The Outer Worlds Review – A Focused Shot to the Heart

The Outer Worlds has undoubtedly been one of the lesser-hyped games of 2019, and shamefully so, as Obsidian’s new sci-fi action-RPG delivers one of the best experiences of the year, with great gunplay, a streamlined and diverse world, and a humorous tone which will leave you wanting more even after the 20-odd hour main story.

There’s no doubt that The Outer Worlds will be compared to that certain entries in the Fallout franchise, but The Outer Worlds does a lot to separate itself from Bethesda’s long-running series. The game presents that immersive, massive RPG experience, but does so in a more compact and immediately engrossing way, a little more in line with the Borderlands franchise than anything else. The fat has been trimmed and what you’re left with is a game which knows what it wants to be, and does it well.

Instead of an overwhelming open-world, you’re given a handful of large locations which you travel between using a hub. It’s a far simpler and more effective way to keep players in the action for longer without all the often unnecessary window-dressing which tends to come with games in the genre. And as for the action itself, it’s a real highlight.

Gunplay in The Outer Worlds feels well-executed thanks to some great weapon feedback and interesting guns which leave you itching to pull the trigger at the next giant robot or alien beast coming your way. Players also have the ability to upgrade certain skills, with one being a slow-mo type precision system, allowing you to target specific weak-points (or just pull off some stylish kills) which brings a frenetic energy to the moment-to-moment shooting that the game offers.

You won’t be alone in your quests too, as you have the ability to partner up with some AI companions (who can also benefit from perks), providing you with some backup in your firefights and witty banter to keep you entertained, which helps mitigate that feeling of isolation which some big RPGs tend to suffer from.

The Outer Worlds, while familiar, is oozing with its own personality and turns the cumbersome RPG grind into a fun, entertaining, and light-hearted experience which will appeal to those who love the genre but find themselves bogged down by all the excessive padding many of those games tend to have.

The Outer Worlds is available on Xbox One, PS4, and PC.