[Note: All footage is from a work-in-progress alpha build.]
Having finally seen The Outer Worlds 2 for myself, it's clear that developer Obsidian has prioritized deeper RPG elements. While the first game offered streamlined systems and progression for character building, the sequel aims to avoid homogeneity and encourage unorthodox playstyles. The Outer Worlds 2 isn't about complexity for its own sake; it's about fostering creativity, specialization, and embracing unconventional choices.
"We're looking for ways to incentivize the player to experiment with different builds, either traditional or non-traditional," design director Matt Singh explained, detailing how the team revamped its RPG mechanics. He emphasized the focus on synergies between player Skills, Traits, and Perks to create interesting builds that interact with other game systems. This approach was evident in our exclusive 11 minutes of The Outer Worlds 2 gameplay, showcasing new gunplay, stealth, gadgets, and dialogue. In this IGN First coverage, we delve into the revamped systems and what players can expect.
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, explaining the changes 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 significant 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 be a player focused on guns and medical devices, you know which Skills to prioritize. By separating them and not grouping them, it allows characters to be more specialized."
Singh added, "There's more than just traditional stealth-focused, combat-focused, or speech-focused builds. There's a lot of blending of concepts, playing with other systems and incorporating those into a broad, yet unique range of different player profiles." He highlighted how certain Skill investments, like Observation, can reveal hidden elements in the environment, such as secret doors or interactive objects that lead to alternate paths.
The Outer Worlds 2 Character Creation - Screenshots
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While this approach may seem standard for an RPG, The Outer Worlds was an outlier with its grouped Skills. In the sequel, the revised Skill system aims to create greater distinctions and open more possibilities for character builds, especially in relation to the revamped Perks system.
The Perks of Getting Experimental
Obsidian is focused on specificity and offering unique avenues for play. "We've significantly increased the number of Perks, with over 90 of them – each 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 provided an example with the Run and Gun Perk for players using shotguns, SMGs, and rifles, allowing them to fire while sprinting or sliding. Combined with Tactical Time Dilation (TTD), bullet-time action becomes part of your repertoire. He also teased the Space Ranger Perk, which enhances dialogue interactions and grants damage boosts based on your Speech stat. "We looked at all the different modes of gameplay and actions players can take and how we can modify them," he said.
The Outer Worlds 2 encourages creativity, specialization, and embracing unconventional choices. "We have a lot of Perks that cater to non-traditional play styles," Singh mentioned, citing a build for players who kill every NPC in sight. With Perks like Psychopath and Serial Killer, you can lean into this playstyle, gaining bonuses such as permanent health boosts. "Especially in an Obsidian game where you can kill anybody – the game will respond, roll with it, and you'll still be able to complete it. It's a fun way to play in a second or third playthrough to see how far you can take it."
For more traditional playstyles, Koenig discussed builds that exploit the elemental aspects of combat. "You can be a character focused on plasma and burning things while healing from it, or use shock damage to scramble automechs and temporarily turn them against your enemies, or use corrosive damage to strip armor and make all your attacks critical hits dealing insane amounts of damage."
Singh emphasized other experimental avenues, mentioning mechanics that reward players for taking damage to buff other aspects of their character. "How do I construct a build where I'm incentivized to take damage so that I can do other things effectively? I really like those creative builds that allow you to play with that idea and convert something negative into a positive aspect of your build." This design philosophy, present in the original game, 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. This was implemented through the Flaws system, allowing players to take a permanent effect based on in-game behavior in exchange for an extra Perk point. In The Outer Worlds 2, this concept expands further.
The system of Positive Traits and Negative Traits is integral to the give-and-take dynamic, where choosing a negative allows for an additional positive. For example, you can select Brilliant for extra Skill points in character creation, or Brawny to knock targets down by sprinting into them. To gain more positives, you might choose a negative like Dumb, which locks you out of investing points into five Skills, or Sickly, which permanently lowers your base health and tolerance for toxicity. These are just a few of the options seen in the early stages.
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 is getting more creative in both goofy and clever ways. In the original game, I often turned down Flaws since the extra Perk points weren't worth the compromise. In the sequel, the game monitors your behavior and habits, offering Flaws with specific conditions that are both positive and negative – adding another layer to the Traits system that appears unexpectedly based on your playstyle. You'll still have to opt into them, but they will be a permanent part of your character.
Guiding Players and Ditching Respec
With many moving parts in The Outer Worlds 2, Obsidian aims to make these aspects clear and digestible through in-game explanations and UI elements. "Right from the get-go, from character creation, we wanted to highlight the differences of these skills and what they do," Koenig said. This clarity is not just in help text but also in short videos in the menus that demonstrate gameplay impact. A standout feature is the ability to mark Perks as favorites before unlocking them, helping to plan a progression path or build. Mapping them out is intuitive, with requirements shown upfront and icons signifying a Perk's general playstyle and related Skill.
"We're looking for ways to incentivize the player to experiment with different builds, either traditional or non-traditional," Obsidian wants players to carefully consider their choices, especially since there is no respec past the introductory sequence – once you invest in a Skill, Perk, or Trait, your character must live with that choice throughout the playthrough. Koenig said, "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."
Singh concluded, "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."
