The Outer Worlds (New Obsidian RPG)

Well the Shrink Ray was a giant disappointment to me. I came back to a normal sized Ulon, instead of the chipmunk sounding mini mustache suck up I was expecting. Apparently the effect only lasts a few seconds, but I booked it after shrinking him so as not to tarnish my Rep any further fighting Guards. This was possibly the most anticipated moment for me in this game so far. Thought I'd found something truly ingenius... such a missed opportunity. What's the point of even putting a shrink ray in the game if the effects don't last? Fudge muppets.
 
Kicking myself for not unchecking Show Base Item Stats sooner, and I think it's unfortunate they defaulted it to on. Because I've played nearly the whole game with it at default, which means the damage that a weapon card shows is not factoring all the other modifiers.

TLDR, uncheck this to see a weapon's effective damage, that factors all your other modifiers.

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really liking this. it is pretty easy, so many easy ways to get XP. I went mostly with dialog skills and then the lock picking one. I almost want to start over and just try a pacifist run as much as possible.

it really does have a Fallout + Bioshock + borderlands vibe and i think it is great. Love how everyone is a walking advertisement and they hate it!
 
Solution: needed to actually enable Xbox Live services. Then needed to install the Xbox software for cloud saves (which I want as I'll be playing on different systems). After a reboot, I was good to go.

[As background, the particular system was one on which Windows was loaded using the decrapifyer process which disables nonessentials -- this is great, but obviously targets Xbox stuff by default; another system that had been built up normally had no issue installing and running the game]
Ja, this is why I never rely on any automated tools to customize my Windows installation.
 
Looks like the honeymoon is over.


Or some people just like different things.

Is it better than NV, to me absolutely because it’s tighter, polished, and most importantly finished. NV was great until you realized that only one major faction was actually fleshed out and the other is nothing more than a skeleton.

It isn’t open world, for some that’s a negative, for me it’s a meh, open world can be great, but they also tend to be thin on actual plot and motivation. This is overall a tighter game because it isn’t open, so the plot and experience is more a driver. Again some won’t care, if you like to skip dialogue and just shoot n loot, this is not for you.
 
Ja, this is why I never rely on any automated tools to customize my Windows installation.

Agreed -- this was a first run on a non-critical system. I believe that I'll keep using the tool now that I've dialed it in a bit as it hasn't broken anything; I'm more surprised that the Windows Store could not provide a useful error, let alone starting the needed services given the obvious dependencies, or even just begun the installation prompts for them.
 
If you're looking for the best all around build, then I think this guy nails it. If you just want to enjoy the game on your own first, than maybe save this for later or skip it altogether. Either way, there are some great tips in this video:



The +1 in every attribute is probably the best first play option, so you are never really locked out of any play style. You can re-spec skills but you can't re-spec attributes. This gives you flexibility to try everything without starting a new character (common in RPGs).

Then for later plays, you can go ultra-focused specialized.
 
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So do all the planets get unlocked by the end of the game, or some remain locked for future DLCs?

I'm just curious because I feel I'm nearing the end of the main quest, but there are still 2 locked planets.
 
So do all the planets get unlocked by the end of the game, or some remain locked for future DLCs?

I'm just curious because I feel I'm nearing the end of the main quest, but there are still 2 locked planets.
like 3 are locked... i thought i was like 60/70% thru the game, even seemed like it in the final minute. Nope, ended earlier than i thought.
 
The game is fairly small, realistically. Monarch is the biggest location, and once you finish that the game will end fast.
 
So do all the planets get unlocked by the end of the game, or some remain locked for future DLCs?

I'm just curious because I feel I'm nearing the end of the main quest, but there are still 2 locked planets.

They're EGS exclusive planets.
 
Not sure if I'm blind or stupid, but there IS a resolution render option in the game. They call it "3D Resolution" so I guess the 3D wording threw me off. Dialing that back to to 90 helps way more than individual graphical items (like shadows or textures) while allowing me to keep the view distance cranked. That's one of those settings I prefer to keep maxed out in everything.
I'm also no longer seeing any tiny hitches when heading into a different area or with fog/smoke, too. If you're not happy with your performance, try dialing it back a little. It helps a ton in most games and I find it less noticeable in than individual settings in most games.

The only other thing that threw me off was the FOV. I'm on a TV, so the default is usually fine. Not with this game. For some reason it's set to 75. Taking that to 80 feels much better.
 
