Skip to main content
Join The Community
- Join our community
11
Premium Benefits
24/7
Access Available
21K+
Active Members
Commenting
Join the discussion
Exclusive Articles Coming Soon
Member-only articles
Weekly Newsletters
Weekly gaming & entertainment news
Member Badges
Earn badges as you go
Exclusive Competitions
Members-only prize draws
Curated Deals Coming Soon
Tech and gaming deals worth grabbing
GET COMMUNITY ACCESS QUICK
For the quickest way to join, simply enter your email below and get access. We will send a confirmation and sign you up to our newsletter to keep you updated on all your gaming news.
By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.
FIND OUT ABOUT OUR MAGAZINE
Want to subscribe to the magazine? Click the button below to find out more information.
Find out more
GET Community ACCESS QUICK

Join the GamesRadar community for quick access. Enter your email below and we'll send confirmation, and sign you up to our newsletter.

By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

Background
Welcome to GamesRADAR+ Community !
Hi ,

Your membership journey starts here.

Keep exploring and earning more as a member.

MY ACCOUNT

Badge picture
Earn your first badge
Read 1 article to unlock your first badge.
Keep earning badges
Explore ways to get more involved as a member.
Latest Games News

Latest Games News

Breaking gaming news and updates

Read Now
Latest Games Reviews

Latest Games Reviews

Expert verdicts on the newest releases

Read Now

See what you’ve unlocked.

Explore your membership benefits.

Explore
Member Exclusives

Stay Ahead with GamesRadar+

Get the biggest gaming news, reviews, and releases straight to your inbox.

