Having finally seen The Outer Worlds 2 for myself, it's clear that leaning into deeper RPG elements was one of the priorities for developer Obsidian. While the first game offered a more streamlined approach to character building and progression, the sequel aims to avoid homogeneity and encourage players to explore unorthodox playstyles. The Outer Worlds 2 is not just about complexity for its own sake; it's designed to foster creativity, specialization, and perhaps even embracing the oddball choices players might make.
"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 unique and engaging builds. This approach was evident in our exclusive 11 minutes of The Outer Worlds 2 gameplay, showcasing new elements like gunplay, stealth, gadgets, and dialogue. As part of our IGN First coverage, we're delving into the specifics of these revamped systems and what players can expect from them.
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 and the changes planned for the sequel. Obsidian is moving away from the Skill categories that grouped stats together 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 to invest in one Skill or another. If you want to specialize in guns and medical devices, you know exactly which Skills to prioritize. By separating them, characters can become more specialized," Koenig added.
Singh further elaborated, "There's more than just traditional stealth-focused, combat-focused, or speech-focused builds. We're blending concepts and incorporating other systems to offer a broad yet unique range of player profiles." He mentioned that certain Skill investments, like Observation, can reveal hidden environmental elements such as secret doors or interactive objects, opening up alternative paths.
The Outer Worlds 2 Character Creation - Screenshots
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While this approach might seem standard for an RPG, The Outer Worlds was unique in its original Skill grouping. In the sequel, the revised Skill system aims to create clearer distinctions and more possibilities in character builds, particularly in relation to the revamped Perks system.
The Perks of Getting Experimental
Obsidian is emphasizing specificity and offering unique play avenues. "We've significantly increased the number of Perks to over 90, each requiring various Skills to unlock. As you invest in Skills, it changes how you can invest in Perks, leading you down many different paths," Koenig explained. He cited the example of the Run and Gun Perk for shotgun, SMG, and rifle users, which allows firing while sprinting or sliding, and can be combined with Tactical Time Dilation (TTD) for bullet-time action. He also mentioned the Space Ranger Perk, which enhances dialogue interactions and provides damage boosts based on the Speech stat. "We looked at all the different gameplay modes and actions players can take, and how we can modify them," Koenig stated.
"We have a lot of Perks that cater to non-traditional play styles," Singh noted, mentioning builds for players who kill every NPC, supported by Perks like Psychopath and Serial Killer, which offer bonuses like permanent health boosts. "In an Obsidian game where you can kill anybody, the game will respond and adapt, allowing you to complete it. It's a fun way to play in subsequent playthroughs to see how far you can push it."
For more traditional playstyles, Koenig discussed builds leveraging elemental combat aspects, such as using plasma to burn enemies while healing, shock damage to control automechs, or corrosive damage to strip armor for critical hits.
Singh highlighted other experimental avenues, such as opting for detrimental effects to boost other aspects of your character. He suggested mechanics that reward players for taking damage, asking, "How do I construct a build where I'm incentivized to take damage so I can do other things effectively? I really like those creative builds that allow you to convert something 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 in relation to 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 creates a give-and-take dynamic where choosing a negative trait allows for an additional positive one. For example, you might select Brilliant for extra Skill points during character creation or Brawny to knock down targets by sprinting into them. To gain more positives, you might opt for negatives like Dumb, which locks you out of five Skills, or Sickly, which permanently lowers your base health and toxicity tolerance. These are just a few examples from the early stages of the game.
The Outer Worlds 2 Gameplay - Screenshots
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While I will explore the revamped Flaws system in more detail in another article, it's evident that The Outer Worlds 2 is getting more creative and clever with these mechanics. In the original game, I often turned down Flaws due to the minimal benefit of extra Perk points. In the sequel, the game continues to monitor player behavior, but Flaws now come with specific conditions that have both positive and negative effects, adding another layer to the Traits system that can emerge unexpectedly based on gameplay. Players still have to opt into them, but they become a permanent part of the character.
Guiding Players and Ditching Respec
With more complex systems in The Outer Worlds 2, Obsidian has focused on making these elements clear and accessible through in-game explanations and UI enhancements. "Right from the start, during character creation, we wanted to highlight the differences and effects of these Skills," Koenig explained. This is achieved not only through help text but also with short videos in the menus demonstrating the gameplay impact. A standout feature is the ability to mark Perks as favorites before unlocking them, aiding in planning and organizing progression paths or builds. The requirements for Perks are shown upfront, and icons help signify the general playstyle and associated Skills.
Obsidian wants players to consider their choices carefully, especially since there is no respec option after the introductory sequence. "By removing respec, we really incentivize it to be your unique 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 added, "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."