The further I get in the game the more little issues I'm starting to notice. Pacing definitely seems off. The level cap is 30. I just hit 15 and it feels like I only just got started. The choices that need specific stats seem awfully low. Just leveling up evenly hasn't excluded me from anything. Random people are joining my party for no particular reason except boredom. Why is there so much pointless junk to pick up? Are all of these dialogue options really leading to different results? There is also a Mass Effect 2 feeling of exploring the universe by visiting a hallway on each planet. There is no feeling of scope/scale.

It's still a fun game and the overarching story has my attention. I'm just now starting to side-eye those insanely high ratings a little more. While Fallout is repeatedly mentioned in the context of the game, I'd say it reminds me more of Mass Effect 2 than anything else.
 
The further I get in the game the more little issues I'm starting to notice. Pacing definitely seems off. The level cap is 30. I just hit 15 and it feels like I only just got started. The choices that need specific stats seem awfully low. Just leveling up evenly hasn't excluded me from anything. Random people are joining my party for no particular reason except boredom. Why is there so much pointless junk to pick up? Are all of these dialogue options really leading to different results? There is also a Mass Effect 2 feeling of exploring the universe by visiting a hallway on each planet. There is no feeling of scope/scale.

It's still a fun game and the overarching story has my attention. I'm just now starting to side-eye those insanely high ratings a little more. While Fallout is repeatedly mentioned in the context of the game, I'd say it reminds me more of Mass Effect 2 than anything else.

Agreed. The 90%+ ratings are way off IMO. I think the polish blinded folks to the fact that a lot of gameplay elements just aren’t implemented very well, and the lack of difficulty across the board is a severe issue.

It’s a good game, but the reviews saying “Bethesda is dead” are laughable.
 
It’s a good game, but the reviews saying “Bethesda is dead” are laughable.

I don't think you can say Bethesda is dead exclusively because of this game, but this game shows one of the big reasons Bethesda is dead. This game is good, not great, but it surely isn't the dumpster fire that is Fallout 76.
 
I don't even know if this game has any bearing on Bethesda's fate, IMO. I think it just shows that Obsidian can make a good game with a totally new franchise. Maybe not a great game, but a good one.
Lots of great franchises begin with mediocre games and a grand vision, so I'd say it's at least a good sign of things to come. I dunno where the game ends up, but it seems like a sequel or prequel could be in the cards.
 
at least what this shows is someone else can make a FO style game and do it well. It definitely has issue but not breaking issues. I do hope this group can make some more of these but they need that big open world exploration thing. I wonder if that is a Unreal issue or not. That is the one thing I miss, just being able to wander off in some direction seemingly forever to just end up at some random hut with some kind of silliness or odd little story behind it.
 
The benefit to Behtesda's technology at this point is that it likely doesn't take as much effort to build/script out those thousands of encounters in their massive game worlds. Yes, this leads to bugs, but at least a sizeable game world like in Skyrim/Fallout3/4 can be cranked out. I would imagine any other engine just doesn't have the tools built to accomplish things as fast, and i'm willing to bet every task/quest in Outer Worlds took a decent amount of time to implement/test.
 
at least what this shows is someone else can make a FO style game and do it well. It definitely has issue but not breaking issues. I do hope this group can make some more of these but they need that big open world exploration thing. I wonder if that is a Unreal issue or not. That is the one thing I miss, just being able to wander off in some direction seemingly forever to just end up at some random hut with some kind of silliness or odd little story behind it.

To be clear, Outer Worlds was created by the two true original creators of Fallout 1 & 2: Leonard Boyarsky (Art Director) and Tim Cain (Producer/Director). What Bethesda has done is its own twist on the Fallout Universe which I personally dislike (3+. I realize I'm in the minority, but I'm a FO purist only like 1,2). Fallout 3:NV was also made by Obsidian making it (at least from a story perspective) the closest game in feel to the original two (with lead legendary writer/designer Chris Avellone at the helm). I'd recommend checking out various interviews Tim Cain and Leondard Boyarsky have done talking about Fallout's legacy and how that fits into the development of Outer Worlds.
 
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The benefit to Behtesda's technology at this point is that it likely doesn't take as much effort to build/script out those thousands of encounters in their massive game worlds. Yes, this leads to bugs, but at least a sizeable game world like in Skyrim/Fallout3/4 can be cranked out. I would imagine any other engine just doesn't have the tools built to accomplish things as fast, and i'm willing to bet every task/quest in Outer Worlds took a decent amount of time to implement/test.

I reckon that's accurate - one of the Obsidian devs mentioned that the game's been playable for two years. So considering I was able to play the game start to finish without a single bug or crash, and that this project was known to have a smaller, AA level budget and staff, its a pretty good level of polish even if it doesn't fulfill the people expecting Fallout 5 with 500+ hours of infinite and moddable endgame.
 
