The Outer Worlds - Preview @ Newsweek

Newsweek checked out The Outer Worlds:

The Outer Worlds Won't Succeed By Bullets Alone

The Outer Worlds is heading toward its October release with a tremendous amount of hype and momentum. The latest project from Obsidian and Private Division has been lauded with E3 awards (including a best of show and best original game) and a foundational amount of loyalty from a fanbase that still talks often about Obsidian's most notable release, Fallout: New Vegas. That DNA is spread across The Outer Worlds like it's the dashboard of a white 1992 Ford Bronco. It's dystopian sci-fi at its finest, full of scathing criticism and parody aimed at runaway capitalism.

The Outer Worlds sits atop a precarious crest in its pre-release lifecycle. A promising game, sure, but one that also shepherds the hopes of RPG fans who see western-style single player offerings heading towards extinction. In an era of DLC and Battle Royales and in-game currency the single player RPG represents more risk, less reward, on the balance sheets for publishers. So as I settled in at Take Two's corporate HQ in New York for an extended demo of The Outer Worlds, I wanted to see a game that would show the world this beloved genre is still worth visiting.
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More information.

Link to the article (I had problems to put it in the text):
https://www.newsweek.com/outer-world…sidian-1452343

There are also some articles and an hour long video of sidequesting on PCGamer.
I couldn't bare to watch the whole video, the guy plays the game as if it's Doom ignoring any loot and exploration.

Amateurs playing RPGs aside, I still believe it'll be goty. Regardless of horrible mouthmoving during chatty.
They should release it already.

Another cool article: "You can kill everyone in The Outer Worlds. It’s a development nightmare"

https://www.polygon.com/interviews/2…ines-developer

Why would anyone see single player western RPGs as headed toward extinction? I don't care if there are MMOs and "games as service" and all that crap; the existence of other games doesn't mean this type of game is going anywhere. Single player RPGs continue to be some of the most hyped, biggest selling games on the planet, and there are more "old school" RPGs (such as those InXile and Larian produce) than at any time in the previous decade plus.

I'm also curious why one would specifically say "western style" RPGs are the ones dying out. JPRGs, if anything, are the genre that has been in a mostly sorry state for quite a while. (I'm not saying they're headed for extinction; I'm saying 99% of them suck)

I agree. The last five years have been excellent for single-player RPGs. Practically a second golden age.

Originally Posted by rjshae
I agree. The last five years have been excellent for single-player RPGs. Practically a second golden age.

I agree.

How much I enjoy The Outer Worlds greatly depends upon how enjoyable is the story and the writing overall. The gameplay looks like it will be fun pretty much however it is implemented within what I've already seen (which is very little), but if the writing is meh then I'll probably get bored with it after a short time.

Originally Posted by JFarrell71
I'm also curious why one would specifically say "western style" RPGs are the ones dying out. JPRGs, if anything, are the genre that has been in a mostly sorry state for quite a while. (I'm not saying they're headed for extinction; I'm saying 99% of them suck)

I think he's talking about a very specific subset of AAA (or AA) Western RPGs. Games like Neverwinter Nights 2, Mass Effect, Skyrim, The Witcher 3. These big 3D games which are mainstream. You simply can't deny that we have less and less of these games in this decade (when compared to the previous one). And most of them suck.

JRPGs may suck, but they are still a huge market. It's not really about what sucks to us or really single-player games, it was about a certain kind of single-player RPG. The person probably doesn't know enough to understand the distinction.

My point is yes, he's wrong, but he's also kinda right when you actually understand where he's coming from.

I think people see EA, Bethesda, Bioware (when that was still a thing) turn their backs to RPG to do something else and they conclude its dying or dead.
But they just were replaced by companies like CD Projekt, Warhorse Studios, Larian etc.. With games often better as far as I am concerned.
And since the sales of those guys are way over the million it is difficult to not brand them Mainstream too.

Yes and no.

Yes on faudization of certain AAA producing companies so others took the job of making proper videogames (not just RPGs).

