Video game review: The Outer Worlds 2

Obsidian’s back at it with The Outer Worlds 2, and honestly, it’s exactly the kind of witty, chaotic space adventure I hoped it would be. It’s bigger, funnier, and sharper than the first game – though still rough around the edges in that familiar Obsidian way.

Let’s start with what the studio does best: the writing. The humour lands more often this time, the satire feels punchier, and the characters are great fun to be around. Every companion has a bit more personality and depth, and the dialogue swings effortlessly between hilarious and genuinely thoughtful. Obsidian still nails that tricky mix of absurd corporate dystopia and heartfelt human moments. It’s the kind of writing that makes even basic side quests entertaining.

Combat feels tighter too. The gunplay is much improved – every weapon sounds and feels powerful, with a nice bit of kick. There’s real weight behind the shooting this time, helped along by fantastic sound design. Guns crack, hiss, and thump in all the right ways, and the audio overall is top notch. Even little touches like ambient noise and voice modulation help sell the world. It’s not Doom Eternal levels of slick, but it’s satisfying.

That said, the jank is definitely still there. Animations are clunky, especially in the new third-person mode. It’s a cool addition on paper, but it doesn’t quite feel finished – your character moves like they’re wading through syrup half the time. Performance is generally stable, but you’ll still notice the odd bug or texture popping in late. You can tell this wasn’t made with the same kind of budget the big studios get to play with.

Visually, it’s a bit hit and miss. The art direction is lovely – colourful planets, neon-soaked outposts, strange alien wildlife – but the textures don’t always hold up under close inspection. Some environments look great, while others feel like they belong to an earlier generation. Still, when you’re moving through its weird, vibrant worlds, it’s hard not to appreciate the charm.

So far, though, I’m really enjoying it. It’s funny, it’s engaging, and the improvements over the first game are easy to spot. The writing’s tighter, the gunplay’s smoother, and there’s a lot more character to everything. Sure, it’s a bit rough technically, but that’s almost part of the charm with Obsidian games – they make worlds that feel alive, even if they occasionally creak at the seams.

If you liked the original Outer Worlds, this sequel is absolutely worth diving into. It’s not perfect, and it clearly could’ve used a bit more budget to smooth things out, but it’s full of wit, personality, and genuinely fun gameplay. For now, I’d call it a solid 7/10 – janky in places, sure, but also clever, colourful, and fun.