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During my first encounter with the original Outer Worlds, I was immediately drawn by its sarcastic, Fallout-esque type of wit. This release boasted lively conversations, character diaries, and promotional posters that illustrated a business-controlled nightmare that was simultaneously dark and humorous. My primary concern heading into The Outer Worlds 2 was that this version – not due to from itself – might not be as humorous like the original.

Admittedly, conditions weren't ideal. However, life definitely felt a bit less broken in those days. The Outer Worlds depicted a grim society that didn't strike extremely relatable, and yet accomplished to be simultaneously emotional and hilarious. I started the follow-up rather certain that this release wouldn't be able to accomplish this a second time, but I'm happy to announce that I was wrong. This follow-up is just as laughter-provoking as the game that preceded it, and furthermore presents fresh concepts rather than just recycling identical material comparable to an tired company slogan.

Developing Personalities

The majority of the non-player characters players encountered in the initial release had been beaten down by the deeds of corporate entities including the in-game corporation, and were painfully aware of the extent to which their lives sucked. This sequel progresses matters in an alternative path, including personalities who are brainwashed (sometimes figuratively, frequently actually). A lot of these characters aren't even aware of how profoundly screwed up their conditions are, or that there could be options to a lifetime passed under the boot of a large business or limited by the creeds of an intense faith.

The sequel investigates methods of business domination that are more deceptive than merely maintaining the people destitute. Many NPCs have been programmed with the sort of extremely eager "work ethic" language you'll find on social media accounts that promise to reveal the path to accomplishment when you buy for an overpriced workshop, or put money into a questionable digital currency plan. Additionally, the title's company advertising has developed.

Modern Themes

There remain plenty of demotivating signs in various locations warning about deducting pay from workers who dare to think about taking a day off, but there are also references to multi-level marketing methods, including a staff guide that confidently announces, "Unfamiliar individuals are simply clients you haven't met yet!" Being a person who developed within a network marketing family, I promptly exploded with laughter upon viewing this mention, because it's a saying I have frequently encountered stated precisely by those at the bottom of such schemes.

Thankfully, this sequel is as comedic and irreverent as the original title.

This sequel also examines the predicament many of us find ourselves in when it comes to work, political matters, and even personal purchases: Needing to pick the reduced of multiple bad options. When trying to choose whether to support a harmful business or a problematic faith organization in the game, I discovered I was aligning with the devil I know: A recognized business organization that sucks (but only uses advertising to program its members), rather than the cult, which is equally bad, but uses an awful technique named "cognitive reset" to control its members in line.

Doubtful Authorities

Additionally, the individuals you work for might not be reliable. Playing as an galactic official, you're tasked with attempting to restore control to the Arcadia colony subsequent to a forceful company buyout, and you'll soon discover that the two the invaders and the invadees follow differing (yet equally horrific) ideologies. Yet a speedy examination of the transmissions on your spacecraft's system show that this organization is hardly the world's most ethical employer as well, as demonstrated by a response to a distress call that notifies the contact it will take "three to five corporate years" for a response to their message. (This duration is roughly the duration it takes for me to get a hold of a real customer service agent over the phone nowadays.)

Recognizable Scenarios

Numerous instances in this sequel are painfully relatable, but it's a cleansing type of familiarity, and the game manages to balance its grim future world with humor that's authentically amusing yet not seeming incongruous. A primary concept is the near-instant onset of enshittification that seems to take place in the wake of large company takeovers. Workers from each party of this sequel's big merger experience their living standards decline therefore, while the CEOs at the top of the structure are, naturally, collecting profits quickly.

Hey, at least I recognize where I stand.

Similar to the first game, this sequel is intrinsically comedic, but it also isn't afraid to get serious. During a moment, while exploring around the release's primary explorable world, I discovered a deceased individual with a recording nearby. This message disclosed that this individual (associated with the brainwashing religious faction) had died in an accident while attempting to locate and dispatch her lover. This partner had seemingly abandoned from their faction, and the now-dead NPC was enraged by her partner's {traitorous