Outward 2 Beta Players Find a Powerful Early-Game Reward Hidden in Plain Sight

The Outward 2 closed playtest on Steam has given RPG fans their first taste of Nine Dots Studio's upcoming sequel. While the game retains the high difficulty and survival focus of the original, players are already sharing Outward 2 tips to help newcomers survive the early hours. One of the most notable community-reported discoveries is a hidden stash containing a powerful early-game item located near the starting zone.

According to a thread on the Outward subreddit, a cave marked clearly on the map lies close to the game's initial area. Many players might enter this cave, spot a high-health red spirit, and immediately flee. However, community reports suggest that you do not need to fight this dangerous enemy to get the loot.

By running past the spirit, players can pick up a powerful reward that is sitting in the cave. Some players have compared this find to the Drake Sword from Dark Souls—a strong early-game weapon that makes initial combat encounters much more manageable, though it does not trivialize the overall difficulty of the game. The cave reportedly contains several other useful items, along with a hidden chamber that players can access by breaking down a door.

While this cave serves as an unofficial Outward 2 guide post for struggling beginners, the playtest is also showing its rough edges. The beta has its share of bugs, which is expected for an early build. For instance, players have reported a bug with the conjure spell that creates duplicate friendly ghosts every time they load a new zone or rest at a camp. These clones do not follow the player but will attack nearby hostile mobs and drop standard loot upon death, persisting until the area resets.

Another strange bug allows players to interact with a merchant named Irkel by pressing their character into a specific corner of a wall. It is currently unconfirmed whether this merchant is supposed to be accessible or if they represent cut or future content.

For those looking to try the game themselves, the Outward 2 beta is currently accepting sign-ups through the game's official Steam store page.