By The creator of The Outer Worlds 2 is a self-proclaimed RPG systems enthusiast, signifying that you can explore extensively within the game’s mechanics, but you’re not compelled to engage with aspects you dislike.
In a discussion with GamesRadar+, creative director Brandon Adler expresses that his history in system design and his long-standing presence in RPGs converge to ensure he appreciates “intricate systems.” This is a favorable position for a creative director in an RPG, since “you’re going to encounter wildly intricate systems.”
This intricacy is something Adler mentions Obsidian “endeavored to advance” from The Outer Worlds 1. However, achieving this necessitated a careful balance, and the team had to ensure “they’re not intricate at the outset.” To prevent alienating more casual players, you “don’t even have to engage” with those systems initially. The systems “are intricate if the player chooses to delve into them and go further – we provide that depth to the player,” Adler clarifies.
For example, “if you enjoy stealth, you can really immerse yourself in that.” This emphasis on sneaking is so crucial that The Outer Worlds 2 team is inspecting each room to guarantee you can stealth at all times if you prefer. But what if stealth isn’t your style? Well, “if you’re more of a combat enthusiast, and you simply want to destroy things, you never need to concern yourself with stealth.”
Adler states that’s intrinsic to the Obsidian philosophy – “we aim to provide players with various methods to approach content, but to achieve that, I believe you need to ensure that it’s straightforward initially and then grows complex.” This, however, leads to the potentially-contentious choice to prohibit respeccing from The Outer Worlds 2. Adler is a staunch advocate of the role-playing aspect of the term RPG, aiming to ensure “you’re constructing your character and really committing” to what defines them to you.