Nearly six years have passed since the launch of The Outer Worlds, which introduced players to a future marked by corporate dominance and dystopian narratives through a mix of shooting and questing reminiscent of the Fallout series. In a preview of The Outer Worlds 2, scheduled for release on October 29, players are once again immersed in a unique narrative, this time taking on the role of an agent within the formidable Earth Directorate’s semi-militarized police force.
The game opens with satirical propaganda positioning the Earth Directorate as a protector of colonists against oppressive corporations and authoritarian regimes. However, players quickly find themselves embarked on a covert mission to the Arcadian system—an enigmatic dictatorship alleged to be the manufacturing hub for interstellar travel’s essential skip drives. The objective is to expropriate an unsealed skip drive core for further study and potential replication without the danger of explosive malfunctions, a notion that may resonate with advocates of the “right to repair.”
Choices Matter
Without detailing how the mission unravels or revealing the concluding twist of the prologue, it’s worth noting that the sequel retains the original’s hallmarks, including its retro-futuristic aesthetic and sharp, cynical humor. A blend of strong voice acting and adept motion capture effectively invites players back into the Outer Worlds universe, even when faced with over-the-top dialogue such as, “You’re not just a cog in the machine. You’re THE cog!”
Character customization is an integral part of the experience, allowing players to select various aspects including their appearance and background, which now features an array of intriguing prosthetic limbs. Unlike its predecessor which utilized a traditional set of D&D-style attribute points, The Outer Worlds 2 introduces broad skills and traits—both advantageous and disadvantageous—providing percentage-based modifiers that affect various gameplay elements, such as health and melee damage, as well as companion abilities.
The game emphasizes the importance of these choices more dynamically than before. Early on, players encounter a malfunctioning door that can be opened either through a character’s strength or technical skills, while those without the required traits must find an alternative route. The user interface offers insights into helpful traits needed for interactions, yet some gameplay paths remain inaccessible to characters lacking specific attributes.
Further enhancing character immersion, The Outer Worlds 2 crafts bespoke dialogue for NPCs depending on players’ selected backgrounds. For instance, assuming the role of a “Heroic” agent shifts the mission briefing toward the skip drive’s significance for “the imposition of righteousness,” while a “Professor” type, described as an Indiana Jones-like “full contact archaeologist,” may focus more on the drive’s role in advancing knowledge.
The game also highlights the weight of critical dialogue choices, with characters noticing how they are treated during key interactions. Without revealing too much, the implications of these decisions can span a medium term, encouraging players to save frequently in pursuit of the best narrative outcomes.
Intense Action
For those familiar with the original title, The Outer Worlds 2 maintains a familiar gameplay structure, introducing the Tactical Time Dilation mechanism that slows down time for precise shooting—though the absence of a double-jump dodge feature from the first game may disappoint some players, at least during the prologue.
During the initial action sequences, players can opt for a direct assault or adopt stealth strategies. Additionally, characters with high conversational skills may find themselves able to navigate encounters through dialogue rather than combat. Although playing on “Normal” difficulty may feel overly simplistic, “Hard” mode could present challenges that are somewhat excessive, highlighting the need for a balanced difficulty spectrum.
The prologue concludes before delving into significant game elements such as the leveling system and computer-controlled allies, offering only a glimpse of the broader gaming experience. Nevertheless, this initial look is enough to intrigue players, hinting at another satirical exploration of space adventure narratives.