The Outer Worlds: Review
Witty sci-fi shooter that puts the ‘R’ back in RPG
You wake up from hibernation after drifting in space for 70 years. Yes Ripley What happened is, you had drifted right through the core system — except your name isn’t Ripley and there aren’t any Aliens on this planet, well no xenomorphs anyway; instead you’re jettisoned from the colony ship Hope on to an alien planet, one of many planets controlled by the Halcyon corporation who are hiding a dark secret. Explore a vast world full of sharpshooting gameplay and intricate dialogue which will determine how your story unfolds.
My thoughts
The outer Worlds has a witty story that echoes Fallout’s satirical take on 1950’s corporate America. This game has solid RPG mechanics that aren’t just sprinkled on top; they’re combined with a first-person shooter to offer a deep role-playing experience that’s sadly lacking in many other games in its genre. Narrative exposition is minimal so you won’t have to sit through reams of cut scenes that explain everything, except for the odd introduction here and there. Thankfully, Obsidian have kept the mechanics simple and intuitive with no dialogue wheel giving you vague responses — yes I’m thinking of you BioWare.
Although there are obvious similarities with the Fallout series such as weapons modifications and some aesthetics, it’s true triumph lies where it is different. The Outer Worlds has Deep customization that echoes Obsidians RPG roots with an extensive list of skills that include aptitude, appearance, and strength. You can become a cashier and get goosebumps from the ka-chunk of a bit cartridge or a Bureaucrat that feels a surge of excitement when you stamp, file or reference something. The choices you make early in the game affect your relationships with other people and influence the progress of the story.
The game involves hop-skipping to distant planets and solving side quests, while you search for a way to revive your fellow colonists stranded in hibernation. You scavenge weapons, armor, and food, although you can also buy food from the various vending machines scattered throughout the game. There are some really neat sci-fi gadgets you can use during your quests such as a holographic shroud to change your appearance when you want to infiltrate certain areas. The textures and environments are created with Unreal Engine and they feel rich and diverse, even though the game does suffer from the odd frame rate drop.
I played The Outer Worlds on Normal mode and found the quests a little too easy; many situations are easily solved by crouching and skulking past your enemy or retreating to a save distance and using your Adreno Inhaler. However, there are other options to make the game more challenging including Hard Mode and Supernova, which probably speaks for itself.
- Story Mode: Enemies have less health and do less damage.
- Normal Mode: Enemies have standard health and damage.
- Hard Mode: Enemies have more health and do more damage.
- Supernova: Enemies have more health and do more damage, you must eat and drink to survive and companions can die permanently etc.
There are many decisions you have to make during the game including whether to divert power from the Geothermal plant to either the Botanical gardens or Edgewater; one represents a corporate lifestyle where it’s colonists numbly spout yes-ma’ am’s while the other is a colony of residents that think for themselves and want to escape the tyrannical control of the corporations. Branded goods from Spacer’s Choice and Auntie Cleo inhabit nearly every world you visit and their slogans are slapped on every product they manufacture and sell; despite their obvious health and safety issues. There’s also a communist Russia vibe to a lot of the artwork that appears during loading scenes giving The Outer Worlds a definite cold war feel at times.
Pros:
- Great atmospheric game play
- Beautifully animated
- Great musical score
- Great RPG mechanics
Cons:
- Short run-time
Verdict:
The Outer Worlds feels like a mix between a Bethesda and a BioWare game with Obsidian’s role-playing mechanics added with great flair and attention. It has enough artistic flourishes to make it feel unique and creates a world where your decisions matter. Although it’s run time isn’t the longest compared to others, it’s role-playing mechanics have genuine replay value that will keep you coming back for more. A superb amalgamation of Role Play and adventure that surpasses many other games in its genre.
Created by: Obsidian
Distributed by: Private Division
Game play: +20 hrs
Rating: 9/10
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