[Megathread] The Outer Worlds - Developed by Obsidian

[Kathandira]

But they don't think they are suffering, for the most part. Or the suffering they experience isn't the fault of <insert obvious cause of suffering>, because that's what they've been told all along. It's not subtle, but the game's largely satire, and satire can't be subtle or it gets taken as serious advocacy.

Since there are enough separatist type groups, it does feel as though people understand that they are all corporate slaves and that this way of life isn't good. Think of the first planet with the group who left, as well as the Iconoclasts on Monarch. But to your point, you are right about the satire. The game definitely teeters on the edge of serious and parody. So perhaps that is the point, to have the people know that they are not living their best life, but aren't really going to do anything about it and live content with the life they have. It really does speak to capitalism in that way, that we know we are being screwed, but we have just enough comfort that we don't revolt.

[Endus]

Since there are enough separatist type groups, it does feel as though people understand that they are all corporate slaves and that this way of life isn't good. Think of the first planet with the group who left, as well as the Iconoclasts on Monarch. But to your point, you are right about the satire. The game definitely teeters on the edge of serious and parody. So perhaps that is the point, to have the people know that they are not living their best life, but aren't really going to do anything about it and live content with the life they have. It really does speak to capitalism in that way, that we know we are being screwed, but we have just enough comfort that we don't revolt.

I think one of the other things they're getting at is how people who've been indoctrinated have difficulty breaking that indoctrination, because they don't have any other examples to pull from. They rebel, and try and do their own thing, but it's almost never "better" because they have no clue what they're doing. They literally can't see the problem for what it is, because they don't have the intellectual "tools" to do so.

[Dextroden]

Well, judging from the trophy on my ship and ADA talking about my choices, I'm a monster.

That concerns me that the game is tracking only one part of your decision. Deposing Reed still makes you the jerk for convincing the deserters to return.

[Aeula]

Got it for £1 on the xbox game pass. (Everyone else should do the same, there's no way this game'll last you more than a month even if you take it slow). Just about to do the point of no return but I've gotta head out.

I've been taking my time with this one, it's quite alright. Definitely feels like Fallout New Vegas lite. There's a lot of writing that's familiar there but you can really feel Chris Avellone's absence in that regard. It's solid, but there's just a bit missing.

But it was an easy setting to get a feel for. I felt they elaborated quite well during the first area.

Character creation is some of the worst I've ever seen. Unless you want to be black or a butch lesbian. Definitely keep the helmet on at all times.

The gunplay is pretty smooth, though I do wish you could specialise a touch more specifically. The way they dish out skill points in general seems to be overly generous. I'd say for a sequel I'd want to see some skills condensed and points made a little more scarce. Persuade, lie and intimidate should be some of the first to be rolled into one skill. Same for defense and block.

Pretty solid game, but not too memorable. I'll reload and play out the last part of the game a few times to see as many endings as I can but after that I reckon I'm done. It's not the kind of game that deserves multiple playthroughs unless choices carry over to a potential sequel (Which I doubt).

I also reckon it'll be one of the best titles for Obsidian's finances thanks to the comically good timing it had in it's announcement and release. Being announced at the height of the Fallout 76 controversy and releasing just as another controversy occurred.
Though the game's actual marketing outside of the free publicity it got from that was surprisingly poor, just look up their E3 gameplay preview, they've got 3k dislikes to 2kish likes there.

Overall I'd say it's a 7/10 game. Well worth picking up on the xbox game pass.

[Rendark]

I mean, it's "show, don't tell" writing, which is generally considered way better than giving people a metric ton of scrawl to read through before starting up.

Your character's been tossed into this without any context either. That you're not sure what's going on or who the "good guys" are is the point of the story, frankly. That you get shown one side, and then another, and then have to make up your mind.

You not caring about the world is a choice you make. You don't know anything about any setting, until you start to explore it and learn the story; that's what stories are.

They don't show you anything, that's my point. You just start the game gunning down random people with out any kind of set up.

It's up to the story to make me care, it's not a choice i made. It doesn't do that and so the story is boring and i can't even remember the name of my first companion. I wish it was a choice to care about a games story then i could choose to care about every game that does this shit.

[Kathandira]

I think one of the other things they're getting at is how people who've been indoctrinated have difficulty breaking that indoctrination, because they don't have any other examples to pull from. They rebel, and try and do their own thing, but it's almost never "better" because they have no clue what they're doing. They literally can't see the problem for what it is, because they don't have the intellectual "tools" to do so.

That seems about right. Thinking of it this way definitely helps resolve the oddness to the story that i've been trying to get over.

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Well, judging from the trophy on my ship and ADA talking about my choices, I'm a monster.

