Platform(s): PC (version reviewed), Xbox Series, PlayStation 5
Genre: Computer RPG, Sci-Fi

Back in 2019, Obsidian Entertainment released their take on dystopian sci-fi worldscapes ala Futurama (but with guns) through their computer role-playing game The Outer Worlds. While a little small in scale compared to their previous magnum opus Fallout: New Vegas, it was nonetheless really fun, has quite a few tuned-out RPG mechanics, and featured a solid cast of heroes and villains (like Parvati).

Fast forward to now, after an Xbox takeover, Obsidian is back with a sequel to its hit sci-fi RPG, and it’s just more of the same albeit some tweaks here and there. That’s not entirely a bad thing.

Capitalism: In Space

Just like past Obsidian titles, The Outer Worlds 2 uses a first-person perspective and a three-person party system to get things going. You play as a captain of the Earth Directorate who is tasked with dealing with a saboteur mission. After the obvious tutorial/prologue segment is done, and the eventual botch of the mission courtesy of the group’s traitor, the game skips 10 years ahead and you’re now back in the saddle.

For veterans of the first game, the Spacer’s Choice and Aunt Cleo’s faction have merged due to the latter’s hostile takeover during the timeskip, resulting in a “new” faction called Aunty’s. You also have The Order and the Praetoriats to deal with; one’s a numbers-crunching group of scientists while the other’s a bunch of space cops taking things to the extreme. Amidst all these factions wrestling for control, you have to pursue said traitor while also solving a new threat to the galaxy of Arcadia you’re in. All the while, you’ll be bombarded with ads from Aunty’s, radio stations with 50s-style music disguised as product jingles, and all sorts of newfound tech and weaponry to atomize aliens and vagabonds after you.

This also means you can really take your sweet time exploring whichever new planet you’re in. Whether it’s the peaceful seaside and valleys of Eden to the icy maws of Cloister, every place in the game is lavishly made and crafted, making each visit memorable. There will be secrets and loot to uncover and possess, as well as a ton of hostile fauna to kill off and soldiers and bandits to kill off, protecting their encampments or even government checkpoints leading to secret labs and bases serving their respective overlords. The Outer Worlds 2 will give you the tools to deal with them, be it with sheer violence or through the power of negotiation.

And it’s all thanks to Obsidian’s RPG knowhow. Character creation-wise, everything is determined at the start and finalized after the Prologue. You can choose your background -from the devil-may-care Renegade to the experienced-but-crooked Ex-Convict- and determine your focused skills and stats. But once you’re out of the Prologue, you’re locked to that playstyle from start to finish; no backsies, no respeccing. And that’s the beauty of The Outer Worlds 2; the entire world and levels are tailored after whatever build you play as. If you’re focused on stealth and sneaking around with little to no bloodshed, there are vents to open up and crawl through, as well as panels to hack either to open doors or activate security against the opposition. If you focus more on melee and brute force, you’ll get more passives that buff up your health, make you regenerate health often while also reduce your toxicity (more on that later), and just grill enemies better with melee weaponry, for which there’s a heckaton to use and steal/purchase.

To spice combat and puzzles a bit, The Outer Worlds 2 added in a few new mechanics to set itself apart from its prequel. Your inhaler -your go-to healing item- will build up toxicity via a new meter just below your health. Using it too much will fill that bar to the max, meaning you’ll crash out and can’t spam your healing until that bar’s completely empty. This discourages healing abuse, and make you use your cover when in a firefight, or make you evade and run more tactically if you’re planning to get close. Suddenly, those turrets and giant mechas are a lot more dangerous if you decide to tank through fights with healing, making you plan better and work harder to acquire better gear (or flat-out stealing it).

