I remember when Fallout: New Vegas came out and got subpar reviews because it was being compared to the game it was building off of, Fallout 3. While it certainly wasn't as large of a game as the main entry into the series, I loved New Vegas and, honestly, it was the game that got me really into the series. So when its developer, Obsidian, announced that they were releasing a brand-new IP, I was excited to give it a try. Would it be another gripping experience to remember for years to come? Below is my review of Outer Worlds, though keep in mind that there will be some Spoilers Below.
The game starts with a scientist freeing your created character from a transport ship full of cryogenically frozen people from Earth, which was headed to the Halcyon colonies. There were some issues and the board in charge of these colonies decided to just leave these people frozen and drifting off into space. As you're rescued by this scientist, Phineas Wells, he tells you to find him some chemicals to wake up the rest of the ship, because the board of corporations is full of a bunch of selfish and short-sighted jerks (paraphrasing there). You're dropped onto a planet, killing your mercenary escort upon landing, whose ship you end up claiming on as your own, and thus begins your journey.
I'm leaving a lot out of my story overview because this is very much a story-driven game and I don't want to give too much away. However, I will say that my favorite story element involves the way the corporations have handled the management of these colonies, as the story writers have thought of every conceivable way that the corporations would try to get more money out of these people. These's even a point in the game where you learn that the "Spacer's Choice" company considers worker suicide as vandalism of company property, which means that they take a fee out of the rest of the worker's paychecks to cover the damages.
Anyway, outside of the story, what are the other best parts of this game? Well, for fans of the older Fallout games, the dialogue options in this game are great and versatile. Focusing on upgrading your character's speech abilities is an easy way to avoid a whole lot of combat and uncomfortable situations in this story. However, even focusing on other elements of your character can help with dialogue, as there will sometimes be options that are based off of your characters other traits, such as knowledge in medicine, engineering, handguns, etc. The companions in this game are done well, though I found myself sticking with the same two for most of the missions. It's easy to get attached to their specific personalities (as well as enjoy the specific perks they grant your character by being in your party). Also, while it does take some getting used to, the inventory management system in this game isn't bad at all. Without raising your skills too much, you're able to break down weapons and armor for parts from your inventory rather than traveling to a workbench. Plus, there are a ton of vending machines around these colonies that allow you to sell your junk or other items for credits.
It's not all praise though, because there are some elements of this game that don't work quite as well. Unfortunately, one of my biggest knocks against the game involves one of my favorite elements, the dialogue. As varied as it is and as much as I love it, what you say often doesn't matter. There are several instances where you can tell that the NPC you're speaking to would give you the same information or response regardless. There are times when your companion will chime into the conversation as well, which is cool, but the character you're speaking with won't even acknowledge that someone else said something. I would have also appreciate some more variety in the available weapons and modifications. I ended up finding dozens upon dozens of the exact same pistol, which was great for getting additional weapon parts, but did make that part of the game a bit less exciting. Finally, last gripe here, but there should be some post-game content. The Fallout series has adjusted itself to allow players to continue their journey after they beat the main story, and it's disappointing that this game doesn't allow that. The player should be able to continue to roam the galaxy after the end of the story, but that's not the case.
Despite my grievances, this is actually a fun game. While there is room for improvement, I enjoyed my time and the worlds that the designers built into this game. If you're not into really into action RPG's, this might not be your kind of game, but I think it's worth a purchase for anyone who has a soft spot for this style.
I give The Outer Worlds a 7 out of 10.
Sincerely,
The Bored Enthusiast
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