The Outer Worlds: Spacer's Choice Edition - Obsidian's first-person sci-fi RPG set in a corporate space colony

[Quillon]

Btw. the most immersion breaking/unbelievable thing in this setting for me, and this was a question mark in my head before the game released is that everyone recites company slogans, but for whom? As far as I can see there are no neutral people outside of Byzantium & Groundbreaker and if everyone is an indentured worker of some company in worker settlements and don't/prohibited to? use other company's products who are you advertising your company's shit to in a fucking conversation? Why is this a practice? And first town we go to there is only Spacer's Choice and its people, why recite your own slogans to your own god damn fellow workers?

 

[Junmarko]

How did she manage to pass away peacefully?

 

[Jezal_k23]

They could have said she killed herself in her garden. That would've been hardcore.

 

[Vorark]

Been playing the game, currently at Monarch.

The initial areas are a total bore: Edgewater and Groundbreaker or w/e it's named. Rush them 'cause nothing of value will be lost. Things only pick up midway in Monarch.

The only enjoyable companions so far are Ellie and Nyoka (dangerhair notwithstanding): good interjections, no bellyaching and hold their own on a fight... which is good 'cause I'm terrible at shooters. SAM would've been alright but the cleaning shtick gets old quick. Parvati and Felix are annoying as heck, will probably boot them out of the ship hatch soon. I think I missed one squadmate in Edgewater but can't be arsed to look it up.

Faction interplay has been inexistent, at the moment it's akin to Fallout 1/2 and Tyranny than New Vegas: you gain reputation in one area or with a group and that's it, remains static. Maybe it'll improve later, I think I'm nearing the end of the Monarch missions and the MSI questline has potential for future developments with other factions. Let's see if it'll pay off.

The flaw system could've had added a much necessary flair to character building yet it seems to only offer you one measly perk point. Wouldn't be an issue if, you know, the perks weren't downright useless. Oh yes, +5 armor rating for a debuff, what a fantastic trade off.

The Outer Worlds reminds me more of the original Mass Effect than New Vegas: the skyboxes (look great), endless trash loot you turn into omnigel break down into components, interiors look similar, the brown/gray color palette, the way companions interact, stiff animations.

All that being said, I'm keeping in mind it's a game funded by Obsidian's own resources. No wonder they kept telling people not to hype it, it probably had a somewhat humble budget and it shows. The mistake here is to expect a Fallout New Vegas -- NV was both the apex and the ultimate offering of the old guard Obsidian.

They need to reign in their writing team, though. Personal bias keeps speeping in and the attempts at "humour" are annoying as heck.

 

[DalekFlay]

Btw. the most immersion breaking/unbelievable thing in this setting for me, and this was a question mark in my head before the game released is that everyone recites company slogans, but for whom? As far as I can see there are no neutral people outside of Byzantium & Groundbreaker and if everyone is an indentured worker of some company in worker settlements and don't/prohibited to? use other company's products who are you advertising your company's shit to in a fucking conversation? Why is this a practice? And first town we go to there is only Spacer's Choice and its people, why recite your own slogans to your own god damn fellow workers?

Also they seem to only be selling within their own towns, since multiple characters mention it's illegal to buy/use other corporations products. The first guy tells you he's not even allowed to be healed by someone from another corp. Though they do have vending machines from other corps in every town, and of course the setting makes zero fucking sense if they can't intermingle to some degree. It's almost like the whole thing isn't very well thought out.

It really should have been tutorial area into big open Monarch where all the corps are competing to take over and there's more faction interaction and competition.

 

[Kyl Von Kull]

Btw. the most immersion breaking/unbelievable thing in this setting for me, and this was a question mark in my head before the game released is that everyone recites company slogans, but for whom? As far as I can see there are no neutral people outside of Byzantium & Groundbreaker and if everyone is an indentured worker of some company in worker settlements and don't/prohibited to? use other company's products who are you advertising your company's shit to in a fucking conversation? Why is this a practice? And first town we go to there is only Spacer's Choice and its people, why recite your own slogans to your own god damn fellow workers?

