The Outer Worlds attempts to recapture the magic of classic RPGs like Fallout. It is due for release on PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One on October 25, meaning it will soon be in the hands of players. (It will release on Nintendo Switch at a later date.)
There has been a huge amount of speculation about the game ever since it was first revealed. Developer Obsidian Entertainment has slowly announced more information about The Outer Worlds in recent months, building anticipation among fans for the new franchise.
With so much information now out there about the game, it might seem like a daunting task to get prepared in time for the launch. Fortunately, this article contains all the important details about The Outer Worlds in one place.
You control a character called the Stranger
As is the case with many RPGs like Fallout, the protagonist in The Outer Worlds is a little mysterious. You play as the Stranger, a crew member of a ship transporting colonists to a new world at the edge of space.
When your ship’s faster-than-light drive fails, it causes a delay in the trip, meaning you awaken from cryosleep several decades late. As you arrive at your original destination, a corporate conspiracy begins to unfold.
It will be up to you to determine how events play out and how you will influence the various factions and areas around you.
There’s a huge Day One update
It is becoming more and more common in recent times for games to receive large updates on launch day. This is largely due to the fact that consoles are connected to the web with high-speed internet. Such Day One patches allow developers to introduce improvements and fixes they have created after a game has gone gold.
The Outer Worlds is no different. Those who buy a physical copy of the game can expect to download a big update after installing the title. On Xbox One, the update will be 38 GB, while it will be just 18 GB on PlayStation 4.
It will be enhanced on Xbox One X and PlayStation 4 Pro
The Outer World will be enhanced on both Xbox One X and PlayStation 4 Pro when it releases. Although, it wasn’t initially clear whether the game would receive enhancements across both platforms due to a misunderstanding over a spokesperson’s statement.
Private Division has since clarified that the game will run at 4K on both platforms. However, only the Xbox One X will have 4K textures, with the Sony console instead emulating the resolution via upscaling.
You get access to a collection of companions
Players will be able to take a number of companions along with them. Depending on your actions in the game and the dialogue choices you make, some NPCs will choose to join up with you.
Once they are in your party, the companions are able to fight enemies alongside you. They even have special abilities and their own perks. Yet, you don’t have to use companions, as Obsidian has included solo perks for those who want to remain solitary.
It is developed by a studio with plenty of RPG experience
Obsidian Entertainment is the developer behind The Outer Worlds. The studio has been involved in role-playing games for decades, giving them plenty of experience in creating compelling worlds.
Many of their early employees came from Black Isle Studios. There, they worked on games such as Planescape: Torment and Icewind Dale. As Obsidian, the developer has had success with a number of other titles. These include Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic II: The Sith Lords, Fallout: New Vegas, South Park: The Stick of Truth, and Pillars of Eternity.
A balance between silliness and grittiness
One of the main goals during the development of The Outer Worlds was to make sure it was both fun and dark. For the most part, this was a result of the two directors.
Tim Cain and Leonard Boyarsky, who both worked on Fallout, wanted to incorporate their own personalities into the game. That way it would have elements of Tim’s silliness and Leonard’s morbidity.
“The focus of our dystopia is corporate control,” says Carrie Patel, senior narrative designer. “And the dark humor is really important. We want the experience to be fun, and we want players to find things they can enjoy and laugh at, and not just be depressed at the state of this world.”
It’s available on Xbox Game Pass at launch
In 2018, Microsoft announced that it was set to acquire Obsidian Entertainment. However, this purchase occurred after the developer had already entered into a publishing agreement for The Outer Worlds.
That means that Take-Two’s indie label Private Division will still distribute the game across all platforms. Of course, the new close relationship between Obsidian and Microsoft has some perks.
The Outer Worlds will launch on Xbox Game Pass on the October 25 release date. As a result, members of the service will be able to download and play the game at no additional cost.
Developed to encourage multiple playthroughs
The Outer Worlds is not a big-budget title. It sits somewhere between an ambitious indie title and a blockbuster in terms of funding. That means that the developers have had to make some tough decisions when creating the game. One of the main ways this manifests is that the story is only around 30 to 40 hours long, pretty short when compared to the likes of Fallout.
To make up for that, the studio has concentrated on making the game as open-ended as possible, giving players lots of options for customization of their character and how they approach the story. Combined with the relatively short campaign, this gives a good incentive for players to replay the game and experiment with different playthroughs.
You can pre-order The Outer Worlds here.
Will you be playing The Outer Worlds? Let us know in the comments below!
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