Hood: Outlaws & Legends

Hood: Outlaws & Legends is a multiplayer stealth-action game that rewards sloppiness over cunning. That can be fun, but it also badly needs more content.

Hood gives you glimpses of a new and exciting multiplayer concept, but its many, many design flaws keep the game from delivering.

Sumo Newcastle's debut is an engrossing but substanceless heist game - and an interestingly grim take on Robin Hood.

An accessible online heist game with some fun but clumsy systems and an ugly presentation.

Hood: Outlaws & Legends should be applauded for doing something different. In a just world, this release would steal players from larger brands and establish itself as a unique online alternative – but right now, its community is small. Assuming you can find a match, the stealth-based competitive gameplay is refreshing, and while it's not without its drawbacks, it can be seriously satisfying when you work as a team to achieve your objectives unnoticed. There's huge potential here, Sumo Newcastle just needs to find a way to keep its playerbase engaged.

Hood: Outlaws and Legends is an excellent change of pace from your standard online multiplayer games. The PvPvE style works surprisingly well, creating new obstacles and offering unique strategies at every corner.

Hood: Outlaws & Legends offers a barebones experience that is best played with a dedicated team of wolves. Those seeking fame and riches on their own may find themselves lamenting the lack of content both available day one and what's to come in the first year roadmap. Hood may certainly grow in the future, but the first impressions leave much to be desired.

Time will tell if Sumo Digital can iron out the many creases prevalent in Hood: Outlaws & Legends. Providing that the early player-base is patient and/or willing enough to stick around for what's coming.

Hood: Outlaws and Legends offers players a fun and tense experience but it is oftentimes held back by technical problems, glitches, and other minor issues. When it functions as expected, Sumo Digital's game feels unique, especially when compared to most online experiences. Considering there's no narrative or single-player campaign to fall back on, the game will ultimately live and die based on its community. While many of the game's problems are not game-breaking, the server issues could be the Achilles heel if not addressed. With extensive free and premium Year 1 DLC plans already in place, Focus Home Interactive and Sumo Digital are hoping that the allure of new content and the dynamic elements of its game will keep players coming back.

It’s a title that is rich within the lore of Robin Hood and his Merry Men, but also, it’s amazing well scripted, offering a story that is often told through the scenery itself and the overall design of the game. It’s a damn shame, however, that many may not experience Hood: Outlaws & Legends for quite some time, if at all, as it’s one that truly tries to bend the mold, do something new, and offer an experience, unlike anything we’ve seen before.