Explore

Sign Out
GamesRadar+ GamesRadar+
US EditionUS CA EditionCanada UK EditionUK AU EditionAustralia
Sign in
  • View Profile
  • Sign out
  • Games
    • Game Insights
      • Games News
      • Games Features
      • Games Reviews
      • Games Guides
      • Big in 2026
      • The Big Preview
      • On The Radar
      • Indie Spotlight
      • Future Games Show
      • Golden Joystick Awards
    • Genres
      • Action Games
      • RPGs
      • Action RPGs
      • Adventure Games
      • Third Person Shooters
      • FPS Games
    • Platforms
      • PS5
      • Xbox Series X
      • PC
      • Nintendo Switch
      • Nintendo Switch 2
      • Tabletop Gaming
    • Franchises
      • Grand Theft Auto
      • Pokemon
      • Assassin's Creed
      • Monster Hunter
      • Fortnite
      • Cyberpunk
      • Red Dead
      • The Elder Scrolls
      • The Sims
  • Entertainment
    • TV Shows
      • TV News
      • TV Reviews
      • Anime Shows
      • Sci-Fi Shows
      • Superhero Shows
      • Animated Shows
      • Marvel TV Shows
      • Star Wars TV Shows
      • DC TV Shows
    • Movies
      • Movie News
      • Movie Reviews
      • Big Screen Spotlight
      • Superhero Movies
      • Action Movies
      • Anime Movies
      • Sci-Fi Movies
      • Horror Movies
      • Marvel Movies
      • DC Movies
    • Streaming
      • Apple TV Plus
      • Disney Plus
      • Netflix
      • HBO
      • Amazon Prime Video
      • Hulu
    • Comics
      • Marvel Comics
      • DC Comics
    • Toys & Collectibles
    • Lego
    • Dungeons and Dragons
    • Merch
  • Hardware
    • Insights
      • Hardware News
      • Hardware Reviews
      • Hardware Features
    • Computing
      • Desktop PCs
      • Laptops
      • Handhelds
    • Peripherals
      • Headsets & Headphones
      • TVs & Monitors
      • Gaming Mice
      • Gaming Keyboards
      • Gaming Chairs
      • Speakers & Audio
    • Accessories & Tech
      • Gaming Controllers
      • Tech
      • SSDs & Hard Drives
      • VR
      • Accessories
      • Retro
  • Deals
    • Game Deals
    • Tech Deals
    • TV Deals
    • Buying Guides
  • Video
    • Video
    • GR+ Replay - Submit Your Clips
  • Newsletters
    • Quizzes
    • About Us
    • How to pitch to us
    • How we score
    • Newsarama
    • Retro Gamer
    • Total Film
  • home
  • Games
    • View Games
      • Games News
      • Games Features
      • Games Reviews
      • Games Guides
      • Big in 2026
      • The Big Preview
      • On The Radar
      • Indie Spotlight
      • Future Games Show
      • Golden Joystick Awards
      • Action Games
      • RPGs
      • Action RPGs
      • Adventure Games
      • Third Person Shooters
      • FPS Games
    • Platforms
      • View Platforms
      • PS5
      • Xbox Series X
      • PC
      • Nintendo Switch
      • Nintendo Switch 2
      • Tabletop Gaming
      • Grand Theft Auto
      • Pokemon
      • Assassin's Creed
      • Monster Hunter
      • Fortnite
      • Cyberpunk
      • Red Dead
      • The Elder Scrolls
      • The Sims
  • Entertainment
    • View Entertainment
    • TV Shows
      • View TV Shows
      • TV News
      • TV Reviews
      • Anime Shows
      • Sci-Fi Shows
      • Superhero Shows
      • Animated Shows
      • Marvel TV Shows
      • Star Wars TV Shows
      • DC TV Shows
    • Movies
      • View Movies
      • Movie News
      • Movie Reviews
      • Big Screen Spotlight
      • Superhero Movies
      • Action Movies
      • Anime Movies
      • Sci-Fi Movies
      • Horror Movies
      • Marvel Movies
      • DC Movies
    • Streaming
      • View Streaming
      • Apple TV Plus
      • Disney Plus
      • Netflix
      • HBO
      • Amazon Prime Video
      • Hulu
    • Comics
      • View Comics
      • Marvel Comics
      • DC Comics
    • Toys & Collectibles
    • Lego
    • Dungeons and Dragons
    • Merch
  • Hardware
    • View Hardware
      • Hardware News
      • Hardware Reviews
      • Hardware Features
      • Desktop PCs
      • Laptops
      • Handhelds
    • Peripherals
      • View Peripherals
      • Headsets & Headphones
      • TVs & Monitors
      • Gaming Mice
      • Gaming Keyboards
      • Gaming Chairs
      • Speakers & Audio
      • Gaming Controllers
      • Tech
      • SSDs & Hard Drives
      • VR
      • Accessories
      • Retro
  • Deals
    • View Deals
    • Game Deals
    • Tech Deals
    • TV Deals
    • Buying Guides
  • Video
    • View Video
    • Video
    • GR+ Replay - Submit Your Clips
  • Newsletters
    • Quizzes
    • About Us
    • How to pitch to us
    • How we score
    • Newsarama
    • Retro Gamer
    • Total Film
Trending
  • Amazon Spring Sale
  • New Games for 2026
  • Submit your game clips
  • GDC
Jump to:
  • The basics
  • Character building
  • Meeting people
  • Missions
Don't miss these
The Future of Starfield
RPGs Bethesda's Tim Lamb on the biggest changes coming to Starfield, the PS5 release, and why all those load screens are necessary
The Future of Starfield hero image
RPGs The Future of Starfield: How Bethesda Game Studios is beginning to breathe new life into its most misunderstood RPG
Ghost of Yotei gameplay showing Atsu sitting on her horse between bright pink cherry blossoms, looking at a distant fortification built against a mountain
Open World Games Best open world games to play in 2026 and completely forget real life exists
The Future of Starfield branding
RPGs Here's the 5 biggest changes coming to Starfield this April, from interplanetary travel to more varied exploration
Crimson Desert
RPGs Crimson Desert review: "A game that's far better as a sandbox than as a story"
Starfield screenshot showing the new Anchor Point location
RPGs How your feedback helped shape Starfield's biggest updates: "We're always checking in," says Bethesda
A screenshot of Gustave in Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, one of the best RPGs you can play in 2026
RPGs The 25 best RPGs worth playing in 2026
Crimson Desert: Macduff looking out into the distance during the new game, Crimson Desert.
RPGs The ultimate Crimson Desert guide for exploring Pywel
Crimson Desert
Open World Games Crimson Desert's quarry is giving players "PTSD," probably because they keep missing the key secret
Best space games: a screenshot of the game, No Man's Sky.
Strategy Games Best space games which will let you explore the unknown
Crimson Desert screenshot of protagonist Kliff, with a GamesRadar On the Radar overlay
RPGs I cheesed my way through one of Crimson Desert's biggest bandit camps and it made me love the game
Crimson Desert
Open World Games I played 6 hours of Crimson Desert, but it feels like I've barely scratched the surface of this RPG's open world
Image of the Asteroid Manor in Starfield, a player-house in a hollowed out asteroid
RPGs Starfield will let you have a true "home among the stars" with its new Asteroid Manor player house
Crimson Desert screenshot of Kliff with an orange On the Radar overlay
RPGs I hope Crimson Desert never fixes its weird controls
Crimson Desert screenshot of Kliff cooking with a frying pan, with an orange On the Radar overlay
RPGs Crimson Desert is a questionable RPG but an excellent medieval life sim, and I fed Kliff bugs for 5 hours to prove it
  1. Games
  2. Action RPGs
  3. The Outer Worlds 2

