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When I first encounter with the first Outer Worlds, I was instantly captivated by its satirical, Fallout-esque style of comedy. This title featured lively conversations, personal journals, and promotional posters that depicted a corporate dystopia that was both dark and amusing. My main fear heading into The Outer Worlds 2 was that this version – without blame from itself – wouldn't be as funny like the original.

Admittedly, conditions weren't ideal. Yet society undoubtedly appeared slightly less fractured back then. This universe depicted a grim society that didn't hit too close to home, and still managed to be at once touching and hilarious. I began the follow-up feeling quite confident that the sequel wouldn't be able to accomplish this a second time, but I'm delighted to report that I was wrong. The Outer Worlds 2 is equally smile-generating as the release that came earlier, and furthermore presents original ideas instead of simply reusing the same content similar to a tired company slogan.

Changing NPCs

Most of the non-player characters gamers met in the initial release had been beaten down by the deeds of company organizations like Spacer's Choice, and were painfully aware of the degree that their situation was terrible. The Outer Worlds 2 moves events in a distinct route, presenting individuals who are programmed (occasionally metaphorically, regularly truly). A lot of these personalities don't even realize of how profoundly messed up their conditions are, or that there could be choices to an existence spent beneath the control of a massive corporation or bound by the creeds of a demanding cult.

This second installment examines forms of business domination that are more subtle than only making the people destitute. Many NPCs have been programmed with the kind of excessively zealous "hustle mentality" discourse you can discover on social media accounts that vow to show the key to success when you buy a costly program, or participate in a dubious blockchain project. Additionally, the title's corporate propaganda has evolved.

Current Topics

There remain plenty of discouraging displays on the walls threatening to dock pay from workers who dare to consider requesting leave, but furthermore exist allusions to network marketing strategies, such as an employee manual that confidently announces, "Strangers are just clients you still need to meet!" As an individual who developed within a network marketing household, I instantly erupted laughing when encountering this reference, because it's a saying I have often heard repeated exactly by individuals in lower positions of such schemes.

Thankfully, this sequel is equally humorous and sarcastic as the first game.

The Outer Worlds 2 additionally investigates the predicament many of us encounter regarding occupation, government, and even personal purchases: Having to pick the lesser of two or three evils. When trying to decide whether to support a harmful business or a problematic faith organization throughout the experience, I realized I became aligning with the familiar evil: A recognized corporate entity that is awful (yet merely employs promotion to brainwash its subjects), as opposed to the cult, which is similarly terrible, but employs an awful technique called "mental refreshment" to maintain its followers in line.

Unreliable Masters

Furthermore, the characters you work for might not be dependable. As an Earth Directorate agent, your mission involves trying to reestablish stability to this settlement after a hostile corporate takeover, and you'll soon discover that each of the attackers and the residents adhere to distinct (but similarly terrible) doctrines. However, a rapid inspection of the messages on your vessel's computer reveal that the Earth Directorate isn't exactly the universe's most principled organization either, as shown by an answer to a help request that tells the sender it will take "three to five organizational cycles" for a response to their message. (This duration is roughly the duration it takes for me to reach a non-robot help desk employee through calling these days.)

Recognizable Scenarios

Various situations in The Outer Worlds 2 are painfully relatable, but it's a therapeutic kind of recognition, and this release manages to balance its grim future world with comedy that's truly humorous while avoiding inappropriate. A primary concept is the quick commencement of enshittification that happens to unfold in the wake of any major corporate acquisition. Employees on both sides of The Outer Worlds 2's significant consolidation find their existence decrease therefore, while the leaders in charge of the food chain are, expectedly, raking in profits hand over fist.

Hey, at least I understand my position.

Just like the first game, this follow-up is intrinsically comedic, but it also isn't afraid to become dramatic. At one point, while wandering around the game's first explorable world, I discovered a deceased individual with an audio log in the vicinity. The audio log showed that this NPC (associated with the programming faith group) had died in an accident while attempting to locate and dispatch her significant other. This loved one had reportedly deserted from their organization, and the now-dead NPC was incensed at her significant other's {traitorous