I would like to take a quick step back before starting this review. It has been some time since I did a review of something that was not an episode, and this is also my first serious video game review. I did a somewhat joke one of Pokemon Red a few years back. Anyway, besides being a long time since I did a game review, I also really looked forward to this game since its announcement back in 2018. So, with that said, let’s get right into it. I am writing this a month after beating the game, so I gave myself time to think about it.

The game was created by Obsidian and the people that made the original Fallout game. Obsidian also made one of my favorite games, Fallout New Vegas, and like most people who were rather hyped for this game, that was probably their reasoning behind it. I certainly was no different. The story is easily the games strongest point, and with the people who did the writing for New Vegas behind it, it clearly shows.

The Plot:

The game takes place in the distant future, where companies have bought out space. A colony ship, namely the player character’s ship, has been drifting in space for over 70 years in cryosleep with no hope of surviving. You are then rescued by an eccentric man tasked to save not just your fellows still in cryosleep, but the whole colony of the solar system.

Now, overall, this was rather fun. From there, there is no real backstory for your character, and really, you are free to choose what to do, save the colony by going along with the doctor’s plan, or taking a different approach. For an RP perspective, your character has no backstory, so you are really free to go along with whatever as the story progresses. It is very open in that sense. It really allows for an RP sense that feels like it can sometimes be lacking in most RPGs.

Plot: A

Mechanics:

The mechanics to the game, some felt like they were really great in idea, just executed poorly. I am mostly referring to the phobia/various traits you can get along the way that hinder your character for skill points. Now I took on several negative traits, as they are all negative, in order to get a free skill point. Early on, having a fear of robots did have negative impact on my character, then I just overcame the loss of strength and could easily one have shot them, on the hardest difficulty. I did however find it rather funny and interesting that because I took on the fear of robots that any time, I talked to one, my character would almost always have the dialogue option to scream in fear at them. I don’t know if it was like that for other ones. Still, these negative traits really lacked because they could not only become easy to overcome, but there does not feel like there is too much of an impact for them. This felt like it could have been expanded upon.

fear of bots

Another thing, although this is more for the fact, I play a lot of Elder Scrolls and Fallout, but there was no unarmed. You did have melee weapons and guns, but you could never unequip them and have the option to just punch someone. I honestly have no idea why but whenever my character in those games eventually ascends to godhood and can’t die on the hardest difficulty, I just love running around and punching stuff, something I missed in this game. It felt like it could have been there, but it was fine that it wasn’t. This was just a minor thing.

Lastly, the companions, characters that can sometimes feel like they get in the way too much. Honestly, I loved them. I loved the fact they were there and actually could give their opinion on something or take control of the dialogue if it related to them. They had personality, and where no there because they were “Sworn to carry your burdens.” I had fun being able to take with me several different companions, instead of just the one that loves to punch things. Honestly, with how much is done for the companions I would love to see a companion only run. This was easily a highlight of the game was taking them along.

Mechanics: B

Gameplay:

Now, there was a survival difficulty, where your companions could permanently die, you need to eat, ammo weighs stuff, needing to sleep, and a few other things. I did not play on that, I never like playing on that. I still played on the hardest difficulty that wasn’t that, and honestly, I did find it a bit easy, aside from the final boss, due to various reasons I won’t spoil. I did like the fact there was an option to play it for the story, which felt like it was an easier easy mode, I didn’t play it but still, nice to see that option.

outer worlds loadout

Now, I think my biggest issue comes from two things in this game. The first being length, it was relatively short. I did all quests and beat the game in just about five days, not total time, but I would say thirty to forty hours due to back tracking, dying, and just screwing around. But it felt like there should have been more to do. Now, it wasn’t a triple A game, and if it was, it certainly would have been a lot longer. And it is that short length that made me not enjoy this game as much.

The other issue is replay. There are three endings, one being a joke ending. But, other than that, there were a few different options in terms of plot you could do, but, the early ones don’t have a major effect on the story. They make the choices feel like they are lacking. And certainly, to get the “evil” ending, it feels like you could just get everything out of a second playthrough. I certainly don’t like that. I love games that I can replay when it comes to open world games. I guess it is that typical expectation that makes me not enjoy the game as much, since I mean, I did enjoy it a lot. I just cannot really experience it differently too much a second time.

Gameplay: C

Closing:

Not much else to say. It is a really fun game, I perhaps hyped it a little too much, but still had a lot of fun out of it. But it felt like it is close to be a great game, it is just missing that one extra thing. Also, it is ending on a somewhat cliffhanger and if it doesn’t get a sequel, I will be upset.

 

Feel free to comment your thoughts on the game. Just keep in mind of spoilers for those that might want to play it.

– Joe