The Outer Worlds 2 - the Earth Directorate strikes back - coming 2025

[ropetight]

I loved Love Death Robots but I gotta be honest I have zero hopes in these being good. The good episodes on that show required a good script to go alongside the fantastic animation and considering this is AAA IPs we're talking about... well.

Love Death Robots is decline incarnate.
After they went through the short stories from the better authors like Alastair Reynolds in the first season, the struggle is real for that show.
You have 2-3 good episodes (usually from older authors, like JG Ballard and Harlan Ellison) with couple more solid ones.

And then there is a slop.
Including first episodes that are usually scripted by John Scalzi, known woke activist cuck, for whom the top of the SF satire is the joke about human stupidity garnished with contemporary politics.
Problem is, throngs of authors did it earlier and better than him, because Scalzi is not a nihilist by his nature (Old Man's War is completely different from his later ramblings), he is just mimicking it to look cool.

Animation is hit&miss, but I guess it is a positive.

I don't disagree about there being a bunch of stinkers but that's the positive of it being an antology series, if you don't like an ep just skip it. I like weird and well done animation so having a bunch of different studios do different shorts is something that basically caters to me. And sure season 1 was the strongest, but that's because nothing's gonna top Zima Blue. The crab episode alone made season 3 worth it IMO

Sure: Zima Blue is by Alastair Reynolds, Beyond the Quila Rift also, in completely different style of the animation - both very solid stories.
There is a lot of others that I liked (Drowned Giant by Ballard is also special in its tone, The Secret War is action packed horror, but also great, ...), some meh, and some stinkers.
Unfortunately, ratios changed drastically from season 1 (that was mostly good) to season 3 (there are 2 or 3 good stories).

Interesting animation sometimes can salvage bad or mediocre story (trippy Jibaro), but only sometimes.

Scalzi ones (Three Robots, Automated Customer Service, Three Robots: Exit Strategies) are all on the level "my 10-year old is incredibly bright, is worried about the world and writes short SF stories".
And yet, they are season openers (or second episode) and set the tone for the season.
Alternate Histories, When the Yogurt Took Over are not much better either, but they don't overstay their short welcome
Maybe Scalzi is a buddy with creator/producer Tim Miller, or Fincher, or they click on ideology, it is hard to say.

Things become much weirder when you realize how great the pool of the great SF short stories is, rights for the most of them are probably pennies, and this hack gets 5 stories in the anthology.

There is season 4, so we will see; I'm not expecting glorious turnaround, but it would be great to at least stagnate the decline.

 

[KVVRR]

I loved Love Death Robots but I gotta be honest I have zero hopes in these being good. The good episodes on that show required a good script to go alongside the fantastic animation and considering this is AAA IPs we're talking about... well.

Love Death Robots is decline incarnate.
After they went through the short stories from the better authors like Alastair Reynolds in the first season, the struggle is real for that show.
You have 2-3 good episodes (usually from older authors, like JG Ballard and Harlan Ellison) with couple more solid ones.

And then there is a slop.
Including first episodes that are usually scripted by John Scalzi, known woke activist cuck, for whom the top of the SF satire is the joke about human stupidity garnished with contemporary politics.
Problem is, throngs of authors did it earlier and better than him, because Scalzi is not a nihilist by his nature (Old Man's War is completely different from his later ramblings), he is just mimicking it to look cool.

Animation is hit&miss, but I guess it is a positive.

I don't disagree about there being a bunch of stinkers but that's the positive of it being an antology series, if you don't like an ep just skip it. I like weird and well done animation so having a bunch of different studios do different shorts is something that basically caters to me. And sure season 1 was the strongest, but that's because nothing's gonna top Zima Blue. The crab episode alone made season 3 worth it IMO

Sure: Zima Blue is by Alastair Reynolds, Beyond the Quila Rift also, in completely different style of the animation - both very solid stories.
There is a lot of others that I liked (Drowned Giant by Ballard is also special in its tone, The Secret War is action packed horror, but also great, ...), some meh, and some stinkers.
Unfortunately, ratios changed drastically from season 1 (that was mostly good) to season 3 (there are 2 or 3 good stories).

Interesting animation sometimes can salvage bad or mediocre story (trippy Jibaro), but only sometimes.

Scalzi ones (Three Robots, Automated Customer Service, Three Robots: Exit Strategies) are all on the level "my 10-year old is incredibly bright, is worred about the world and writes short SF stories".
And yet, they are season openers (or second episode) and set the tone for the season.
Alternate Histories, When the Yogurt Took Over are not much better either, but they don't overstay their short welcome
Maybe Scalzi is a buddy with creator/producer Tim Miller, or Fincher, or they click on ideology, it is hard to say.

Things become much weirder when you realize how great the pool of the great SF short stories is, rights for the most of them are probably pennies, and this hack gets 5 stories in the anthology.

