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The Fallout franchise is in a bit of a weird place at the moment. Bethesda took over the development rights some time in 2007, but what began as a cause for celebration with the release of Fallout 3 has quickly turned sour thanks to an outdated game engine, frequent bugs and a refusal to focus on a deep single-player experience. Luckily, The Outer Worlds is a new spiritual successor that will arrive soon from the people behind fan-favourite entry Fallout: New Vegas.
There are myriad reasons why this is exciting. For one, as already mentioned, it comes from Obsidian Entertainment – otherwise known as the makers of Fallout: New Vegas. In many players’ eyes this is the peak of what a modern Fallout game should look like, and is part of the reason why The Outer Worlds even exists. There’s a clear audience there for a game of this style: an open-world RPG that heavily leans into space western themes.
Here we’ll dive deep into why The Outer Worlds looks to be one of the most promising releases of the 2019 yet, covering why it should satisfy fans of the Fallout franchise. The online-centric Fallout 76 was notoriously ridiculed for its heavy emphasis on multiplayer and lack of cool characters, when the truth is that people just want to get lost in a vibrant world full of life and where their choices matter. The Outer Worlds will deliver this in spades and then some. So, let’s get into it:
The Outer Worlds takes place in an alternate future where mega corporations have been allowed to prosper and go unregulated, now attempting to dominate what’s left of society by terraforming planets for their own sinful gain. As such, commercialisation is rife amongst the galaxy, but luckily you have arrived just in time to hopefully hold back the corporate menace and fight for the little guy. Halcyon is a colony found in the furthest reaches of the galaxy, and its here where you awake from hypersleep and make your stomping ground.
It’s a colourful new setting ready for you to explore, being a far cry from the dull greys and browns players have typically become accustomed to in the Fallout games. There’s still plenty of characters to interact with, factions to take down and deals to make, it’s just all surrounded by environments that are much more vibrant and less of a bore to look at. Developer Obsidian in Halycon has created a luscious land to be in, as unexpected survival you are the unplanned variable ready to wreak some havoc.
As is the case with most sprawling open-world RPGs, The Outer Worlds doesn’t see you play as one specific character and instead allows you to create your own. You’ll start off picking your race, gender and attributes, eventually going on to make decisions that will see NPCs act differently around you. One of the core thrusts of this hefty campaign is recruiting other space colonists to your cause, seeing you gain a family of followers that make will make your mission much easier.
Be careful not to get too carried away in your ambitious exploits, however, as Obsidian has made it pretty clear that every person you meet can be killed. Suddenly, someone that may have granted you a cool weapon, piece of armour or even joined your team is at risk of being lost. How you choose to act in The Outer Worlds is entirely up to you, just be prepared to live with the consequences.
If you can’t already tell from the zany colour palette, off-kilter character designs or witty trailers, The Outer Worlds is looking to carve out its own niche by being an open-world RPG that doesn’t take itself too seriously. It’s in this regard where the game couldn’t be further from Fallout, who’s brand of satire often falls too much into bleakness. Sticking it to the evil space corporations should be a riot, right? Obsidian recognises this and so has sprinkled in plenty of humour that’s more akin to Borderlands than, say, Mass Effect or Fallout.
You’ll experience this unique brand of comedy through character dialogue options, certain creative weaponry, as well as the main campaign itself. It’s all inspired by cult sci-fi movies from the 20s and 30s, given just a splash of modern spin that makes it relevant to the wider context of most games that release today. If you want to chuckle in addition to being a badass, you should find that The Outer Worlds fires on all cylinders.
If you’re still left wondering whether The Outer Worlds will fill that Fallout-shaped hole in your heart, you can always check out this interview Game Informer did with the developer. Here Obsidian answers 131 questions about the game in true quick-fire fashion, covering a whole bunch of topics including frame rates, mod support and quest design. Take a look:
Pre-order The Outer Worlds at the lowest price
You don’t have to wait to guarantee your copy of The Outer Worlds. In fact, using Gaming Deals’ accurate price comparison filters, you can do so while ensuring you get it at the lowest price. It releases October 25th on PS4 and Xbox One:
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