In this article, we’ll be taking a look atObsidian Studio’slatest game,The Outer Worlds 2, releasing thisOctober 29th. This sequel follows up on the first game, which launched in 2019. While the original didn’t receive widespread acclaim like some of their previous titles, it garnered its own dedicated following. Obsidian has since promised to improve and upgrade the first game’s offerings to provide a better experience.
What Is Outer Worlds 2?
The Outer Worlds 2is the sequel to the first game by Obsidian Studios, known for their reactive RPGs and excellent dialogue in games likeFallout: New Vegasand thePillars of Eternityseries.
Although their recent release,Avowed, didn’t resonate with everyone, it was a decent game, and we had a “darn good” time playing it. We also thoroughly enjoyed the firstOuter Worlds. The series is unique for its satirical take on dystopian corporations within a sci-fi space setting, and the sequel aims to deliver even more of that signature humor.
The first game set expectations of"New Vegas in Space,“but it ultimately fell short of what fans had come to expect from the developers. With the second game, Obsidian is aiming for something bigger in scale and scope, striving to meet those fan expectations.
Story and Setting
Similar to the first game, which was set in the Halcyon colony,The Outer Worlds 2will take place inArcadia. This distant star system was colonized after the events of the first game, and three factions are now vying for control. You’ll assume the role of “The Commander,” an agent of Earth’s Directorate, sent to Arcadia to investigate the unfolding situation.
Expect more of the satirical humor found in the first game, set in a dystopian sci-fi future where corporations have taken over. This means quirky dialogues and a continuation of the first game’s themes.
The Outer Worlds 2 - What It is and What We Want To See From It
The Outer Worlds 2 - What It is and What We Want To See From It. We do know that it is supposed to be 2x the size of the original.
InThe Outer Worlds 2, you’ll encounter three distinct factions: theProtectorate(your militarized faction), theOrder of the Ascendant(your religious faction), andAuntie’s Choice(the shady corporate faction). These three groups will compete for control over the Arcadia system and the mysterious rifts that are forming.
Obsidian is promising more reactive quests based on players' decisions, both within the major storyline and companion narratives. Without a doubt, the game and its storylines will feature multiple endings influenced by your choices.
Gameplay and Thoughts
Xbox kicked off their showcase with a new trailer forThe Outer Worlds 2, followed by a 30-minute developer direct segment after the main presentation. During this, they revealed plenty of gameplay and what the game has to offer.
As a staple of any RPG, let’s start withcharacter creation. While they didn’t show off the character creator in the traditional sense, you’ll most likely be able to customize your character’s appearance.
Although you’re not a blank slate, but rather playing as an agent sent by the Earth Directorate known as “The Commander,” you’ll still choose yourbackground, which will undoubtedly offer unique interactions with NPCs depending on your selection. In addition to your background, you’ll be able to selectperksthat provide extra attributes and abilities for skill checks. However, one of the more interesting aspects of character creation from the first game, the “flaws” system, makes a return.
They showcased a fan-favorite flaw, “Dumb,” returning, demonstrating how it allows you to choose “dumb” options in dialogues or interactions during missions. This can be quite hilarious, like sticking a tin can in place of a missing fuse to turn on a machine.
They also showed other flaws, such as “Bad Knees,” where you’ll make a loud popping sound when standing up from a crouch, alerting everyone in the room to your presence. Another, “Kleptomaniac,” means you’ll sometimes steal items just by looking at them, making shopping a risky endeavor. It’s a certainty there will be other fun, quirky flaws, each with its own benefits and risks.
These different skills, perks, and flaws will allow players to tackle problems in multiple ways, as demonstrated in the video. One scene showed how you could get through a jammed door by various means, depending on the perk you possessed.
In addition to overcoming obstacles, these skills and perks will allow us to tailor our playstyle, whether you prefer a full assault build using weaponry or a stealthy approach, assassinating enemies with silent takedowns.
