The Outer Worlds 2 is nearly here — that is, if you’re not already playing it through early access. Still, if you plan to start it once it hits general release on October 29, it pays to go in prepared, especially if it’s been a while since you enjoyed the original and you’ve forgotten its weird quirks.
With 50 hours under my belt and counting — though I reckon I’m near the end by now(?) — here are some helpful tips for you to hit the ground running, and they’re completely spoiler-free.
1) Align your first traits with your personality
At the character creation screen, you get the chance to pick a couple of traits to underpin your personality, and you’ll be surprised just how much these pop up throughout the game. If you want to enjoy The Outer Worlds 2 on your own terms during your first playthrough, go with your heart — it’ll make those conversations more enjoyable and natural.
2) Reconfigure, or turn off, auto aim
The auto-aim function is a great one for story-led players, but within a few minutes of playing, you might find it too overpowering, especially in conjunction with time dilation and other effects. Try The Outer Worlds 2 without them for a while, because you might prefer the freedom.
That said, about 20 hours into my playthrough — as I shifted away from sneak attacks and sniping and towards shotguns and rifles — I found myself reconsidering auto-aim, due to more skittish enemies like Mantiwasps. Even then, it’s vital to customize auto-aim’s four variables to your preferred levels, ideally low (0.5 range).
3) Harder than you think
Even if you’re a dab hand at action RPGs, The Outer Worlds 2 might be surprisingly difficult. Take it steady — even on normal, it’s remarkably easy to lose track of your health because the game isn’t great at communicating just how much damage you take, save for the life bar at the bottom of the screen (especially if it’s abnormally heavy); don’t rely on bloody vignetting to warn you of your impending demise.
4) Grab everything and have a breakdown
With no weight restrictions or threat of being overencumbered, there’s every reason to pick up everything you stumble upon. Armor, helmets, food, and weapons have incredible value, especially when they’re broken down to craft ammo, mods, and more.
Just remember to keep on top of your hoard; when you do, sort things by value before you consider adding them to your junk pile (by pressing X in the menu). Occasionally, the financial value far outweighs the parts you reap.
5) Food on the go
Your medical inhaler, as helpful as it can be, will also poison you. However, The Outer Worlds 2 is littered with food and drink, and you can simply top up your post-fight health on the go both quickly and easily.
Those moments of calm bind food stocks to the D-pad, rather than your inhaler, so you can effortlessly top your health to 100% from reserves (alternatively, you can go into the food sub-menu and “heal to full”). Don’t worry about alcohol, either — you can drink all the bottles of bourbon you like and not have a swaying camera.
6) Get all the ammo
In the first ten hours of The Outer Worlds 2, and arguably the wider game, the most important currency isn’t money — it’s ammo. Some of the more powerful guns, specifically those using short rounds or shock rods, can chew through your bullet reserves in just a couple of battles, especially as you have fewer resources.
In the first five hours, dedicate your cash and crafting to ammo, as nothing (aside from recipes) is really worth your money. You’ll pick up good armor and weapons organically, as you’re consistently rewarded for curiosity and completion.
It’s also important to mix your ammo types between your chosen weapons; there’s nothing worse than running out of bullets on one gun, only to cycle to the next, which is also empty.
7) Stack your favorite skills
We all have our favorite skills — I’ve always been a greedy safe-cracking type — but The Outer Worlds 2 consistently rewards you for upping specific skills regularly, namely Lockpick, Hack, and Engineering for exploring or sleuthing, and you should really consider specializing in at least one of these.
At the same time, Speech, Science, Medical, Explosives, and Observation often prove handy. Don’t forget to top up your Guns skill; even three or four points in your first six or seven levels will serve you well. The rest are about your playing style.
8) Remember your specialist abilities
As silly as this sounds, there’s a good chance you’ll forget about your LB skills, such as time dilation. If you’re anything like me, you might go without them for hours, but in certain battles, this growing list of abilities can level the playing field and may even help you solve the occasional puzzle.
9) The benefits of companionship
Even if you’re a true loner, The Outer Worlds 2 offers no real incentive to travel across planets on your own. The benefits of companions are customizable to your playing style, and especially in the first few hours, their willingness to distract enemies will save you a handful of unnecessary deaths.
However, factions play an even bigger part in The Outer Worlds 2 than its predecessor, as companion quests and dialogue options. Remember your audience; if you know you’ll talk to a particular faction, consider bringing one of theirs along (or their sworn enemy — why not?). On a more fundamental level, you can’t even do specific missions without one of your party; occasionally, you may plan to tackle something, but you’ll be carefully reminded to talk to another companion first.
Generally speaking, it’s always a good idea to mix up your companion pairings, as you’d be surprised at which ones often work best together, especially if you like the classic support-attack duo.
10) There’s usually another way around
Just like Avowed, The Outer Worlds 2 regularly provides two or three ways to get around a broken door, high-skill terminal, or barred entrance. Don’t forget to weigh up your options before soldiering on; you’ll be surprised at how many times you’ll be sickened that you wasted skill points on something to break into a room that had an open roof hatch the entire time.
11) Don’t forget to mod
Mod recipes are cheap and regularly rewarded, and light on resources when you finally hit the workbench. Chances are that you’ll regularly change weapons in the first few hours because of the damage they can do, but they’ll usually have a free slot for you to add an extra something special.
12) Tune in
The Outer Worlds 2’s atmospheric soundtrack is spectacular, but if you want to fully immerse yourself in its capitalist, fascist, and condescendingly intellectual themes, tune into one of the radio stations (Journal > Wireless).
Don’t expect familiar tunes from back on Earth; Arcadia’s music is either based on worryingly catchy songs about branded goods, fanfares proclaiming your unquestioning devotion to a worrying cause, or emotionally charged overtures centered on mathematical equations. I never thought a harmony-filled tune about causation would be so heartfelt, but it’s been stuck in my head for a whole week now.
The Outer Worlds 2 will always find a way to reward your chosen path, persona, and playing style, but with the dozen tips above, you’ll be fitter, happier, and more productive. Trust your gut; with thought and planning, things usually work out as you want them to.