It’s not advertising, it’s propaganda.

 

[Quillon]

Btw. the most immersion breaking/unbelievable thing in this setting for me, and this was a question mark in my head before the game released is that everyone recites company slogans, but for whom? As far as I can see there are no neutral people outside of Byzantium & Groundbreaker and if everyone is an indentured worker of some company in worker settlements and don't/prohibited to? use other company's products who are you advertising your company's shit to in a fucking conversation? Why is this a practice? And first town we go to there is only Spacer's Choice and its people, why recite your own slogans to your own god damn fellow workers?

It’s not advertising, it’s propaganda.

So? Shouldn't there be neutrals to be swayed by it? Everyone's indentured already. All this is for there not to be uprising?

 

[Kyl Von Kull]

So? Shouldn't there be neutrals to be swayed by it? Everyone's indentured already. All this is for there not be uprising?

It’s like going to Mecca and everybody says “Allahu Akbar” and “peace be upon you.” They’re not trying to convert anyone—everybody’s already a Muslim. If there were neutrals wandering around, it wouldn’t be much of a corporate controlled dystopia.

 

[Ezeekiel]

Btw. the most immersion breaking/unbelievable thing in this setting for me, and this was a question mark in my head before the game released is that everyone recites company slogans, but for whom? As far as I can see there are no neutral people outside of Byzantium & Groundbreaker and if everyone is an indentured worker of some company in worker settlements and don't/prohibited to? use other company's products who are you advertising your company's shit to in a fucking conversation? Why is this a practice? And first town we go to there is only Spacer's Choice and its people, why recite your own slogans to your own god damn fellow workers?

Because it's actually space USSR, not space capitalism. Rather than trying to advertise, they're reciting the party line at each other... Sometimes ironically, other times just to keep from being ratted out to the authorities.

I dunno if the writers did this on purpose (super unlikely considering who they are and which direction they lean, politically) or if they're really so dumb they don't see that their idea of "capitalism(?) (or rather, corporations) gone too far" was identical to their beloved communism all along.

Spoiler

The central issue is also related to famine hahaha

 

[Ezeekiel]

Btw. the most immersion breaking/unbelievable thing in this setting for me, and this was a question mark in my head before the game released is that everyone recites company slogans, but for whom? As far as I can see there are no neutral people outside of Byzantium & Groundbreaker and if everyone is an indentured worker of some company in worker settlements and don't/prohibited to? use other company's products who are you advertising your company's shit to in a fucking conversation? Why is this a practice? And first town we go to there is only Spacer's Choice and its people, why recite your own slogans to your own god damn fellow workers?

It’s not advertising, it’s propaganda.

So? Shouldn't there be neutrals to be swayed by it? Everyone's indentured already. All this is for there not to be uprising?

It's not there to sway anyone.

 

[Quillon]

So? Shouldn't there be neutrals to be swayed by it? Everyone's indentured already. All this is for there not be uprising?

It’s like going to Mecca and everybody says “Allahu Akbar” and “peace be upon you.” They’re not trying to convert anyone—everybody’s already a Muslim. If there were neutrals wandering around, it wouldn’t be much of a corporate controlled dystopia.

Using advertising slogans doesn't make sense. If you ask yourself why am I saying this there is a clear answer for religious words but there is no answer for the slogans in TOW.

they're reciting the party line at each other

But they are not only saying the party line/main slogan, there are many times they try to sell something like "if you buy 3 of this, 4th one's free" etc.

 

[Ezeekiel]

So? Shouldn't there be neutrals to be swayed by it? Everyone's indentured already. All this is for there not be uprising?

It’s like going to Mecca and everybody says “Allahu Akbar” and “peace be upon you.” They’re not trying to convert anyone—everybody’s already a Muslim. If there were neutrals wandering around, it wouldn’t be much of a corporate controlled dystopia.

Using advertising slogans doesn't make sense. If you ask yourself why am I saying this there is a clear answer for religious words but there is no answer for the slogans in TOW.

they're reciting the party line at each other

But they are not only saying the party line/main slogan, there are many times they try to sell something like "if you buy 3 of this, 4th one's free" etc.

