🔗 Share this article

Upon my initial playthrough of the original Outer Worlds game, I was immediately drawn by its sarcastic, Fallout-like brand of humor. This release included dynamic dialogues, individual logs, and promotional posters that portrayed a company-run society that was simultaneously dark and entertaining. My primary concern approaching the sequel was that this installment – through no fault from itself – wouldn't be as funny as its predecessor.

Admittedly, things weren't perfect. Yet society certainly seemed a bit less broken back then. This universe presented a dystopia that didn't strike extremely relatable, and nonetheless succeeded to be at once emotional and comical. I started the sequel pretty sure that this release wouldn't manage to accomplish this a second time, but I'm pleased to report that I was wrong. This sequel is equally chuckle-inducing as the title that came before it, and also introduces new themes rather than just recycling the same content similar to a tired company slogan.

Changing NPCs

A large portion of the NPCs players encountered in the initial release had been worn out by the deeds of corporate entities like Spacer's Choice, and were acutely conscious of the degree that their lives sucked. This installment moves events in a different direction, presenting individuals who are indoctrinated (sometimes figuratively, frequently actually). Many of these characters aren't conscious of how profoundly messed up their circumstances are, or that there may exist alternatives to a life lived under the boot of a huge company or bound by the beliefs of an intense faith.

The sequel explores types of company influence that are more insidious than merely maintaining the people destitute. Numerous characters have been programmed with the type of overly enthusiastic "grindset mindset" language you'll find on social media accounts that promise to reveal the path to accomplishment when you buy a costly program, or put money into a dubious blockchain project. Even the game's company advertising has progressed.

Modern Themes

There are still many unmotivational posters throughout facilities indicating reductions in pay from workers who dare to think about taking a day off, but additionally there are allusions to multi-level marketing tactics, such as an employee manual that confidently announces, "Unknown people are merely patrons you haven't met yet!" As an individual who developed within a network marketing household, I immediately burst out with laughter when encountering this mention, because it's a saying I have regularly listened to stated precisely by people at the base of such schemes.

Thankfully, this sequel is equally humorous and sarcastic as the initial release.

The Outer Worlds 2 also examines the dilemma various individuals experience concerning occupation, political matters, and including buying decisions: Being forced to pick the lesser of several poor choices. When trying to decide whether to back a dangerous corporate entity or a problematic faith organization throughout the experience, I found myself supporting the devil I know: A familiar business organization that is terrible (yet merely employs propaganda to brainwash its subjects), rather than the religious group, which is similarly terrible, but employs an awful technique termed "psychological renewal" to maintain its followers in line.

Doubtful Authorities

Furthermore, the characters you work for could fail to be trustworthy. As an space operative, your mission involves trying to reestablish order to this settlement following a forceful company buyout, and you'll soon discover that both the attackers and the defenders subscribe to separate (yet equally horrific) ideologies. However, a rapid examination of the communications on your ship's terminal demonstrate that this organization is hardly the world's most ethical authority too, as demonstrated by a reply to a help request that informs the caller it will take "several corporate years" for a reply to their message. (This duration is about how long it takes for numerous individuals to contact a human customer service agent through calling these days.)

Familiar Situations

Many moments in this installment are extremely familiar, but it's a therapeutic kind of recognition, and the game achieves equilibrium between its grim future world with wit that's genuinely funny while avoiding inappropriate. A primary concept is the rapid beginning of enshittification that appears to occur in the wake of large company takeovers. Staff members from all factions of The Outer Worlds 2's significant consolidation experience their living standards decline therefore, while the executives at the top of the structure are, expectedly, accumulating the cash quickly.

Hey, at least I understand my situation.

Just like the original title, this follow-up is naturally humorous, but furthermore isn't afraid to turn solemn. At one point, while exploring around the release's primary discoverable location, I stumbled across a deceased individual with a recording in the vicinity. This message revealed that this NPC (connected to the indoctrinating cult) had been killed in an event during efforts to track down and kill her lover. This romantic partner had apparently defected from their organization, and the perished individual was angry about her partner's {traitorous