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Upon my initial experience with the first Outer Worlds title, I was instantly captivated by its satirical, Fallout-like type of wit. The game featured dynamic dialogues, individual logs, and propaganda materials that portrayed a business-controlled nightmare that was both dark and entertaining. My primary concern starting The Outer Worlds 2 was that this installment – without blame of its own – could fail to be as comedic compared to the first.

Sure, conditions weren't ideal. Yet society certainly seemed a bit less broken back then. This universe presented a dystopia that didn't feel overly familiar, and nonetheless succeeded to be simultaneously touching and hilarious. I commenced the follow-up pretty sure that this installment wouldn't be able to accomplish this again, but I'm delighted to announce that I was mistaken. This sequel is equally laughter-provoking as the title that came earlier, and additionally brings new themes rather than simply reusing identical material like an overused corporate jingle.

Evolving Characters

Most of the game characters gamers met in the initial release had been worn out by the deeds of company organizations including Spacer's Choice, and were acutely conscious of the extent to which their situation was terrible. This sequel moves events in an alternative path, presenting individuals who are indoctrinated (periodically symbolically, often literally). Many of these NPCs aren't even aware of how profoundly messed up their conditions are, or that there may exist options to a lifetime passed beneath the control of a massive corporation or restricted by the beliefs of a demanding cult.

This follow-up investigates methods of corporate control that are more deceptive than simply keeping the population impoverished. Numerous characters have been programmed with the kind of extremely eager "hustle mentality" language you'll find on online profiles that vow to show the secret of achievement if you pay an expensive course, or participate in a questionable digital currency plan. Even the game's company advertising has evolved.

Modern Themes

There remain many discouraging displays on the walls indicating reductions in employee wages who dare to contemplate requesting leave, but additionally there are allusions to network marketing methods, including an employee manual that confidently announces, "Strangers are just patrons you still need to meet!" Being a person who was raised in a network marketing household, I promptly exploded laughing when I saw this allusion, because it's a saying I have often heard stated precisely by people at the base of these systems.

Fortunately, this follow-up is equally humorous and sarcastic as the original title.

This installment furthermore explores the dilemma various individuals encounter regarding work, political matters, and even personal purchases: Needing to select the lesser of several poor choices. When trying to determine if to support a dangerous corporate entity or a problematic faith organization within the title, I realized I became aligning with the devil I know: A recognized corporate entity that is awful (yet merely employs propaganda to program its members), rather than the cult, which also sucks, but uses a terrible method named "mental refreshment" to control its members in line.

Unreliable Masters

Additionally, the individuals you serve could fail to be reliable. As an space operative, you're tasked with attempting to restore order to this outpost after a forceful company buyout, and you will quickly find that both the aggressors and the defenders follow differing (though equally awful) ideologies. Yet a speedy inspection of the messages on your spacecraft's system reveal that the Earth Directorate is hardly the galaxy's most moral employer as well, as shown by a response to a distress call that informs the caller it will take "three to five corporate years" for an answer to their communication. (This duration is approximately the time it takes for numerous individuals to reach a human customer service agent through calling these days.)

Relatable Moments

Various situations in this installment are highly recognizable, but it's a cathartic kind of recognition, and this title manages to balance its grim future world with humor that's truly humorous without feeling inappropriate. One major theme is the rapid beginning of deterioration that appears to occur in the wake of any major corporate acquisition. Staff members from all factions of this sequel's major acquisition experience their living standards decrease consequently, while the executives in charge of the hierarchy are, of course, raking in profits rapidly.

Okay, at the very least I know where I stand.

Just like the first game, this sequel is naturally humorous, but additionally isn't afraid to get serious. At a certain time, while traveling around the game's first accessible planet, I came upon a corpse with an audio log close by. The audio log showed that this character (connected to the indoctrinating cult) had been killed in an event while attempting to track down and eliminate her lover. This partner had seemingly abandoned from their group, and the deceased character was angry about her significant other's {traitorous