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.
The basics
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
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.
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.
Meeting people
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
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.
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:
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:
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.
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