The Outer Worlds 2 Review: A Quality Evolution for Spectacular Spacefaring RPG

The Outer Worlds 2 is finally here and developer Obsidian Entertainment has a big job on its hands if it wants its fledgling RPG series to hit the same heights as its most storied games of the last two and a bit decades.

To give themselves the best possible chance of doing that, they have swung for the fences in several ways, leaning even further into role-playing elements, while at the same time doing everything they can to ensure the gameplay, combat and dialogue are all up to snuff.

I played The Outer Worlds on release day back in 2019 and I liked doing so, but it never managed to strike at my RPG-loving heart to evoke the same feelings that developer Obsidian Entertainment has managed to elicit on several occasions in the past.

The release of the first Outer Worlds was a positive one overall, but it was also a game that had some notable flaws that would need addressing if a sequel was ever to really make a success of itself. Whether it was the clunky gunplay or the fact that it felt like the story was going on around you, rather than with your character involved, there were some unfortunately meaningful reasons to not keep picking the game up to play.

Well, that sequel is now here and it has gone a long way to doing just that, countering the most egregious criticisms with some impressive leaps forward that should resonate with old players and potential new fans alike.

We’ll get into the specifics shortly, but the game is one that’s undoubtedly tighter than its predecessor, with tangible differences in how it feels to play. These are all noticeably deliberate and careful in nature, with subtle steps to evolve the original where needed, and outright revolutions in approach for the areas that needed the most attention.

The Story Still Takes Centre Stage

In news that will likely come as a relief to those who didn’t manage to catch the first game, this latest release is not a direct sequel. Instead, the developer decided to go with a standalone approach, and I think it’s fair to say that this was comfortably the best decision it could make.

First of all, it allows a lower barrier of entry for those who either played very little of the original, or missed it entirely. if you have previously had no contact with the world Obsidian has created, you won’t suffer by jumping straight into this one by any means.

Without dipping into spoiler territory, the story essentially follows our character, a Commander in the Earth Directorate, an organisation responsible for co-ordinating the home planet and its many colonies.

After we are sent to investigate rifts in space-time, it all goes (very) wrong, and we find ourselves scrambling for answers in the face of subversive actions from both individuals and organisations.

It’s a compelling introduction to what quickly becomes a rich and engrossing story with a cast of memorable characters along for the ride. Interactions with NPCs are effortlessly converstional and you’re able to work through the story in a way that feels natural and rewarding.

Not every story beat is an absolute hit, but for such a big game, it does a great job of keeping the player involved and interested.

All of that positivity aside, there are instances where I found my mind wandering onto other things. Though it was only very occasional, there are sections of the main story that can feel repetitive and you might find some people you encounter to be a little dry, but that is how people work in real life, so it’s tough to fault it for immersion here, even if it doesn’t necessarily do the game any favours during those brief moments.

After a small lull following the initial salvo, it rarely looks back, and there are a ton of ways to approach all of the different tales the game wants to tell. You’ll likely find just as much to enjoy in the tangential narratives as the main one (I certainly did), but it’s the variety that’s really commendable here.

Combat is Hugely Improved

Ask anyone who played the original and the most common complaint you’ll receive will relate to the gunplay and overall combat. Happily, this is also the area that the second game has improved upon more than any. You should notice it right away. The first gun you’re given is, as is so often the case with RPGs, a small pistol. While it’s noticeably lacking in killing power, it feels like an absolute revelation to use, an accurate and reliable gun that sets the tone for the much better weapons that you’ll get to use later.

Enemies are also great to fight against, behaving in a way that makes sense, and varying nicely depending on what their exact purpose is. Hit boxes are genuinely brilliant, and you’ll find that you’re able to shoot the thinnest sliver of a foe that’s exposed above the cover they are using.

The only caveat to the glowing praise above is some glitchy interactions between NPCs and the environment in high-intensity battle situations. The collisions can cause them to get stuck on occasion and, while it’s irregular enough to not detract from the game overall, it’s worth noting that you might come across something similar when you play.

While we’re discussing the environments, it’s fair to say that the developer has doubled down on the style they went for in the first, and it’s resulted in one of the coolest games you’re likely to see this year, aesthetically speaking. While some internal environments can get a little same-y (once you’ve seen one metal corridor with red lighting, you’ve seen them all), the overall approach is a beautiful one.

Arcadia (the main setting for the game this time around) is visually stunning and dense. It’s really important to emphasise the latter, because it’s a game world that feels full and alive, with small signs of everyone’s lives littered all over the place. And all of that makes it easier to become invested in the fate of the place, and that’s a huge bonus for the story overall, and its ability to pull the player in.

Time to Take A Trip to Space

If you’re looking for a new RPG to take over your time and absorb your evenings, The Outer Worlds 2 has every chance of doing just that. It’s not a massive departure from the first, so if you hated that for some reason, then you likely won’t enjoy it too much here either. That said, almost every area has been noticeably improved, and it’s an easy experience to recommend to those who like RPGs but have had no contact with The Outer Worlds up to this point.

It’s clear how much the development team has focused on improving the gunplay and combat, and it’s that which has made the game so playable. I found myself logging in and then, several hours later, realising I’d made very little useful progress and had instead just run around shooting stuff and exploring.

Every corner of the world has little features or well-designed locations that add to the overall tapestry of the game and make it a pleasure to wander around aimlessly. If you want to burn through the story, get your achievements and go, you can absolutely do that, but the real delight comes in taking the pressure off and seeing where the game takes you.

There are some minor gripes that perhaps hold it back from being a truly genre-defining experience. The stakes don’t feel high enough at times and there could be a little more urgency placed onto the player in certain situations, but it’s a highly-polished romp that should delight those who like old-school sci-fi and art nouveau.

It’s immersive, delightful fun and it’s packed with little moments that should see it resonate with a big audience. Whatever Obsidian decides to do next, they should look back on this release as one where they really got all the big calls right.

Pros: Much improved combat, more meaningful narrative, increased depth in all areas.

Cons: Occasional lapses in storytelling focus

For fans of: Obsidian RPG games, Starfield, Borderlands 4, Narrative Sci-Fi

8/10: Excellent

The Outer Worlds 2 is out in Early Access from 24 October, with a full release scheduled on 29 October, for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X (tested) and Series S, Microsoft Windows. A review code was provided by the publisher. Read a guide to our review scores here.