Hopefully, the game offers a variety of ways to mix and match all these perks to create a unique playstyle for players. Personally, I can’t wait to discover what kind of crazy combinations we can come up with.
The Developer Directalso showcased a mission called “The Bridge,” which can be tackled in multiple ways, ranging from going in guns blazing to sneaking underneath the bridge, or even bypassing it entirely by jumping across a gap. The possibilities presented in the showcase look quite promising. I genuinely hope this level of variety isn’t limited to just a few missions but is present throughout the entire game, where the first playthrough experience can vary wildly from person to person, with each subsequent playthrough offering new and different ways to progress.
The next exciting aspect is the return ofscience weapons—fun, quirky tools that allow players to do crazy things. Theshrink rayreturns in the sequel, and Obsidian has expanded on this weapon by allowing players to step on enemies they’ve shrunk, which wasn’t possible in the first game. So, we’re expecting more of these weapons, which will undoubtedly be some of the most enjoyable to use.
During the developer direct, it was mentioned that we’ll also be gettingscience armors, one of which is a living armor that attacks nearby enemies. We can’t wait to see what else Obsidian has in store for us.
One of the most common criticisms of the firstOuter Worldswas that thegunplaywasn’t the best. It seems this time around, they’re working hard to deliver a good experience. From the footage shown, the gunplay looks chunky and weighty, less “floaty” compared to the original. It also appears thatTactical Time Dilation, where time slows down to allow you to shoot at weak points, is making a return.
Although they didn’t mention any specifics regarding the size of the explorable maps, we will be getting at least three cities related to the three factions. Hopefully, we’ll see a larger explorable space compared to the original game, as it was quite small and, at times, underwhelming.
Another important aspect we expect from an Obsidian RPG is goodcompanions, and hopefully, they deliver. During the showcase, we got to see some colorful companions, ranging from fellow Earth Directorate Agents to psychopathic cultists.
It will be interesting to see how we can interact and form bonds with these companions, as they are an essential part of a good RPG and characters you’ll spend the majority of your time with. It’s always engaging to get different perspectives from your companions, and Obsidian delivered this experience in spades withFallout: New VegasandPillars of Eternity. We’re hoping for something similar inThe Outer Worlds 2.
A cool feature they’re adding toThe Outer Worlds 2, and something I personally missed in Bethesda’s space RPG, is theradio. Just listening to the radio while exploring the radioactive wasteland inFallout 3andFallout: New Vegaswas a unique experience and greatly helped with immersion. I’m so glad this feature is making a return inThe Outer Worlds 2. As showcased in the developer direct, the radio will play original tunes depending on the city you’re in and will feature broadcasts reflecting your in-game actions. While it may not directly impact gameplay, it will go a long way in enhancing immersion, which I felt was sorely lacking in the other space RPG.
Another addition I’m sure many people will appreciate is the inclusion of athird-person modeforThe Outer Worlds 2, as the previous game was locked into first-person. Personally, I prefer a first-person viewpoint, as it generally feels more immersive for me, but the third-person option is a welcome change.
Visuals and Thoughts
The Outer Worldsseries leaned towards a more cartoony art style in the original, and they’re staying true to that, continuing with the same aesthetics, which I personally don’t mind. I’m glad to see they’re also sticking close to the original character designs. I appreciate this, as it’s always jarring when a sequel or spin-off adopts a hugely different art style compared to the original, which was the case withAvowed.
AlthoughAvowedwas set in the same universe and continuity asPillars of Eternity, you couldn’t tell at a glance and wouldn’t know unless you delved into the lore.
The colorful, vibrant art style felt fitting for the satirical tones of the game, and it doesn’t feel out of place in the sequel either. There’s a noticeable upgrade in visual fidelity as the game will be running onUnreal Engine 5. From what was showcased, I didn’t see any frame stutters or drops, which the engine is sometimes known for, in the footage we all got to see.
