The Outer Worlds Still Holds Up Five Years On

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The Outer Worlds Still Holds Up Five Years On

As a space-faring RPG enthusiast with over two decades of gaming under my belt, I can confidently say that The Outer Worlds is a gem among the stars. Having traversed countless galaxies and battled hordes of interstellar baddies, this title stands out as a testament to Obsidian’s unparalleled storytelling prowess.

In simpler terms, “The Outer Worlds” is Obsidian Entertainment’s contribution to the widely enjoyed genre of action role-playing games set in space. The blend of role-playing opportunities and engaging companions made it a fan favorite, and its sequel, “The Outer Worlds 2,” was announced in 2021. Although “The Outer Worlds 2” is not yet ready as Obsidian is currently working on “Avowed,” “The Outer Worlds” remains a great space RPG for both veteran and new players.

Previously, Obsidian Entertainment was well-versed in creating sequels and offshoots for established game series. The task with The Outer Worlds was to establish a fresh intellectual property that would attract and retain players. In typical fashion, Obsidian excelled at The Outer Worlds by concentrating on the development of an immersive role-playing system and intriguing characters. Despite some criticism over the combat system, the game’s role-playing and storytelling have remained strong even five years after its October 25, 2020 release. If you’re seeking a sci-fi or RPG game to play, or a veteran looking to revisit The Outer Worlds, there’s no reason not to fire it up today.

The State of The Outer Worlds in 2024

Reaching a five-year anniversary is a significant achievement for any video game series, and given that development periods are growing longer, it’s only natural that the follow-up to “The Outer Worlds” would take several years to launch. Since Obsidian Entertainment has a background in creating space RPGs, they previously worked on “Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic 2: The Sith Lords”.

Although BioWare hadn’t developed its own space RPG intellectual property, The Outer Worlds served as their response. Developers of Fallout: New Vegas contributed to the creation of The Outer Worlds, and traces of the Fallout IP are evident in both the game world and combat system. Nevertheless, The Outer Worlds outperforms both Fallout 4 and Fallout 76 in terms of companions and role-playing elements, particularly excelling in these areas.

Obsidian Went Back to Basics With The Outer Worlds

Characters in the game “The Outer Worlds” possess individual abilities and bonuses, enabling customization for various play styles. Beyond their fundamental advantages, companions acquire a distinctive Quest Perk upon finishing their personal storylines. Though companions are present in other titles like “Fallout 4” and “Skyrim“, “The Outer Worlds” delivers a more advanced system, featuring characters with unique traits, complexity, and backstories that surpass their counterparts from previous games.

2019 saw the debut of “The Outer Worlds”, arriving amidst a genre landscape that was noticeably lacking in certain aspects. Following the releases of BioWare’s “Mass Effect: Andromeda” and “Anthem”, which garnered mostly unfavorable reviews, as well as “Fallout 4”, which didn’t meet the anticipated enthusiasm, it was quite a daring move for Obsidian to introduce a fresh IP in this context. However, their gamble proved fruitful as the game was generally well-received by critics and players alike.

Demonstrating the challenge of crafting a captivating action RPG set in space with intriguing characters, an engaging narrative, and a distinctive universe that players yearn to discover, as Bethesda did with Starfield, is no small feat. Five years later, The Outer Worlds remains just as relevant in 2024 as it was upon its launch, thriving because it nails the fundamentals so well.

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2024-10-25 14:33