The Outer Worlds

The Outer Worlds is more than the spiritual Fallout sequel many hoped it would be. Here's our review...

Obsidian created a universe that’s easy to get lost in. The Outer Worlds oozes personality and charm, and the robust character creator encourages multiple playthroughs just to see how different archetypes affect the gameplay.

While saying something like “The Outer Worlds is out of this world” may be low-hanging fruit for a writer, it isn’t a false statement. This game rewards player choice and experimentation on a level I have not seen since The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, and it manages to do so in both gameplay and story. With the best writing of any game thus far in 2019, any fan of RPGs needs to play The Outer Worlds. And no, The Board totally isn’t making me write th-

The Outer Worlds is a devotedly single-player experience where player choice, witty dialogue, detailed worlds and interesting characters are paramount and may be Obsidian Entertainment’s magnum opus.

The Outer Worlds has quickly cemented it's place as one of the best RPGs of the current generation. Excellent combat, exploration that never gets stale, characters that never grow old, stories and events that hide endless secrets...The Outer Worlds is simply fantastic.

See you, space cowboy.

The Outer Worlds borrows a lot from Fallout. More specifically, Fallout 3 and Fallout: New Vegas, the latter being developer Obsidian's own creation. You travel between disgruntled communities, picking up quests and shooting people you don't like. You click your way through branching dialogue options, and the camera zooms in on a character's mug whenever you initiate a conversation. At times it's eerily similar to the popular post-apocalyptic property, but as a pure role-playing experience, it has Bethesda well and truly beaten.

The Outer Worlds is a goofy, full to the brim RPG that liberally samples from other giants in the genre. It's a fun romp through a neon universe.

Even with these unfortunate and evident shortcomings on the technical side, The Outer Worlds is a rewarding and ultimately intriguing adventure to partake in. Delivering on that same kind of old-and-new synergy of RPG staples that have allowed this niche of AA-tier RPGs -- limitations notwithstanding -- to flourish in recent years. For those who've already experienced Obsidian's beloved 3D envisioning of Fallout -- from quest progression to the way dialog can flow in a number of potential routes, to the very tone and on-point character writing -- while instantly recognizable, it remains incred...

A bold, colourful solar system full of jokes.

It would be easy to dismiss The Outer Worlds on Switch because of its less-than-stellar visuals and occasional technical imperfections, but you really shouldn’t. Read my review of the Xbox One version to understand why it’s such a compelling game that’s definitely worthy of your time. And besides, who knows, after a patch or two, it might end up being in a considerably better state. What really matters is that the core of The Outer Worlds, a current-gen open-world(ish) action RPG, is intact, and fully playable on what is essentially a handheld. That’s pretty amazing if you ask me.

The Outer Worlds is a classic case of a missed opportunity. There are so many things it does right, and so many others that feel unrealistic, or simply don’t feel balanced.