The Outer Worlds 2 is an open world dream but there's a lot I wish I'd know about before I made mistakes

Guides
By Leon Hurley published 27 December 2025

Missions, choices, characters, factions... There's so much to deal with a little help can go a long way

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

The Outer Worlds 2 character holding bottle and glass
(Image credit: Obsidian Entertainment)
Jump to:
  • The basics
  • Character building
  • Meeting people
  • Missions
  • Facebook
  • X
  • Pinterest
  • Flipboard
  • Email
Share this article
2
Join the conversation
Follow us
Add us as a preferred source on Google
Sign up to the GamesRadar+ Newsletter

Weekly digests, tales from the communities you love, and more


By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

You are now subscribed

Your newsletter sign-up was successful


Want to add more newsletters?

GamesRadar+

Every Friday

GamesRadar+

Your weekly update on everything you could ever want to know about the games you already love, games we know you're going to love in the near future, and tales from the communities that surround them.

GTA 6 O'clock

Every Thursday

GTA 6 O'clock

Our special GTA 6 newsletter, with breaking news, insider info, and rumor analysis from the award-winning GTA 6 O'clock experts.

Knowledge

Every Friday

Knowledge

From the creators of Edge: A weekly videogame industry newsletter with analysis from expert writers, guidance from professionals, and insight into what's on the horizon.

The Setup

Every Thursday

The Setup

Hardware nerds unite, sign up to our free tech newsletter for a weekly digest of the hottest new tech, the latest gadgets on the test bench, and much more.

Switch 2 Spotlight

Every Wednesday

Switch 2 Spotlight

Sign up to our new Switch 2 newsletter, where we bring you the latest talking points on Nintendo's new console each week, bring you up to date on the news, and recommend what games to play.

The Watchlist

Every Saturday

The Watchlist

Subscribe for a weekly digest of the movie and TV news that matters, direct to your inbox. From first-look trailers, interviews, reviews and explainers, we've got you covered.

SFX

Once a month

SFX

Get sneak previews, exclusive competitions and details of special events each month!


Join the club

Get full access to premium articles, exclusive features and a growing list of member rewards.


An account already exists for this email address, please log in.
Subscribe to our newsletter

Outer Worlds 2 is a big old 'wander around and see what you can find' kind of RPG that I loved exploring. But that space and freedom can mean a long old learning curve, with loads to take in and things you can easily forget about because it's mentioned once and never brought up again.

As well as trying to build out your own character, there's six different companions to meet, three factions to balance, and that's before you even get to the various missions and choices you need to think about.

It's basically one of those games where things would be much easier with a little bit of forewarning and preparation. So with that in mind here's all the stuff I wish I'd know about before I started playing Outer Worlds 2 and got lost in its spacey promise.

You may like
  • Ghost of Yotei screenshot of Atsu with her arms raised as she wields a katana I wish I'd learned to read Ghost of Yotei's open world before I got lost in it
  • Avowed screenshot depicting combat with a corrupted plague bear, the protagonist wielding a sword and a magical spellbook 11 Avowed tips and tricks for beginners in the Living Lands
  • 41 hours into Divinity Original Sin 2, I wish I'd broken a golden RPG rule

The basics

The Outer Worlds 2 screenshot of the Incognito's cockpit and its command module, with a vista of the planet that's home to Paradise Island in the background

(Image credit: Xbox Game Studios)

If you're not already playing, or even own the game yet, then it's worth knowing that the Outer Worlds 2 is on Game Pass if you're weighing up your options in terms of buying it. And, if you are thinking about value then it's worth knowing about how long The Outer Worlds 2 is.

