The Outer Worlds Reviews

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https://www.resetera.com/threads/the-outer-worlds-review-thread.148470/

Very good numbers as expected

EGM (5/5):
The Outer Worlds is an impressive spiritual successor to Obsidian’s work on Fallout: New Vegas, mixing familiar design elements and the same zany attitude with an imaginative new universe and even deeper role-playing. While you can breeze through the main questline a bit quicker than in similar games, this is the sort of RPG experience you’ll want to play through multiple times, with multiple builds, to see all the systems and narrative paths on offer.

We Got This Covered (5/5):
In all, The Outer Worlds is an unmitigated success. Naturally, recapturing the magic that made New Vegas such a beloved classic was never going to be an easy task, but the Californian studio has surprisingly pulled it off with aplomb once again. War never changes? I politely have to disagree. When Obsidian is at the helm, changes happen for the better, and that couldn’t make me happier.

PlayStation LifeStyle (10/10):
The combination of The Outer Worlds‘ stunning visuals and immersive story telling have positioned the game to be an amazing start to a beloved franchise. We’ve only just scratched the surface with Halcyon’s tale, and I am certain Obsidian has begun planting seeds for its future.

Stevivor (9.5/10):
Obsidian has spent a considerable amount of time and effort in world-building, and you’d be doing the game (and yourself) and disservice by not exploring its planets and myriad side-quests. On top of this fully fleshed-out world, jam-packed with wonderful companions, quest-givers and NPCs in general is a sense of humour that truly shines. While it’s borderline juvenile, it manages to stay on the better side of judgment — something the likes of Borderlands has never been able to do.

DualShockers (9.5/10):
While saying something like “The Outer Worlds is out of this world” may be low-hanging fruit for a writer, it isn’t a false statement. This game rewards player choice and experimentation on a level I have not seen since The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, and it manages to do so in both gameplay and story. With the best writing of any game thus far in 2019, any fan of RPGs needs to play The Outer Worlds. And no, The Board totally isn’t making me write th-

COGconnected (9.1/10):
The Outer Worlds is a first-person shooter like no other. Offering an open world sandbox in which the entire game is your play-thing, I was easily sucked in and didn’t want to leave. Obsidian has stated it can be completed between 15-40 hours and I can’t imagine completing it so quickly with so many things to do. With full character development, a wonderful companion system, and a spirit all its own, The Outer Worlds is everything I had hoped it would be and more. From the excellent writing to the beautiful environments, each new world is vast enough to feel expansive without being desolate and wasted space. The gameplay and combat is fantastic and handles great, with the only downside being its occasional dip in frame rate or issues loading textures. The Outer Worlds fulfills the promise every other RPG makes of putting you in control and I can’t wait to try the game over and over again with different styles and tactics.

GameSpot (9/10):
I finished The Outer Worlds wanting more, eager to jump back into the world to see extra things. It's not a short game, but it's one packed with such a steady stream of wonderful characters to meet, interesting places to explore, and meaningful, multi-layered quests to solve, that it didn't feel like there was any room to get tired of it. I wanted to rewind the clock and do everything in a completely different way. The Outer Worlds is consistently compelling throughout, and it's a superb example of how to promote traditional RPG sensibilities in a sharp, modern experience.

Windows Central (4.5/5):
The Outer Worlds is a tremendous RPG that feels like the culmination of Obsidian's efforts with similar franchises over the years. As a fan of classic Bioware and Bethesda RPGs, The Outer Worlds not only scratches the itch, but exceeds the legacy of the titles it draws inspiration from in some ways.

Screen Rant (4.5/5):
As more and more game companies pivot towards an always online live service model for their products, having access to such a complete "AAA" title with no additional microtransactions or purchasable cosmetic content is almost unheard of. The Outer Worlds, while still reminiscent of the games which came before it, is both a testament to Obsidian Entertainment's past quality and their ability to take what works best from other developer's titles and weave them into their own format in a way which feels at once unique and yet still comfortably familiar. For anyone who felt let down by Bethesda's more recent Fallout entries, anyone who misses smashing security bots in BioShock, or anyone who wants to bond with a companion the same way they bonded with Garrus and Mordin in Mass Effect, Obsidian's science-fiction masterpiece The Outer Worlds is waiting.

