The Outer Worlds 2 Should 'Steal' One Character From Avowed

Summary

Avowed's companion, Kai, is a standout character due to his emotional complexity and talented voice actor.
Obsidian should consider creating a companion in The Outer Worlds 2 that mirrors Kai's traits.
The Outer Worlds 2 could benefit from a companion like Kai that adds depth, humor, and a personal bond for players.

Avowed has been out for a few weeks now, and Obsidian Entertainment's latest FPS action-RPG based in the setting of its Pillars of Eternity fantasy franchise has seen an overall warm reception so far. Returning to the style and genre that the developer is well-known for, Avowed actually marks the first of two games from Obsidian scheduled to release this year. The Outer Worlds 2, the sequel to the studio's 2019 dystopian sci-fi RPG, is also set to launch later in 2025. In the works since 2021, The Outer Worlds 2 will see players explore a solar system in the distant future overrun by corporate chicanery and exaggerated excess.

Both titles have been highly awaited, and with Avowed now well on its way to success, attention is turning towards how The Outer Worlds 2 will follow up on the original. One hallmark of Obsidian's designs is having an assortment of excellent and dynamic companions to travel and fight alongside the player character, and many fans have connected with Avowed's Kai. The Outer Worlds 2, then, could look to replicate this good relationship by having one of its own companions closely mirror Kai in various ways.

Though it was previously planned to be an Xbox exclusive, The Outer Worlds 2 will also launch on PlayStation alongside being a day one Game Pass Ultimate inclusion.

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By Eduardo Ariedo

The Outer Worlds 2 Can Work Wonders With a Companion Like Avowed's Kai

Avowed's Kai is a Standout Companion

One of the very first companions that players meet in Avowed as they step onto the strange shores of the Living Lands is Kai. A member of the coastal Aumaua race, he is a former soldier who deserted the Royal Deadfire Company's navy that was featured in the second Pillars of Eternity entry to find his own path through life. After making his way to the far reaches of the Living Lands, Kai became a mercenary, and serves as a personal bodyguard to the player character's Aedyran Envoy in Avowed.

Kai is an emotionally complex character who remains stalwart in his support as events unfold. A big factor contributing to his popularity is that Kai is voiced by veteran actor, Brandon Keener, whom many will likely recognize as Garrus Vakarian from BioWare's Mass Effect series. Kai's soothing tone combined with his dry wit and deflecting sense of humor hide some deep-seated vulnerabilities and a history rooted in regret. Over the course of the adventure, Kai slowly reveals his burdens to the Envoy, who can assist him in putting the ghosts of his past to rest and moving on. He is an all-around likable and compelling figure, and The Outer Worlds 2 can make great use of a companion akin to Kai.

How The Outer Worlds 2 Can Have a Companion that Channels Kai

Like both its predecessor and Avowed, The Outer Worlds 2 will include a range of recruitable companions. This opens up the possibility for Obsidian to more directly reference Kai by having a companion that heavily resembles him in the second outing. Such a character doesn't necessarily need to be a carbon copy or just a "Kai in space," but perhaps one that shares a few of his recognizable overarching traits, either in character design, personality, or a mix of both, while being more in line with the setting's sensibilities would work well.

Making one of the potential crew members feel like Kai, but adjusted to fit with The Outer Worlds 2's general absurdity and satire, would create a good link between it and Avowed while giving fans another character that adds a good deal of depth and humor to the story. Even if the character isn't voiced by Keener again, having an interesting, rounded, and helpful companion like Kai in The Outer Worlds 2 would be both a fun Easter egg and provide one that players can bond with in a similar way, as he is one of the best RPG companions in recent memory.

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