That concerns me that the game is tracking only one part of your decision. Deposing Reed still makes you the jerk for convincing the deserters to return.

It's all about perspective. For example, I helped Reed. In the loading screens, it says that i'm a Hero! But then you see at the top of the screen that this is from 'The Halcyon Times'. That made me realize exactly 'who' thinks my actions were heroic. Once I realized that, it opened up my thought process to see that this game introduces you to a few different perspectives of your actions based on who you are talking about them with. Better than black and white imo.

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They don't show you anything, that's my point. You just start the game gunning down random people with out any kind of set up.

It's up to the story to make me care, it's not a choice i made. It doesn't do that and so the story is boring and i can't even remember the name of my first companion. I wish it was a choice to care about a games story then i could choose to care about every game that does this shit.

I'm starting to see something about this. The main character is thrown into a world with little background and is to make choices without much to base them on. As well, we the player feel the same way. If that isn't immersion, then I don't know what is = )

[Dextroden]

That seems about right. Thinking of it this way definitely helps resolve the oddness to the story that i've been trying to get over.

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It's all about perspective. For example, I helped Reed. In the loading screens, it says that i'm a Hero! But then you see at the top of the screen that this is from 'The Halcyon Times'. That made me realize exactly 'who' thinks my actions were heroic. Once I realized that, it opened up my thought process to see that this game introduces you to a few different perspectives of your actions based on who you are talking about them with. Better than black and white imo.

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I'm starting to see something about this. The main character is thrown into a world with little background and is to make choices without much to base them on. As well, we the player feel the same way. If that isn't immersion, then I don't know what is = )

Okay. My ship AI, not paid for news corporations, thinks I'm a bastard even with my attempt to help the populace.

Or, to put it better. Why am I hero to the corporate types when I got rid of one of their yesmen and replaced them with an anti-corporate leader who will ruin their business since she mentions closing the cannery?

[Endus]

They don't show you anything, that's my point. You just start the game gunning down random people with out any kind of set up.

Yeah, this just isn't true. Literally, not true. Hell, someone's already completed a Pacifist run, zero kills by themselves or their companions. There's a whole setup with you and Welles, and then you meet some corporate guards, and can talk your way out of any conflict there, and then you can make your way to Edgewater without any fighting, and so forth.

It's up to the story to make me care, it's not a choice i made. It doesn't do that and so the story is boring and i can't even remember the name of my first companion. I wish it was a choice to care about a games story then i could choose to care about every game that does this shit.

The common factor in this isn't the games you're playing. It's you. You're not making any effort to care about anything in the game; you've started playing with an actively hostile approach to it.

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Okay. My ship AI, not paid for news corporations, thinks I'm a bastard even with my attempt to help the populace.

Or, to put it better. Why am I hero to the corporate types when I got rid of one of their yesmen and replaced them with an anti-corporate leader who will ruin their business since she mentions closing the cannery?

Which resolution did you take, though? Because there's more than two.

[Kathandira]

Okay. My ship AI, not paid for news corporations, thinks I'm a bastard even with my attempt to help the populace.

Or, to put it better. Why am I hero to the corporate types when I got rid of one of their yesmen and replaced them with an anti-corporate leader who will ruin their business since she mentions closing the cannery?

My co-worker took that route. Apparently she has a way to lower costs. So you got rid of a manager who was running the company into the ground, and brought in more employees and increased the profit margin. As for her plans to close the cannery, maybe The Board doesn't know that part of the plan just yet.

I didn't take that route though, do I honestly don't know all the specifics about that path. Perhaps it has to do with changing the product that would be selling to make it plant based products which are more sustainable and using the dead as fertilizer which is less cost and more profit

[Alcsaar]

Too much of a futuristic space-travely game for me. Never really liked that style of game.

[Dextroden]

Yeah, this just isn't true. Literally, not true. Hell, someone's already completed a Pacifist run, zero kills by themselves or their companions. There's a whole setup with you and Welles, and then you meet some corporate guards, and can talk your way out of any conflict there, and then you can make your way to Edgewater without any fighting, and so forth.



The common factor in this isn't the games you're playing. It's you. You're not making any effort to care about anything in the game; you've started playing with an actively hostile approach to it.

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Which resolution did you take, though? Because there's more than two.

I did the side quests for the deserters, sent the power to Edgewater because it was unchangeable and I expected there to be a chance to change leadership, and got Reed to leave so Adelaide would lead.

The city is fucked. But it needs leadership, not a bunch of people with no survival skills being forced out of their homes and potentially not even leaving because they are extremely dependant on civilization. Adelaide can ween them off it better than a cold turkey method. (In theory.)

