If Star Trek represents humanity’s optimistic future, The Outer Worlds 2 presents a nihilistic, corporate-run nightmare—and a highly entertaining one at that. This sequel from Obsidian Entertainment is a significant step up from the original, delivering a more grounded story, substantially improved combat, and an irresistible RPG progression system. Over a 65-hour completionist playthrough, I grappled with compelling moral dilemmas and explored an absurdly satirical galaxy alongside a memorable cast of companions. Despite a weak first act and a glaring lack of enemy variety, the experience is a rewarding journey through a kafkaesque final frontier.
The Outer Worlds 2 is a traditional single-player, open-world RPG, following the blueprint established by titles like Fallout and Dragon Age. As a follow-up to the 2019 original, it once again casts players as a uniquely capable individual empowered to shape galactic conflicts, all while gathering a crew of snarky companions. The game presents a new dystopian system to navigate, encouraging players to level up, gather loot, and solve deep-seated problems with decisive action. While not a novel concept, it is executed with a level of quality that surpasses most recent entries in the genre.
This sequel relocates the action from the Halcyon system to Arcadia, a new corner of the galaxy where unchecked capitalism has transformed planets into corporate-owned territories. The tone shifts towards a more grounded narrative, focusing on the intricate politics between Arcadia’s factions. The game excels when it forces players into difficult judgment calls, deciding which of these deeply flawed organizations represents the lesser evil. This emphasis on political maneuvering is reminiscent of Obsidian’s classic, Fallout: New Vegas, where no choice is simple. Factions like Auntie’s Choice, a supposedly pro-freedom entity that functions as an oppressive monopoly, and The Protectorate, an openly fascistic society, present complex moral quandaries. Even seemingly reasonable groups, such as the science-driven Order of the Ascendant, are revealed to commit atrocities in the name of a predicted future, forcing players to constantly question their alliances.
While the political intrigue is the game’s narrative core, it takes a considerable amount of time to develop. The story’s first half, which can span around 20 hours, is dominated by a forgettable revenge quest. Although this initial act serves to introduce the key players in Arcadia, the main plot feels slow and unengaging. The narrative finds its footing in the second act, but the inconsistent pacing is a notable drawback.
The character progression, however, is consistently gripping from the outset. With only two skill points per level to distribute across 12 skills, every choice feels meaningful. This is further complicated by an extensive perk tree where powerful abilities are locked behind prerequisite skill levels, demanding careful planning to build an effective character. The standout feature of this system is the return of Flaws. The game tracks player behavior and offers optional traits that provide a benefit at a significant cost. For instance, the Kleptomaniac flaw increases the sale price of stolen goods but causes the character to occasionally steal items automatically. These irreversible choices have a major impact on gameplay and can lead to hilarious or challenging consequences.
Combat marks another area of significant improvement. Gunplay is snappier, and mobility is enhanced with slides and double jumps. More importantly, the arsenal is filled with creative and satisfying sci-fi weapons, such as a silent shotgun that melts targets to avoid detection or another that grows stronger with each kill. Extensive weapon and armor modifications provide further strategic depth. While the combat doesn’t reach the precision of a dedicated first-person shooter—aiming can feel slightly loose and hit detection can be inconsistent—it is a substantial upgrade for an open-world RPG.
The primary weakness in combat is the dismal enemy variety. Each planet typically features only two or three types of native creatures alongside standard humanoid and robotic foes. Familiar enemies are overused to the point of exhaustion, making exploration feel repetitive. Compounding this issue is the decision to use finite, hand-placed enemies that do not respawn. Once an area is cleared, it remains permanently empty, stripping the world of life and the potential for emergent encounters. While a robust fast-travel system helps mitigate backtracking through these lifeless zones, the design choice remains a significant detriment.
The Outer Worlds 2 features four main destinations, each with a distinct atmosphere shaped by its controlling faction. Exploring the snowy temples of Cloister or the jungle backwaters of Eden is initially engaging, with plenty of interesting characters to meet and quests to complete. However, the enjoyment is often tempered by the aforementioned enemy repetition and the eventual emptiness of the maps.
A story-driven RPG often lives or dies by its companions, and this is where the game improves most dramatically upon its predecessor. The six main crew members each serve as a representative of their respective faction, effectively acting as mouthpieces for the galaxy’s competing ideologies. This design choice, reminiscent of classics like Mass Effect, makes the world’s complex politics easily digestible and provides a personal connection to the overarching narrative. While the cast is mostly memorable, some characters are less developed. The engineer Niles is defined by a revenge plot that resolves early, leaving him with little relevance, and the robotic assistant Valerie, while amusing, feels disconnected from the central story. Unfortunately, these are some of the first companions encountered, which can make a weaker first impression before the stronger personalities join the crew.