The game itself has been bug free for me as well. There are some weird quirks that seem to be related to the Windows Store launcher, but the game itself has been bulletproof.
The much smaller scope probably plays a role in that. While the quests are no more robust than the Bethesda games, they are a bit more curated. I don't ever get the impression anything is randomized. Tracking NPC's and whatnot never seems to be a thing either. They probably intentionally avoided those things knowing how much trouble they can be.
Going into it and even during the first hour or so I expected the game to be very large in scope and akin to Fallout/Skyrim. That's not really their fault, but it's what I expected. Instead I still think it's more of a spiritual successor to Mass Effect 2, but with the Fallout 1950's kitsch.
 
I don't think you can say Bethesda is dead exclusively because of this game, but this game shows one of the big reasons Bethesda is dead. This game is good, not great, but it surely isn't the dumpster fire that is Fallout 76.
Bethesda is dead because of their own incompetence, this game just shows what you can do when you're competent. Of course you have to scale it for the resources and budget that went into this game vs Bethesda games.

As for the game not being 90%: The size of the game does not have an effect on how good it is. It definitely is a 9/10. If it was 10 times larger it would still be a 9/10, if it had the same quality and polish. But if it was bigger and less polished it would be a 8 or 7 probably. I prefer a shorter game where everything is perfect vs a bloated empty sandbox that is completely pointless apart from wasting time.
 
I just did the Gravedigger quest seems pretty trivial and the characters talk like fruitloops. Not really immersive due to the humor.
 
I just did the Gravedigger quest seems pretty trivial and the characters talk like fruitloops. Not really immersive due to the humor.

It has always been billed as Satire. If you're watching Austin Powers and expecting Tears of the Sun, then I agree you've got the wrong game for what you're in the mood for. Come back to it later when you want something that is going to put a smirk on your face.
 
I'm liking the game so far, but I do have a few little complaints:

1. The biggest one is the loot. There is just way too much of the same stuff everrywhere, and not enough unique items. After a few hours of play, you walk into a new room, and practically know where you will find all the loot located. Plus, if you are only going to have two different wearable pieces of gear, there needs to be more variety.
2. The main story-line is not very gripping.

I hope this game ends up having good mod support, or I'll likely end up playing it 1-1/2 times through.
 
Not that it matters much (the game is too easy as it is), but I feel like the DPS listings for the energy rifles is misleading.
If you charge up the shot before firing it does insane damage. More than anything else in the game as far as I can tell. Combine that with increased science weapon damage stats + perks and you can 1-shot just about anything. Ignore than piddly 200 DPS rating the game shows you. It's more like 2000 when you charge it up and add in sneak.
 
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Love the game, played it last weekend kill everything and started playing the story this weekend. The game is pretty easy even on supernova, but supernova is a far better experience.

Loot is great, all the foods and stuff is very nice to look over. Gameplay is pretty good, the story telling/ character interaction is where it is really at.

This is the first game I have played in a while where I said oh fuck picked the wrong dialog option and since it is super nova there is no way I am reloading it to get a different one. The choices mean something folks.

My problems with the game is it pushes me along a story arch, at least from what I can gather there will be three endings this way. Wonder if the third one will let you somehow brake from that push along.
Also it is a relatively short game, but from the looks of it play through will be different enough to keep interest for at least 3 runs. (there are no grenades) (wish there was a way to display all of that awesome food)
 
I'm one of those people that hates having 40 types of food that all does the same thing. Especially since it isn't an MMO that requires me to eat. It's like RDR2 all over again. I wish they just had 5-6 large buckets in my inventory instead. I also don't really care for the way you actually have to use items. It's a needless extra step to have to equip a set of items just to use them once.

Game wise, I feel like there's something missing. The characters seem to lack substance to me. Everyone's basically a flat stereotype. While some of your choices matter, it's all just tied to those reputation meters. I've played around with some of the decision trees and they mostly lead to the same results more than they should.

It's a good game, but I feel like the further I get the less I'm enjoying myself. The computers and notes all seem to say roughly the same things and frankly they remind me of Fallout 76 more than they should. I got their overarching message in the first hour so it's like beating a dead horse at this point. I do feel like a prequel could be lots of fun, though. They're basically plopping you in the middle of a world that has been like this for a long time. It could be fun to see earlier stages of it.
 
I'm one of those people that hates having 40 types of food that all does the same thing. Especially since it isn't an MMO that requires me to eat. It's like RDR2 all over again. I wish they just had 5-6 large buckets in my inventory instead. I also don't really care for the way you actually have to use items. It's a needless extra step to have to equip a set of items just to use them once.

