Info about The Outer Worlds:

Official game description:
  
The Outer Worlds is an award-winning single-player first-person sci-fi RPG from Obsidian Entertainment and Private Division.  
Lost in transit while on a colonist ship bound for the furthest edge of the galaxy, you awake decades later only to find yourself in the midst of a deep conspiracy threatening to destroy the Halcyon colony. As you explore the furthest reaches of space and encounter various factions, all vying for power, the character you decide to become will determine how this player-driven story unfolds. In the corporate equation for the colony, you are the unplanned variable.  
**KEY FEATURES**
The player-driven story RPG
---------------------------
In keeping with the Obsidian tradition, how you approach The Outer Worlds is up to you. Your choices affect not only the way the story develops; but your character build, companion stories, and end game scenarios.  
You can be flawed, in a good way
--------------------------------
New to The Outer Worlds is the idea of flaws. A compelling hero is made by the flaws they carry with them. While playing The Outer Worlds, the game tracks your experience to find what you aren't particularly good at. Keep getting attacked by Raptidons? Taking the Raptiphobia flaw gives you a debuff when confronting the vicious creatures, but rewards you with an additional character perk immediately. This optional approach to the game helps you build the character you want while exploring Halcyon.  
Lead your companions
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During your journey through the furthest colony, you will meet a host of characters who will want to join your crew. Armed with unique abilities, these companions all have their own missions, motivations, and ideals. It's up to you to help them achieve their goals, or turn them to your own ends.  
Explore the corporate colony
----------------------------
Halcyon is a colony at the edge of the galaxy owned and operated by a corporate board. They control everything... except for the alien monsters left behind when the terraforming of the colony’s two planets didn’t exactly go according to plan. Find your ship, build your crew, and explore the settlements, space stations, and other intriguing locations throughout Halcyon.

Release date: Oct 23, 2020

Categories: First-Person Shooter, Character Progression, Action RPG, Exploration, Single-player, Choice-based Narrative, Companion System, Sci-fi

Feature scans:
- MTX: score 20; verdict: Problematic DLC Practices; summary: The analysis of user reviews reveals significant concerns regarding the integration and value of DLCs in the game. Many users express frustration with the requirement to play DLCs before completing the main game and the need to purchase additional content for updates. Additionally, there is a widespread perception that the DLCs offer limited content and are not worth the investment, leading to a sense of low value for money. The pricing strategy is also a point of contention, with many users feeling that the game and its DLCs are overpriced.
- Wiki: score 100; verdict: High Dependency on External Data; summary: The primary user complaints revolve around the need for external data to grind resources, understand game mechanics, and make technical adjustments. This reliance on external data significantly impacts the user experience, making it less enjoyable and more time-consuming.
- Proton/Linux: score 30; verdict: Minor Tweaks; summary: The game has mixed performance on Linux, with some users experiencing stuttering and frame rate issues, while others report a smooth experience. There are reports of system crashes and the need for compatibility tweaks such as using Proton GE. Overall, many users have a positive experience with the game running well on Linux.
- Steam Deck: score 55; verdict: Tinkering Required; summary: The game has significant issues with compatibility and performance on Linux and Steam Deck. Many users reported needing to use Proton Experimental or Proton GE to run the game, and there are frequent mentions of stuttering, frame rate jitters, and system crashes. However, there are also positive reviews indicating that the game runs well for some users with good graphics and gameplay.