Gadgets are new to this series; you get a set amount of special important items, like special N-Ray goggles let you see through walls and find wires and traps, an acid tool that dissolves corpses if you’re sneaking about, and a Zyranium shield that protects you briefly from dangerous Zyranium gas-filled areas. While a couple of them aren’t that pivotal to the main quest -I got through 70% of the game without the shield, probably because I accidentally found the scenic route for these gas-filled scenarios- they do help in causing less accidents and quick-loads from your side. You’ll feel lots of pain having a daisy-chain of trip wires blowing up in your face forcing you to restart the segment because you didn’t bother pulling up your N-Ray goggles.

As you play through The Outer Worlds 2 your way, you’ll get pop-ups called Flaws that give you permanent buffs & debuffs that tie with your style of play. Some complement stealth play at the cost of keeping you in a crouching position (Bad Knees), some let you save money at the cost of less money when you sell your own goods (Consumerism), while others lessen your overall damage, but get a burst bonus if you hit any enemy hit by your Companions (Dependant). These help add challenges if you feel the game is easy on the difficulty you’re on; moreso if you pick the Flawed flaw that forces you to accept ALL flaws that pop up regardless of your playstyle and preference (though you get an extra perk point every 5 levels). My favourite flaw that made me laugh out loud is Kleptomania, which makes me randomly steal anything nearby whether I want to or not. This nets me more money when fencing stolen items, but risks me getting caught and punished by nearby authorities if I steal in plain sight.

All this, and a few other neat touches like more wacky weapons like a shrink ray and a gun that fires tiny flesh-eating animals, just makes the sci-fi Obsidian RPGing experience all the more meaty, fun to get immersed in, and adds ton of replay value if you want to try out different playstyles. I do wish that some aspects of the game got the same upgrade, like fast travel through planets being the same and not as convenient. This is noticeable in the latter half of the game where you’re completing side content involving your Companions (whom you can buff up and get better abilities) and going back and forth between planets a lot. I’m not saying add in better fast travel at the start, but at least open that option up closer to the game’s point-of-no-return section.

Speaking of which, The Outer Worlds 2’s companions aren’t as memorable as the first game’s. They’re not terrible by any stretch of the imagination: I like Niles’ stoic and revenge-filled attitude as he has a bone to pick with the aforementioned story traitor. Marisol’s old lady demeanor is a delight, while Aza’s obsession with murder combined with her peppy voice makes me have her 24/7 in my party just to hear more inane s*** spewing from her mouth. And they do leave you if you piss them off, so you are obligated to cater to their whims if you want them around for the long haul. But in terms of long-staying power and iconic face of the game, none of them are at Parvati-levels of uniqueness & quirkiness. Still, being just one podium shy of the best Outer Worlds character still means you’re an awesome companion to hang around with and get lovely conversations out of.

Beyond The Universe

The Outer Worlds 2 is more of the same CRPG you loved from the talented and diligent hands of Obsidian Entertainment. Whether you’re burnt out from open-world games is really on your spectrum, but this is what I prefer over a Bethesda-made open world title that focuses on quantity. I want quality RPG worlds to explore in; I rather have 6 planets with character than 100 randomly-generated explora-holes with random stuff that comes with neither rhyme nor reason. While I’m one of the outliers who fancy Avowed’s combat, I rather have a balance of talking and lore-building alongside gunplay and combat in my pure computer RPGs.

I’m just glad Obsidian delivers and then some in this packed sequel. While I prefer some tweaks to the UI and a few quality-of-life loading and fast-traveling buffs, preferably when I’m doing a lot of back-and-forth late game, everything else is sci-fi humour-laced dystopian goodness that needs 30 hours minimum to embrace and experience.

Pros

• Great story with branching paths, consequences, and humour.
• Beautiful aesthetics.
• Wackier & more unique arsenal in its tiered weapon/armour system.
• Loads of options for completing missions depending on your locked-in build.

Cons

• Companions aren’t as memorable as the first game’s (though still pretty solid).
• Long load times, lack of fast travel between planets, & other technical/UI issues.

Final Score: 80/100