it a little limiting to not be able to explore on foot at night. Day cycles can feel short and hampering night exploration forces players to either rush or segment their game play.

As mentioned previously, you can become overcumbered. If you aren’t familiar with this as I am from such games as Fallout 76, let me explain. Your character can only hold so much. There is a small indicator at the bottom right of your screen that lets players know how full your backpack is becoming. Once the meter fills, you can no longer sprint. Fortunately, you can still walk, but if you’re a distance from your van, it’s going to take you some time to get back. Players can deposit resources into the van, which has much more storage. Using in-van workshops such as the food processor pulls directly from van storage.

Early on, this weight limit can be a bother. Especially if resource gathering is a main activity for players as it is for me. You do eventually unlock a sewing machine through the blue print system. This allows for backpack upgrades and as mentioned your dog also helps lighten the load. I tend to resource gather within a certain radius of my van so if I have to walk, it’s never for a great distance.

Rolling On

Outbound is much larger than I expected, which makes for a happy surprise. It’s evident that Square Glade Games, the developer and publisher, care a great deal about the community experience. The development team’s communications are incredible. And while initially gutted by the game’s delay, I have massive respect for their desire to polish their game. However, the care for the player experience doesn’t stop with the game we have in our hands currently.

Square Glades Games as released a road map of the future of Outbound. The roadmap outlines ongoing work being done on the game and stretches out into the rest of 2026. Ongoing work includes patches and quality of life changes. Summer is bringing fishing, a staple in so many great games. As we roll into fall, players can expect more wildlife. My only hope is that we can interact with them similarly to the wild rabbits running around currently. Winter will be a large update with NPCs and more. As of now players only “interact” with in-game characters via notes and letters strewn about the landscape. Finally, they wrap their road map up with more coming based on player feedback. With the changes made thus far based on community feedback, I have no doubt that we will continue to see great updates to this adorable game.

Verdict

Outbound is the perfect game for players who want to relax and enjoy the in-game world around them. There is plenty to do and see with a myriad of objectives and acreage to explore. Customization spanning from your character to base-building truly puts the player in control of their own adventure. I played on my PC, steam deck, and Switch 2 and the experience remained of consistent quality with no noticeable issues on either handheld device. A road map and continued updates from the development team shows that they’re planning for the long haul for van-life enthusiasts. As one of my most anticipated games of 2026, Outbound really hit the mark for me.

Jamie’s Score: 9/10

Outbound is out now on PC, PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Switch, and Switch 2.