Keeping the theme going would be my guess on that one.

 

[Trashos]

Btw. the most immersion breaking/unbelievable thing in this setting for me, and this was a question mark in my head before the game released is that everyone recites company slogans, but for whom? As far as I can see there are no neutral people outside of Byzantium & Groundbreaker and if everyone is an indentured worker of some company in worker settlements and don't/prohibited to? use other company's products who are you advertising your company's shit to in a fucking conversation? Why is this a practice? And first town we go to there is only Spacer's Choice and its people, why recite your own slogans to your own god damn fellow workers?

Haven't played the game, but it would make sense for people living in a bubble to recite their bubble's slogans to each other. That's how they build rapport and give courage to each other and themselves, while at the same time it ensures that they stay within the bubble's mindset. That's a theme in 1984, and iirc it's a theme in Brazil too.

 

[LizardWizard]

For people who think enemies are bullet sponges, I don’t know—maybe they’re not taking advantage of effective elements, maybe they’re putting all their points into weapon skills when those don’t really increase damage much. I’m sure if I went melee and took all the TTD perks my MC could just walk around OHKO’ing people in the head (and getting TTD back per kill). Game isn’t hard, unfortunately.

If you haven't noticed some of the most frequent posters in the this thread haven't even played the game or played past tutorial island

 

[Nano]

If you haven't noticed some of the most frequent posters in the this thread haven't even played the game or played past tutorial island

Am I allowed to complain about this game if I made it until halfway through Groundbreaker, or do I have to force myself to finish the rest of this snoozefest?

 

[orcinator]

I trudge my way to Monarch and am immediately presented with this.

Okay the game hasn't done anything to justify the existence of the jump button so far but it's finally time for some floaty parkour action.

I take the plunge and immediately slide off the awning and die.

Jeez game, do you have to be terrible at EVERYTHING?
This game really would be better as a fallout 4 mod.

 

[orcinator]

The end result is a game that is very competently made,

Remind me what's competent about this besides a surprising lack of bugs.

 

[Efe]

people say it because its in the contract and theres a fine if they get ratted out...
what i dont understand is why would any corporation mandate this when every single person here is already a corporate serf. they arent even allowed to buy competitors products.
orcinator why dont you use the elevator in front of you?

 

[Drakortha]

The end result is a game that is very competently made,

Remind me what's competent about this besides a surprising lack of bugs.

 

[Junmarko]

Remind me what's competent about this besides a surprising lack of bugs.

Just wait until you see Byzantium, the final hub, Capital city of Terra 2 and residence of The Board.

Spoiler

Game is unfinished...

 

[Yosharian]

For people who think enemies are bullet sponges, I don’t know—maybe they’re not taking advantage of effective elements, maybe they’re putting all their points into weapon skills when those don’t really increase damage much. I’m sure if I went melee and took all the TTD perks my MC could just walk around OHKO’ing people in the head (and getting TTD back per kill). Game isn’t hard, unfortunately.

If you haven't noticed some of the most frequent posters in the this thread haven't even played the game or played past tutorial island

I would happily be playing this if I didn't have to get cucked by EGS or Microsoft to play it

 

[Quillon]

what i dont understand is why would any corporation mandate this when every single person here is already a corporate serf. they arent even allowed to buy competitors products.

Exactly.

 

[RNGsus]

This game really would be better as a fallout 4 mod.

It is.

 

[Tigranes]

Btw. the most immersion breaking/unbelievable thing in this setting for me, and this was a question mark in my head before the game released is that everyone recites company slogans, but for whom? As far as I can see there are no neutral people outside of Byzantium & Groundbreaker and if everyone is an indentured worker of some company in worker settlements and don't/prohibited to? use other company's products who are you advertising your company's shit to in a fucking conversation? Why is this a practice? And first town we go to there is only Spacer's Choice and its people, why recite your own slogans to your own god damn fellow workers?

Not saying its good design, but basically thats what happens when you work in Facebook

 

[Felix]

This game is boring as fuck, I will go back to New Vegas and do a Legion playthough.