The Outer Worlds is a game I feel I could write forever about, and so I have to remind myself of the character count. So to summarise as best as possible: yes it's Falloutesque, yes that's mostly a good thing, yes it's a step down from Fallout: New Vegas, despite looking about 10 times prettier, yes I recommend you buy it for being a fun, colourful and novel game.
The big surprise about The Outer Worlds is when you discover you've just finished it. "Oh, is that it?" I asked myself, as a final cinematic started playing and the central conflict was being wrapped up in voice over. The game isn't short, but it definitely felt like I was missing a good few hours of main quest line, in which the tension should be ramping up, and your relationship with the villains further develop.
Adding to the confusion is that despite seemingly offering you half a dozen different planets to unlock, you actually only get to visit two planets by the end of the game. These are large, vibrant, and detailed worlds you can spend hours exploring, but you still feel somehow robbed of content. I'm assuming the other planets are future DLC locations, but I'd have liked my expectations to be a bit better managed from the outset. Perhaps then it might not have felt so abrupt when I reached the finale and stormed the Bastille.
Otherwise, the game mostly benefits a lot from the smaller, more concentrated story-line. Instead of Skyrim or Fallout's countless generic dungeons, Outer Worlds goes for cosy and detailed locales, without all the repetitive fluff. Every quest is unique, every mission is personalised, and most can be solved in a variety of ways. I'm pleased with all of that. It's ironic that in a game world where people live out of cookie cutter prefab houses and eat nothing but the same tinned fish, the game still feels more varied than RP Gs that are ten times bigger.
One area that's a bit of a step down to Obsidian's Fallout New Vegas is the companions. Some, particularly Parvati (endearingly awkward) and Ellen (an asshole), are fun to have around. But Felix (Zach Braff lookalike), Max (bad priest), and Nyoka (bad hair), feel a tad uninspired. I'm surprised that the space sci-fi setting didn't grant us weirder and more wonderful creations, rather than giving us all the most boring human companions from Mass Effect.
With tailored expectations, The Outer Worlds is a much better game. I've already started my second playthrough, with a plan to bow down to each and every on of my evil Corporate overlords. The companions will be staying stuck on my spaceship.
WATCH - THIS - SPAAAACE!!!
The Outer Worlds is a game I feel I could write forever about, and so I have to remind myself of the character count. So to summarise as best as possible: yes it's Falloutesque, yes that's mostly a good thing, yes it's a step down from Fallout: New Vegas, despite looking about 10 times prettier, yes I recommend you buy it for being a fun, colourful and novel game.
The big surprise about The Outer Worlds is when you discover you've just finished it. "Oh, is that it?" I asked myself, as a final cinematic started playing and the central conflict was being wrapped up in voice over. The game isn't short, but it definitely felt like I was missing a good few hours of main quest line, in which the tension should be ramping up, and your relationship with the villains further develop.
Adding to the confusion is that despite seemingly offering you half a dozen different planets to unlock, you actually only get to visit two planets by the end of the game. These are large, vibrant, and detailed worlds you can spend hours exploring, but you still feel somehow robbed of content. I'm assuming the other planets are future DLC locations, but I'd have liked my expectations to be a bit better managed from the outset. Perhaps then it might not have felt so abrupt when I reached the finale and stormed the Bastille.
Otherwise, the game mostly benefits a lot from the smaller, more concentrated story-line. Instead of Skyrim or Fallout's countless generic dungeons, Outer Worlds goes for cosy and detailed locales, without all the repetitive fluff. Every quest is unique, every mission is personalised, and most can be solved in a variety of ways. I'm pleased with all of that. It's ironic that in a game world where people live out of cookie cutter prefab houses and eat nothing but the same tinned fish, the game still feels more varied than RP Gs that are ten times bigger.
One area that's a bit of a step down to Obsidian's Fallout New Vegas is the companions. Some, particularly Parvati (endearingly awkward) and Ellen (an asshole), are fun to have around. But Felix (Zach Braff lookalike), Max (bad priest), and Nyoka (bad hair), feel a tad uninspired. I'm surprised that the space sci-fi setting didn't grant us weirder and more wonderful creations, rather than giving us all the most boring human companions from Mass Effect.
With tailored expectations, The Outer Worlds is a much better game. I've already started my second playthrough, with a plan to bow down to each and every on of my evil Corporate overlords. The companions will be staying stuck on my spaceship.