Nightdive just revived LucasArts’ 1997 Western FPS in 4K/120fps — but is $29.99 fair?

Outlaws rides again – here’s why this remaster actually matters

Nightdive Studios has dragged LucasArts’ 1997 Western shooter Outlaws back into the saloon, cleaned it up, and slapped a shiny badge on it: 4K support, up to 120fps, high-resolution textures, redrawn artwork, achievements/trophies, full gamepad support, and the Handful of Missions expansion baked in. It’s out now on PC and consoles at $29.99. For players, that means a cult-classic FPS that used to be finicky to run on modern systems is now plug-and-play, fast, and feature-complete – with legit multiplayer back online.

Key takeaways

• Full 4K/120fps upgrade with redrawn art keeps the comic-book Western vibe intact while actually feeling modern to play.
• Handful of Missions expansion and four multiplayer modes (including the legendary “Kill The Fool With The Chicken”) are included.
• Quality-of-life updates – achievements/trophies, full controller support, and a behind-the-scenes vault — make this more than a basic port.
• $29.99 is on the pricier side for a 1997 FPS; worth it if you value preservation done right and want multiplayer that works in 2025.

Breaking down what Nightdive actually changed

Outlaws has always had a distinct identity: a gritty revenge tale wrapped in painterly cutscenes and a spaghetti Western score, but with FPS gunfeel that stood apart from its peers. This remaster leans into that identity without sanding off the edges. The 4K/120fps option is the headliner — the snappier frame rate makes revolver flicks and quickscope rifle shots feel crisp, especially during those tense town square shootouts. The high-res textures and redrawn UI keep the card-deck health/ammo motifs readable on modern displays without losing the cheesy charm.

Nightdive also rolled in the Handful of Missions expansion, meaning extra single-player content and a revived multiplayer suite. There are four modes, and yes, the brilliantly dumb “Kill The Fool With The Chicken” returns. If you missed it back in the day, it’s basically hot potato with poultry — chaotic, fast, and perfect for short sessions.

Achievements and trophies are a small thing that matter more than we admit; they give old-school campaign runs a reason to experiment beyond “shoot faster.” The “vault” of behind-the-scenes goodies is classic Nightdive: concept art, documents, and ephemera that treat Outlaws like the piece of gaming history it is. This stuff was hard to find for LucasArts shooters; having it curated in-game is a win for preservation nerds.

The gamer’s perspective: why this release hits different now

This caught my attention because Western FPS games are still rare. We’ve had fantastic entries like Call of Juarez: Gunslinger, but the genre mostly ceded the frontier to open-world epics. Outlaws is a reminder that tight, level-driven Westerns can work — punchy set pieces, readable maps, and weapons that tell stories: the .45 for duels, the brutal ten-gauge, a sawn-off for door-breach chaos, and that scoped rifle that felt exotic back in ’97.

Nightdive’s track record gives me confidence. They’ve become the go-to custodians of classic shooters, revitalizing everything from Blood to Dark Forces with the KEX-powered approach: modern rendering and input, minimal meddling with design. You’re not getting a reimagining; you’re getting the original game running like you remember it in your head — only without the CRT blur and Windows 98 tantrums.

Price check: is $29.99 justified for a 1997 shooter?

Here’s where I raise an eyebrow. Many Nightdive remasters land in the $10-$20 range, so $29.99 will feel spicy if you’re new to Outlaws. The counterargument: you’re getting the expansion, restored multiplayer, modern performance targets, high-res art, and archival extras. If you value preservation and want a version that’ll just work on PC and consoles for years, the price makes sense. If you’re remaster-curious and mostly want a weekend nostalgia hit, you might wait for a sale — but fans and preservationists are getting their money’s worth on day one.

Multiplayer and controller support: questions that matter

Full gamepad support is a big deal here. Outlaws wasn’t built for sticks, and Western shootouts feel very different without a mouse. The question is whether Nightdive’s aim-assist and deadzone options are robust enough for console comfort — their recent work suggests yes, but it’s something I’ll dig into before recommending a controller-first run. On the multiplayer side, four modes is enough for a strong nostalgia loop, but I’m curious about matchmaking, lobby tools, and whether any cross-platform play exists. If your fun is tied to quick pick-up games, those details will decide how long this stays installed.

Why now — and who it’s for

Outlaws launched into a meat grinder of late-90s shooters. It wasn’t better than Quake II in tech or Half-Life in narrative flow, but it carved out a mood that’s still unique: Saturday-morning-serial art direction meets hard-edged gunslinging. Bringing it back now isn’t just about nostalgia; it fills a gap. If you love compact, authored shooters with personality — not bloated sandboxes — this will hit. If you’re a LucasArts history buff, the behind-the-scenes vault is basically catnip. And if you’re a speedrunner? 120fps and modern input options are the difference between “charming relic” and “viable new category.”

Bottom line: Nightdive didn’t reinvent Outlaws; they respected it. That’s the right call. Just go in knowing what it is — a lovingly restored slice of FPS history with some goofy multiplayer spice — and not a secret Red Dead challenger.

TL;DR

Nightdive’s Outlaws + Handful of Missions remaster nails the feel with 4K/120fps, modern controls, multiplayer, and great archival extras. The $29.99 price is a stretch for newcomers but worth it for fans and anyone who cares about classic shooters done right.

If you’ve been waiting for a clean, console-ready way to play one of LucasArts’ most overlooked games, saddle up — this is the version to buy.