Hands‑On: The Outer Worlds 2 Fixes the Look, Keeps the Laughs — and Plays Better Too
The Outer Worlds 2 appears to polish many of the original game’s rough edges while keeping the core RPG systems intact, according to a preview session that covered the prologue and first big quest. The preview lasted a little over two hours and looked at character creation, early story beats, visuals, combat basics, and how consumables work.
- Preview length: just over two hours with the prologue/first big quest.
- Platforms and release date: Windows PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X — released Oct. 29.
- Key changes: improved character models, updated character creator, simplified consumables, and smoother movement.
- Gameplay notes: stealth and combat both viable; companions present but their abilities were locked in the prologue.
Visuals and characters
During the preview, character models and facial animations were noted as visibly improved compared with the first game. Cutscenes and in-game conversations used smoother micro-expressions, and the previously reported camera snapping during dialogue appeared reduced.
Environments remain bright and stylized, consistent with the series’ look, and NPCs in the prologue came across as more lifelike in animation and facial detail.
Character creation and player options
The character creator offers more cosmetic options than the original, with new choices for makeup, piercings, and tattoos. However, body-shape options are limited to two presets (fit male and fit female).
There are six playable backgrounds that influence dialogue and moments in the game. In addition, players can pick traits in a few different ways: a single positive trait, or two positives plus one negative.
Examples of traits seen in the preview include **Suave** (helps with conversation and vendor discounts), **Abrasive** (prevents faction approval from rising beyond neutral), **Sickly** (reduces base health and increases injury risk), and **Dumb**, which *locks five of the game’s 12 skills*.
Prologue, setting and story setup
The Outer Worlds 2 takes place in a colony called *Arcadia*, new to this sequel and separate from the Halcyon colony of the first game. Arcadia is governed by a dictatorship called the Protectorate, and the player joins the Earth Directorate, an interstellar law-enforcement organization.
The prologue centers on an infiltration of Horizon Point Station, a skip-drive manufacturing facility orbiting the gas giant Nyx. An Earth Directorate agent named Augustine de Vries is already on the inside and is part of the setup for the mission.
Companions and writing
The preview allowed only limited interaction with companions: they were present during the prologue but their abilities could not be activated. Despite that limitation, companion personalities and dialogue were shown to have depth and distinct voices.
Humor and tone continue to be part of the writing: one terminal entry included the line, “Complex passwords are a security risk — difficult to remember and often written nearby. Security recommends using a simple, easy-to-recall code like ‘1234’ or your supervisor’s name!”
Combat, movement and stealth
Preview combat included basic pistols, rifles and melee options; weapons shown were described as satisfying to use. Movement received tweaks, with sliding while sprinting noted as smoother than before.
Stealth is available and described as forgiving on lower difficulties but more demanding on higher settings. Players have access to throwable distractions to manipulate enemy positions, and both stealth approaches and direct combat are viable depending on build and playstyle.
Consumables and inventory
The consumable system was changed: picking up a drug uses it immediately and contributes to the charge progress of the Emergency Medical Inhaler, which restores HP. This design aims to reduce inventory clutter by removing separate item stacking for some consumables.
Other quality-of-life updates include a simplified inventory flow and a robust suite of accessibility options. There are four standard difficulty settings, and the preview noted that the default setting felt easier than the preferred challenge level for some players.
Preview limitations and final facts
The preview covered only the prologue and first big quest (about two hours). Companion combat abilities were unavailable during this segment, and no option to re-edit character appearance after leaving creation was discovered in the build shown.
Finally, The Outer Worlds 2 released on Oct. 29 for Windows PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X.
For a taste of series lore, the preview noted an in-game nod to the first game’s food item, Purpleberry Crunch; more details can be found on the Outer Worlds fandom page for Purpleberry Crunch.
