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This game is rated PEGI 18
Our review includes potentially triggering words:
Blood-splatter, Decapitation, Dismemberment, Gore, Graphic Violence, Killing and Murder.
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Posted: 9 months ago, last updated 5 days ago.
Author: @JonahMonaghan, @GeekDadGamer and Jo Robertson.
Overview
The Outer Worlds is a futuristic role-playing game where you are a colonist working to thaw your team and colonise the planet. Exploring, talking, shooting; how you do this is up to you, in what soon becomes a tangle plot of corporate control and individual freedom. It's a game that creates a huge adventure, but one that is sculpted by your choices in combat and conversations.
As you explore the world in first-person you can take on town quests and jobs for locals. These missions are more than just shooting your way to victory. You could choose to persuade, lie, sneak, or hack your way in and out of a situation. Each choice comes with a consequence, and each consequence will forge the path to one of the 23 available endings.
When combat is unavoidable you have the ability to slow down time and target enemy weak points to incapacitate them in specific ways. Shooting their head stops them seeing, or in the arm and they can't shoot. This is intentionally complex but offers a novel puzzle element to the combat.
The combat is complemented by a flexible weapon system that lets you loot and customise firearms to suit your mission. This avoids the feeling that you can't take on certain enemies until you have found the right weapon and encourages you to progress at your own pace.
A big draw is the fully voiced, dialog system that offers tens of options for each conversation, depending on your character's development. These conversations make it clear that each character you meet has a story of their own for you to discover.
As you progress, your choices in these conversations and other interactions result in a substantially branching direction. Unlike other branching games, there's little assumption of which are good or bad choices. Instead, the focus is on consequences from your choices, which you often discover after the fact from the characters you have chosen to accompany you on your adventure.
As you explore the world in first-person you can take on town quests and jobs for locals. These missions are more than just shooting your way to victory. You could choose to persuade, lie, sneak, or hack your way in and out of a situation. Each choice comes with a consequence, and each consequence will forge the path to one of the 23 available endings.
When combat is unavoidable you have the ability to slow down time and target enemy weak points to incapacitate them in specific ways. Shooting their head stops them seeing, or in the arm and they can't shoot. This is intentionally complex but offers a novel puzzle element to the combat.
The combat is complemented by a flexible weapon system that lets you loot and customise firearms to suit your mission. This avoids the feeling that you can't take on certain enemies until you have found the right weapon and encourages you to progress at your own pace.
A big draw is the fully voiced, dialog system that offers tens of options for each conversation, depending on your character's development. These conversations make it clear that each character you meet has a story of their own for you to discover.
As you progress, your choices in these conversations and other interactions result in a substantially branching direction. Unlike other branching games, there's little assumption of which are good or bad choices. Instead, the focus is on consequences from your choices, which you often discover after the fact from the characters you have chosen to accompany you on your adventure.
Game Details
Content Rating: PEGI 18
Release Date: 23/10/2020
Platforms: PC, PS4, Switch and Xbox One
Genres: Action, Adventure, Narrative, Open World, Role-Playing and Shooting
Accessibility: 32 features
Lists
View our choice of games like The Outer Worlds. This game is good if you want to:
Commitment
Costs
The Outer Worlds usually costs £19.99 to £64.99.
Additional in-game purchases are offered for items that enhance the experience. You can purchase additional stories that add about 6-10 hours of gameplay each:
The Outer Worlds
The Outer Worlds: Board-Approved Bundle
Additional in-game purchases are offered for items that enhance the experience. You can purchase additional stories that add about 6-10 hours of gameplay each:
- The Outer Worlds: Peril on Gorgon A crime-drama corporate mystery
- The Outer Worlds: Murder on Eridanos A noir-style murder mystery
Age Ratings
Content Rating
Rated PEGI 18 because it features graphic violence, motiveless killing of innocent characters, and use of strong language. This game contains frequent depictions of gross violence towards human-like characters. Powerful attacks, especially those with bladed weapons, cause enemies to be dismembered with strong blood and gore effects present. The dismembered limbs and bodies remain in the environment after the enemy has fallen. This game also contains depictions of motiveless killing of multiple innocent humans. Throughout the game the player can attack and kill any of the innocent civilians populating the world. When the player attacks an innocent character, the surrounding humans will either retaliate or run away screaming and attempt to hide. The level of violence towards the civilians is the same as that which can be inflicted onto enemy characters, meaning they can also be dismembered in various ways. This game also contains frequent use of sexual expletives. The word “*!@?*” and its derivatives can be found throughout.
Accessibility
The Outer Worlds accommodates colourblind requirements in its core design. By default, interactive elements will be highlighted with a bold outline when the player is within range, this range can be extended with a perk available after a certain level. There is also an additional setting to also outline companions at all times making ally and foe more distinguishable.
The game does not frequently require holds, and there are settings to accommodate for holding, however, even with these settings keyboard and controller players will eventually encounter button holds.
Our The Outer Worlds Accessibility Report documents 32 accessibility features:
The game does not frequently require holds, and there are settings to accommodate for holding, however, even with these settings keyboard and controller players will eventually encounter button holds.
Our The Outer Worlds Accessibility Report documents 32 accessibility features:
Games Like The Outer Worlds
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