The Outer Worlds 2: Exclusive 11-Minute Gameplay Revealed - IGN

Welcome to our latest IGN First, featuring an exclusive month-long coverage of The Outer Worlds 2 in April. This is your very first look at its gameplay in real time, showcasing a thrilling quest where you infiltrate the N-Ray Facility. This demonstration not only highlights several new features and mechanics but also redefines level design. What stands out the most is how The Outer Worlds 2 deepens its RPG elements, with developer Obsidian drawing inspiration from its rich history and even taking cues from immersive sims like Deus Ex and Dishonored.

Compared to its predecessor, The Outer Worlds 2 boasts more sophisticated systems, including a true stealth system and enhanced tools that make this playstyle viable. For instance, the inclusion of effective melee weapons and skills enables silent takedowns. A notable feature is the health bar above enemy heads, which includes a purple-colored readout indicating potential damage from a stealth attack. This helps players decide whether to go for a one-hit kill or avoid engaging altogether. Enemies can detect dead bodies, prompting an alert to guards, but skilled players can quickly dispose of them using a body disintegration skill.

The Outer Worlds 2 Gameplay - Screenshots

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Later in the quest, you acquire the N-Ray Scanner, a crucial tool for seeing through walls to detect objects, NPCs, and enemies. This gadget is essential for solving environmental puzzles and enhancing stealth and combat strategies. The N-Ray Facility is home to cloaked enemies, invisible to the naked eye but detectable with the N-Ray Scanner. Neglecting to use it can lead to unexpected encounters, illustrating how new gadgets enrich gameplay.

The game integrates several interlocking systems that influence your playstyle, emphasizing RPG elements crucial for specific character builds. Stealth and immersive sim mechanics are not the only areas of expansion; Obsidian has also focused on improving gunplay, taking inspiration from Destiny to refine the feel of firearms. While The Outer Worlds 2 isn't turning into a full-fledged shooter, its gunplay aligns more closely with what players expect from a first-person game.

This is evident when approaching the N-Ray Facility with guns blazing. Movement mechanics have been refined to complement gunplay, allowing for more agile actions like sprint-sliding while aiming down sights. The return of Tactical Time Dilation (TTD) enhances the bullet-time experience, and the introduction of throwables adds another layer to your combat arsenal. You can perform dynamic moves, such as tossing a grenade, activating TTD, and shooting it midair to detonate it on unsuspecting foes.

While there's limited information on the story or the context of the N-Ray Facility quest, we've seen slight tweaks to conversation mechanics in the sequel. In the gameplay video, you encounter an NPC named Exemplar Foxworth, who survived a cultist takeover. Depending on your Medical, Guns, or Melee stats, you can choose to help her or respond differently. This segment also introduces Aza, a new companion who was once a cultist and joins you to rectify past actions.

Many elements from the original Outer Worlds return in The Outer Worlds 2, but this sequel aims to fully realize the vision set out in the first game. My discussions with Obsidian provided insights into their new features and the driving vision behind the sequel. They are keen on embracing their RPG roots, drawing inspiration from classics like Fallout: New Vegas, while exploring what a modern first-person RPG can offer.

This is just a glimpse of what's in store for The Outer Worlds 2 and what we'll be covering throughout April's IGN First. I'll delve into character builds, the new flaws system, the array of unique weapons, and the expanded scope of this sequel through interviews with key figures such as original Fallout developer and creative director Leonard Boyarsky, game director Brandon Adler, and design director Matt Singh. Keep an eye on IGN all month for more exciting updates!