After getting a firsthand look at The Outer Worlds 2, it's evident that Obsidian Entertainment has prioritized deepening the RPG elements in this sequel. While the original game offered a more accessible approach with streamlined systems and character progression, The Outer Worlds 2 aims to break away from uniformity and encourage players to explore unconventional playstyles. The focus isn't just on complexity for its own sake; rather, it's about fostering creativity, specialization, and embracing unique choices within the game.

In a discussion about the revamped RPG mechanics, design director Matt Singh emphasized the team's goal to encourage experimentation with different builds, whether traditional or non-traditional. He explained, "We really wanted to lean into synergies, looking at how player Skills, Traits, and Perks can all infuse into interesting builds that play off of other systems." This approach was evident in our exclusive 11-minute gameplay showcase, which highlighted new elements like gunplay, stealth, gadgets, and dialogue. In this IGN First coverage, we delve into the intricacies of these revamped systems and what players can anticipate.

Rethinking the Skill System

Lead systems designer Kyle Koenig reflected on the first game's tendency to produce characters proficient in everything, which diluted the personal experience. To address this, Obsidian has shifted from the original's grouped Skill categories to individual Skills with more pronounced differences. Koenig stated, "We wanted to focus on making each individual level-up and investment really important. There's less confusion on when I should invest in one Skill or the other. If I want to be a player that's all about guns and using medical devices, I know which Skills I really need to care about. By having them separated and not in groupings, it lets characters be more specialized."

Singh added that the new system allows for more than just traditional builds, such as stealth, combat, or speech-focused ones. He noted, "There's more than just a traditional stealth-focused build, combat-focused build, or speech-focused build. There's a lot of blending of concepts, playing with other systems and incorporating those into a pretty broad, but unique range of different player profiles." He highlighted how certain Skill investments, like Observation, can reveal hidden elements in the environment, opening up alternative paths and interactions.

The Outer Worlds 2 Character Creation - Screenshots

While this approach might seem standard for RPGs, The Outer Worlds was unique in its Skill grouping. The sequel, however, uses the revised Skill system to create more distinct character builds and open up new possibilities, particularly in conjunction with the revamped Perks system.

The Perks of Getting Experimental

Obsidian's focus on specificity and unique playstyles is evident in the Perks system. Koenig revealed, "We've significantly increased the number of Perks with over 90 of them – each of those 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." He provided examples like the "Run and Gun" Perk for shotgun, SMG, and rifle users, allowing firing while sprinting or sliding, and "Space Ranger," which enhances dialogue interactions and damage based on the Speech stat.

Singh highlighted Perks tailored for non-traditional playstyles, such as those for players who kill every NPC. He mentioned Perks like "Psychopath" and "Serial Killer," which offer bonuses like permanent health boosts for such gameplay. Koenig also discussed traditional builds that exploit elemental combat, such as using plasma to burn enemies while healing, shock damage to control automechs, or corrosive damage to strip armor and deal critical hits.

Singh emphasized the game's encouragement of experimental builds, including those that leverage detrimental effects to enhance other aspects of the character. He posed the question, "How do I construct a build where I'm actually incentivized to get in there and take damage so that I can then do other things effectively? I really like those kinds of creative builds that allow you to play with that idea and convert something that might be negative into a positive aspect of your build." This design philosophy, while present in the original, is now a central focus in The Outer Worlds 2, particularly with Traits and Flaws.

The Positive and Negative Traits

Koenig discussed the influence of Fallout's negative attributes on The Outer Worlds, where players could accept detrimental effects in exchange for extra points. This concept is expanded in the sequel through the Positive and Negative Traits system. Players can choose a negative Trait to gain an additional positive one. Examples include "Brilliant," granting extra Skill points, or "Brawny," allowing players to knock down targets by sprinting into them. Conversely, negative Traits like "Dumb" lock out certain Skills, while "Sickly" reduces base health and toxicity tolerance.

The Outer Worlds 2 Gameplay - Screenshots

While a deeper exploration of the revamped Flaws system will be covered in another article, it's clear that The Outer Worlds 2 introduces more creative and clever Flaws. The game monitors player behavior and offers Flaws with both positive and negative conditions, adding another layer to the Traits system. Players must opt into these Flaws, which then become a permanent part of their character.

Guiding Players and Ditching Respec

With the increased complexity in The Outer Worlds 2, Obsidian has focused on making these elements clear and accessible through in-game explanations and UI enhancements. Koenig explained, "Right from the get-go, from character creation, we really wanted to put in the forefront what are the differences of these skills and what they do." This includes help text and short videos in the menus demonstrating gameplay impacts. A notable feature is the ability to mark Perks as favorites before unlocking them, aiding in planning and organizing progression paths.

The absence of a respec option past the introductory sequence underscores the importance of player choices. Koenig stated, "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 added, "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."