Welcome to our latest IGN First, where we're dedicating the entire month of April to exclusive coverage of *The Outer Worlds 2*. This is your very first glimpse into its gameplay in real time, taking you through a thrilling quest to infiltrate the N-Ray Facility. This quest showcases a range of new features and mechanics, while also highlighting how the game reimagines level design. One of the most striking aspects is the enhanced depth as an RPG, with developer Obsidian drawing inspiration from their past projects and even immersive sims like *Deus Ex* and *Dishonored*.
The DNA of first-person RPGs has always been present, but *The Outer Worlds 2* introduces more sophisticated systems than its predecessor, including a true stealth system and enhanced tools that make this playstyle viable. These include effective melee weapons and skills for silent takedowns. For instance, the health bar above enemy heads now features a purple-colored readout, indicating the damage a stealth attack will inflict. This helps players determine if they can achieve a one-hit kill or if it's worth attacking. Enemies will also detect dead bodies and alert guards, but players can quickly dispose of them if they possess the skill to disintegrate bodies on the spot.
The Outer Worlds 2 Gameplay - Screenshots
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Later in the quest, players acquire the N-Ray Scanner, which allows them to see certain objects and NPCs/enemies through walls. This tool is essential for solving complex environmental puzzles and is equally important for stealth and combat strategies. The N-Ray Facility is home to enemies that can cloak themselves, making them invisible to the naked eye but not to the N-Ray Scanner. Failing to use it diligently could result in these cloaked enemies ambushing you, showcasing how gadgets add new dimensions to gameplay.
Several interlocking systems influence how players can engage with the game, emphasizing the RPG elements that contribute to specific character builds. Stealth and immersive sim mechanics are just part of the expanded gameplay in *The Outer Worlds 2*. Obsidian has also focused on improving gunplay, taking inspiration from *Destiny* for what good gunplay should feel like. While *The Outer Worlds 2* isn't becoming a full-on shooter, it aims to enhance how a first-person game with firearms should play.
You can see this in action when approaching the N-Ray Facility with guns blazing. Movement has been fine-tuned to complement gunplay, allowing players to be more agile and perform actions like sprint-sliding while aiming down sights, much like an action hero. With the return of Tactical Time Dilation (TTD), the bullet-time fantasy remains a powerful combat tool. Additionally, the introduction of throwables provides players with another strategic element to incorporate into their arsenal, such as tossing a grenade, activating TTD, and shooting it midair to detonate it on unsuspecting enemies.
While there isn't much to share about the story yet, particularly the context around the N-Ray Facility quest, we do see how conversations have been slightly tweaked in the sequel. In the gameplay video above, there's a moment where you confront an NPC named Exemplar Foxworth, who has survived a cultist takeover. She's bleeding out, and you can choose to help her based on your Medical stat or respond based on your Guns or Melee stats. This part also introduces a new companion named Aza, a former cultist who joins you in an effort to undo their past actions, despite her frantic demeanor.
Many of these elements were present in the original *Outer Worlds* to some extent, but while that game laid a foundation for Obsidian, *The Outer Worlds 2* appears to be a fully realized version of what they were aiming to achieve. Through early access and conversations with Obsidian, we gained insights into its new features and the vision behind this sequel. It seems eager to harness the RPG roots of the studio's past while exploring what a modern first-person RPG can be, drawing inspiration from *Fallout*—specifically, *Fallout: New Vegas*—which raises my expectations significantly.
This is just a glimpse of what's in store for *The Outer Worlds 2* and what we'll be covering throughout this month's IGN First. I'll be delving into character builds, the new flaws system, an array of unique weapons, and the significantly larger scale of this sequel. Stay tuned for interviews with key figures like original *Fallout* developer and creative director Leonard Boyarsky, game director Brandon Adler, and design director Matt Singh. Keep checking back at IGN all April long for more exciting updates!
