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Upon my initial encounter with the initial Outer Worlds game, I was immediately drawn by its sarcastic, Fallout-like style of comedy. This title boasted engaging exchanges, character diaries, and advertising displays that depicted a company-run society that was both grim and amusing. My primary concern heading into The Outer Worlds 2 was that this installment – without blame on its part – wouldn't be as comedic as its predecessor.

Certainly, situations weren't flawless. However, life certainly seemed a bit less broken in those days. The Outer Worlds showed a bleak future that didn't hit extremely relatable, and still managed to be at once touching and hilarious. I commenced The Outer Worlds 2 pretty sure that the sequel wouldn't be able to accomplish this once more, but I'm delighted to report that I was wrong. This follow-up is just as laughter-provoking as the title that came before it, and furthermore presents new themes instead of just recycling the same content comparable to an tired company slogan.

Changing NPCs

The majority of the non-player characters users found in the initial release had been defeated by the actions of corporate entities including the fictional company, and were acutely conscious of how much their lives sucked. This installment takes things in a distinct route, including personalities who are brainwashed (sometimes figuratively, frequently actually). Numerous personalities don't even realize of how extremely disordered their situations are, or that there may exist alternatives to a life lived under the boot of a large business or bound by the beliefs of a high-demand religion.

This second installment examines forms of business domination that are more subtle than only making the population impoverished. Many NPCs have been programmed with the type of overly enthusiastic "grindset mindset" discourse you might encounter on online profiles that vow to show the path to accomplishment if you pay for an overpriced workshop, or invest in a questionable digital currency plan. Additionally, the title's company advertising has evolved.

Modern Themes

There continue to be many unmotivational posters on the walls warning about deducting staff compensation who even consider having a break, but additionally there are references to network marketing strategies, including a staff guide that proudly declares, "Unfamiliar individuals are simply patrons you still need to meet!" As an individual who grew up in a multi-level marketing family, I immediately burst out with laughter when encountering this mention, because it's a saying I have frequently encountered repeated exactly by those at the bottom of those structures.

Fortunately, The Outer Worlds 2 is as comedic and sarcastic as the first game.

The Outer Worlds 2 furthermore explores the situation various individuals find ourselves in when it comes to work, government, and even personal purchases: Having to pick the lesser of several poor choices. During efforts to decide whether to support a dangerous corporate entity or a concerning cult within the title, I realized I became siding with the familiar evil: A familiar business organization that is awful (though just utilizes promotion to program its members), instead of the cult, which also sucks, but uses a horrible approach termed "psychological renewal" to maintain its followers compliant.

Doubtful Authorities

Additionally, the individuals you represent might not be trustworthy. In the role of an galactic official, your assignment includes attempting to restore order to this outpost subsequent to a hostile corporate takeover, and you'll soon discover that the two the attackers and the defenders adhere to differing (yet equally horrific) doctrines. However, a rapid review of the communications on your ship's terminal show that this organization is hardly the universe's most principled employer either, as evidenced by an answer to a help request that tells the sender it will take "three to five organizational cycles" for a response to their transmission. (That time frame is roughly the duration it takes for me to get a hold of a real help desk employee through calling nowadays.)

Recognizable Scenarios

Many moments in this sequel are painfully relatable, but it's a therapeutic sort of relatability, and the game manages to balance its grim future world with comedy that's authentically amusing yet not seeming incongruous. One major theme is the quick commencement of enshittification that appears to occur following large company takeovers. Workers from each party of this sequel's significant consolidation experience their living standards decrease therefore, while the executives at the top of the hierarchy are, of course, accumulating the cash quickly.

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

Just like the initial release, The Outer Worlds 2 is intrinsically comedic, but it also isn't afraid to turn solemn. At a certain time, while exploring around the title's initial accessible planet, I discovered a corpse with an audio log close by. The audio log showed that this NPC (associated with the brainwashing religious faction) had died in an accident while attempting to hunt down and dispatch her significant other. This loved one had seemingly abandoned from their faction, and the now-dead NPC was incensed at her partner's {traitorous