Personally, I really enjoyed The Outer Worlds when it was released in 2019. That’s because it feels like a solid Obsidian Entertainment game that many people have played before, while still building from the best parts of previous RPG titles. Still, it still manages to be a fully functional, engaging, and occasionally hilarious RPG that combines some interesting elements.
That said, The Outer Worlds 2 delivers on the premise that things can get bigger and better if you slap some extra numbers on the end. In many ways, it stands as a great sequel, thanks to its engaging gameplay, unique world and environments, clever writing, and general self-awareness.
Unfortunately, it’s not perfect due to awkward third-person gameplay and a rushed third act, but with closer gunplay, an expanded Flaws system, new upgrades, character traits, and planets to explore, The Outer Worlds 2 demands your attention and deserves your time.
Get ready, Earth Directorate Agent.
The Outer Worlds 2 is set in the same world, but has no connection to the events of the first game. Our story, set in the future as a somewhat alternative reenactment of certain historical events, takes place in the Arcadia system, an interesting city with a mixture of wealth and corruption.
Here, a custom-created character takes on the role of an agent of the Earth Directorate and helps deal with various issues between Earth and its surrounding planets and colonies. Your mission is given to you early on and it sets the tone for the story, seeing you head to Arcadia to investigate some rift in space-time, but it’s probably being used for nefarious purposes and needs to be closed.
Naturally, once the true intentions of these rifts are revealed, the corruption between the totalitarian government known as the Protectorate and the Earth Directorate comes to a head and is clearly betrayed in a wonderfully well-paced opening sequence that gets the ball rolling. Unfortunately, the story slows down a bit more in the following hours, with the first act focusing more on understanding Arcadia and its people rather than taking some old-fashioned revenge. Interestingly, the third act feels surprisingly rushed and ends far too quickly.
Credit: Xbox Game Studios
However, I can definitely forgive the slow pace of business hours. Because it does a really good job of acclimating you to the speed of this world, which feels much larger and has more design and variety. There are worlds to explore, people to talk to, side quests to complete alongside the mainline quests, areas to sneak into, enemies to shoot, and upgrades to unlock. But more importantly, The Outer Worlds 2 does a good job of blending these elements into one coherent stream of progression, constantly making you feel like you’re building towards something bigger, or just making the most of your time.
The broader main mission quickly develops into a series of smaller side missions that accommodate a surprising number of choices through multiple approaches. Sure, you can’t avoid the odd fetch quest here and there, but I always appreciated how you could do things in order by the book, or throw out the rulebook altogether and make your own vows. For example, early on in the story you need to cross a bridge on your way to check out a certain area. This area is currently cordoned off by the military, so you can enlist the help of the guards on duty by finding two important characters and delivering them to her. But only if one of the two allows you to enter through a secret passage, you can choose to accept their new proposal or stick to your original agreement.
Credit: Xbox Game Studios
The Outer Worlds 2 as a whole is like this, and while it can seem a little overbearing for completionists, it does wonders at world-building throughout. The 30-odd hour story does a good job of exploring each of the game’s six main planets, with unique, densely detailed environments to explore, equipment to find, and secrets to uncover. But thankfully the writing is great throughout. There are so many conversations you have with so many different characters throughout the story, and it’s amazing how most of these conversations feel funny and believable, with a healthy dose of humor and self-awareness.
To play RPGs or not?
As far as general gameplay goes, The Outer Worlds 2 feels like a classic Obsidian romp. However, this is never a bad thing. Because between and between these core gameplay pillars, there’s a lot that makes this game better than the rest. There are still plenty of weapons to swing, shoot, and throw, and several enemy types to keep the action interesting.
The gunplay is also incredibly tight and responsive, and for someone like me who likes a flashy approach, doing things the “hard way” is definitely fun. You can now also slide and double jump, allowing for smoother movements and making combat feel even faster. You also have access to a time dial dial, allowing you to delay battles when things get weird.
