Allow'due south not beat out around the bush here, The Outer Worlds is Obsidian Entertainment'southward successful attempt at showing the world that Bethesda isn't the but one who can make Fallout-style RPG games. The visitor previously worked with Bethesda to make Fallout: New Vegas, which is a fan favorite, back in 2010. Since then, Obsidian has been chugging forth with titles similar Pillars of Eternity and South Park: The Stick Of Truth, but, accept they yet again managed to nail Fallout amend than the company known for the IP ever could?

Yes and no. Obviously they've made a great game, considering they received multiple nominations for The Video Game Awards. But, to sympathize that answer a bit better, let's hop correct into it.

ten Improve: The World And Character Writing Overall

To first, the writing staff at Obsidian seem to be leaps and premises meliorate than the ones at Bethesda. I of the main reasons people love Fallout: NV and so much more than than Fallout 3 or 4 is mainly because of the writing.

Luckily, this high-bar remains intact in The Outer Worlds. These experienced Dev'southward have nailed their world-building of a nihilistic corporate ghetto this game takes place in. We notice ourselves enthralled by every sidequest and new NPC meet, and there are and then many ways to roleplay good or bad and still succeed. Non to say that we don't also love the characters or writing in Bethesda's games, only information technology doesn't accept the same charm.

9 It's Not: The Soundtrack And Lack Of Radio

We had to dig a bit into specifics for the negatives in this commodity, which is a good thing, only one attribute that was obvious right away was the soundtrack. But, that'south not necessarily fair. Fallout three & 4 has such amazing music only thanks to the Radio arrangement embedded in the Pipboy 3000.

Whether it was "Mighty Mighty Human," "I Don't Want To Fix The World On Fire," or our favorite "Butcher Pete," all of the songs on the radio were existent bangers. In contrast, the but memorable music from The Outer Worlds is the championship music, it'southward a proficient song, but i decent rails can't possibly compare to a full OST or radio catalog.

eight Better: The Companion's And Their Systems

Every Fallout game has companions, even one and 2. These sidekicks have ever changed with every game, sometimes allowing for multiple companions at a time, and sometimes the cast of potential allies would get even weirder. In Fallout three, anybody loved Dogmeat, Fallout iv had Valentine, and New Vegas had King...wow dogs really practice make the best companions.

But from 3 onwards, the system sort of stagnated. That is, until The Outer Worlds. Now, companions give skill bonuses, tin perform unique special attacks, and accept their ain perk trees! Though if you're looking for quantity over quality, Fallout absolutely all the same has TOW trounce in that section.

seven It'southward Not: The Creative Attribute Of Perks

Perks in Fallout 3

Don't get us wrong, Obsidian has really optimized the skill and perk system with their newest game. Giving players a perk every two levels instead of ane makes information technology harder to build a "god" character, which is always skillful, and dividing the skills into categories lets players experiment in the early levels without fear.

Yet, where this space-faring game falls short is the creative aspect, the Perks are almost all deadening. Fallout 3 peculiarly is known for some hilariously weird perks like Mister Sandman, Encarmine Mess, and the infamous Mysterious Stranger. And that's just from three! Only in comparison, Outer World's perks are all useful, only none are specialized or in whatever fashion creative, and that'south a fleck of a downer.

6 Amend: The Newly Designed Perk And Skill System

But, with that said, we desire to talk more most how insanely well-designed their level up system is. How did it take this long for a respec option to appear in 1 of these games? Also, the Flaws system is such a unique style to forcefulness players to cull between a permanent debuff or a free Perk. It's a real breath of fresh air. Finding out you've broken your legs plenty times to proc the Flaw selection to pop up is just so funny.

With Fallout, players had to determine what they'd specialize in almost immediately or they'd waste precious skill points, and they had to level up every skill individually, leading to some very lopsided builds that couldn't be stock-still without mods or a brand new character.

v It's Not: Reputation Isn't Equally Fun As Karma

The more we think about information technology, the more the new Reputation organisation kind of falls apartment for united states. Information technology just isn't fleshed out enough. Players will lose reputation in specific companies every time they kill an NPC, but it's such a small amount. Plus, players withal lose reputation, fifty-fifty if no one saw the NPC become murdered, which ruins any sort of "double-crosser" playstyle.

Lastly, the buffs and debuffs for reputation aren't varied enough. A high reputation just nets a disbelieve, while a negative reputation results in factions shooting on sight. Both of these make sense, just only having one do good/outcome feels short-sighted. It's pretty like to the Perks honestly, this system is well designed, but merely isn't creative enough.

4 Better: The Cool Amount Of Quality Of Life Changes

Though, while Obsidian falls short of making every system deep and circuitous, they absolutely succeed at optimizing the systems they accept included. We've already talked about the skill/perk system, merely at that place are tons more than examples. In that location are no more annoying lockpicking minigames, and players volition lockpick faster or slower depending on their skill level.

Also, the Inhaler actually makes the hundreds of random consumables nosotros pick up in every room actually useful—and all inventories can be sorted! These are just a few of the many, many things that Obsidian fixed after their New Vegas days.

3 It's Not: Unique/Scientific discipline Weapons Vs Fallout'southward Named Weapons

Frankly, The Outer Worlds Unique Items suck. Why are they so bad? Quite simply, it'south because they're un-modable. We can sympathize what Obsidian's was going for by assuasive players to get things like a 6x scope or Corrosive damage way before they normally would exist able to observe said mods in the wild. But, players should've been able to add mods on peak of them.

If a unique weapon comes with free Corrosive damage, just lock off the mag modernistic slot! Easy fix! Then players could still add unique barrels and scopes. What's the point in a 6x telescopic sniper if we can't even put a muzzle on it? To compare, considering mods/tinkering doesn't exist in Fallout, they accept none of the drawbacks and are usually fantastic items overall.

2 Amend: The Scenery And Overall Color Pallete

Fallout 3 is grey and green, Fallout New Vegas is ruby-red and brown, and Fallout four is desaturated as a whole (it's the art style). All three of these games have very limited color palettes. Of course, it'southward not like these 2 colors are the only ones on-screen at all times, this isn't a Deus Ex: Human Revolution situation, but they all absolutely suffered from a lack of diverse scenery and color choices.

Especially with Fallout 3, where grey ruined buildings fabricated about of the game feel "same-ish". Outer Worlds isn't like that. Each planet is incredibly unique in its color choices, foliage, enemy variety, and fifty-fifty its overall size! They truly succeeded at making them experience like individual planets, and just look at those skyboxes!

1 Information technology'south Non: Stealth Is Just Poorly Implemented

Stealth in Fallout 4

Finally, Obisidian took a step back when information technology comes to stealth. Which, for anyone familiar with these types of games, is a huge deal. In the Fallout games, players could accept the clothes off someone while they were wearing them, they could plant show on people, and even put alive grenades in their pockets! Plus, Stealth Kills were astonishing and it was always easy to tell if an enemy could see y'all. Skyrim mastered the hidden/detected UI icon alright? But use theirs!

Meanwhile, in Outer Worlds, players tin can simply pickpocket or lockpick. Yep, the game notifies u.s.a. if people can see u.s.a. lockpicking while we're doing it, only, at that signal, we're already caught! Frankly, it merely feels underdeveloped, and we're surprised that they dropped the brawl on such a crucial mechanic.

Next: The Outer Worlds Update 1.1 Fixes Major Issue With the Game