Summary
The Outer Worlds 2is Obsidian Entertainment’s next highly awaited FPS RPG. The studio’s most recent and similarly anticipated title, Avowed, was released this February, and the developer is set to treat fans to a double bill, asThe Outer Worlds 2is slated to arrive later this year.Avowedis based on the fantasy setting of Eora introduced in the preceding CRPGs,Pillars of Eternity, whereasThe Outer Worlds 2will see players once again navigate a darkly humorous retro future overrun by corporate greed and farcical dealings.
Avowedreceived a solid reception, and its approach to design resulted in a satisfying mix of combat, story, and exploration. This was especially true of the way it handled spells and related magical abilities, with a diverse range that all felt useful and impactful. AndThe Outer Worlds 2has some great opportunities to replicate these.
Although Obsidian has been under Microsoft’s banner since 2018,The Outer Worlds 2will launch on PS5concurrent with being a day one title on Xbox Game Pass. It does not have a firm release date yet.
The Outer Worlds 2 Could Make Great Use of Spells and Abilities Similar to Avowed’s
Avowed’s Spells Are One of its Standout Elements
Tons of fantasy RPGs include a range of spells and magical effects, andAvowed’s take on this standard worked to great success.Avowed’s spell system is fluid, effective, and (perhaps most importantly) fun. Further, since fans aren’t locked into any traditionally specific classes like fighter or rogue, any build can make use of them, and there are a variety of ones that double as ways to manipulate the environment outside of combat to aid in puzzle solving or finding hidden high-quality items.
Items like wands andAvowed’s grimoiresalso allow players to experiment with the wide selection of spells to mix and match and find their preferred combinations. They can then upgrade those that they find most effective, and easily swap them out on the fly to react to any given situation. Obsidian’s implementation of spells and related weapons inAvowedgrants them both utility and visceralness that combine to create one of the best uses of such a system and mechanics in recent memory.
How The Outer Worlds Can Incorporate Abilities Like Avowed’s Spells
Given the nature ofThe Outer Worlds' futuristic sci-fi setting and its satirical flair, it has a couple of ways it could “steal” some of the spells featured inAvowed. Firstly,The Outer Worlds 2could see the return of the wacky experimental science weaponslike those from the first title and iterate upon them. These could essentially “shoot spells” that impart effects like those seen previously, along with other ones such as:
The Outer Worlds 2could also lean into elements of the world like cybernetic enhancements, or dedicated skill trees and traits that allow players to take on strange mutations that could function more likeBioShock’s plasmids.
Another way might be to have versions attached to specific or rarer gear. These might then be less powerful than their counterparts, or have some other drawbacks to equipping, but still allow players to access various spell-like abilities and effects. Whatever else Obsidian has in store for fans,though,it has given itself some excellent ways inAvowed’s spell system to build upon it and include some cool and fun possible options of a similar type inThe Outer Worlds 2.
The upcomingXbox Games Showcase on June 8will be followed by a new in-depth look atThe Outer Worlds 2which may reveal more of its combat design in this regard.
