The Outer Worlds 2: Unleash Creativity in RPG Character Building - IGN First

Having finally seen The Outer Worlds 2 for myself, it's evident that developer Obsidian has prioritized enhancing the RPG elements to foster deeper player engagement. While the first game offered a more streamlined approach to character development, the sequel encourages players to embrace diversity and explore unconventional playstyles. The Outer Worlds 2 isn't just about complexity; it's designed to spark creativity, allowing players to specialize and make unique choices that shape their gameplay experience.

In a discussion about the revamped RPG mechanics, design director Matt Singh emphasized the team's goal to encourage experimentation with various builds, both traditional and non-traditional. "We're looking for ways to incentivize the player to experiment with different builds, either traditional or non-traditional," he explained. The focus is on creating synergies between Skills, Traits, and Perks to craft intriguing builds that interact with other game systems. This approach was evident in our exclusive 11-minute gameplay showcase, which highlighted new elements such as gunplay, stealth, gadgets, and dialogue. In this IGN First coverage, we delve into the intricate rework of these systems and what players can anticipate from them.

Rethinking the Skill System

Lead systems designer Kyle Koenig reflected on the first game's approach and the changes made for the sequel, 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 from grouped Skill categories to individual Skills with more significant variations. "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. By having them separated and not in groupings, it lets characters be more specialized," Koenig elaborated.

Singh added that the new system allows for a broader range of player profiles, blending concepts and incorporating various systems. He highlighted the Skill of Observation, which can reveal hidden environmental elements like secret doors or interactive objects, opening up alternative paths and enriching the gameplay experience.

The Outer Worlds 2 Character Creation - Screenshots

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While this approach may seem typical for an RPG, The Outer Worlds was unique in its Skill grouping. The sequel's revised Skill system aims to create more distinct character builds and expand possibilities, particularly in conjunction with the revamped Perks system.

The Perks of Getting Experimental

Obsidian's focus on specificity and unique play avenues is evident in the expanded Perks system. "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," Koenig explained. He cited the Run and Gun Perk, which benefits players using shotguns, SMGs, and rifles by allowing them to fire while sprinting or sliding, enhancing the tactical time dilation (TTD) feature. Another example is the Space Ranger Perk, which offers dialogue interactions and damage boosts based on the Speech stat. "The way we looked at them when designing them was to look at what are all the different modes of gameplay the player has, and what are all the actions they can take and how can we modify them," Koenig stated.

Singh highlighted Perks tailored for non-traditional playstyles, such as Psychopath and Serial Killer, which provide bonuses like permanent health boosts for players who eliminate NPCs. "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," he noted.

For more conventional playstyles, Koenig discussed builds that leverage elemental combat aspects, such as using plasma to burn enemies while gaining healing, or employing shock damage to control automechs and paralyze foes. He also mentioned using corrosive damage to strip armor, enabling critical hits that deal significant damage.

Singh emphasized additional opportunities for experimentation, including opting into detrimental effects that enhance other character aspects. 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." This design philosophy, while present in the original game, now drives the development of The Outer Worlds 2, particularly with Traits and Flaws.

The Positive and Negative Traits

Koenig drew parallels to Fallout, noting, "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 accept permanent effects based on their behavior in exchange for Perk points. In The Outer Worlds 2, this concept has expanded significantly.

The system of Positive and Negative Traits is central to this give-and-take dynamic. Players can select negative Traits like Dumb, which locks them out of five Skills, or Sickly, which reduces base health and toxicity tolerance, to gain additional positive Traits such as Brilliant, which provides extra Skill points, or Brawny, enabling knock-downs by sprinting into targets. These are just a few of the options observed in the early stages of development.

The Outer Worlds 2 Gameplay - Screenshots

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Although a more in-depth analysis of the revamped Flaws will be covered in another article, it's clear that The Outer Worlds 2 is pushing the boundaries with creative and sometimes humorous Flaws. In the original game, I often declined Flaws as the trade-off for extra Perk points wasn't compelling. In the sequel, the game tracks player behavior and offers Flaws with both positive and negative conditions, adding another layer to the Traits system that emerges based on playstyle. 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 aimed to make these features clear and understandable through in-game explanations and UI enhancements. "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," Koenig stated. This clarity extends beyond help text to include short videos in the menus demonstrating gameplay impact. A notable feature is the ability to mark Perks as favorites before unlocking them, aiding in planning specific progression paths or builds. The requirements for Perks are displayed upfront, and icons help indicate each Perk's general playstyle and associated Skill.

Obsidian encourages players to consider their choices carefully, especially since there's no respec option after the introductory sequence. "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," Koenig remarked.

Singh concluded, "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."