The Outer Worlds 2 Review

Obsidian Entertainment demonstrates its mastery of the working man’s RPG once again with the release of The Outer Worlds 2.

Continuing to lean on the familiar, The Outer Worlds 2 not so much reinvents the wheel, but instead taking its time to perfect it. The Outer Worlds 2’s combination of appealing Fallout-like RPG mechanics come together in an RPG that truly respects your time – and is all the better for it.

No overwhelming map of points-of-no-interest, no repetitive challenges… a well-constructed RPG that just works from start to finish.

That being said, those hoping for a more grandiose experience will not have The Outer Worlds 2 meet those expectations.

For everyone else, it’s the best game Obsidian has ever released.

The Outer Worlds 2 Review

I never dive too deep into the story in reviews…

One should experience The Outer Worlds 2’s story for themselves, but it’s very much what you would expect in a sequel to The Outer Worlds. The Outer Worlds 2 features fantastically sharp and witty writing, well-constructed characters, and a twisting narrative interwoven with a choice system that actually matters.

The comedic and satirical approach of The Outer Worlds 2 may be off-putting for some, so be forewarned if one likes RPGs with a more serious tone.

The true scope of the choices and consequences system doesn’t come into focus until the very end of The Outer Worlds 2, as the post-game scenes reveal the fate of the characters and worlds.

Conversation choices, quests you completed – quests you ignored – The Outer Worlds 2 features a maze of interconnected tunnels with a choice system filled with impact and meaning.

The Outer Worlds 2’s choice system is a refreshing change in an industry chock-full of illusion of choice nonsense.

Flaws make a triumphant return, offering players the freedom to develop characters in interesting ways

I had a relatively positive ending, but one skipped quest quickly became forgotten, completely changing the fate of my favorite companion.

The depth and complexities of The Outer Worlds 2’s choices blends perfectly with the digestible game length, adding variety and meaning to additional runs.

All without a 100-hour price tag to boot!

Vast planets to explore, with wortwhile plots and twists in all the right places

Combat is one area this title struggles. While its system is responsive, feels great, and blends melee and ranged weaponry for a fun hybrid, enemies sometimes felt like absolute sponges.

Regardless of difficulty, it wasn’t uncommon to sink a few clips into a single foe. Combat-centric skills were not neglected, instead choosing to explore more parts of the environment with the more interactive skills, but rushing through or avoiding battles toward the very end became quite common.

Enemy variety also felt quite lacking, with a limited selection of wildlife species and enemy types throughout.

This design choice does admittedly encourage smarter gameplay, with particular enemies being weaker to certain weapon and damage types. However, those looking to blast through may get a bit frustrated near the end.

Every single skill is rewarded

On its surface, The Outer Worlds 2’s Skill system doesn’t seem overly remarkable by RPG standards. Players can freely distribute points among 12 different choices, and although a few will need to be invested in a combat style of the player’s choosing, the variety builds a connective element with the environment like no other.

A robust Perk system offers near limitless build opportunities at every turn

No matter what skills one chooses, The Outer Worlds 2 always rewards the player.

Hacking into consoles, using Explosives training to reveal new paths, and manipulating conversations with Speech and Leadership add a healthy amount of variety. It can be a little disappointing to find so many areas and objects outside your Skill selection, but it’s never a letdown with the amount you actually have available.

It’s one of the many elements that make The Outer Worlds 2 the perfect RPG to play through multiple times.

The Outer Worlds 2 is Obsidian Entertainment’s best work to date – a perfect RPG for those seeking an old-school approach, one with more substance than expanse.

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