The Outer Worlds 2 Could Be 2025’s Biggest Sci-Fi RPG

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I really loved how the first *Outer Worlds* tried to recapture that classic, old-school RPG feel, even though it was a bit rough around the edges and shorter than I wanted. But the sequel? It looks like they’re taking everything good about the first game and *expanding* on it! They’re promising way more depth in how you play, a much darker story with real consequences, and honestly, if it all comes together like they’re showing, *The Outer Worlds 2* could easily be a top contender for game of the year for RPG fans like me.

What truly makes a great RPG special is how much the player’s choices matter. But like any good system, these elements need to be well-designed and focused. That’s exactly what *The Outer Worlds 2* aims for. The role-playing feels more impactful and efficient, with some streamlining – most notably, the game doesn’t use traditional attributes. Instead, your character is shaped by their backstory, a variety of strengths and weaknesses, and specialized skills. While I was disappointed when *The Elder Scrolls* games started removing skills, including levitation after *Morrowind*, I understand the focus on quality over quantity. *The Outer Worlds 2* seems to be prioritizing a smaller number of more meaningful skills, and I’m hopeful that approach will pay off. Each skill point feels significant, potentially changing how your character interacts with the world, fights, and explores.

The sequel features many more opportunities to use your skills and interact with the environment, all naturally integrated into conversations and the world around you. This makes the game world feel more responsive and pushes it closer to the immersive sim genre, where almost anything is possible. Every challenge has multiple solutions. For example, one quest asks you to cross a heavily guarded bridge, and the number of ways to do it is impressive. You could talk your way past the guards with your Speech skill, sneak by using stealth, or even find double jump boots and navigate the swamp underneath. If you prefer a direct approach, there’s plenty of powerful weaponry available too.

The game’s role-playing feels much deeper thanks to a wider range of perks and flaws. Taking cues from Fallout, the sequel features over 100 perks, many of which are useful only in specific situations. Flaws are also more varied now, and often offer a balanced trade-off instead of simply hindering your progress. For example, the “Overprepared” flaw increases magazine capacity but reduces damage after the magazine is empty. Other flaws, like “Bad Knees,” speed up movement but can cause noisy cracking sounds that ruin stealth attempts. The “Foot in Mouth” flaw is perfect for players who enjoy persuasion, offering timed dialogue choices where failing to respond leads to unpredictable outcomes or automatic selections.

The new game builds on the first one’s inventive weapons and combat, making the RPG aspects even stronger. Shooting now feels both faster and more impactful, and each gun has its own distinct feel thanks to unique reload animations and characteristics. Beyond traditional and futuristic weapons, you can now equip special armor and throw gadgets. I’m especially excited about the science grenades and plan to use them constantly to freeze enemies in the air!

Players can now move around much more easily thanks to a new double-jump and a parkour ability that lets you quickly climb over obstacles. This adds more options for exploring and gives you an advantage in fights. Plus, you can switch to a third-person view for better awareness and a less confined feel during combat.

What really sets *The Outer Worlds 2* apart is its creatively bizarre weaponry. For example, the ‘Armageddon’ shoots a swarm of floating arms at enemies. The ‘Boarst Blaster’ fires explosive tumors, leaving behind ‘Cystypig’ bits that actually restore your health during combat. But my personal favorite is the ‘Pop-Up Gun,’ which covers the battlefield with advertisements to confuse your opponents.

Players who prefer close combat will also have plenty of options. One unique weapon, the “Spectrum Dance Saber,” transforms fights into a rhythm game where timing your attacks to the beat is key. The game features a huge variety of creative weapons, and discovering them will be almost as enjoyable as using them against your opponents in Arcadia.

Companions have long been a key part of role-playing games, and *Outer Worlds 2* is no exception. The game will feature six unique companions, each with distinct personalities, beliefs, and motivations. These companions aren’t just passive followers – they’ll react to your decisions in the world of Arcadia and aren’t afraid to share their opinions.

Companions now respond much more noticeably to what’s happening around them and to the decisions you make. We’ve seen examples of them making requests, and some are really extreme – like asking you to destroy an entire town! They can be surprisingly demanding, and even a little frightening. If you refuse their requests, they’ll often get upset, and might even leave your group.

Players now have the option to permanently sacrifice companions, sometimes as part of a quest to unlock new areas. I really appreciate this level of player choice, particularly when it involves important characters and story elements.

Similar to the first game, your crewmates will have their own stories that evolve as you explore. These stories can change based on the decisions you make – sometimes things will turn out great for them, and other times they won’t, as life in space can be unpredictable. While you can definitely impact their lives, your main goal remains leading the crew and determining the fate of the world.

So, I’m really hyped about *The Outer Worlds 2*! It takes place in the same universe as the first game, but everything feels way bigger this time around. Basically, I play as an agent for the Earth Directorate and my job is to keep the colony of Arcadia from falling apart. There’s already a huge war brewing between different factions *within* Arcadia, and to make things even crazier, these weird spatial rifts are starting to appear, splitting colonies off from Earth. It’s my job to sort out the political mess *and* figure out what’s going on with these rifts, all while representing the Directorate.

The game features three distinct groups, each with its own beliefs, style, and methods of spreading its message. The Protectorate focuses on maintaining order and demands loyalty, constantly emphasizing its military power. Players familiar with the first game will recognize Auntie’s Choice, which is now a combination of Spacer’s Choice and Auntie Cleo’s organization. The catchy slogans from the previous game have become widespread, but now represent a much darker force – Auntie’s Choice uses consumerism to control the people of Arcadia.

The different groups in the game aren’t just there for show; they change and respond to your actions in interesting ways. Each group has its own radio station that plays about 20 unique songs, mixed with propaganda. What’s really cool is that the radio stations will even comment on what *you’re* doing as you play, making the world feel even more alive and reactive.

Different groups are constantly battling for control of towns and cities, and when they win, the place changes to reflect their style. For example, Auntie’s Choice loves to decorate with their logo everywhere, while the Earth Protectorate prefers a clean and consistent look.

Despite being more serious and having greater risks, *The Outer Worlds 2* retains the unique and humorous world of the original game. Along with a central mystery involving strange rifts and a conflict between different beliefs, the sequel looks set to offer a captivating and intense story with the in-depth character customization and choices that players have been hoping for.

Please be aware that the opinions shared in this article belong solely to the author and don’t reflect the official stance of GamingBolt.

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2025-10-16 18:13