The Outer Worlds

Overly Dramatic Review in One Sentence

An overly dramatic game, by developers that were mad they got fired, that constantly reminds you that "Corporations" will bring humanity to the ground.

The Actual Review

Game time:

PC: 20 Hours
Xbox: 26 hours (Was near the end, but never beat it) Proof of no achievement for beating it

Gameplay

The gameplay loop, while simple is for sure entertaining and likely what keeps you involved in the game. The combat system along with the slowing of time mechanism is super fun when pressing multiple enemies even though I forgot about that when swarmed in the final battles.

The weapon system is really where I think this game is missing the repeatability and even growth. Once you find your weapons, you stick with them most of the game just upgrading them with the "Tinkering" system. I think they try to limit that though with the exponential cost of upgrading, but since the looting system and theft system are the same, there is no shortage of money or parts for you. Granted 18k in "bits" is crazy for leveling up a weapon, but I think I prefer that over running around 8 planets to find the right materials to upgrade it.

Graphics and Sound

I don't have a lot to say about this. I didn't buy the "Spacers Choice" upgrade just to play with updated graphics as it doesn't really matter. I remember not looking bad and I think they still look pretty good. What bothers me more about the graphics/visuals is that the worlds feel empty. All the bad guys just float in the same areas, packed together like live in a 50x50 cell. No roaming enemies, no variety, and if you run out of that area, they retreat.

The sound is fine. Nothing special, nothing bad.

Story and Characters

This is where this game pisses me off and becomes lazy. Looking at my overly dramatic sentence review above, this studio is the same studio that made Fallout New Vegas, but doesn't have the soul of New Vegas. The characters just don't feel real, they feel like NPCs even when they are main characters. Just doling out lines like that mundane professor that puts you to sleep. Pravarti is the major except to this as you get some real giddiness out of here during her quest line that is was my favorite quest line to do. The Vicar's quest line was boring, the hunters was predictable, Ellie's was just a temper tantrum of a rich kind, and that one kid is completely forgettable.

The story is also shoving the narrative that all corporations are bad and that you have to reset the system to fix it. They will kill and exploit you because they can. Why some corporation leaders are like that, there is no way that the galaxy would be lead by people without an conscience whatsoever. I typically can set aside my understanding of the world for the game, but this one was a bunch of developers getting mad at the past daddy for the last game. While they might have had a real reason, I don't remember what happened, I just think this game is supposed to be a jab and the short game with weak story is like being hit by a emaciated kid. There is nothing behind the jab.

My Rating

I originally played this when it came out in 2019 and honestly I am surprised how far I got and didn't finish it. The fact that I made it to the second to last planet and then didn't finish is the testament as to how upset I was about this game. The gameplay is fun, but the story is just too over the top to draw me in. I only played it a second time because Avowed is coming out and people love this game. Sam from the Podcast even said it was good. It just isn't my cup of tea and it makes me nervous to play Avowed. I play RPGs for the story and this one is lack luster.

note: While looking up some items for this game, I learned there is an Outer Worlds 2 game coming out... at some point. I won't play that will it is on super sale on Steam like this one was.

Parental Rating

There is a lot of language and violence with dismemberment. While it is cartoony, it is still pretty crazy at times when heads and limbs explode off the body to be found on the ground. The story also talks about human experimentation and that would set them on edge. Also, the entire "faith" system is them believing in "the law."

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