Destructoid (9/10):
Despite some nominal issues that might be easier for some to hand-wave than others, Obsidian has out-Fallouted recent Fallout efforts. The Outer Worlds is more limited from a size standpoint compared to a lot of other open world adventures, but it makes up for it in charm and a succinct vision without much bloat.

Gamer Guides (4.5/5):
The Outer Worlds isn’t the longest game, it’s not a massive open-world adventure, but you’ll still find sixty or so quests, multiple factions and interesting characters split across nine planets, moons, ships and space stations. Great writing, fetching art design, a tremendous amount of player choice and excellent world building elevate the game above its flaws, and perhaps most surprisingly in this day and age, The Outer Worlds is a devotedly single-player experience, unburdened whatsoever by the constant scourge of superfluous online modes, DLC, microtransactions, special editions and pre-order bonuses. If simplifies the excesses of many role-playing games without sacrificing the complexity and features you want and expect, allowing you to focus on what is undoubtedly one of the best games of 2019 and perhaps the best game Obsidian has developed to date.

IGN (8.5/10):
With The Outer Worlds, Obsidian has found its own path in the space between Bethesda and BioWare, and it’s a great one. And considering that new RPGs from either of those influential developers are still years away, this game couldn’t have been timed any better. It’s not as explorable as one big open world but it still packs in a large portion of flexible quests and conflicts within its series of smaller ones. And the combat, character, and companion systems have enough new spins on existing ideas to make it feel like an homage with its own personality rather than a copy.

God is a Geek (8.5/10):
Ultimately, if you’ve played a Fallout game before, you won’t be surprised by many of The Outer Worlds’ systems and features, but each familiar idea is tweaked just enough to feel different if not unique. A wealth of side quests and places to explore ensure that you can never quite predict what’s over the next horizon, and some surprisingly intelligent and thoughtful writing shoots a bolt of maturity through the satirical atmosphere that provides levity and occasional pause for thought. The retro-futuristic, space western style may be nothing new in 2019, but The Outer Worlds approaches it with such undeniable charisma that you can’t help but be drawn into its colourful, diverse universe. And what’s more, it’s so confidently written and lovingly made that you’ll almost certainly want to go back for another adventure when you’re done.

Press Start Australia (8.5/10):
The Outer Worlds is the kind of inspired take on a genre that could only come from a team as passionate and talented as Obsidian. It's not perfect, but it's creative, succinct, compelling and funny in all the right ways. I sincerely hope that this signals the beginning of a new, ongoing franchise because the people and stories of the Halcyon Colony will stick with me for a long time to come.

VGC (4/5):
The Outer Worlds’s real challenge is getting over what it isn’t, to enjoy what it is. It’s a game that only reveals much of its cleverness over time: both as events snowball, and as you discover the potential spread of multiple playthroughs. To discover those brains you have to look past limitations and accept this isn’t Galactic Fallout – you have to wait for Bethesda’s Starfield for that – and appreciate that this is a small slice of space with deep consequences. Manage that, and frosty first impressions thaw faster than a ship full of human popsicles.

TheSixthAxis (8/10):
The Outer Worlds is the game that fans have wanted Obsidian Entertainment to make for the better part of a decade. The story is the main attraction here, with Obsidian's witty writing coming to the fore in an interesting and funny interstellar setting. If that's what you look for in your RPGs, The Outer Worlds will not disappoint.

Twinfinite (4/5):
While I have certain issues with the variety in the game’s design, its story and narrative were consistently engrossing. I’d be remiss to not say I was hoping the Outer Worlds might be more than it is, but I still really enjoyed what’s there.