No on mainstream because mainstream today is shallow bore-chore products like GTA5 and gambling falsely advertised as videogames. Talk to a random acquaintance and ask if they play videogames. In 9 cases out of 10, they'll say yes I'm on some phonegame. Do ask also if it contains lootboxes please (they'll all defend themselves with being brainwashed phrases: it's optional, you don't have to, you don't need those to progress, etc.).

Thus to me it's very difficult to brand any proper videogame as mainstream today. Here's hope CP2077 will be mainstream. Hell, I wish WoW classic becomes mainstream, I do hate mmos, but at least WoW wasn't a slot machine.
I just can't be an optimist.

Day 1 purchase, and those are few and far between today. I'm not sure I'll actually play it on day 1 though, Obsidian makes great games in my opinion, but their track record on problem free releases is less than stellar.

Originally Posted by TomRon
Day 1 purchase, and those are few and far between today. I'm not sure I'll actually play it on day 1 though, Obsidian makes great games in my opinion, but their track record on problem free releases is less than stellar.

It's a Day 366 purchase for me, hopefully the game will be out of the beta-testing-by-customers phase by then.

Well, good for Obsidian, they can finally make those AAA (or AAB?) games they always wanted to make. I hope they learned their lessons and will be able to make some decent release, not a terrible bugfest as many times in past. And while I actually wish it it all workes for them, Im not sure I will play this game anywhere near release. The setting and atmosphere I feel from the trailers and videos do nothing for me. So unless the reviews and post release feedback is completely stellar, this will be some future bargain bin buy for me.

Hopefully they don't continue rebalancing and introducing new bugs a year after release.

Originally Posted by Andrew23
Im not sure I will play this game anywhere near release. The setting and atmosphere I feel from the trailers and videos do nothing for me. So unless the reviews and post release feedback is completely stellar, this will be some future bargain bin buy for me.

Yep, same kind of feeling here, but much stronger negatively -- I know I won't be playing this game. I actively hate the setting and graphics, already. The whole vibe they are going for - ugh - just is a huge turn off for me. Not even bargain bin material, I'm afraid.

OK, now I will shut up and not make any more nasty comments about this game. I said my peace. I'm not going to be annoying, this was my one shot!

It looks okay, but I've read several times now that the combat is very frequent and very average. I'm hoping there is a build that lets you skip most combat.

Originally Posted by TomRon
Day 1 purchase, and those are few and far between today. I'm not sure I'll actually play it on day 1 though, Obsidian makes great games in my opinion, but their track record on problem free releases is less than stellar.

Me to! Obsidian is one of my last remaining favorite developers. Looking for to it even if some things I am not as keen on - still looks like a cool game.

PS - You have one of the best avatars @TomRon … I always enjoy seeing that little dragon!

Originally Posted by wolfgrimdark
PS - You have one of the best avatars @TomRon … I always enjoy seeing that little dragon!

Thanks, you just made my day. I've actually considered replacing the little guy but I don't have the heart.

Agreed on Obsidian, they went down a couple of pegs for me when they released PoE, but have since remedied themselves by supporting that game until it became great, and then releasing an even better sequel.

No game if this type (open world RPG) has actually captured my interest for long since FO:NV, and unlike several other posters I actually really like the feel and look of this game.

Originally Posted by GabrielMP_19
I think he's talking about a very specific subset of AAA (or AA) Western RPGs. Games like Neverwinter Nights 2, Mass Effect, Skyrim, The Witcher 3. These big 3D games which are mainstream. You simply can't deny that we have less and less of these games in this decade (when compared to the previous one). And most of them suck.

Skyrim, The Witcher 3, and two of the Mass Effect games came out this decade, along with Fallout 4, Dragon Age: Inquistion and several other games. By the time the 2010s are over, we'll also have Outer Worlds, Vampire Bloodlines II and Cyberpunk 2077. What is this long list of "big 3D games" that came out between 2000 and 2010? I don't know what NWN2 is doing on your list; it has far more in common with Infinity engine games and that ilk than something like Skyrim. Your point is lost on me because there no consistency to whatever it is you're trying to argue.