Bigger, sharper, funnier and meaner. Obsidian's best in years.
Disclosure: Xbox and Obsidian provided review codes for this game.
Obsidian has always been at its best when it hands you a messy world and lets you decide how messy to make it. The Outer Worlds 2 is that idea turned all the way up. Bigger, sharper, funnier and meaner than the first game, it’s corporate sci-fi chaos where your choices carry real weight, and it’s the best thing Obsidian has made in years.
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Story
Keeping things spoiler-free: you play a commander with the Earth Directorate, essentially space sheriffs keeping a fragile peace among the megacorps, until you’re hurled into the Arcadia system as things fall apart. The writing is alive and razor sharp, packed with branching choices that don’t just nudge the story, they reshape it. Rival factions plead their cases and force gut-wrenching tradeoffs on you, and corporate greed clashes with zealot fervor in fully voiced moments that unfold naturally as you explore. Side stories linger long after you finish them, and betrayals cut deep.
Recruiting your crew is one of the game’s true highlights. Each companion brings something distinct, swapping pairs changes the dynamic of a mission, and the right one might jump in to dismantle a smug exec or sway a shaky negotiation. Their personal quests are real arcs, not errands, and their faction-based bickering makes the world feel like it doesn’t only revolve around you.
Gameplay
Controls are crisp, the gunplay is weighty and precise, and Obsidian really upped its game here. Hostile worlds demand caution: ammo is limited and creatures come at you hard, so you can’t just run and gun. The flaws system tracks your tendencies and offers a lasting debuff paired with a perk. You take both or neither, the risk often pays off, and it’s always funny to read what the game thinks of you. Exploration is rewarding too, and there’s so much that’s easy to miss. Stick to the main trail and you might never recruit an eccentric companion or find a pair of thruster boots left behind after some poor soul’s ill-fated leap. Bounty hunts, dusty towns and even a pet rescue that can end with a spider-like critter moving onto your ship keep the detours coming.
You can play in first person or in one of two third-person views, one over the shoulder and one pulled further back. I stuck with first person for the immersion, and the flashlight alone is one of the best I’ve seen in a game. My only real wish is a New Game Plus mode, which wasn’t available when I played.
Visuals and performance
This is a gorgeous game. Obsidian’s use of Unreal Engine 5 makes an impression from the opening cinematics. The lighting is the real star: rays slicing through dense foliage, long realistic shadows, and the sun creeping over the horizon in the day and night cycle until golden light spills across the whole world. Up close in conversations, eyes, hair and clothing render with real finesse. Small touches seal it, like glowing eggs in caves that cast their own light until you smash them. It also held up beautifully on the ROG Xbox Ally X, with the details popping just as sharply on the smaller screen in Turbo mode.
Sound
The voice acting is top tier, from slick execs to passionate cultists, with precise timing across main cast, companion banter and side chatter. The score swells for the wonder of exploration, effects ground the world in detail, and even interruptions are handled gracefully, with paused conversations resuming naturally after a fight. The radio ads skewering consumerism, with their catchy ironic jingles, are perfect for long hauls.
Verdict
The Outer Worlds 2 is an RPG where your decisions genuinely matter, wrapped in stunning visuals, sharp writing and satisfying combat. It launched day one on Game Pass Ultimate, and it’s an easy recommendation for anyone who loves role-playing. This is a masterpiece.
Image: Obsidian Entertainment / Xbox Game Studios
More on OnPoint: Avowed Review: An Easy 10 and a Game of the Year Contender.
The verdict: Masterpiece
Branching choices that don't just nudge the story, they reshape it.
Pros
- Sharp, funny writing with choices that reshape the story
- Memorable companions and factions
- Weighty, precise gunplay and a fun flaws system
- Stunning lighting and detail
- Runs great on the ROG Xbox Ally X too
Cons
- No New Game Plus at the time of review
- You can't swim in the gorgeous water you find
Platform played: Xbox, plus ROG Xbox Ally X
Where to buy
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