The visuals of the gameplay look great, and it seems we’ll be getting a good variety of environments to explore, from science labs and factories to frozen tundras and alien forests. The developers did mention a shift from the first game, which was all about dystopian corporations on a frontier colony. Now, they’re taking an approach closer to World War I-era militarized locales, and I’m interested to see how that translates to the cities we’ll be visiting.
My one concern is theenemy designshown in the showcase. We didn’t get to see much enemy variety apart from some huge insects, robots, and humanoids. I truly hope we get the chance to fight against some unique aliens beyond the bugs that were presented.
Moving on, thegunslook interesting, and it seems we’ll be getting the full range, from conventional triple-barreled shotguns and revolvers (in space!) to weird guns that shoot tumors that consume enemies.
The details of the gunplay look decent, with different types of guns reacting uniquely. For example, gunpowder weapons like shotguns have a bit more kick compared to energy weapons, which send out sizzling bolts of electricity.
The visual effects of the guns, especially the energy weapons and science weapons, look great, and I’m really hoping they deliver on their promise of better feedback from using the guns.
Although we didn’t see anything too crazy during the showcase, I’m really hoping Obsidian takes full advantage of the space setting and delivers some truly out-of-this-world visuals and aesthetics.
Final Thoughts
The firstOuter Worldswas Obsidian Studio’s take on"Fallout in Space.“While it didn’t quite stick the landing with most of the player base, it still managed to gather some fans, and we had a great time playing it. Few people were expecting a sequel, so everyone, including us, was surprised when it was announced. However, from what they’ve showcased,The Outer Worlds 2looks promising.
One significant point I’d like to address forThe Outer Worlds 2is that this will be the first$80 gamepublished by Xbox, though it will be available onGame Pass Day One. The first game left many fans feeling disappointed, and the sequel has to prove itself and demonstrate that Obsidian can still deliver unique RPG experiences. However, the asking price may become an additional barrier for some.
Furthermore, the game will be usingUnreal Engine 5. While it won’t be the most demanding game out there in terms of hardware, games using this engine are notorious for performance issues. Since we don’t have any information on the recommended specs for this game, I’m guessing you’ll need a capable rig to play it on maximum settings without problems, especially in light-source-intensive scenes, due to the Unreal Engine.
The game will be releasing onOctober 29, 2025, on PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC, and will also launch Day One on Game Pass. I’m quite confident that Obsidian is in the polishing phase of the game, four months before the planned release date. I don’t anticipate a delay, and even though they’ve already revealed a lot of information, I’m sure we’ll get more as we get closer to the launch date.
Overall, the game does look impressive and promises to deliver a bigger and better experience compared to the original. Hopefully, Obsidian will stick the landing this time, because it truly does look like"Fallout in Space.”
Honestly, I’m not expecting any new and innovative mechanics for the formula, or even outstanding gunplay and combat, as these are never the main focus of these games.
However, I am expecting compelling characters and interesting stories from Obsidian. After all,Pillars of Eternitydelivered a very interesting original story in a new setting, andFallout: New Vegasremains a fan favorite. If they can deliver on that,The Outer Worlds 2is a win for me.
So, would I recommend this game?If you have Game Pass,yes. There’s no reason not to check it out, even if you haven’t played the first game. It’s a different story if you don’t have or can’t get a Game Pass subscription.
The initial asking price can be a barrier depending on your budget, and we can’t say with certainty that it is or isn’t worth the $80 USD price point based on trailers and previews alone. But, I am cautiously optimistic aboutThe Outer Worlds 2.
This wraps up our preview article forThe Outer Worlds 2. I hope it helped you get a better understanding of the game and what to expect from the title. I’d also love to hear your thoughts and opinions on the sequel, whether you played and enjoyed the first game or not. And if you didn’t, why? What didn’t you like about it, and what would it take for you to give the sequel a shot? Please let us know in the comments below, and I wish you all a good day!
