Obsidian Entertainment is a renowned developer in the RPG genre, having created such gems as Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II, Fallout: New Vegas, South Park: The Stick of Truth, and more. In their expansive library of RPGs, The Outer Worlds sticks out as a particularly interesting sci-fi romp, reminiscent of the quirkier side of the Fallout franchise, but set in space. Now, six years after the first game was released, The Outer Worlds 2 arrives, promising yet another larger-than-life quest through the stars. In an era where open-world RPGs are more and more common, The Outer Worlds 2 doesn’t exactly break new ground, but it proves that Obsidian still has the chops to make a damn fine adventure.
Welcome to Arcadia
The original Outer Worlds game was set in the bustling colony of Halcyon, controlled by megacorporations in an era of hyper-capitalism, making for a sci-fi RPG with a uniquely goofy tone. While The Outer Worlds 2 retains a darkly comedic vibe and the crushing weight of megacorps, it whisks players to an all-new star system with grander problems to solve. This time, we explore the Arcadia star system, more specifically, the planet of Elysium and its surrounding moons. Here, several factions battle for all-encompassing power, while a potentially world-ending threat looms overhead.
You play as an officer in the Earth Directorate, the last governing body handling connections between Earth and the human settlements beyond our home planet. Sent to investigate rumors of massive space rifts that threaten the safety of reality itself, a terrible accident leaves you adrift in space for years, only to be saved and awoken in Arcadia with a new batch of problems.
From there, you set out to Elysium and encounter the three major factions, including the oppressive Protectorate government, the cult-like Order of the Ascendant, and the all-powerful megacorp, Auntie’s Choice. As an independent without existing loyalty, you are free to follow in the footsteps of these factions or forge your own path, your choices shaping the story to come. If you’ve played the first game, this might sound a bit familiar, and that’s because it is. For all intents and purposes, The Outer Worlds 2 treads familiar narrative ground, but does it with more fleshed out characters and expansive amounts of dialogue. For those who like a deep story with lots of moving parts, The Outer Worlds 2 offers it, occasionally at the cost of a smooth pace.
Fighting Around the Worlds
When you’re not hamming it up with the various factions, you spend most of your time exploring Elysium, completing quests and upgrading your character. You can play in first or third person, search for items, equip gear, battle monsters, and everything else you’d expect from a modern RPG. However, The Outer Worlds 2 does set itself apart with a unique leveling system. You have 12 skills to increase, but instead of standard skills like health and stamina, your choices include hacking, speech, engineering, sneak, lockpicking, and much more. While guns and melee weapons remain a focus, The Outer Worlds 2 often encourages you to engage with the world in other meaningful ways, often bypassing conflict with smart use of these other skills.
The Outer Worlds 2 puts its best foot forward when it comes to player agency, both in gameplay and in its storytelling. Like in the first game, your choices have lasting consequences on the story at hand, both in the big and small picture. This extends to your playable party, which includes six recruitable companions, each with their own motivations. Who you choose to bring along on your adventure can often have an unforeseen impact, and watching these companions interact with each other is a treat. In many ways, The Outer Worlds 2 offers abundant replayability, thanks to the many branching story paths and multitude of combat options.
In general, The Outer Worlds 2 is a satisfying sci-fi RPG, complete with memorable characters, entertaining quests, and a real feeling of player agency. It’s a remarkably bright and colorful game with a lot of personality, which extends from the smallest quests to the grandest reveals. Still, even with its unique RPG systems and branching narrative, it’s hard to deny that The Outer Worlds 2 feels like a safe bet. Compared to the first game, this sequel is bigger and better in many ways, but also notably similar. In short, it might be “more of the same”, but for those who enjoy Obsidian’s distinct RPG adventures, The Outer Worlds 2 is a worthwhile sequel, even if it doesn’t hold many surprises.