As a more compact Fallout-like experience The Outer Worlds really works, and I’m already hoping that we’ll get to return to the Halcyon Colony again someday.

GamesRadar (4/5):
Those expecting a straight-up spiritual successor to Fallout: New Vegas might be surprised by Obsidian's more contained and old-fashioned approach to science fiction, but stick with this unashamedly talkative tragic comedy, and you'll discover one of the smartest games of the year.

USgamer (4/5):
In an alternate reality where modern Fallout retained the the focus on choice and role-playing, The Outer Worlds would be the result. Obsidian Entertainment delivers this small window into that alternate reality, a game that prizes picking the right skills to tackle weird and wild situations. The Outer Worlds shines in the writing, but the combat doesn't equally rise to the occasion. Likewise, the planets you visit could use a few more quests or interesting spots to explore. The Outer Worlds is still a fun romp though, something that will hopefully build to something bigger in the future.

Wccftech (7.8/10):
The Outer Worlds is pretty much exactly what you'd expect from Obsidian. The first-person action RPG features a great setting, fantastic writing and remarkable, complex characters to meet. The moment-to-moment gameplay isn't as exciting, though, failing to measure up with the best in the genre. Still, there's plenty to like here as long as you know what you're getting into, not to mention the potential for a sequel to be much better, particularly if the developers had a higher budget to work with.

GamingTrend (65/100):
For better or worse, The Outer Worlds is a perfectly middle-of-the-road open-world RPG. It doesn’t take any big risks, but that also keeps it from falling on its face. Despite some great writing, the game doesn’t have much to say about the corporate dystopia it establishes, ultimately playing it too safe to justify the premise. Obsidian’s expertise with the genre makes The Outer Worlds a competent RPG, if not an especially interesting one.
 
It supposed to be a highly replayable 20 hours long game. I don't know how to feel about that.

I usually like long rpg that feel like a journey, but I already have so many if those to complete that I'll probably welcome a story that doesn't steal a good chunk of a my (real) life.
My girl will be happy too :blush:
 
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Lemme see… The lowest is GamingTrend, right?
https://gamingtrend.com/feature/reviews/gilded-space-age-the-outer-world-review/
When I previewed The Outer Worlds this summer and found that it wasn’t quite clicking, I wondered if it was just because I only had 90 minutes to play when the full game is many times that length.
Well… When I tried Neptunia and found out it wasn't clicking with my k+m, I've thumbed it down then refunded it.

In other words why are professional reviewers reviewing something they don't care about? Because FOMO?
The combat in The Outer Worlds is satisfying but not spectacular
Who cares about combat in a not Dark Souls clone?
If you’re looking for any sort of challenge, I’d recommend cranking the difficulty up to Hard, where baddies at least hit a bit harder and take longer to kill.
Bulletsponges addict confirmed.
While most of its big-picture satire falls completely flat, it’s packed with little one-liners that got some genuine belly laughs out of me.
We'll see about the "flat" satire, critics failed to recognize the poison darts in Greedfall already, but at least the reviewer admits humor. And who doesn't want storydriven games to be full of humor? You? Riiiight…
on rare occasions, being an expert hacker or inveterate liar might give you a slightly different way to complete a quest, the end result is almost always the same, and never once did I encounter an obstacle that I had to put off until I could level up or switch crewmates to complete. Most important locked computer terminals can also be opened with a passcode found conveniently nearby, and anything you gain by charming your way through a conversation can also be achieved through violence.
When I wrote some impressions about Deus Ex Human Revolution and now I'm replaying to because a friend of mine got into it, the upper quote is something you couldn't nor can't hear from me.
In DX:HR, if you use a password, you gain no XP. If you hack a code, depending on the difficulty, you get (tons of) XP. What am I supposed to think about a reviewer who doesn't disclose how this works in Outer Worlds? What's XPwise more profitable? If there is hack/password XP difference at all, but if it's irrelevant and you get no XP or the same amount regardless, still, say it in a review.
Yes, you can decide who’s in charge of a handful of towns or just slaughter everyone in the colony, but you’ll still end up playing the same main missions and following the same general path.
Is there a game that works differently? Name it.
You can often just kill your quest givers and take whatever you were hoping to gain from them without any real consequences except the ire of a faction you’ll never need to deal with again.
Finally a proper criticism. Yes! If the game really works like that, I hate it.
It’s the colony that matters in The Outer Worlds, not the people in it
Basically we're roleplaying EA CEO, where people don't matter, right? Or the reviewer roleplayed EA CEO? Or the reviewer is writing about the story, not the player's party? We can't be sure till friday.
CONS
- Frequently defaults to mediocre combat over other roleplaying options
Eh? If true, this is the second bad.