There is season 4, so we will see; I'm not expecting glorious turnaround, but it would be great to at least stagnate the decline.

Yeah they should've left the three robots as a one-off instead of trying to make them the mascots of the show, it really doesn't need them anyways. I would also like more well done sci-fi stories ala Beyond the Aquila Rift rather than these jokey ones but considering these are shorts rather than movies I understand why they're a minority, not a lot of time to write and build both the stories and rules. Would love to see an adaptation of something like Blindsight, but then again, just how do you even translate that into 20 minutes?

We might just have different tolerances for the slop. Just one good short is enough to make the season worth it (while also dissapointing) for me, and at least season 3 did have two of them (Jibaro and Bad Travelling) while also having other ones that while just really silly they're charming in their own way even if just because of the animation alone like Kill Team Kill and Night of the Mini Dead. I'll concede that if Season 4 doesn't have anything on par with Jibaro or Bad Travelling then it might be best to just not renew the show for another season though.

 

[Jaesun]

Do we know yet who the project director/lead is for this?

Also, who owns The Outer Worlds IP?

 

[Roguey]

Do we know yet who the project director/lead is for this?

Also, who owns The Outer Worlds IP?

Brandon Adler. Microsoft now.

 

[Infinitron]

aweigh Here we gooooo

It’s not the best choice, it’s your choice.

Enter 7h3 0u732 w021d5 @ entersecretlevel.com

 

[Abu Antar]

That looked a bit shit, didn't it?

 

[Heroic Liberator]

This looks so Disney/Pixar/etc. Another Veilguard in the making.

 

[Infinitron]

Another Veilguard in the making.

To be clear, this is not a trailer for the game. It's a trailer for an Amazon Prime TV show episode based on the game.

 

[Heroic Liberator]

Another Veilguard in the making.

To be clear, this is not a trailer for the game. It's a trailer for an Amazon Prime TV show episode based on the game.

Sure, but I'm assuming that it's trying to capture the same vibe that the game will go for (i.e. serving as an advertisement for it). Not that the first TOW was much better anyway, but ye.

 

[Rieser]

Another Veilguard in the making.

To be clear, this is not a trailer for the game. It's a trailer for an Amazon Prime TV show episode based on the game.

Sure, but I'm assuming that it's trying to capture the same vibe that the game will go for (i.e. serving as an advertisement for it). Not that the first TOW was much better anyway, but ye.

Someone can correct me if I'm wrong, but I seem to recall it was the Love, Death & Robots people behind this show. Do with that what you will.

 

[Dishonoredbr]

 

[Child of Malkav]

I mean, it's kinda funny.

 

[Dishonoredbr]

You can feel that ID Software lend a hand in the gameplay because it doesn't feels like complete dogshit

 

[RepHope]

Look man I’m starving for scifi RPGs so I’ll probably play this but I doubt this is going to do anything different or better from the first game.

 

[Heroic Liberator]

This type of self-conscious style of '''''humor''''' is so cringe.

 

[Bonerbill]

This type of self-conscious style of '''''humor''''' is so cringe.

that's the point

 

[Tyranicon]

Mentions catalogue of sequels made, no Deadfire nod lol.

Don't care about The Outer Girlboss 2.

 

[Infinitron]

The Outer Worlds 2 is the eagerly-awaited sequel to the award-winning first-person sci-fi RPG from Obsidian Entertainment (just look at the exciting number of dashes in this sentence!). Time to clear your calendar – get ready for an action-packed adventure with a new crew, new weapons, and new enemies in a new colony! So much newness!

As a daring and most likely good-looking Earth Directorate agent, you must uncover the source of devastating rifts threatening to destroy all of humanity. Your investigation leads to Arcadia, home of skip drive technology, where the fate of the colony, and ultimately the entire galaxy, rests on your decisions—your strengths, your flaws, your crew, and the factions you choose to trust.

Explore a New Frontier

The Arcadia colony is engulfed in a factional war, as the Protectorate’s so-called benevolent rule is challenged by the rebellion of their religious order and a corporate invasion. As destructive rifts spread across the colony, each faction fights to control or close them for their own ends. Navigate diverse zones, uncover hidden lore, and shape the fate of a system on the brink!

Your Commander, Your Way

Build your character with the abilities and choices that reflect your playstyle. The colony reacts to your every move, crafting a narrative that’s yours to own—whether you’re a disciple of diplomacy, an astute strategist, a crusader for chaos, or something different altogether. And yes, you can dumb!

Enlist Your Companions

Recruit companions with unique traits, backgrounds and goals. Whether you choose to help them achieve their ambitions or steer them toward your own objectives, your influence shapes their growth (or death), making them an integral part of the immersive story you create together.

As I anticipated, the Earth Directorate is a more significant faction in the sequel.

