After getting a firsthand look at The Outer Worlds 2, it's evident that Obsidian Entertainment is pushing the boundaries of role-playing game (RPG) mechanics by emphasizing deeper and more varied RPG elements. While the original game was known for its accessibility with streamlined systems, the sequel aims to encourage players to explore unconventional playstyles and avoid generic character builds. This isn't just about adding complexity; The Outer Worlds 2 invites players to be creative, specialize their skills, and embrace unique choices throughout their journey.
"We're looking for ways to incentivize the player to experiment with different builds, either traditional or non-traditional," stated design director Matt Singh during our discussion on the revamped RPG mechanics. He elaborated on the broader approach, saying, "We really wanted to lean into synergies, looking at how player Skills, Traits, and Perks can all infuse into interesting builds that play off of other systems." This approach was showcased in our exclusive 11 minutes of The Outer Worlds 2 gameplay, highlighting new gunplay, stealth mechanics, gadgets, and dialogue options. In this IGN First exclusive coverage, we delve into the intricacies of these updated systems and what players can anticipate.
Rethinking the Skill System ---------------------------"We would often see characters good at everything, which by the end of the game, minimized your personal experience with your character," reflected lead systems designer Kyle Koenig on the first game and the motivations behind changes in the sequel. Obsidian is shifting away from the Skill categories that grouped stats in the original game, opting instead for individual Skills with more significant distinctions. "We wanted to focus on making each individual level-up and investment really important. There's less confusion on when I should invest in one Skill or the other. If I want to be a player that's all about guns and using medical devices, I know which Skills I really need to care about. By having them separated and not in groupings, it lets characters be more specialized," Koenig explained.
Singh added, "There's more than just a traditional stealth-focused build, combat-focused build, or speech-focused build. There's a lot of blending of concepts, playing with other systems and incorporating those into a pretty broad, but unique range of different player profiles." He highlighted how certain Skill investments can unlock new ways of interacting with the game environment, such as the Observation Skill, which can reveal hidden elements like secret doors or interactive objects leading to alternative paths.
The Outer Worlds 2 Character Creation - Screenshots
4 Images
While this might seem standard for RPGs, The Outer Worlds was unique in its Skill grouping. The sequel's revamped Skill system aims to enhance character build diversity and open up more possibilities, particularly with the revised Perks system.
The Perks of Getting Experimental
Obsidian's focus on specificity and unique gameplay avenues is evident in the sequel. "We've significantly increased the number of Perks with over 90 of them – each of those requiring various Skills to unlock. As you invest in Skills, it changes how you can invest in Perks and leads you down many different paths," Koenig explained. He provided examples like the Run and Gun Perk for shotgun, SMG, and rifle users, allowing firing while sprinting or sliding, enhanced by Tactical Time Dilation (TTD) for bullet-time action. Another Perk, Space Ranger, offers dialogue interactions and damage boosts based on your Speech stat. "The way we looked at them when designing them was to look at what are all the different modes of gameplay the player has, and what are all the actions they can take and how can we modify them," he stated.
The Outer Worlds 2 encourages players to get creative, become more specialized, and embrace unconventional choices. "We have a lot of Perks that are catered towards non-traditional play styles," Singh mentioned, citing a build for players who eliminate every NPC, enhanced by Perks like Psychopath and Serial Killer, which grant bonuses for this playstyle. "Especially in an Obsidian game where we allow you to kill anybody – the game's going to respond, it's going to roll with it, and you're going to still be able to complete the game. It's actually a really fun way to play in a second or third playthrough just to see how far you can take it."
For more traditional playstyles, Koenig highlighted builds that utilize elemental combat aspects, such as using plasma to burn enemies while healing, shock damage to control automechs and paralyze foes, or corrosive damage to strip armor and maximize critical hits.
Singh also emphasized opportunities for experimental play, mentioning mechanics that reward players for taking risks. "How do I construct a build where I'm actually incentivized to get in there and take damage so that I can then do other things effectively? I really like those kinds of creative builds that allow you to play with that idea and convert something that might be negative into a positive aspect of your build." This approach, which was present in the original, is now a central theme in The Outer Worlds 2, particularly concerning Traits and Flaws.
The Positive and Negative Traits
"One of the things in The Outer Worlds that was a key off of Fallout was you could have negative attributes that would be actively detrimental to your character, but you get a few extra points to spend somewhere else," Koenig noted. The Flaws system in the original allowed players to accept permanent effects in exchange for extra Perk points. In The Outer Worlds 2, this concept expands further.
The Positive Traits and Negative Traits system introduces a give-and-take dynamic, allowing players to select a negative trait for an additional positive one. Examples include Brilliant, granting extra Skill points at character creation, and Brawny, enabling knock-downs by sprinting into enemies. Conversely, negative traits like Dumb, which locks out investment in five Skills, and Sickly, which lowers base health and toxicity tolerance, offer challenging trade-offs.
The Outer Worlds 2 Gameplay - Screenshots
25 Images
Though a more detailed exploration of the revamped Flaws will follow in another article, it's clear that The Outer Worlds 2 takes a more creative and nuanced approach. In the original, I often declined Flaws due to the limited benefit of extra Perk points. Now, the game actively monitors player behavior, offering Flaws with both positive and negative conditions, adding another layer of the Traits system that emerges based on gameplay.
Guiding Players and Ditching Respec
With more complex elements in The Outer Worlds 2, Obsidian has focused on making these mechanics accessible and clear through in-game explanations and UI enhancements. "Right from the get-go, from character creation, we really wanted to put in the forefront what are the differences of these skills and what they do," Koenig emphasized. This clarity extends beyond help text to include short gameplay demonstration videos in the menus. A standout feature is the ability to mark Perks as favorites before unlocking them, aiding in planning and organizing build progression. The intuitive layout, with clear requirements and icons indicating Perk playstyles and associated Skills, enhances user experience.
"We're looking for ways to incentivize the player to experiment with different builds, either traditional or non-traditional," Singh reiterated. Obsidian's intention is for players to consider their choices carefully, especially since there's no respec option beyond the introductory sequence. "By removing respec, we really incentivize it to be your experience. It is a part of your experience that no one else had, and I think that's really special about RPGs and something that respec tends to lessen," Koenig stated.
Singh concluded, "Philosophy-wise, we really feel all of your choices should matter. They should be meaningful changes to your gameplay experience. And this is just one of those ways where we're asking you to make a choice, stick to it, and see how that plays out in interesting and fun ways."