I admit I didn't give much thought to everything in that review, but thanks to two points the reviewer made, obviously this game can't be 10/10. On the other hand, the reviewer set their score to 6.5/10. I'm quite confused how, based on the text I'd expect either 7 or 8, maybe even 9.
But then again, you might notice that the review is based on Playstation version.

As I don't have time for more blathering, reviewers' and mine, I'll read other reviews later, maybe tomorrow.
 
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Have people gotten a good sense of what combat is like in the game? I didn't play FO4, but In FO3 and NV I always found the combat to be clunky and awkward at best and tedious and boring at worst. I'm hoping that they would have come up with something better by now, but the Fallout/NV comparisons have me concerned (as much as I loved all of the non-combat stuff in NV).
 
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Why are you guys cherry picking the worst of the reviews? Seriously messed up negativity - you'll only see what you want to see. Looking forward to playing this after a couple weeks of patches.
 
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Bet it's a very good game if you aren't expecting incredible and varied exploration, or great combat. The main good part seems to be how missions are structured and that there can be very different outcomes there depending on choice. No romance is just good imo, i don't play games for that.
 
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Why are you guys cherry picking the worst of the reviews? Seriously messed up negativity - you'll only see what you want to see.

Hmmm, as you can see in any forums, any topics nowadays, there are two opinions:
- Fanboys, who love the game no matter what
- Haters, who hate the game no matter what

Let's call it "zeitgeist" :)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zeitgeist
 
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I'm very skeptical of the 15h-20h claims. My guess is those people raced through the main questline without any significant attempt to explore optional content.
 
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Many of the people I chat with do that very thing, plow straight through the game using what little knowledge they've picked up along the path and just going right for the finish, ignoring any side options they encounter along the way. Some of them check those routes out in a subsequent replay, but most seem eager just to cross the finish line. I'm one that explores all optional content that I encounter.
 
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I scanned through a handful of reviews (around 6 of them) and there were no claims of a 15-20 hour game among them. A few said 30ish, one said 40, and the others didn't have a number but had lines like "it's not a short game". I don't think there's any chance it's 15-20 hours long for anyone who isn't rushing.
 
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Many of the people I chat with do that very thing, plow straight through the game using what little knowledge they've picked up along the path and just going right for the finish, ignoring any side options they encounter along the way. Some of them check those routes out in a subsequent replay, but most seem eager just to cross the finish line. I'm one that explores all optional content that I encounter.

I seem to come across the "I finished the game in 13 hours and I did almost everything but I read fast" folks a lot. I read pretty fast too, but oddly enough when I play through the same game and do almost everything myself, it takes me 2x to 3x as long as they claim it took them.
 
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I scanned through a handful of reviews (around 6 of them) and there were no claims of a 15-20 hour game among them. A few said 30ish, one said 40, and the others didn't have a number but had lines like "it's not a short game". I don't think there's any chance it's 15-20 hours long for anyone who isn't rushing.

Yes, that was my point. Anyone who finished it that quickly obviously rushed through it.
 
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Even if it isn't terribly short, it sounds like $60 is too much to pay. Oh well - by the time I get around to it, it won't cost that much anyway.
 
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