The Outer Worlds 2 review – improved space-faring sequel is an enjoyable time sink

Obsidian Entertainment; PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X and Series S, PC
While its story fails to deliver, this enjoyable follow-up to Obsidian's 2019 adventure makes it up with considerable advances elsewhere

The Outer Worlds 2 was originally announced in June for 70/$80 - making it Xbox's most expensive game at the time. This was short-lived: Microsoft backtracked barely a month later, and kept it at the standard 60/$70. While The Outer Worlds 2 is technically bigger than its 2019 predecessor, that decision was smart: this is not a 70 game.

It is, however, a thoroughly enjoyable adventure that can easily suck up hours of your time, and one that improves upon the original game in meaningful ways. With far better combat and deeper role-playing mechanics, The Outer Worlds 2 smartly expands without spreading itself too thin - even if its story fails to delight.