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Upon my initial playthrough of the first Outer Worlds, I was immediately drawn by its irreverent, Fallout-esque brand of humor. The game featured dynamic dialogues, character diaries, and advertising displays that depicted a company-run society that was at once grim and amusing. My main fear starting the sequel was that this version – without blame from itself – might not be as funny compared to the first.

Admittedly, things weren't perfect. But the world undoubtedly appeared a bit less broken at that time. This universe showed a bleak future that didn't feel too close to home, and still managed to be at once touching and comical. I commenced the sequel rather certain that the sequel wouldn't manage to pull this off once more, but I'm delighted to announce that I was wrong. This follow-up is equally laughter-provoking as the game that preceded it, and additionally brings original ideas instead of merely repeating the same content like an tired company slogan.

Evolving Characters

Most of the NPCs users found in the original game had been beaten down by the activities of company organizations including the fictional company, and were fully cognizant of the extent to which their situation was terrible. This installment progresses matters in a different direction, including personalities who are brainwashed (occasionally metaphorically, regularly truly). A lot of these NPCs aren't even aware of how extremely messed up their circumstances are, or that there may exist choices to a life lived under the boot of a large business or restricted by the doctrines of a high-demand religion.

This follow-up examines forms of company influence that are more insidious than simply keeping the population impoverished. Numerous characters have been programmed with the kind of excessively zealous "work ethic" language you might encounter on social media accounts that promise to reveal the secret of achievement should you purchase for an overpriced workshop, or invest in a questionable digital currency plan. Additionally, the title's business promotion has evolved.

Modern Themes

There remain plenty of demotivating signs throughout facilities warning about deducting pay from workers who so much as contemplate having a break, but furthermore exist mentions of multi-level marketing tactics, such as a new hire handbook that boldly states, "Unknown people are merely clients you still need to meet!" As someone who grew up in a direct sales environment, I instantly erupted with laughter when I saw this reference, because it's a refrain I have regularly listened to repeated exactly by those at the bottom of these systems.

Fortunately, this follow-up is as comedic and irreverent as the original title.

This sequel furthermore explores the dilemma various individuals find ourselves in when it comes to work, government, and including buying decisions: Having to choose the smaller of several poor choices. When trying to decide whether to back a harmful business or a concerning cult within the title, I realized I became supporting the devil I know: A recognized company structure that sucks (but only uses promotion to indoctrinate its followers), as opposed to the religious group, which is similarly terrible, but employs a terrible method called "cognitive reset" to control its members in line.

Questionable Employers

Even the people you work for may not be dependable. As an galactic official, you're tasked with trying to reestablish stability to the Arcadia colony after a hostile corporate takeover, and you will quickly find that the two the invaders and the residents subscribe to differing (but similarly terrible) ideologies. However, a rapid inspection of the messages on your vessel's computer demonstrate that this agency is hardly the world's most ethical authority as well, as evidenced by an answer to an emergency signal that tells the sender it will take "three to five corporate years" for a response to their transmission. (This duration is roughly the duration it takes for me to get a hold of a non-robot customer service agent over the phone currently.)

Familiar Situations

Various situations in this installment are painfully relatable, but it's a therapeutic sort of relatability, and this release succeeds in balancing its grim future world with comedy that's authentically amusing yet not seeming inappropriate. An important idea is the near-instant onset of deterioration that appears to occur after significant business mergers. Workers from each party of this sequel's big merger find their existence worsen as a result, while the leaders in control of the food chain are, of course, raking in money rapidly.

Okay, at the very least I recognize my position.

Similar to the initial release, this sequel is intrinsically comedic, but additionally doesn't hesitate to turn solemn. During a moment, while traveling around the title's initial discoverable location, I discovered a body with a message nearby. This message disclosed that this NPC (connected to the indoctrinating cult) had perished in an incident while trying to track down and dispatch her romantic partner. This partner had seemingly abandoned from their group, and the deceased character was incensed at her lover's {traitorous