The Outer Worlds will feel familiar to anyone who has played a first-person RPG. It feels a mix of Fallout and Skyrim; its got a Borderlands vibe going for it with its space western frontier setting. What sets it apart is the care that’s been given to the writing. There is a narrative quality in The Outer Worlds that makes it stand out, that even though it has a touch of familiarity, the journey is still a fresh and welcome one.
A big part of that quality is the world-building. The game is set in a future where humanity has begun colonizing planets at the edge of the galaxy. What is that future like? How do people live their lives? The Outer Worlds takes great care in answering those questions through its visuals, dialog and story. It presents its setting and characters in a believable manner. Homes, shops, factories and businesses look lived in and used. People are hungry, angry, bitter, fearful, hopeful, funny; the gamut of emotions vary, and learning how life is lived in the setting is part of the game’s appeal.
What’s even better is that it mixes in its humor very well. After all, the game’s societal premise of companies making the laws is ridiculous already. For example, the very first NPC encounter is one that espouses corporate values while he is injured. He is bleeding, but he refuses help unless the assistance is company-approved. The ridiculousness just builds from there.
Everything else about The Outer Worlds is solid but not spectacular. The combat is functional; the crafting is interesting enough. The character-building requires a bit of special mention though. It’s streamlined but also very clear: players know what will happen with every point that is allocated. It’s rare to find that clarity in gaming. Regardless, it’s really the world-building that stands out in The Outer Worlds. It doesn’t the massive real estate of most open-world games, but it works well with what it has.