A 2019 sci-fi RPG from Obsidian Entertainment, exploring the Halcyon colony at the edge of space where megacorporations shape the lives of colonists.
The Outer Worlds is an action role-playing game with first-person shooter and character customization elements. It was developed by Obsidian Entertainment and published in 2019 by Private Division to critical acclaim. The game is set in an alternate future timeline in which megacorporations have colonized and terraformed distant planets, establishing the Halcyon colony at the edge of the galaxy.
In The Outer Worlds, the player controls a customizable character known as 'the Stranger', who awakens from hypersleep decades later than scheduled to find the Halcyon colony in peril. With the help of a mad scientist named Phineas Welles, the player travels to various planets and space stations in the colony to encounter warring factions, help colonists, and ultimately determine the fate of Halcyon.
Gameplay in The Outer Worlds allows the player to approach problems and situations through combat, stealth or negotiation, with numerous paths forward driven by a sophisticated reputation system with different factions. The flexible character progression, deep dialogue trees and compelling world-building make for an extremely replayable RPG experience with player choice and consequences at the very core.
Upon release, The Outer Worlds was praised for its black humor writing, creative quest design and interesting, well-realized companions. It earned numerous Game of the Year nominations and wins, cementing its status as one of the best RPG experiences of 2019 and a must-play title for fans of sci-fi and classic roleplaying games.