Unfortunately, this is also the worst thing about third-person gameplay. I’ve never had a problem switching perspectives in previous Obsidian games, but in The Outer Worlds 2, third-person play felt a little too stiff and dull for my liking. It felt as if the character models weren’t given enough unique animations to make movements like sliding and jumping believable enough. As a result, I ended up sticking to that first-person perspective throughout the entire experience.
Credit: Xbox Game Studios
As with most Obsidian RPG titles, there are also plenty of customizable options to suit your gameplay style, including a list of set skills that you can upgrade along the way. As you earn skill points, you can choose to upgrade one of your primary skills from a list of options, including guns, melee, storytelling, lockpicking, stealth, and observation. Each typically affects how the game is played. Guns and melee attacks enhance combat efficiency and melee weapon strength. Categories like Speech, on the other hand, can unlock new responses that can help you get ahead a little faster.
Character creation has also been expanded to include more visually customizable options and unique character traits to choose from during the initial creation process. These traits, similar to traits in previous Obsidian games, essentially improve some skills early in the game to suit your intended playstyle. These traits can only be changed once again early in the story, so choose wisely.
But the deeper Flaws system is really hilarious and I honestly don’t see why it doesn’t feature in other experiences like this. As you play the game, your character will naturally gain certain advantages and disadvantages during gameplay. For example, if you get carried away with stealth and crouch too much, you’ll develop a flaw called “Bad Knees” that will slow you down by 50% and make your knees squeak when you get within 10 meters of an enemy, alerting them to your presence.
Credit: Xbox Game Studios
I had the pleasure of accessing the deluxe edition of the game for this review, and it too has the consumerism flaw: it reduces vendor prices by 15%, but it also reduces the value of the items you want to sell by 10%. Regardless of which mechanic you prefer, these are definitely earned as you play, so it’s good to know that you’ll encounter some special situations based on the drawbacks you acquire.
Finally, you’ll be able to choose six companions to adventure through The Outer Worlds 2. You can always take two of them with you. They’re all unique enough to bring their own personalities and abilities, and you also earn perk points to upgrade them as you progress. However, keep in mind that while the first two companions are automatically obtained at the start of the game, you will need to complete certain missions to unlock each of the remaining four.
Credit: Xbox Game Studios
Overall, all of these elements come together beautifully to create an RPG that’s as satisfying to actually play as it is to explore and grow both your character and your companions.
look at the part
The Outer Worlds 2 may be one of the most beautiful open-world games I’ve ever played. Packed with unique environments, impressive lighting, and incredibly detailed character models.
Xbox Series X allowed you to choose between three different visual modes: Performance, Balance, and Quality. Performance mode boosts the action up to 60 FPS with dynamic resolution that bounces between upscaled 1800p and 848p. Balanced mode delivers 40 FPS at up to sharper 1440p resolution, and the last quality mode delivers 30 FPS at up to upscaped 4K resolution.
Credit: Xbox Game Studios
All are fine, but Performance mode does drop some frames, so we ultimately recommend Balanced mode. It also helps a lot with draw distance and bringing out details in character models, making a difference to the overall experience.
final thoughts
While I’ve enjoyed The Outer Worlds to some degree, I feel The Outer Worlds 2 is a huge step up and makes it suitable for a wider audience. It benefits from clever writing and punchy gunplay, made all the more engaging by the new worlds you explore and the characters you meet.
The first act is a little slow and the third act feels a little rushed, but when it’s all said and done, I have to admit that it doesn’t detract from the experience as much as I thought it would. Despite the wonky third-person perspective, it was so easy to get around it that I almost forgot it was a problem.
Overall, there’s a lot to enjoy here, and I’m looking forward to going back and soaking up everything The Outer Worlds 2 has to offer.
4 1/2 stars (out of 5 stars)
Highlights: Solid gunfights. The Flaws system adds significant depth to gameplay. Plenty of choices with different missions and character upgrades. Sophisticated visuals. clever and humorous writing
Cons: Third-person gameplay feels a bit choppy. A hectic third act
Developer: Obsidian Entertainment
Publisher: Xbox Game Studios
Platform: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Windows PC
Available: Currently
Review was conducted on Xbox Series X using code provided by the publisher.
A featured header image is also provided by the publisher.