[Kathandira]

Too much of a futuristic space-travely game for me. Never really liked that style of game.

That's fair. It is a sci-fi heavy game. If that's not your jam, then this game would be a snooze fest for you.

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I did the side quests for the deserters, sent the power to Edgewater because it was unchangeable and I expected there to be a chance to change leadership, and got Reed to leave so Adelaide would lead.

The city is fucked. But it needs leadership, not a bunch of people with no survival skills being forced out of their homes and potentially not even leaving because they are extremely dependant on civilization. Adelaide can ween them off it better than a cold turkey method. (In theory.)

Did your choices lead to you know how Adelaide was able to grow her plants?

[Rendark]

Yeah, this just isn't true. Literally, not true. Hell, someone's already completed a Pacifist run, zero kills by themselves or their companions. There's a whole setup with you and Welles, and then you meet some corporate guards, and can talk your way out of any conflict there, and then you can make your way to Edgewater without any fighting, and so forth.



The common factor in this isn't the games you're playing. It's you. You're not making any effort to care about anything in the game; you've started playing with an actively hostile approach to it.

So you can talk to the raiders and not kill them then? I'm going to guess you can't. So yes it is true. You should look up what literally means because i don't think you know. And yes it is up to the game to make me care about the world i'm about to be in and this one doesn't at all.

[Dextroden]

That's fair. It is a sci-fi heavy game. If that's not your jam, then this game would be a snooze fest for you.

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Did your choices lead to you know how Adelaide was able to grow her plants?

Yes. I'm still stuck on how completely ignoring their corporate structure and installing an outsider is outweighed by potential profits. If that cannery goes, that's a lot of money in products and the facility gone.

I'm trying to look at this from the angle of "Medical care is a privilege and you to plan your sick leave in advance" mega corporations.

[Kathandira]

Yes. I'm still stuck on how completely ignoring their corporate structure and installing an outsider is outweighed by potential profits. If that cannery goes, that's a lot of money in products and the facility gone.

I'm trying to look at this from the angle of "Medical care is a privilege and you to plan your sick leave in advance" mega corporations.

She isn't an outsider though. She was working with Reed before she abandoned the town. She was the one who did the flavoring for Saltuna. She actually had a high position in the company. When she left, she started using the dead as fertilizer to grow plants and food. When you arrived the plant wasn't doing very well. So if she brings in a new, sustainable product the plant is no longer necessary.

[Dextroden]

So you can talk to the raiders and not kill them then? I'm going to guess you can't. So yes it is true. You should look up what literally means because i don't think you know. And yes it is up to the game to make me care about the world i'm about to be in and this one doesn't at all.

I actually have to undercut Endus. Unless your stealth is on point (skill and execution), there are unnamed NPCs that can't be talked down. Plus, you can't do bounties that require killing if you want that done to earn rep.

I don't think I've seen an action rpg game where you can go TRUE pacifist .

[Kathandira]

I actually have to undercut Endus. Unless your stealth is on point (skill and execution), there are unnamed NPCs that can't be talked down. Plus, you can't do bounties that require killing if you want that done to earn rep.

I don't think I've seen an action rpg game where you can go TRUE pacifist .

Depends. If you are just trying to get to the credits screen, you can take a pacifist route, you just won't experience the majority of the game/side quests.

[Dextroden]

She isn't an outsider though. She was working with Reed before she abandoned the town. She was the one who did the flavoring for Saltuna. She actually had a high position in the company. When she left, she started using the dead as fertilizer to grow plants and food. When you arrived the plant wasn't doing very well. So if she brings in a new, sustainable product the plant is no longer necessary.

You'd think voluntarily leaving your job would be a death sentence based on how Reed lamented his departure.

[Kathandira]

You'd think voluntarily leaving your job would be a death sentence based on how Reed lamented his departure.

Business be crazy like that ; ) Business in this game is very cut throat. I've gotten to a place in the game where even the most staunch employees can be intimidated into breaking the rules if it means more money.

[Mirishka]

From watching a stream it seems like the enemies are quite bullet spongey even on normal difficulty. Story seems on the shorter side for an RPG but not 100% sure about size of content yet. Kudos to Obsidian for no bullshit with preorder bonuses or digital deluxe versions, just the game 100% as it should be.

This complaint usually comes from people who don't yet realize there's more to the game's tactics than 'shoot stuff'. Enemies have weak spots and vulnerabilities to certain damage types, so if you take a shotgun and try to destroy one of the elite mechanicals (as an example) then yes its going to feel bullet-spongey.

Get a sniper rifle with a shock mod, on the other hand, and its a totally different fight.