The Outer Worlds Review (Steam)

The Outer Worlds is an award-winning single-player RPG from Obsidian Entertainment and Private Division. As you explore a space colony, the character you decide to become will determine how this player-driven story unfolds. In the colony’s corporate equation, you are the unplanned variable.

Pros:

• Decent graphics.
• Download size.
• Steam achievements.
• Full controller support.
• Graphics-fullscreen, resolution, frame rate (30/60/120/144/160/165/180/200/240 and unlimited), v-sync, motion blur, gamma, field of view slider, detect graphics settings button, graphics preset, screen effects, view distance, shadows, textures, visual effects, foliage, and chromatic aberration.
• Controller-four layouts, lefty support, invert axis, and sensitivity sliders along with deadzone sliders for both sticks.
• Mouse Invert axis and sensitivity sliders.
• Text size slider.
• Tutorials-on/off.
• Four difficulties-Story, normal, hard and Supernova.
• Head bobbing-on/off.
• Can skip cutscenes.
• Character creator-attributes, skills, aptitude, appearance, and name. Appearance allows a full in-depth creator with sliders on every option.
• Strong decent voice work.
• Good loading times.
• The opening area teaches you the controls.
• Stealth-screen changes and you can see a bar above enemies’ heads as to whether they are suspicious or alerted to you.
• Save when you want.
• Idle camera-just goes into a 3rd person view panning around the screen.
• First-person view.
• RPG gameplay.
• Multiple choice character interactions.
• Tactical time dilation-limited uses but with it you can slow down time momentarily, it lasts longer if you stay still. Over time you can unlock it so you can target/cripple certain body parts.
• Loot all button.
• Interactive points or things you can pick up are highlighted when nearby.
• EXP earned pops up on the screen with a brief description of what you got it for.
• Unlock fast travel points.
• Earn EXP and level up to increase your core stats and all stats in that group up to 50 then you can upgrade individual stats up to 100.every 20 levels in a state section will get you a bonus skill.
• Perks-every 2 levels you get a point to put into your perks.
• On screen markers and icons for quests, side quests, and points of interest.
• Bed-used to restore health and time dilation as well as move time forward.
• Day/night cycle.
• Play how you want.
• Earn EXP for discovering new places and points of interest in the world.
• Steal-items show in red if you can steal them but it does cause people to get mad and possibly violent and can shut off future quests.
• Companions-they will help in combat, have skills to help your stats, increase carrying capacity and you can unlock special companion inspiration skills.
• You have a set of controls for your Companions so you can give orders.
• Moral choices play a huge part in how you play the game and what’s available to you.
• Loot everywhere!
• You can do illegal activities as long as no one sees you doing them.
• Fast fluid gunplay with each gun type feeling unique and new.
• Vending machines-buy items but can also be hacked so you can sell to them. If you earn a higher enough reputation with the vending machines faction you can get better more restricted items.
• Very charming world.
• So easy to get sidetracked and discover your own adventures.
• Item repair-your gear will degrade but you can repair them at workbenches, vending machines, or learn the skill yourself.
• Workbench-repair and upgrade items.
• Reputation with factions can go up and down and sometimes just staying out their way heals.
• Clear easy to navigate menus makes coming back to it after a break a lot easier.
• Minimap bar at the tip to show markers and enemies.
• System map-travel to any of the unlocked planets from terminals in your ship.
• Holographic shroud-plug in ID cartridges to take on that form to allow safe passage.
• Before entering a new planet/location you can assign 2 companions to go with you.

Cons:

• No custom bindings for the controller.
• Slow starter.
• Stick in scenery a few times.
• The slowdown in places.
• A lot to take in initially.
• A pain to always check and equip new items.
• Robot looking animations.
• You accumulate a lot of side quests very quickly.
• Handling multiple quests can be arduous.
• Icons on the screen are no help when you have multiple icons for different quests/tasks.