🔗 Share this article

During my first playthrough of the initial Outer Worlds title, I was quickly hooked by its satirical, Fallout-inspired type of wit. The game boasted dynamic dialogues, individual logs, and advertising displays that portrayed a company-run society that was simultaneously grim and amusing. My main fear starting the follow-up was that this version – through no fault on its part – could fail to be as comedic like the original.

Sure, things weren't perfect. Yet society definitely felt a bit less broken back then. The Outer Worlds presented a dystopia that didn't feel overly familiar, and yet accomplished to be simultaneously heartwarming and hilarious. I started the sequel pretty sure that the sequel wouldn't manage to accomplish this a second time, but I'm delighted to announce that I was wrong. This sequel is as chuckle-inducing as the title that preceded it, and also introduces original ideas rather than simply reusing identical material similar to a overused corporate jingle.

Changing NPCs

A large portion of the non-player characters users found in the first title had been defeated by the deeds of corporate entities such as Spacer's Choice, and were acutely conscious of the degree that their existence was miserable. This installment takes things in an alternative path, including personalities who are indoctrinated (sometimes figuratively, regularly truly). A lot of these characters don't even realize of how deeply disordered their circumstances are, or that there could be alternatives to an existence spent beneath the control of a huge company or bound by the beliefs of an intense faith.

The sequel examines forms of corporate control that are more deceptive than simply keeping the people destitute. Many NPCs have been programmed with the kind of excessively zealous "hustle mentality" rhetoric you might encounter on online profiles that claim to disclose the secret of achievement when you buy for an overpriced workshop, or invest in a sketchy crypto scheme. Furthermore, the release's corporate propaganda has evolved.

Modern Themes

There are still numerous demotivating signs throughout facilities threatening to dock staff compensation who so much as contemplate requesting leave, but additionally there are references to network marketing tactics, including an employee manual that proudly declares, "Strangers are just clients you still need to meet!" As an individual who grew up in a direct sales environment, I instantly erupted in amusement when I saw this reference, because it's a refrain I have frequently encountered repeated exactly by those at the bottom of such schemes.

Thankfully, The Outer Worlds 2 is as comedic and sarcastic as the initial release.

This installment additionally investigates the dilemma various individuals encounter when it comes to employment, political matters, and even personal purchases: Being forced to choose the reduced of several poor choices. During efforts to decide whether to assist a risky company or a concerning cult within the title, I discovered I was siding with the familiar evil: A familiar business organization that sucks (though just utilizes advertising to brainwash its subjects), rather than the cult, which is equally bad, but employs a horrible approach termed "mental refreshment" to keep its adherents obedient.

Doubtful Authorities

Additionally, the individuals you work for might not be reliable. Playing as an Earth Directorate agent, your mission involves attempting to restore control to this outpost following a forceful company buyout, and you rapidly learn that both the attackers and the defenders follow separate (but similarly terrible) beliefs. However, a rapid review of the messages on your vessel's computer reveal that this agency isn't exactly the galaxy's most moral organization as well, as demonstrated by an answer to a distress call that informs the caller it will take "three to five organizational cycles" for a response to their communication. (That time frame is roughly the duration it takes for many people to contact a real customer service agent via telephone these days.)

Recognizable Scenarios

Numerous instances in The Outer Worlds 2 are highly recognizable, but it's a cleansing kind of recognition, and the game manages to balance its depressing dystopian setting with wit that's genuinely funny while avoiding out of place. An important idea is the quick commencement of enshittification that seems to take place after large company takeovers. Workers from each party of The Outer Worlds 2's major acquisition experience their living standards decline as a result, while the CEOs at the top of the hierarchy are, expectedly, raking in profits quickly.

Well, at minimum I recognize where I stand.

Similar to the original title, The Outer Worlds 2 is intrinsically comedic, but it also isn't afraid to turn solemn. At a certain time, while exploring around the release's primary discoverable location, I discovered a deceased individual with a recording nearby. The audio log revealed that this NPC (who was aligned with the indoctrinating cult) had died in an accident during efforts to hunt down and dispatch her romantic partner. This partner had seemingly abandoned from their faction, and the deceased character was enraged by her partner's {traitorous