- Hardware Profile:
  - Summary: Performance varies significantly across hardware cohorts, with higher VRAM generally yielding better results but still facing some issues. Lower VRAM configurations struggle with consistent performance.
  - Sample size: 47 (2% coverage)
  - Audience skew: Review sample is heavily weighted toward Windows PCs with 10GB+ VRAM.
  - Windows 12-15GB VRAM (mixed, 15 reports): Users report a mix of good performance and issues like stuttering and graphics glitches.
  - Windows <8GB VRAM (negative, 13 reports): Users experience constant FPS drops regardless of graphics settings.
  - Windows 16GB+ VRAM (mixed, 6 reports): While some users report excellent performance at high settings, others experience random crashes.
  - Caveats: 47 of 2489 reviews expose hardware metadata.; Review sample is heavily weighted toward Windows PCs with 10GB+ VRAM.
Feature extractions:
- Community Price:
  - Community fair range: $10.00 - $30.00
  - Reasoning: The evidence consistently suggests that the game is recommended for purchase only when it is on sale. Many users mention that the game is not worth the full price and should be bought at a discounted rate. The common sentiment is that the game is enjoyable but not valuable enough to be purchased at its full price, which is typically around $60. The majority of the reviews indicate that a fair price range would be significantly lower, often mentioned as around $10 to $30.
- Playtime Metrics:
  - Game completion: 20.0h
  - Story completion: N/A
  - Session length: N/A
  - Endgame: N/A
  - Reasoning: The evidence provides a range of playtime metrics. The first quote suggests that the game can be completed in around 20 hours, indicating a typical playtime for game completion. The second and third quotes mention extensive playtimes of over 100 hours and 46 hours respectively, suggesting high engagement and potentially longer playtimes for completionists or those aiming for full achievement completion. The fourth quote explicitly states a playtime of 103 hours to complete all quests, endings, and achievements, reinforcing the idea of extensive playtime for thorough completion.
- Time-to-fun:
  - Summary: The Outer Worlds offers immediate fun through its humor and story for some players, but others find the gameplay repetitive and boring. The enjoyment is anchored in the narrative and character interactions rather than combat or exploration.
  - Stance: Fun immediately for some, never clicks for others
  - Anchor: Narrative and character interactions
  - Time to anchor: 0h 0m
  - Friction: Repetitive combat; Fetch quests; Boring gameplay mechanics
  - Unlock drivers: Humor; Story; Character interactions
  - Conditions: Enjoying narrative-driven games; Appreciating dark and silly humor; Interest in character development
- Player Archetypes:
  - Sale-Seeking Veteran (sale)
    - Motivation: Value for money
    - Playstyle: Cautious and strategic with purchases, often waiting for sales.
    - Experience: veteran
    - Purchase stance: sale
    - Labels: veteran gamer; sale hunter
    - Reference games: Fallout series; Western RPGs
  - Completionist Storyteller (buy)
    - Motivation: Narrative and completion
    - Playstyle: Thorough and engaged, aiming to complete all aspects of the game.
    - Experience: veteran
    - Purchase stance: buy
    - Labels: completionist; story lover
    - Reference games: Space RPGs; Narrative-driven games
  - Franchise Fan (buy)
    - Motivation: Comparison to favorite franchises
    - Playstyle: Comparative and nostalgic, often drawing parallels to beloved games.
    - Experience: familiar
    - Purchase stance: buy
    - Labels: Fallout fan; Franchise lover
    - Reference games: Fallout series; New Vegas
  - Genre Blender (buy)
    - Motivation: Unique gameplay blends
    - Playstyle: Analytical and comparative, enjoying a mix of different gameplay elements.
    - Experience: familiar
    - Purchase stance: buy
    - Labels: genre enthusiast; gameplay mixer
    - Reference games: Fallout; Borderlands; Baldur's Gate 3


Below are summaries of things people say about the game per category.
Each point is assigned a weight that represents how often it is mentioned across all reviews.
What players like:
- Excellent writing and dialogue (weight 0.32): The game features well-written characters and engaging dialogue that is witty, sarcastic, and often genuinely funny. Players appreciate the depth and character interactions.
- Choice-driven narrative (weight 0.3): The game features a choice-driven narrative with many dialogue options, where choices matter and have a significant impact on the story.
- Enjoyable combat system (weight 0.28): The combat is satisfying and well-executed, offering varied combat styles and a layered combat system that provides a satisfying challenge.
- Wide range of skills and perks (weight 0.19): The game offers a wide range of skills, perks, and weapons, providing players with lots to do and various playstyles to explore.
- High-quality graphics and sound (weight 0.19): The game boasts lovely and well-designed graphics, along with decent sound design, contributing to an overall visually appealing experience.
- Multiple quest solutions (weight 0.19): Quests in the game often have multiple solutions, providing variability and freedom in how players approach and complete them.
- Memorable companions and soundtrack (weight 0.17): The game features charismatic and memorable companions, along with a great soundtrack that enhances the overall experience.
- Engaging story and atmosphere (weight 0.16): Players enjoy the story and its themes, along with the atmosphere and freedom of choice provided in the game.
- Great humor and satire (weight 0.14): The game includes a fair amount of humor and satire, providing a humorous and sometimes corny experience that players appreciate.
- Solid overall experience (weight 0.14): The game is described as a solid experience, offering a fun and interesting gameplay that is well worth the price.
- Mix of popular game styles (weight 0.13): The gameplay is a mix between BioShock, Borderlands, and Fallout, providing a familiar yet unique experience for fans of these games.
- High-quality Chinese text and voice acting (weight 0.11): The game features a large amount of high-quality Chinese text and voice acting, along with beautiful scenery and impressive art style.
- Fun and enjoyable gameplay (weight 0.11): The game is described as fun to play, with some aspects being particularly enjoyable, providing many hours of entertainment.

