Summary
- The Outer Worlds 2 is expanding its world to be twice as large as its predecessor.
- It will feature over 90 unique perks for character customization, surpassing Starfield's 82 skills.
- The game sets itself apart with self-aware humor that mocks industry norms and offers more deliberate gameplay.
Despite some of their most obvious differences, Starfield and The Outer Worlds have been frequently compared to one another, as they are both narrative-driven, first-person sci-fi RPGs developed by studios renowned for their storytelling — Bethesda and Obsidian Entertainment, respectively. In some ways, this makes the comparisons between the two justifiable. However, their clear differences — like Starfield's larger scale, The Outer Worlds' tightly woven narrative, and each title's unique approach to gameplay — are difficult to ignore. Nevertheless, it already seems like The Outer Worlds 2 might be Obsidian's answer to Starfield, whether the comparisons have been warranted or not.
Based on what has been revealed so far for The Outer Worlds 2, Obsidian's long-awaited sequel looks to capitalize on the success of its predecessor by remaining faithful to its origins. At the same time, it appears to be making some major improvements to its gameplay, progression, and worldbuilding that could put the Starfield comparisons to rest by finding a happy medium between what the first Outer Worlds accomplished and the groundwork laid by Bethesda's sci-fi adventure.
The Outer Worlds 2's Biggest Upgrade Over its Predecessor Should Be Obvious
The Outer Worlds 2 can take the franchise’s combat and RPG elements to the next level by expanding upon one particular area of the original.
The Outer Worlds 2 Is Rising Above Its Predecessor's Starfield Comparisons
The Outer Worlds 2 Is Larger Without Losing Itself
One of the main things that has separated Starfield from The Outer Worlds is its massive scale. Boasting over 1,000 planets for players to discover, Starfield makes it almost impossible for the average gamer to discover every inch of the game's explorable space, which has actually proven to be appealing to some. As grandiose as it sounds, though, this world design has led to a feeling of emptiness in Starfield, as traversing each planet eventually feels meaningless without purposeful content to reinforce their presence in the game.
It has been confirmed that there are actually around 1,700 planets and moons in Starfield, though only a small fraction of them are habitable.
That's actually where The Outer Worlds has always shined a bit brighter, with a world that is tighter and more dependent upon its lore and narrative than Starfield's world is. That being said, The Outer Worlds is significantly smaller in scale than Starfield, allowing Bethesda's sci-fi epic to cast a looming shadow over one of Obsidian's greats. However, The Outer Worlds 2 is responding to that with a world that is twice as large as its predecessor's, which ultimately enables it to feel somewhat closer to what Starfield offers without losing its narrative-driven identity in the process.
The Outer Worlds 2 Is Adding New Skills to the Pot
Starfield's scale didn't just come down to its exploration either, as its progression was even tied to that philosophy. At launch, Starfield had a whopping 82 skills for players to unlock, whereas The Outer Worlds only had 42. Now, The Outer Worlds 2 is deepening the role-playing mechanics of the first game by featuring over 90 unique perks for players to customize their character with. This will potentially put The Outer Worlds 2 ahead of Starfield in terms of playstyle customization, once again pointing to the sequel as an answer to the frequent comparisons drawn between its predecessor and Bethesda's sci-fi IP.
The Outer Worlds 2's Self-Aware Humor Sets It Apart
Finally, Starfield isn't without its own comedic moments, but they are a far cry from what The Outer Worlds, and now its successor, offer. The Outer Worlds 2 has already gone to great lengths during its marketing phase in showing one element that has always set it apart from its competitor: self-aware humor. The Outer Worlds 2's self-aware humor not only functions as its trademark but also jabs at corporate structures in the gaming industry. As one of its trailers mockingly stated, "Everything that should have been in the first game: more action, more weapons, and more… graphics?"
The Outer Worlds 2 is deepening the role-playing mechanics of the first game by featuring over 90 unique perks for players to customize their character with.
In the end, The Outer Worlds 2 isn't trying to outmatch Starfield at its own game more than it is leveling the playing field a bit. Rather than going after scale for the sake of scale, The Outer Worlds 2 wants to offer something sharper, more deliberate, and more consistent. It builds upon its predecessor's strengths while directly addressing where Starfield may have overreached, all without losing sight of its own identity. If Starfield is about breadth, then The Outer Worlds 2 looks like it's aiming for more depth — still expansive, but intentionally curated.
The Outer Worlds 2
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 82 /100 Critics Rec: 87%
- Released
- October 29, 2025
- ESRB
- Mature 17+ / Intense Violence, Blood and Gore, Strong Language
- Developer(s)
- Obsidian Entertainment
- Publisher(s)
- Xbox Game Studios