 

[Infinitron]

https://www.obsidian.net/news/obsidian/the-outer-worlds-2-wishlist

The Outer Worlds 2: This Sequel Features More Action, More Weapons, and More Graphics!​

The call to go beyond the stars is here once again, and it’s bigger, bolder, and more unpredictable than ever. We just revealed a first gameplay trailer for The Outer Worlds 2 during The Game Awards 2024, promising a fresh adventure in a brand-new colony next year. No really, we know we’re not supposed to promise things in marketing, but the setting is completely new, so this is all factual. Just don’t break the colony again. We’re looking at each of you who sent the Hope into the sun in the last game.

In true Obsidian Entertainment fashion, you carve your path through Arcadia, a colony teeming with factions, intrigue, and chaos. It’s also home of skip drive technology and where the fate of the entire colony – and the galaxy – rests. As a daring, undeniably good-looking, and questionably competent Earth Directorate agent, you’re tasked with uncovering the source of devastating rifts threatening the entire galaxy. Talk about stakes (not to be confused with raptidon steaks, those are very different)! The choice of how to deal with the rifts is up to you. “Your worlds, your way,” as we say at Obsidian.

Are the rifts the only thing threatening Arcadia? Of course not! That would be too easy. A factional war between the “benevolent rulers” known as the Protectorate, a rebellious scientific religious order, and a corporate mega power has the colony torn apart. Each is trying to close or control the rifts for their own good/monetarily profitable needs. Church, state, and capitalism! Who will win?! Well, that’s really up to you. This is your game. We’ve said the choices were yours the whole time. See that Obsidian motto above? Yeah, you get it.

We’ve said choice a few times already, but guess what? This is an RPG so it’s going to come up a few more times. When it comes to crafting your commander, it is full-on “RPG with RPG elements” time from ability points to skill checks in conversations, to even how flawed you want to be because, let’s admit it, no one is perfect. Except those who think they are. Look at you go. Being perfect.

How you build your commander and chart your way through the narrative is uniquely yours as you plunge into this player-driven story. Whether you’re a disciple of diplomacy, a smart strategist, a crusader of chaos, or defiantly different (so we can keep the alliterations), the choice – you guessed it – is yours. Oh, and with this being The Outer Worlds, yes, you can dumb!

While The Outer Worlds 2 is a single-player RPG, you won’t be alone! Not virtually anyway. Enlist a crew of companions to help you achieve your goals. Nothing says “‘middle management’” more than sending people out to fight your fights for you, then having them judge everything you do with a visual reminder of how much they loved or hated it. Maybe you’ll help them fulfill their dreams or goals along the way. Clearly you care enough about the people working with you to see their dreams realized... right?

As excitement grows for the upcoming 2025 launch, now is the perfect time to revisit The Outer Worlds and relive the adventure that started it all. Whether you're a seasoned spacer or are setting foot in Halcyon for the first time, there’s no better moment to prepare for the next chapter. The Outer Worlds is available for purchase on Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Steam, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Epic Games Store, and Nintendo Switch. You also can jump in today if you’re a Game Pass member.

On top of that, the universe is expanding beyond the game! The Outer Worlds 2 will be featured in the upcoming Secret Level anthology series, streaming on Prime Video. Tune in on December 17 for a short story that takes place between The Outer Worlds and The Outer Worlds 2. While you may have thought that was a lot of shilling, the Secret Level episode is legitimately good, and if the Board were around, they’d tell you it was mandatory viewing.

Wishlist the game today on Xbox Series X|S, the Xbox app on Windows PC, Steam, and PlayStation 5 and stay tuned for more updates on The Outer Worlds 2—we can’t wait to share what’s next with you. The galaxy is yours to explore; the only question is, how will you shape it?

The Outer Worlds 2 will be released in 2025 on Xbox Series X|S, the Xbox app on Windows PC, Steam, and PlayStation 5. It will also be available on day one with Game Pass.

 

[BrainMuncher]

That's a lot of camera shake

 

[Drakortha]

I hear words and see gameplay and all I see is Unreal Engine slop.

 

[Infinitron]

So I guess those devastating rifts are what happened to Earth at the end of the first game.

A factional war between the “benevolent rulers” known as the Protectorate, a rebellious scientific religious order, and a corporate mega power has the colony torn apart. Each is trying to close or control the rifts for their own good/monetarily profitable needs. Church, state, and capitalism! Who will win?!

Are these factions this game's NCR, Caesar's Legion and House?

 

[Jenkem]

I have a feeling this is going to be a LOT better than TOW1...

 

[Drakortha]

I have a feeling this is going to be a LOT better than TOW1...

Me too. The trailer said it's going to be better. I believe them.

 

[Grauken]

I have a feeling this is going to be a LOT better than TOW1...

Me too. The trailer said it's going to be better. I believe them.

More Action, More Weapons, and More Graphics!​