You don't have to equip food items to use them a single time. You can use them right from the inventory. You only equip them if you want them to be used every time you heal.
 
Beat the game, really enjoyed my time with it. Total crashes were 3. Pretty sure one was a Game Pass-related bug, and the other two were running out of GPU Ram for trying to play at 4k at higher quality settings on my 2080 Super (11 GB would've been handy here.)

Won't spoil anything, but I really like Obsidian's endings. Gave good closure to my character, my teammates, and the choices I made. Mass Effect 3 would've been so much better had it followed this style, your ending based on your specific choices (throughout the trilogy) and not the set trio of endings we got.
 
Never could get into the FO games. Outer Worlds just has my attention and it’s quite fun for me.
 
I was enjoying it until I logged in and I lost my main save. I tried starting from an earlier save, but I can't bring myself to play through it again. I realized I just didn't care what was going on story wise. My game pass $1 trial is almost over so no real loss.
 
I kept getting crashes on the final mission. Luckily there are videos that show work-arounds for it. While it felt like it was going to be too short (especially after I hit level 15 so quickly), the pacing for the game changed quite a bit toward the end. I feel it was just right length-wise. I'd say it still reminds me a whole lot of Mass Effect 2. Not sure I'll ever play it again, though. I feel like I did what I wanted and other than not maxing out one faction (Auntie Cleo), I did all of the side stuff I wanted. Playing through again, I'd basically just have to play as a dick. The other middle of the road choices don't seem to matter all that much, so you're basically nice or an ass. With several planets still left locked, I'm guessing there is DLC coming? Otherwise, that seems weird.
 
I love the game for what it's worth, it's enjoyable and I feel "immersed" enough that I'm not complaining. I agree with others as you get further along in the game you start to realize how few items there actually are when you've picked up the same shit over and over and over again. More variety would've been great, but it's a good game and I hope they make another one in the future and make it even better. I think with a fully fleshed 2nd game correcting some of the minor mistakes and flaws, yes it would be a Fallout killer in my book.
 
Im enjoying this game and should complete it this week most likely. There is also a patch coming this week sometime-

The Outer Worlds Patch 1.1.1.0 Bug Fixes & Gameplay Changes
  • The crashing issue in Tartarus
  • Increase Font Size - Conversations/Subtitles
  • Muffled sound effects occur at random times for players on the PS4
  • Companions dying and failing companion quests on modes other than Supernova
  • Unable to finish "Radio Free Monarch"
  • Trophy "Not the Best Choice" fails to unlock properly
 
Just curious, does the game ever delve into the backstory Obsidian issued back when the game was first announced? The stuff related to Roosevelt and antitrust never becoming a thing. I don't recall ever seeing anything about it, but I think it adds some interesting color to the game's world.

I'm of the opinion that both a prequel and sequel would work rather well. They spent a lot of time on the game world and the lore, so they have some really good building blocks to work with. I still want to know what's up with all of those places on the map that you never get to visit, too.
 
I went back to an earlier save (prior to a few major decisions related to the Hope) and was surprised how little things changed based upon your decisions. I expected giant sweeping differences in the final missions, but they're basically identical with different antagonist(s).

Something I really like is that you really can thrive as a dialogue-based character. You can talk your way out of basically anything. If you incorporate a lot of sneaking you can probably be a complete pacifist. Most of the game's XP is quest-related, so you wouldn't even miss much by not culling everything on Monarch.
You're also still able to do decent enough damage without boosting combat stats much, if at all. Some (like Science) serve multiple purposes including combat. It's really well done. "Perception" seems to be the one thing that they should probably tweak a little since it affects so much but is tough to identify/adjust.
 
I finished the game yesterday and I have to say, it was a damn good game.

My only real complaint after finishing is that is just seemed to abruptly end. It was like you doing missions that seem to be pushing story and then BAM, final mission. it just seemed out of the blue and like there should have been more before it. It is a pretty short game and I did everything I was able to do. It was pretty short.

It was easy though...Like really easy. Kept tinkering a plasma rifle 2.0 from like level 10 on and just melting everything. I went mostly dialogue in stats but also went lock pick and hack as well. After reading the above post I probably won't go back and play again. I was hoping that trying to side with each group differently would change things but it doesn't sound like it.

Sucks that have like 3 or 4 other planets you don't even get to use.

I wish the perks were a bit better in some ways. After a the first 5 or so I was just not even picking them for a while because I didn't really think I needed them. They don't do much. Same with the time slow down thing. I did not use it once. Not sure why they even put that in the game...just to have a VATS kind of thing sorta?

it was definitely worth it though.

I ran into zero problems with it. no crashes, no bugs, no nothing. Smooth sailing.
 
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