Outer Worlds 2 Gameplay Reveal: 11 Minutes of Footage - IGN

Welcome to our exclusive IGN First coverage this April, dedicated entirely to The Outer Worlds 2. This is your first real-time look at gameplay, following a mission where you infiltrate the N-Ray Facility. The demo highlights several new features and mechanics, along with fresh approaches to level design. One standout is how much deeper the RPG experience feels, with developer Obsidian drawing from their own history and immersive sims like Deus Ex and Dishonored for inspiration.

The DNA of immersive sims has always influenced first-person RPGs, but The Outer Worlds 2 introduces more refined systems than its predecessor. A fully realized stealth system is now supported by better tools—such as effective melee weapons and skills for silent takedowns—making stealth a viable playstyle. For instance, enemy health bars include a purple indicator showing the damage a stealth attack will deal, helping you decide if you can secure a one-hit kill. Enemies will notice corpses and alert others, but you can instantly disintegrate bodies with the right skill to avoid detection.

The Outer Worlds 2 Gameplay - Screenshots

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Later in the mission, you acquire the N-Ray Scanner, allowing you to detect specific objects and NPCs through walls. While essential for solving environmental puzzles, it’s also a key asset for stealth and combat. Some enemies in the N-Ray Facility use cloaking tech, invisible to the naked eye but visible through the scanner. If you don’t use it regularly, cloaked foes can ambush you—just one example of how new gadgets add strategic depth.

Multiple interconnected systems shape your playstyle, emphasizing RPG elements that define unique character builds.

Stealth and immersive sim influences aren’t the only areas where The Outer Worlds 2 evolves. Obsidian made gunplay a major focus, citing Destiny as a benchmark for responsive combat. While not a full-fledged shooter, gun handling now feels more authentic for a first-person game with firearms.

Movement has been refined to support gunplay, letting you sprint-slide while aiming down sights like an action hero. Combined with the return of Tactical Time Dilation (TTD), the bullet-time mechanic remains a powerful combat tool. Throwables add another layer to your arsenal—imagine tossing a grenade, activating TTD, and detonating it mid-air by shooting it at unsuspecting enemies.

Story details remain scarce, including the context behind the N-Ray Facility mission, but conversations have been enhanced in the sequel. In the gameplay video, you meet an NPC named Exemplar Foxworth, who survived a cultist takeover. Depending on your Medical skill, you can treat her wounds, or respond based on Guns or Melee stats. This segment also introduces Aza, a panicked former cultist who joins you to help undo their actions.

Many elements from the original Outer Worlds return, but where that game laid a foundation, The Outer Worlds 2 feels like a fully realized vision. Beyond early access, I spoke with Obsidian team members to explore new features and the creative vision behind this sequel. They aim to honor the studio’s RPG heritage while pushing the boundaries of modern first-person RPGs, often referencing Fallout: New Vegas during development—raising expectations for what’s to come.

This is just a glimpse of The Outer Worlds 2 and our IGN First coverage this month. I’ll delve into character builds, the new flaws system, an array of creative weapons, and the sequel’s expanded scope through interviews with key figures like original Fallout developer and creative director Leonard Boyarsky, game director Brandon Adler, and design director Matt Singh. Stay tuned to IGN throughout April for more updates!