Re: Outer Worlds (new Obsidian RPG)
OK...this is a spoiler-free post...so if you haven't played it, I've taken care to give nothing away.
The Outer Worlds...my goodness, easily the best non-sports game released so far in 2019 (and would be top 3 for 2018-2019 combined). This game is an example of a game made the right way....
The Outer Worlds is a wondrous mish-mash of the best aspects of KOTOR and Fallout while mixing-in some of that 'retro' feel from Bioshock/Fallout. Beautiful graphics and artistic design, excellent story-telling and writing, and a simple, yet effective character development paradigm. There is nothing quite so fulfilling as developing a charming, intelligent character and be able to utilize that approach successfully in a sticky situation.
The NPCs are very nicely done, as are the crew members. The "filler" NPCs do kinda look the same, but in the game's context, it makes sense that we'd see a rather limited array of hair and clothing styles - fine use of a plot device which makes it more believable than when we see 'samey' NPCs in other RPGs. The crew members I've assembled so far have been all rather unique with vastly different personalities and motivations. They interact with each other and with you during dialogs - providing their thoughts and feelings. That interaction adds a lot to the feel of the game, particularly given that some of the choices you are presented with are quite gray.
Now, I am still fairly early into the game but I kinda felt like I was just running around doing quests and checking-off boxes, but aside from the plot presented in the game's intro, there's no real sense of what the 'big story' is going to be. I thought about it, and it reminds me tremendously of other Obsidian (and Bioware) RPGs, where you'd have the "intro area", the "first hub", and then the game's plot would begin to unravel. I'm really spending time right now getting to know my crew and getting lost in the game's history and culture. I feel like I'm in the "first hub" right now and that I know what I need to do to get to that 'next phase' but I'm not in a huge hurry right now.
Gameplay mechanics are solid, they do have a bit of that 'Fallout feel' to them but they are by no means "clunky" (like, for example, RDR2 or GTA games). I need to play around with the controls as the action button and 'unholster' are the same...so you go to open a door and aren't quite close enough, you unholster the gun...which is a tad annoying (fortunately it has not caused me any mis-haps). My biggest gripe is on the text size in the inventory and buy/sell screens - it's small if you're like me and are playing on a large TV from a distance. I'll need to see what options are available to upscale it. Difficulty-wise, it's not super difficult on normal; it reminds me a bit of Mass Effect where normal would be fairly simple aside from a handful of rough situations. I haven't had much need to use the slew of "potions" in-game on Normal - higher difficulties will undoubtedly require that. But, for a first-pass through the game (and I can see myself doing a full replay), it's nice to not have to dive deep into every gameplay mechanic just to survive.
Bugs...ya know what. I haven't seen any thus far; it's been a very well-polished experience.
If you're expecting a non-stop "thrill ride" of a plot from start to finish, you're not going to get that here - this is a slower burn where the reward is in taking it all in. This is not a shooter with RPG elements, this is an RPG with shooter elements - adjust expectations accordingly. If you want to get lost in a character and a story, look no further.
OK...this is a spoiler-free post...so if you haven't played it, I've taken care to give nothing away.
The Outer Worlds...my goodness, easily the best non-sports game released so far in 2019 (and would be top 3 for 2018-2019 combined). This game is an example of a game made the right way....
The Outer Worlds is a wondrous mish-mash of the best aspects of KOTOR and Fallout while mixing-in some of that 'retro' feel from Bioshock/Fallout. Beautiful graphics and artistic design, excellent story-telling and writing, and a simple, yet effective character development paradigm. There is nothing quite so fulfilling as developing a charming, intelligent character and be able to utilize that approach successfully in a sticky situation.
The NPCs are very nicely done, as are the crew members. The "filler" NPCs do kinda look the same, but in the game's context, it makes sense that we'd see a rather limited array of hair and clothing styles - fine use of a plot device which makes it more believable than when we see 'samey' NPCs in other RPGs. The crew members I've assembled so far have been all rather unique with vastly different personalities and motivations. They interact with each other and with you during dialogs - providing their thoughts and feelings. That interaction adds a lot to the feel of the game, particularly given that some of the choices you are presented with are quite gray.
Now, I am still fairly early into the game but I kinda felt like I was just running around doing quests and checking-off boxes, but aside from the plot presented in the game's intro, there's no real sense of what the 'big story' is going to be. I thought about it, and it reminds me tremendously of other Obsidian (and Bioware) RPGs, where you'd have the "intro area", the "first hub", and then the game's plot would begin to unravel. I'm really spending time right now getting to know my crew and getting lost in the game's history and culture. I feel like I'm in the "first hub" right now and that I know what I need to do to get to that 'next phase' but I'm not in a huge hurry right now.
Gameplay mechanics are solid, they do have a bit of that 'Fallout feel' to them but they are by no means "clunky" (like, for example, RDR2 or GTA games). I need to play around with the controls as the action button and 'unholster' are the same...so you go to open a door and aren't quite close enough, you unholster the gun...which is a tad annoying (fortunately it has not caused me any mis-haps). My biggest gripe is on the text size in the inventory and buy/sell screens - it's small if you're like me and are playing on a large TV from a distance. I'll need to see what options are available to upscale it. Difficulty-wise, it's not super difficult on normal; it reminds me a bit of Mass Effect where normal would be fairly simple aside from a handful of rough situations. I haven't had much need to use the slew of "potions" in-game on Normal - higher difficulties will undoubtedly require that. But, for a first-pass through the game (and I can see myself doing a full replay), it's nice to not have to dive deep into every gameplay mechanic just to survive.
Bugs...ya know what. I haven't seen any thus far; it's been a very well-polished experience.
If you're expecting a non-stop "thrill ride" of a plot from start to finish, you're not going to get that here - this is a slower burn where the reward is in taking it all in. This is not a shooter with RPG elements, this is an RPG with shooter elements - adjust expectations accordingly. If you want to get lost in a character and a story, look no further.
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