Having had the privilege of experiencing The Outer Worlds 2 firsthand, it's evident that developer Obsidian Entertainment has placed a strong emphasis on enhancing the RPG elements of the game. While the original title was designed to be more accessible with its streamlined systems and character progression, the sequel aims to break away from uniformity and encourage players to explore unconventional playstyles. The goal isn't complexity for its own sake but rather to inspire creativity, specialization, and perhaps even the embrace of quirky decision-making in character development.
In a discussion with design director Matt Singh, he elaborated on the revamped RPG mechanics, stating, "We're looking for ways to incentivize the player to experiment with different builds, either traditional or non-traditional." The broader approach, according to Singh, is to enhance synergies between player Skills, Traits, and Perks to create intriguing and unique builds. This was showcased in our exclusive 11-minute gameplay reveal, which highlighted new aspects such as gunplay, stealth, gadgets, and dialogue. As part of our IGN First coverage, we delve into the specifics of these reworked systems and what players can anticipate.
Rethinking the Skill System ---------------------------Lead systems designer Kyle Koenig reflected on the first game and the changes implemented for the sequel, noting, "We would often see characters good at everything, which by the end of the game, minimized your personal experience with your character." To address this, Obsidian has shifted away from the Skill categories used in the original game, opting instead for individual Skills with significant differences. Koenig explained, "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."
Singh added that the new system supports a variety of build types beyond traditional stealth, combat, or speech focuses. "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 Skills like Observation, which can reveal hidden elements in the environment, such as secret doors or interactive objects that lead to alternative paths.
The Outer Worlds 2 Character Creation - Screenshots
4 Images
While this approach might seem standard for an RPG, The Outer Worlds was unique in its grouped Skill system. In the sequel, the revised Skill system aims to create more distinct character builds and open up additional possibilities, particularly in relation to the revamped Perks system.
The Perks of Getting Experimental
Obsidian's focus on specificity and unique gameplay avenues is evident in the Perks system. "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 such as the Run and Gun Perk for shotgun, SMG, and rifle users, which allows firing while sprinting or sliding, and when combined with Tactical Time Dilation (TTD), can enhance bullet-time action. Another Perk, Space Ranger, offers unique dialogue interactions and damage boosts based on Speech stats.
Singh emphasized the variety of Perks tailored to non-traditional playstyles, such as Psychopath and Serial Killer, which provide bonuses like permanent health boosts for players who choose to eliminate NPCs. "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 conventional playstyles, Koenig discussed builds that leverage elemental combat, such as using plasma to burn enemies while healing, shock damage to control automechs, or corrosive damage to strip armor and maximize critical hits.
Singh highlighted further opportunities for experimentation, 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 builds on the original game's philosophy but is now a central feature in The Outer Worlds 2, especially in relation to Traits and Flaws.
The Positive and Negative Traits
Koenig noted that the original game drew inspiration from Fallout with its system of negative attributes that offered extra points to allocate elsewhere. In The Outer Worlds, this was reflected in the Flaws system, where players could accept permanent effects based on their behavior in exchange for an extra Perk point. In The Outer Worlds 2, this concept is expanded. The system now includes Positive Traits and Negative Traits, allowing players to balance their choices. For example, selecting Brilliant grants extra Skill points during character creation, while Brawny allows you to knock down targets by sprinting into them. Conversely, opting for Negative Traits like Dumb, which locks out five Skills, or Sickly, which reduces base health and tolerance for toxicity, can enable the selection of additional Positive Traits.
The Outer Worlds 2 Gameplay - Screenshots
25 Images
While a deeper exploration of the revamped Flaws will be covered in a subsequent article, it's clear that The Outer Worlds 2 introduces creative and humorous ways to integrate Flaws into gameplay. The game continues to monitor player behavior and habits, but now Flaws come with specific conditions that have both positive and negative impacts, adding another layer to the Traits system. Players can still choose to opt into these Flaws, but once selected, they become a permanent part of their character.
Guiding Players and Ditching Respec
With the increased complexity in The Outer Worlds 2, Obsidian has focused on making these elements accessible and understandable 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 stated. This includes not only detailed help text but also short video demonstrations in the menus to illustrate the gameplay impact of Skills. A notable feature is the ability to mark Perks as favorites before unlocking them, aiding in planning and tracking progression paths or builds. The interface also clearly indicates Perk requirements and categorizes them by playstyle and applicable Skills.
Obsidian encourages players to carefully consider their choices, especially since there is no respec option beyond the introductory sequence. Koenig emphasized, "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." Singh echoed this sentiment, noting, "Philosophy-wise, we really feel all of your choices should matter. They should be meaningful changes to your gameplay experience. 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."
