The champion of FPS remasters, Nightdive just revived a 28-year-old Wild West rival to Doom and Quake

Forget Red Dead Redemption; one of the earliest games to tackle a gritty Western storyline was 1997's Outlaws. That's not me saying it's a better gritty Western storyline than the one in Rockstar's beloved adventure, for the record, but it certainly started paving the way for it. Anyway, Outlaws was something of a cult hit - ambitious and featuring some gorgeous cartoon cutscenes, it was sadly drowned out by some of the best FPS games of its time. The likes of Doom 2, Quake, Hexen, Half-Life, and the original Turok all buried it in what was a highly competitive era. However, 28 years on, Outlaws is back, with a remaster that shines new light on its Wild West gunslinging. The studio behind this revival? You already know it's Nightdive.

The go-to team for an FPS remaster these days, Nightdive is at it again after having already tackled the likes of Blood and Heretic + Hexen this year. Outlaws is its latest target, and the studio is breathing new life into the revenge-fueled escapades of Marshall James Anderson. After outlaws killed his wife and kidnapped his daughter, his revolver is going to be working overtime as he blasts bad guys to save her.

You've actually got more than just your trusty .45 in your arsenal, with a scoped rifle (a rare thing to find in an FPS when Outlaws first released), a ten-gauge shotgun, and a devastating sawn-off all at your disposal. There'll be plenty of sticks of dynamite to fling around too.

As well as some satisfying shooting, Outlaws' striking cutscenes and soundtrack are hugely impressive for a game of its time. Its UI, which uses playing card-style icons as ammo and health indicators, is also a cheesy joy to behold.

So, what's Nightdive done in this new version? For a start, it's incorporated the Handful of Missions expansion into the remaster, so you'll get all of the content that LucasArts made for the original game. That includes four multiplayer modes if you want a shootout with your pals, one of which is the exceptionally named Kill The Fool With The Chicken!

Trophies and achievements have been woven into the new-look Outlaws, and you'll also find a vault "filled with golden behind-the-scenes nuggets," a hallmark of many of Nightdive's recent ports and remasters.

You'll also be able to play at 4K and 120fps complete with high-resolution textures, redrawn artwork, and enhanced rendering. While certainly looking sharper, it hasn't lost any of the charm, and the contrast between your cartoony hands and guns and the more realistic-looking environments still remains. Those wanting to play Outlaws using a controller can do so with full gamepad support.

Nightdive Studios' Outlaws + Handful of Missions Remaster is out right now. PC players can grab it for $29.99 / £23.99 from Steam, GOG, or the Epic Games Store. It's also available on consoles, too.