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During my first playthrough of the initial Outer Worlds game, I was instantly captivated by its irreverent, Fallout-inspired brand of humor. This release included lively conversations, personal journals, and advertising displays that illustrated a company-run society that was both bleak and amusing. My main fear heading into the follow-up was that this version – without blame of its own – might not be as funny as its predecessor.

Admittedly, situations weren't flawless. However, life definitely felt slightly less fractured in those days. This game showed a bleak future that didn't feel too close to home, and nonetheless succeeded to be at once emotional and hilarious. I began the sequel rather certain that this release wouldn't manage to achieve this again, but I'm happy to state that I was mistaken. The Outer Worlds 2 is just as chuckle-inducing as the game that preceded it, and additionally brings new themes instead of just recycling identical material comparable to an overused corporate jingle.

Evolving Characters

A large portion of the NPCs players encountered in the first title had been worn out by the activities of corporate entities such as the fictional company, and were fully cognizant of how much their lives sucked. This sequel takes things in a distinct route, presenting individuals who are programmed (periodically symbolically, often literally). Numerous personalities aren't even aware of how extremely disordered their circumstances are, or that there could be options to a life lived beneath the control of a massive corporation or bound by the beliefs of a demanding cult.

The sequel explores types of corporate control that are more subtle than merely maintaining the masses poor. Numerous characters have been indoctrinated into the type of excessively zealous "work ethic" rhetoric you'll find on digital platforms that vow to show the path to accomplishment should you purchase an expensive course, or put money into a questionable digital currency plan. Additionally, the title's corporate propaganda has developed.

Contemporary Issues

There are still numerous unmotivational posters throughout facilities indicating reductions in employee wages who so much as contemplate having a break, but furthermore exist allusions to multi-level marketing tactics, including an employee manual that confidently announces, "Unknown people are merely clients you haven't met yet!" As someone who developed within a network marketing family, I instantly erupted laughing when I saw this mention, because it's a phrase I have often heard stated precisely by those at the bottom of these systems.

Luckily, this sequel is equally humorous and irreverent as the first game.

This installment also examines the predicament numerous people find ourselves in concerning occupation, politics, and even personal purchases: Being forced to select the smaller of two or three evils. During efforts to decide whether to back a dangerous corporate entity or a dangerous religious group throughout the experience, I discovered I was siding with the familiar evil: A recognized company structure that sucks (but only uses advertising to program its members), instead of the cult, which is equally bad, but uses a terrible method called "cognitive reset" to maintain its followers obedient.

Doubtful Authorities

Even the people you represent could fail to be dependable. Playing as an Earth Directorate agent, your mission involves attempting to restore stability to this settlement after a hostile corporate takeover, and you will quickly find that both the aggressors and the invadees adhere to differing (yet equally horrific) ideologies. But a quick inspection of the transmissions on your vessel's computer reveal that this organization isn't exactly the world's most ethical organization too, as demonstrated by an answer to a distress call that notifies the contact it will take "three to five organizational cycles" for an answer to their communication. (That time frame is roughly the duration it takes for me to contact a human customer service agent through calling these days.)

Relatable Moments

Numerous instances in The Outer Worlds 2 are extremely familiar, but it's a cathartic sort of relatability, and the game manages to balance its grim future world with comedy that's authentically amusing yet not seeming incongruous. A primary concept is the near-instant onset of enshittification that appears to occur in the wake of significant business mergers. Employees on both sides of this installment's significant consolidation find their existence decrease as a result, while the CEOs at the top of the structure are, of course, raking in profits quickly.

Okay, at the very least I know where I stand.

Similar to the initial release, this follow-up is intrinsically comedic, but furthermore isn't afraid to get serious. During a moment, while exploring around the title's initial accessible planet, I stumbled across a deceased individual with a recording in the vicinity. This recording disclosed that this NPC (connected to the programming faith group) had been killed in an event during efforts to locate and kill her lover. This loved one had reportedly deserted from their faction, and the now-dead NPC was angry about her significant other's {traitorous