Character building

The Outer Worlds 2 screenshot of the character creator suite which shows a summary of the custom protagonist who has the Gambler background, Witty trait, and Speech and Lockpick skills

(Image credit: Xbox Game Studios)

Building your character is a long process that arguably takes place over the entire game, as you pick things like the Outer Worlds 2 skills, Outer Worlds 2 perks and Outer Worlds 2 traits while you level up and shape your playthrough.

Although you'll need to pick from a range of Outer Worlds 2 backgrounds before you get that far - choosing a history for your adventurer that mainly adds character, as well as a few specific dialogue options here and there.

Gadgets!

The various Outer Worlds 2 Gadgets you'll get can also affect your character and abilities. However, there's no real choice here as you'll unlock them by following the main missions. You can get things quicker though if you know what's coming and a few things can really shake up the game.

The one thing you need to be super careful about though are the Outer Worlds 2 flaws you can unlock as you play. These reflect things you do in the game - like how often you reload or steal and so on - and balance some sort of benefit with some sort of downside that you really need to think about. Kleptomania, for example, gives you a massive cash boost to selling stolen items but also makes you randomly steal things uncontrollably, which can trigger all sorts of faction issues.

All of these options are something you really need to consider as there's no Outer Worlds 2 respec option at all, after a post-tutorial check. All the choices you make are permanent for your current playthough.

Sign up to the GamesRadar+ Newsletter

Weekly digests, tales from the communities you love, and more

By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

Meeting people

Outer Worlds 2 companions

(Image credit: Obsidian)
What poisoning?

At some point you'll probably encounter zyranium poisoning in the Outer Worlds 2. This condition can arise in a number of ways, some self inflicted, and if you don't know how to deal with it it can cause problems.

Obviously the most important thing to know about when it comes to other people are the six Outer World 2 companions you can recruit. That's because some of them are completely missable; some can be driven away and leave your party for good if you make choices they don't like; and one can even be killed before you know they're an option.

As well as your own team there are three Outer World 2 factions you can meet, work with, and even join. The important thing to know about there is that many things you do can raise or lower your reputation with them. That, in turn, will affect how they react to you, vendor prices and other things. There's also another three factions you can meet, you just can't join them or change your standing with them.

Missions

The Outer Worlds 2 Niles, Helen, and VAL conversation about intercom

(Image credit: Xbox Game Studios)

Missions are obviously a big deal here, with main missions, side quests, companion tasks and more scattered around everywhere you can explore. Even the opening tutorial has a bunch of things to deal with, like trying to open the Outer Worlds 2 commander's safe finding the Commanders credentials and working what to do with the Outer Worlds 2 intercom when you're basically being led by the hand.

You may like
  • Ghost of Yotei screenshot of Atsu with her arms raised as she wields a katana I wish I'd learned to read Ghost of Yotei's open world before I got lost in it
  • Avowed screenshot depicting combat with a corrupted plague bear, the protagonist wielding a sword and a magical spellbook 11 Avowed tips and tricks for beginners in the Living Lands
  • 41 hours into Divinity Original Sin 2, I wish I'd broken a golden RPG rule

Once you are free to roam the game proper, there are some big decisions that appear early on you might not want to mess up as they can have big impacts early in the game:

Choices and decisions

Outer Worlds 2 security ops or central dispatch
Outer Worlds 2 Milverstreet or Kaur
Outer Worlds 2 Fairfield or Westport
Outer Worlds 2 Montelli choice

Them there are some early missions that are less pressing in terms of choices to make, but just have a lot to do, find and work out:

Multi step missions

Outer Worlds 2 scavenger hunt
Outer Worlds 2 Schemes of the Secret Smugglers
Outer Worlds 2 Drones of Doom
Outer Worlds 2 In Pursuit of Purloined Propaganda


There's obviously a lot more to find and do across the entirely of Outer Worlds 2 but what I've covered here should get you settled into the early hours without any surprises or massive problems to worry about. The last thing you want to do is drive away a favourite companion 20 hours in because of a bad call, or upset a faction so they attack you on sight while you're trying to do other things.

So if you're not sure or want to check, have a read of everything I've gathered here so you can be sure you're making the right call.

