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When I first encounter with the initial Outer Worlds game, I was instantly captivated by its satirical, Fallout-esque type of wit. This release included engaging exchanges, personal journals, and advertising displays that depicted a corporate dystopia that was simultaneously dark and amusing. My main fear approaching the sequel was that this installment – not due to on its part – might not be as humorous like the original.

Certainly, things weren't perfect. Yet society definitely felt a bit less broken back then. This universe presented a dystopia that didn't hit extremely relatable, and still managed to be at once emotional and hilarious. I commenced the follow-up pretty sure that the sequel wouldn't manage to pull this off once more, but I'm happy to report that I was incorrect. The Outer Worlds 2 is as smile-generating as the game that came earlier, and furthermore presents new themes instead of just recycling the same content like an tired company slogan.

Evolving Characters

The majority of the NPCs players encountered in the original game had been beaten down by the activities of corporate entities such as the fictional company, and were acutely conscious of the degree that their situation was terrible. This installment progresses matters in a different direction, featuring characters who are brainwashed (occasionally metaphorically, frequently actually). Many of these personalities don't even realize of how deeply messed up their conditions are, or that there could be options to an existence spent under the domination of a large business or limited by the doctrines of a high-demand religion.

The sequel investigates methods of business domination that are more subtle than merely maintaining the masses poor. Numerous characters have been programmed with the kind of overly enthusiastic "grindset mindset" rhetoric you'll find on social media accounts that claim to disclose the path to accomplishment if you pay an expensive course, or invest in a dubious blockchain project. Additionally, the title's business promotion has evolved.

Modern Themes

There remain many discouraging displays throughout facilities warning about deducting employee wages who even consider taking a day off, but there are also references to network marketing tactics, featuring a new hire handbook that proudly declares, "Unfamiliar individuals are simply clients you have yet to encounter!" Being a person who grew up in a direct sales environment, I immediately burst out laughing when I saw this mention, because it's a saying I have regularly listened to spoken verbatim by those at the bottom of such schemes.

Luckily, this follow-up is as comedic and sarcastic as the first game.

The Outer Worlds 2 furthermore explores the dilemma numerous people encounter regarding occupation, politics, and including buying decisions: Needing to select the reduced of two or three evils. While attempting to choose whether to assist a risky company or a problematic faith organization throughout the experience, I found myself siding with the familiar evil: A recognized company structure that is terrible (but only uses advertising to program its members), instead of the cult, which is similarly terrible, but uses a terrible method called "mental refreshment" to maintain its followers in line.

Questionable Employers

Even the people you serve could fail to be trustworthy. As an Earth Directorate agent, you're tasked with trying to reestablish stability to this settlement after a forceful company buyout, and you will quickly find that each of the aggressors and the defenders follow distinct (yet equally horrific) doctrines. However, a rapid inspection of the communications on your vessel's computer show that this agency is hardly the world's most ethical employer as well, as shown by a reply to a distress call that notifies the contact it will take "several organizational cycles" for a reply to their transmission. (That time frame is roughly the duration it takes for numerous individuals to contact a human help desk employee over the phone these days.)

Relatable Moments

Many moments in this installment are painfully relatable, but it's a therapeutic type of familiarity, and this title manages to balance its grim future world with humor that's truly humorous without feeling inappropriate. One major theme is the quick commencement of deterioration that seems to take place in the wake of significant business mergers. Workers from each party of this sequel's significant consolidation see their quality of life worsen therefore, while the CEOs in control of the structure are, of course, collecting profits quickly.

Well, at minimum I understand my situation.

Comparable to the first game, this follow-up is inherently funny, but furthermore doesn't hesitate to become dramatic. During a moment, while exploring around the release's primary discoverable location, I discovered a corpse with a message in the vicinity. The audio log showed that this character (associated with the programming faith group) had died in an accident while attempting to track down and dispatch her romantic partner. This partner had apparently defected from their group, and the now-dead NPC was incensed at her significant other's {traitorous