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During my first playthrough of the initial Outer Worlds game, I was immediately drawn by its irreverent, Fallout-esque type of wit. The game featured lively conversations, personal journals, and promotional posters that depicted a business-controlled nightmare that was simultaneously dark and humorous. My primary concern starting the sequel was that this installment – through no fault from itself – wouldn't be as humorous like the original.

Admittedly, situations weren't flawless. Yet society definitely felt slightly less fractured back then. This universe presented a dystopia that didn't feel too close to home, and nonetheless succeeded to be both touching and hilarious. I started the sequel pretty sure that this release couldn't succeed to accomplish this once more, but I'm delighted to state that I was wrong. This sequel is as smile-generating as the game that came earlier, and furthermore presents new themes rather than simply reusing identical material comparable to an tired company slogan.

Evolving Characters

A large portion of the non-player characters gamers met in the original game had been beaten down by the activities of company organizations such as the in-game corporation, and were acutely conscious of how much their existence was miserable. This sequel moves events in a different direction, presenting individuals who are programmed (occasionally metaphorically, often literally). Many of these NPCs aren't even aware of how extremely screwed up their conditions are, or that there may exist options to a life lived under the domination of a massive corporation or restricted by the beliefs of a high-demand religion.

This second installment investigates methods of corporate control that are more insidious than simply keeping the population impoverished. Many NPCs have been brainwashed into the type of excessively zealous "hustle mentality" language you might encounter on digital platforms that claim to disclose the path to accomplishment when you buy for an overpriced workshop, or put money into a questionable digital currency plan. Even the game's corporate propaganda has developed.

Current Topics

There are still many discouraging displays in various locations threatening to dock pay from workers who even consider requesting leave, but furthermore exist references to network marketing methods, such as a staff guide that boldly states, "Strangers are just customers YOU have yet to encounter!" As someone who grew up in a network marketing family, I immediately burst out laughing upon viewing this allusion, because it's a saying I have frequently encountered stated precisely by individuals in lower positions of such schemes.

Fortunately, this sequel is equally humorous and sarcastic as the first game.

This installment additionally investigates the dilemma various individuals find ourselves in concerning employment, political matters, and even personal purchases: Being forced to select the lesser of two or three evils. During efforts to decide whether to assist a harmful business or a problematic faith organization within the title, I discovered I was supporting the known negative: An established business organization that is awful (though just utilizes promotion to indoctrinate its followers), as opposed to the cult, which also sucks, but employs a horrible approach termed "cognitive reset" to keep its adherents obedient.

Questionable Employers

Even the people you represent could fail to be reliable. As an galactic official, your mission involves attempting to restore stability to the Arcadia colony subsequent to a hostile corporate takeover, and you rapidly learn that each of the invaders and the invadees adhere to differing (but similarly terrible) ideologies. Yet a speedy examination of the communications on your spacecraft's system show that this agency isn't precisely the galaxy's most moral authority either, as shown by an answer to a distress call that informs the caller it will take "three to five business years" for an answer to their message. (This period is about how long it takes for me to contact a non-robot customer service agent over the phone these days.)

Relatable Moments

Numerous instances in The Outer Worlds 2 are highly recognizable, but it's a cathartic sort of relatability, and the game achieves equilibrium between its bleak societal vision with comedy that's truly humorous while avoiding inappropriate. One major theme is the rapid beginning of decline that happens to unfold following any major corporate acquisition. Workers from each party of this sequel's significant consolidation experience their living standards decline consequently, while the leaders in charge of the hierarchy are, expectedly, accumulating money hand over fist.

Well, at minimum I understand where I stand.

Just like the original title, The Outer Worlds 2 is intrinsically comedic, but additionally doesn't shy away to get serious. During a moment, while wandering around the title's initial discoverable location, I discovered a deceased individual with an audio log close by. The audio log showed that this NPC (connected to the brainwashing religious faction) had perished in an incident while trying to track down and kill her lover. This romantic partner had seemingly abandoned from their group, and the deceased character was enraged by her partner's {traitorous