"The Outer Worlds 2 Enhances RPG Character Customization - IGN First"

After experiencing The Outer Worlds 2 firsthand, it's evident that Obsidian has prioritized enhancing the RPG elements to create a more immersive and personalized gameplay experience. Unlike the first game, which offered a more streamlined approach to character development, the sequel encourages players to embrace diversity and experiment with unconventional playstyles. The goal isn't complexity for its own sake but to foster creativity and specialization, allowing players to delve deeper into unique and sometimes quirky choices.

Design director Matt Singh emphasized the team's intent to encourage experimentation with different builds, saying, "We're looking for ways to incentivize the player to experiment with different builds, either traditional or non-traditional." He highlighted how the revamped RPG mechanics, including Skills, Traits, and Perks, are designed to synergize and create intriguing gameplay dynamics. This focus on player choice and creativity was evident in our exclusive 11-minute gameplay showcase, which featured new elements like gunplay, stealth, gadgets, and dialogue. In this IGN First coverage, we delve into the intricacies of these revamped systems and what players can anticipate.

Rethinking the Skill System

Lead systems designer Kyle Koenig reflected on the first game's approach, stating, "We would often see characters good at everything, which by the end of the game, minimized your personal experience with your character." To address this, Obsidian has shifted away from the original's grouped Skill categories to individual Skills with significant distinctions. This change aims to make each level-up and investment impactful, reducing confusion and allowing for more specialized character builds. Koenig explained, "We wanted to focus on making each individual level-up and investment really important. There's less confusion on when I should invest in one Skill or the other. If I want to be a player that's all about guns and using medical devices, I know which Skills I really need to care about."

Singh added that the new system encourages a broader range of player profiles, saying, "There's more than just a traditional stealth-focused build, combat-focused build, or speech-focused build. There's a lot of blending of concepts, playing with other systems and incorporating those into a pretty broad, but unique range of different player profiles." He mentioned how certain Skill investments can reveal hidden elements in the environment, such as secret doors or interactive objects, enhancing exploration and strategic gameplay.

The Outer Worlds 2 Character Creation - Screenshots

While this approach may seem standard for RPGs, The Outer Worlds 2 distinguishes itself by using the revised Skill system to create unique character builds and open up new possibilities, particularly in conjunction with the revamped Perks system.

The Perks of Getting Experimental

Obsidian's focus on specificity and unique playstyles is evident in the Perks system. Koenig noted, "We've significantly increased the number of Perks with over 90 of them – each of those requiring various Skills to unlock. As you invest in Skills, it changes how you can invest in Perks and leads you down many different paths." He gave examples like the Run and Gun Perk for players who favor shotguns, SMGs, and rifles, allowing firing while sprinting or sliding, and the Space Ranger Perk, which enhances dialogue interactions and boosts damage based on Speech stats.

Singh highlighted the game's support for non-traditional playstyles, mentioning Perks like Psychopath and Serial Killer, which reward players for eliminating NPCs with permanent health boosts. He said, "Especially in an Obsidian game where we allow you to kill anybody – the game's going to respond, it's going to roll with it, and you're going to still be able to complete the game. It's actually a really fun way to play in a second or third playthrough just to see how far you can take it."

For those preferring traditional playstyles, Koenig discussed builds that leverage elemental combat, such as using plasma to burn enemies and heal, shock to control automechs, or corrosive damage to strip armor and deal critical hits.

Singh also stressed the game's encouragement of experimental gameplay, mentioning mechanics that reward players for taking risks, such as opting into detrimental effects to buff other aspects of their character. He posed the question, "How do I construct a build where I'm actually incentivized to get in there and take damage so that I can then do other things effectively? I really like those kinds of creative builds that allow you to play with that idea and convert something that might be negative into a positive aspect of your build."

The Positive and Negative Traits

Koenig drew a parallel to Fallout, explaining, "One of the things in The Outer Worlds that was a key off of Fallout was you could have negative attributes that would be actively detrimental to your character, but you get a few extra points to spend somewhere else." The original game's Flaws system allowed players to take permanent effects in exchange for Perk points, and this concept is expanding in The Outer Worlds 2.

The sequel introduces a system of Positive Traits and Negative Traits, where choosing a negative trait allows for an additional positive trait. Examples include Brilliant, granting extra Skill points, or Brawny, enabling you to knock down targets by sprinting into them. Conversely, negative traits like Dumb, which locks you out of investing in certain Skills, or Sickly, which lowers base health and toxicity tolerance, add a layer of strategic decision-making.

The Outer Worlds 2 Gameplay - Screenshots

Although a detailed exploration of the revamped Flaws will be covered in a future article, it's clear that The Outer Worlds 2 introduces creative and sometimes humorous Flaws. The game continues to monitor player behavior, offering Flaws with both positive and negative conditions, adding another layer of depth to the Traits system. Players must opt into these Flaws, which then become a permanent part of their character.

Guiding Players and Ditching Respec

With numerous new elements in The Outer Worlds 2, Obsidian has focused on making these systems accessible and clear. Koenig noted, "Right from the get-go, from character creation, we really wanted to put in the forefront what are the differences of these skills and what they do." This clarity is achieved through in-game explanations and UI elements, including short videos in the menus that demonstrate the impact of Skills on gameplay. Additionally, players can mark Perks as favorites before unlocking them, aiding in planning and organizing their character progression.

The absence of a respec option past the introductory sequence emphasizes the permanence of player choices. Koenig explained, "By removing respec, we really incentivize it to be your experience. It is a part of your experience that no one else had, and I think that's really special about RPGs and something that respec tends to lessen." Singh echoed this sentiment, emphasizing the importance of meaningful choices, saying, "Philosophy-wise, we really feel all of your choices should matter. They should be meaningful changes to your gameplay experience. This is just one of those ways where we're asking you to make a choice, stick to it, and see how that plays out in interesting and fun ways."