I played The Outer Worlds 2 preview four times — here’s what I learned about its branching gameplay

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This year, Obsidian Entertainment is working hard to stand out as the star studio on Xbox, boasting three highly anticipated titles in their lineup. Of these, The Outer Worlds 2, scheduled for release soon, seems to be the most significant. It’s promising an impressive open-world, sci-fi RPG experience, and here’s a twist: it will be available on Xbox Game Pass from its launch date.

I seized the chance to test-drive The Outer Worlds 2 at home, albeit with a sense of letdown due to the limited size of the preview build I received. Nonetheless, it was substantial enough for me to generate genuine excitement about the complete version. Obsidian Entertainment seldom falls short, and this sequel seems poised to uphold that trend.

If you’re pondering, “The first game didn’t impress me much, might the second one change my mind?”, remember to exercise some patience. Obsidian remains firm with The Outer Worlds 2 – I believe that’s a good thing, but some RPG enthusiasts may argue otherwise.

One area, four characters, and a whole lot of bodies left behind

Instead, I anticipated that my sneak peek at The Outer Worlds 2 would closely resemble my previous look at Avowed from last year, as I was expecting a wide-open exploration of the initial significant region in the game, complete with a portion of that zone’s narrative.

Regrettably, the preview offered a narrow scope, permitting me to explore merely the first hour or so of the game, which primarily consisted of a tutorial prologue. Consequently, I chose to play through this individual mission on four separate occasions to grasp the diverse gameplay choices available in TOW2.

I deeply yearned for additional areas to delve into with The Outer Worlds 2, yet the opportunity to revisit the opening levels provided ample understanding instead.

My initial character was a sarcastic and cunning outlaw, capable of silently defeating enemies with a witty remark on their lips. After that, I portrayed an aggressive and reckless former inmate, leveraging their penchant for violence to take the most direct route, disregarding any potential repercussions.

In the third playthrough, I assumed the role of a professor who, despite being unwell, boasted an impressive intellect and a diverse array of skills, compensating for their less formidable fighting abilities. Interestingly, this preview didn’t allow for any interactions with companions. However, in my subsequent game, I took on the character of a charming and articulate law enforcer, choosing to persuade rather than fight my way past all challenges.

Regardless of the route I chose, it was filled with numerous dead bodies. If you’re hoping for a less violent experience when playing The Outer Worlds 2, think again, as it seems self-punishment is part of the gameplay.

Even though I’ve only had a chance to delve into a smaller portion of The Outer Worlds 2, I still got a solid understanding of its main gameplay mechanics and the degree of freedom players can enjoy when tackling various missions and tasks.

In many role-playing games, I often find myself adopting the character of a solitary, stealthy figure, resembling a rogue with a preference for knives. This approach is consistent with my usual style in RPGs. To put it another way, I’m typically a loner who operates from the sidelines. In The Outer Worlds, this style was particularly evident, and it provided an interesting comparison. Remarkably, one significant improvement stood out: the enhanced movement mechanics.

In a simpler and more conversational style: The character in The Outer Worlds 2 retains the right amount of heft, but the game itself feels more lively and fluid overall. There have been improvements made to movement mechanics and animations. Plus, sneaking around this intricate section was quite enjoyable.

Based on this sneak peek, it’s clear that my ultimate character will embody a distinct image: a character who has immersed themselves heavily in the realms of mad science as opposed to the evil gym.

In my fourth game of The Outer Worlds 2, I thought I’d be playing as a charismatic leader all along. However, now I’m not so certain. While it was gratifying to navigate through various challenges using my charm, I missed out on interacting with the new companions. So, I’m considering a fresh game to experience these new companions and see if they can impress me.

Among them, it was the one with the most diverse abilities who stood out. This individual provided me with numerous opportunities, such as infiltrating the entire droid security system within the region, setting up explosives to take down an enemy squadron, and deciphering obscure research documents into valuable insights.

Rediscovering numerous hidden secrets in my third attempt was immensely rewarding despite my weakened fighting prowess, and it’s clear that the presence of an ally beside me would only amplify these beneficial traits.

A deeper and more refined RPG, but still “The Outer Worlds”

In simpler terms, I’ve managed to spend a few hours on The Outer Worlds 2 so far, but I’m quite optimistic that Obsidian is on track for another success. The game preserves the comical art style of its previous version, but with enhanced cinematics, animations, and environmental details.

In terms of storytelling, the writing seems to have significantly improved, making it more engaging and captivating compared to the initial game. The narrative development has piqued my interest more. As for gameplay, although familiar, it’s been refined with better movement mechanics, enhanced audio design, and more vibrant environments that add an extra layer of dynamism.

I’m wondering if the character creator I used is the fully-featured version that will be released, as it seemed to have fewer customization options for my character compared to what I expected. Additionally, I’m mindful of the game’s performance and stability in the final release, as during my playtime I experienced occasional framerate drops and brief pauses.

The moral of the story, though, is that this is still The Outer Worlds.

In essence, the lesson here is that The Outer Worlds remains the same – a vibrant blend of dark undertones and light-hearted humor, featuring purposefully complex gameplay where your abilities, character, companions, story choices, and the world itself significantly impact the game. So far, The Outer Worlds 2 appears to be a continuation of the original, enhanced by years of improvement and a commitment to a larger, more daring cosmos and narrative.

It remains to be seen how effectively The Outer Worlds 2 lives up to its potential, but rest assured, I’m eagerly anticipating further exploration. Officially launching on October 29, 2025, The Outer Worlds 2 will be available for Xbox Series X|S, Windows PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Game Pass. Keep an eye out for a comprehensive review here on Windows Central around that date.

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2025-08-31 20:10