Review scores for The Outer Worlds 2 went live today with critics landing on a broadly positive consensus. Gamesradar sits around 82 while Dexerto gave it a 3/5 as more outlets publish their verdicts.
Obsidian Entertainment’s sequel earns most of its praise for refining the RPG foundations that wobbled in the 2019 original. Reviewers consistently highlight deeper character building with meaningful trade-offs and stronger payoffs. High-skill investments now gate significant perks like hacking enemy robots to fight for you or unlocking new quest solutions entirely.
Quest reactivity stands out as a major improvement. Multiple critics compare The Outer Worlds 2 favorably to Fallout: New Vegas in how choices branch and factional paths influence outcomes. Players report seeing consequences ripple through the campaign based on allegiances and dialogue decisions in ways the first game only hinted at.
The writing remains Obsidian’s signature blend of pulpy corporate satire laced with darker moments. Most reviewers praise this balance even when some note the tonal shifts can feel jarring. The opening act draws particular acclaim for establishing stakes and momentum.
Hub design gets a clear upgrade. Towns and multi-layered locations are described as more complex and ambitious than the predecessor’s relatively straightforward zones.
The criticism section reads like a familiar list for Obsidian fans. Limited enemy variety tops nearly every negative column. Reviewers note combat encounters grow repetitive as the same creature types cycle through with minor variations. This echoes complaints about Avowed earlier this year.
Companions split opinion sharply. Some outlets call them well-written with strong personal arcs while others find them flat or forgettable. The absence of romance options surfaces repeatedly as a limiting factor for character depth and player connection.
Pacing emerges as another common thread. Reviews describe a strong opening followed by a mid-game stretch that drags before picking up steam toward the finale. One reviewer put it bluntly: “It starts strong, then has a bit of dicking around, then gets solid again.”
The Flaw system returns with refinements. Players can still accept voluntary debuffs in exchange for perk points but reviews warn that poor choices create punishing penalties. The system rewards careful planning and role-play commitment over generalist approaches.
Skill specialization matters more than before. Reviewers emphasize spreading points across three to four skills max rather than trying to do everything. Focused builds unlock meaningful perks while generalists feel suboptimal by comparison.
Factional design offers fewer major players than New Vegas but still provides routes that meaningfully reshape the story and ending states. The choice architecture lands somewhere between the first game’s lighter touch and the deeper systemic webs of Obsidian’s classics.
What this means for Game Pass subscribers
The Outer Worlds 2 launches day-one on Xbox Game Pass for console and PC alongside a standard $69.99 purchase option. The game releases exclusively on Xbox Series X|S and PC as a Microsoft first-party title.
The first The Outer Worlds reviewed in the mid-80s with similar praise for writing and criticism for scope. This sequel appears to address some concerns while carrying others forward. Players who bounced off the corporate satire or wanted romance systems won’t find major pivots here.
For those chasing New Vegas-style reactivity in a modern first-person RPG package, reviews suggest The Outer Worlds 2 delivers more of that DNA than its predecessor managed.