© GamesRadar+. Not to be reproduced without permission.

CATEGORIES
PC Gaming PS5 Xbox Series X Platforms PlayStation Xbox
Leon Hurley
Leon Hurley
Social Links Navigation
Managing editor for guides

I'm GamesRadar's Managing Editor for guides. I also write reviews, previews and features, largely about horror, action adventure, FPS and open world games. I previously worked on Kotaku, and the Official PlayStation Magazine and website.

You must confirm your public display name before commenting

Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name.

Read more
Ghost of Yotei screenshot of Atsu with her arms raised as she wields a katana
Open World Games I wish I'd learned to read Ghost of Yotei's open world before I got lost in it
 
 
Avowed screenshot depicting combat with a corrupted plague bear, the protagonist wielding a sword and a magical spellbook
Action RPGs 11 Avowed tips and tricks for beginners in the Living Lands
 
 
RPGs 41 hours into Divinity Original Sin 2, I wish I'd broken a golden RPG rule
 
 
Avowed screenshot showing companions Kai and Giatta assisting in combat
RPGs This Avowed guide has everything you need to navigate the Living Lands
 
 
Assassin's Creed Shadows cinematic screenshot
Assassin's Creed I loved Assassin's Creed Shadows but I wish I knew how overwhelmingly huge it was before starting
 
 
Borderlands 4 Vault Hunters posing
Borderlands Everything you need to get started in Borderlands 4 in one place
 
 
Latest in Action RPGs
Darkhaven
Action RPGs Ex-Diablo devs left in limbo after $65,000 in fake Kickstarter pledges overwhelm new ARPG Darkhaven
 
 
Dark Souls
Dark Souls The Witcher and Cyberpunk 2077 dev would've loved to playtest the OG Dark Souls or Demon's Souls
 
 
Nioh 3 stone demon with red eyes
Action RPGs "If we focus too much on casual players, that would take away the bite," says Nioh 3 dev
 
 
Borderlands 4 screenshot of grinning enemy from Amon trailer
Borderlands 6 months after Borderlands 4 launch, Gearbox admits "we have more to do" to fix PC issues
 
 
Dragon's Dogma 2 Medusa
Action RPGs Dragon's Dogma 2 expansion hopes have arisen once more as fans think Capcom is teasing DLC in anniversary artwork
 
 
DIablo 4's Inarius close to smiting down a foe
Diablo Diablo 4 game director admits it's "really hard for players to keep up" with the ever-changing ARPG
 
 
Latest in Guides
A dark-haired woman throws a punch in Anime Ascendants.
Strategy Games Anime Ascendants codes (March 2026) for Gems and Magic Tokens
 
 
Crimson Desert Precipice of Truth
RPGs How to solve the Precipice of Truth in Crimson Desert
 
 
A warrior battles a three-headed dragon in Dungeon Heroes.
RPGs Dungeon Heroes codes (March 2026) for Boosters, food, and more
 
 
Fortnite Season 2 Chapter 7
Fortnite Fortnite Rivalries and the Showdown leaderboard explained
 
 
Crimson Desert Mysterious Energy
RPGs Mysterious Energy in Crimson Desert explained
 
 
arc raiders flashpoint
Third Person Shooters What's in the Arc Raiders Flashpoint update and when does it release
 
 
LATEST ARTICLES
  1. Doom
    1
    Doom co-creator John Romero is "not going to stop making games" despite the state of the industry
  2. 2
    Fallout London devs had "moments of uncertainty" whether Bethesda would let the mod live
  3. 3
    That chair you heard about on Kickstarter last year with a bionic backrest just got a price drop
  4. 4
    Who needs a Nintendo Direct with ratings boards leaking multiple Switch 2 titles, seemingly including Devil May Cry 5
  5. 5
    Minecraft fans split after update 26.1 and Chaos Cubed reveal, with some dubbing it "a low-effort marketplace add-on"

GamesRadar+ is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.

Add as a preferred source on Google Add as a preferred source on Google
  • Terms and conditions
  • Contact Future's experts
  • Privacy policy
  • Cookies policy
  • Accessibility statement
  • Careers
  • About us
  • Advertise with us
  • Review guidelines
  • Write for us
  • Accessibility Statement

© Future US, Inc. Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, New York, NY 10036.

Please login or signup to comment

Please wait...