The Outer Worlds 2: Unleash RPG Character Creativity - IGN First

Having finally seen The Outer Worlds 2 in action, it's evident that developer Obsidian has prioritized deepening the RPG elements. While the first game offered more streamlined systems and character progression to be more approachable, the sequel encourages players to embrace diversity and unconventional playstyles. The Outer Worlds 2 isn't about complexity for its own sake; it's about sparking creativity, allowing players to specialize in their chosen skills, and embracing the quirky decisions they might make along the way.

“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 highlighted the team's focus on creating synergies between player Skills, Traits, and Perks, which can lead to unique and engaging builds. This approach was showcased in our exclusive 11 minutes of gameplay, which demonstrated new gunplay, stealth mechanics, gadgets, and dialogue options. In this IGN First coverage of The Outer Worlds 2, we delve into the intricate details of these revamped systems and what players can anticipate from them.

“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, explaining the need for change in the sequel. To address this, Obsidian has shifted from grouping Skills into categories to focusing on individual Skills with significant 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 elaborated.

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 that 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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Although this may seem standard for an RPG, The Outer Worlds was unique in its initial approach. The sequel's revised Skill system aims to create more distinct character builds and open up new possibilities, particularly with the revamped Perks system.

The Perks of Getting Experimental

Obsidian is focusing on offering specific and unique gameplay avenues through Perks. “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 cited the example of the Run and Gun Perk for those who favor shotguns, SMGs, and rifles, which allows firing while sprinting or sliding. Combined with Tactical Time Dilation (TTD), this can enhance bullet-time action. Another intriguing Perk, Space Ranger, offers 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.

The Outer Worlds 2 encourages players to get creative, become more specialized with the things they spec into, and maybe embrace the oddball choices they may have to make. “We have a lot of Perks that are catered towards non-traditional play styles,” Singh noted, giving an example of builds for players who prefer eliminating every NPC they encounter. With Perks like Psychopath and Serial Killer, players can receive bonuses such as permanent health boosts for adopting this approach. “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,” Singh added.

For those interested in more traditional playstyles, Koenig provided insights into character builds that leverage the elemental aspects of combat. “Even if you want to mix and match them, you can be a character that's all about plasma and burning things alive while getting healing from it – or using shock damage to scramble automechs and have them fight for you temporarily while paralyzing creatures and humans – or using corrosive damage to take away all their armor and make it so all your attacks against them are critical hits that deal insane amounts of damage,” he elaborated.

Singh emphasized other experimental avenues, such as opting into detrimental effects that can buff another aspect of your character. He mentioned mechanics that reward players for risking harm, questioning, “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, a staple of the original, is now a central theme in The Outer Worlds 2, especially with regards 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 explained. This was reflected in the original game's Flaws system, where players could opt for permanent effects in exchange for extra Perk points. In The Outer Worlds 2, this concept is expanded significantly.

The system of Positive Traits and Negative Traits creates a balanced give-and-take, allowing players to choose a negative Trait to gain an additional positive one. For instance, selecting Brilliant grants extra Skill points during character creation, while Brawny enables you to knock down targets by sprinting into them. To gain more positive Traits, you might have to accept a negative one like Dumb, which prevents you from investing in five Skills, or Sickly, which lowers your base health and tolerance for toxicity. 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 in greater detail in another article, it's clear that The Outer Worlds 2 introduces more creative and clever Flaws. In the original game, I often declined Flaws because the trade-off for extra Perk points wasn't compelling. Now, the game monitors player behavior and offers Flaws with both positive and negative conditions, adding another layer to the Traits system that appears unexpectedly based on gameplay. Players still have the option to accept these Flaws, which then become a permanent part of their character.

Guiding Players and Ditching Respec

With numerous complex elements in The Outer Worlds 2, Obsidian has made it a priority to ensure these aspects are clear and understandable, whether through in-game explanations or 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 for Perks are displayed upfront, and icons in the menu signify their 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's goal is for players to make thoughtful choices, especially since there's no respec option beyond the introductory sequence. Once you've invested in a Skill, Perk, or Trait, your character is committed to that choice throughout the 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. And 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.”