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Upon my initial encounter with the original Outer Worlds title, I was instantly captivated by its sarcastic, Fallout-like style of comedy. The game boasted dynamic dialogues, individual logs, and promotional posters that depicted a corporate dystopia that was both bleak and entertaining. My primary concern starting The Outer Worlds 2 was that this version – without blame on its part – might not be as humorous like the original.

Admittedly, situations weren't flawless. Yet society certainly seemed slightly less fractured at that time. This universe presented a dystopia that didn't feel overly familiar, and nonetheless succeeded to be at once heartwarming and hilarious. I began the sequel feeling quite confident that this installment wouldn't be able to accomplish this once more, but I'm happy to report that I was wrong. This sequel is as chuckle-inducing as the game that came before it, and additionally brings new themes as opposed to just recycling the same content like an worn-out business tune.

Developing Personalities

A large portion of the non-player characters players encountered in the initial release had been beaten down by the activities of corporate entities including Spacer's Choice, and were acutely conscious of how much their existence was miserable. This sequel moves events in a distinct route, including personalities who are programmed (periodically symbolically, frequently actually). A lot of these NPCs don't even realize of how extremely disordered their circumstances are, or that there may exist alternatives to a lifetime passed beneath the control of a large business or restricted by the beliefs of a demanding cult.

This follow-up explores types of corporate control that are more insidious than only making the masses poor. Numerous characters have been programmed with the type of extremely eager "work ethic" rhetoric you can discover on social media accounts that promise to reveal the secret of achievement when you buy an expensive course, or put money into a sketchy crypto scheme. Additionally, the title's corporate propaganda has developed.

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There are still many discouraging displays on the walls warning about deducting employee wages who even contemplate having a break, but there are also references to pyramid scheme tactics, featuring a new hire handbook that confidently announces, "Unknown people are merely clients you still need to meet!" Being a person who was raised in a network marketing household, I instantly erupted laughing when encountering this reference, because it's a saying I have often heard repeated exactly by people at the base of such schemes.

Thankfully, The Outer Worlds 2 is as comedic and satirical as the initial release.

This sequel furthermore explores the situation various individuals encounter concerning occupation, government, and including buying decisions: Needing to select the reduced of several poor choices. When trying to choose whether to support a harmful business or a dangerous religious group within the title, I realized I became aligning with the devil I know: A familiar business organization that is awful (though just utilizes propaganda to program its members), instead of the faith organization, which is similarly terrible, but utilizes a terrible method named "psychological renewal" to keep its adherents in line.

Doubtful Authorities

Additionally, the individuals you serve could fail to be trustworthy. As an space operative, your assignment includes attempting to restore order to the Arcadia colony after a hostile corporate takeover, and you rapidly learn that the two the invaders and the defenders subscribe to separate (but similarly terrible) ideologies. Yet a speedy review of the messages on your spacecraft's system show that this agency isn't exactly the universe's most principled employer too, as evidenced by a reply to a help request that tells the sender it will take "three to five organizational cycles" for an answer to their transmission. (This period is about how long it takes for me to contact a non-robot support representative through calling currently.)

Familiar Situations

Many moments in this installment are painfully relatable, but it's a cathartic sort of relatability, and this release succeeds in balancing its bleak societal vision with humor that's genuinely funny yet not seeming out of place. One major theme is the near-instant onset of decline that seems to take place in the wake of significant business mergers. Employees on both sides of this installment's significant consolidation find their existence worsen as a result, while the CEOs in control of the structure are, naturally, raking in profits hand over fist.

Well, at minimum I recognize my situation.

Similar to the original title, The Outer Worlds 2 is naturally humorous, but it also isn't afraid to become dramatic. During a moment, while exploring around the title's initial explorable world, I came upon a corpse with a message in the vicinity. This recording showed that this NPC (who was aligned with the brainwashing religious faction) had perished in an incident while trying to locate and dispatch her significant other. This partner had seemingly abandoned from their faction, and the deceased character was incensed at her partner's {traitorous