Having finally seen The Outer Worlds 2 for myself, it's clear that developer Obsidian has prioritized deepening the RPG elements. While the first game offered a more streamlined approach to character progression, the sequel aims to break away from homogeneity and encourage players to explore unconventional playstyles. The Outer Worlds 2 isn't just about complexity for its own sake; it's about fostering creativity, specialization, and embracing unique choices in gameplay.
"We're looking for ways to incentivize the player to experiment with different builds, either traditional or non-traditional," design director Matt Singh explained during a discussion on the revamped RPG mechanics. He emphasized the team's focus on synergies between player Skills, Traits, and Perks, which can lead to intriguing and diverse character builds. This approach was evident in our exclusive 11 minutes of The Outer Worlds 2 gameplay, showcasing new elements in gunplay, stealth, gadgets, and dialogue. In this IGN First exclusive coverage, we delve into the intricacies of these reworked 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," lead systems designer Kyle Koenig reflected on the first game, highlighting the need for change 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 pronounced differences. "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 mentioned how certain Skill investments, like Observation, can reveal hidden elements in the environment, such as secret doors or interactive objects, leading to alternative paths.
The Outer Worlds 2 Character Creation - Screenshots
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While this approach might seem standard for RPGs, The Outer Worlds was unique in its Skill grouping. The sequel, however, uses the revised Skill system to create more distinct character builds and open up new possibilities, particularly in relation to the revamped Perks system.
The Perks of Getting Experimental
Obsidian is focusing on specificity and offering unique play avenues. "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 an example with the Perk called Run and Gun, designed for players using shotguns, SMGs, and rifles, allowing them to fire while sprinting or sliding. Combined with Tactical Time Dilation (TTD), this can enhance bullet-time action in The Outer Worlds 2. Another Perk, Space Ranger, offers unique 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," Koenig stated.
"We have a lot of Perks that are catered towards non-traditional play styles," Singh noted, citing an example of a build for players who kill every NPC. Such players can lean into this with Perks like Psychopath and Serial Killer, which grant bonuses like permanent health boosts. "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," he added.
For more traditional playstyles, Koenig discussed builds that exploit elemental combat aspects. Players can mix and match damage types, such as using plasma to burn enemies while healing, shock damage to control automechs and paralyze foes, or corrosive damage to strip armor and deal critical hits.
Singh highlighted other experimental avenues, such as opting into detrimental effects that enhance other aspects of your character. He mentioned mechanics that reward players for taking damage, asking, "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 design philosophy, present in the original, is now a driving force in The Outer Worlds 2, particularly with 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 mentioned. The original game's Flaws system allowed players to take permanent effects based on in-game behavior in exchange for an extra Perk point. In The Outer Worlds 2, this concept is expanding significantly.
The system of Positive Traits and Negative Traits is central to this give-and-take dynamic. Players can choose a negative Trait to gain an additional positive one. For example, Brilliant grants extra Skill points during character creation, while Brawny allows you to knock targets down by sprinting into them. To gain more positives, you might select a negative Trait like Dumb, which locks you out of investing points into five Skills, or Sickly, which permanently lowers your base health and tolerance for toxicity. These are just a few of the options seen in the early stages.
The Outer Worlds 2 Gameplay - Screenshots
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While a deeper exploration of the revamped Flaws will be covered in another article, it's clear that The Outer Worlds 2 is pushing the boundaries with creative and clever implementations. In the original game, I often declined Flaws as the extra Perk points weren't worth the compromise. In the sequel, the game monitors your behavior and habits, offering Flaws with specific conditions that are both positive and negative. These Flaws appear unexpectedly based on your playstyle, and while you must opt into them, they become a permanent part of your character.
Guiding Players and Ditching Respec
With many new elements in The Outer Worlds 2, Obsidian aims to make these aspects clear and digestible through in-game explanations and UI elements. "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 clarity is not only in the help text but also in short videos within the menus that demonstrate gameplay impacts. A notable feature is the ability to mark Perks as favorites before unlocking them, aiding in planning and organizing a specific progression path or build. The requirements are shown upfront, and icons in the menu signify a Perk's general playstyle and associated Skill.
"We're looking for ways to incentivize the player to experiment with different builds, either traditional or non-traditional," Singh reiterated. Obsidian wants players to carefully consider their choices, especially since there is no respec option past the introductory sequence. Once you've invested in a Skill, Perk, or Trait, your character must live with that choice throughout your playthrough. "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 said.
Singh concluded, "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."