Common complaints:
- Repetitive and boring combat (weight 0.26): Combat is criticized for becoming repetitive and monotonous over time. Players found it uninteresting and tedious, with predictable and annoying enemies.
- Weak narrative and characters (weight 0.25): The story and characters are widely criticized for being underwhelming, disappointing, and uninteresting. Many players found the narrative shallow, predictable, and lacking surprises.
- Dull and boring dialogue (weight 0.23): The dialogue in the game is described as extremely dull, tedious, and filled with fluff. Players found the conversations shallow, pointless, and poorly written.
- Poor game mechanics and performance (weight 0.16): The game is criticized for its poor shooting mechanics, bad performance, and stuttering issues. Players found the overall gameplay experience to be lacking.
- Outdated and unimpressive graphics (weight 0.15): The graphics are considered outdated and unimpressive, with some describing them as cartoonish and dated. The visuals are seen as a significant drawback.
- Boring and forgettable side quests (weight 0.14): Side quests are criticized for being boring, tedious, and forgettable. Players found them to be uninteresting and repetitive.
- Not comparable to Fallout: New Vegas (weight 0.14): Many players feel the game does not live up to Fallout: New Vegas in terms of writing and overall quality. It is seen as a disappointment for those expecting a similar experience.
- Limited enemy variety (weight 0.13): Players noted a lack of variety in enemies, with repetitive encounters and limited types of monsters and marauders.
- Lacks identity and greatness (weight 0.13): The game is criticized for not being a masterpiece or even a great game. It lacks its own identity and is seen as not living up to expectations.
- Lack of interactivity and replayability (weight 0.12): The game is criticized for its lack of interactivity and replayability. Players found the environments and navigation methods to be unchanging and uninteresting.
- Poor weapon and armor variety (weight 0.1): The variety of weapons and armor is seen as lacking and unexciting. Players found the available gear to be unimpressive and pathetic.
- Extremely short game (weight 0.09): The game is criticized for being extremely short. Players found the length to be shockingly short and disappointing.
- Mediocre execution of a great concept (weight 0.08): The game is seen as a great concept with mediocre execution. It is not considered a bad game, but rather a boring one that could have been much better.
- Uncomfortable mix of styles (weight 0.08): The game's tone and art style are seen as a clashing mix of different styles, trying to be like other games but not succeeding.

Gameplay feedback:
- Choice-driven RPG gameplay (weight 0.38): The game features a choice-driven RPG gameplay system, including a moral choices system, choice and consequence mechanics, and a choice-driven narrative. Players can enjoy a casual or more in-depth RPG experience with significant emphasis on dialogue and choice-driven gameplay.
- Open-world exploration (weight 0.27): The game offers an open-world environment for players to explore, with free roam gameplay and a focus on exploration and looting. Players can explore different planets, solve local problems, and find rewarding experiences through exploration and environments.
- Repetitive gameplay elements (weight 0.23): Some players find the gameplay repetitive, with uninteresting combat and predictable enemies. Early gameplay involves tasks like unclogging toilets, walking, picking up trash, and engaging in dialogues.
- Character progression systems (weight 0.2): The game includes RPG mechanics such as a skills and perks system, a leveling system, and a skill point system for character progression.
- Companion and NPC interactions (weight 0.17): Players can recruit and interact with companions, as well as engage with various NPCs. The game features a companion roster and mechanics that allow for character and companion interactions.
- Weapon and equipment variety (weight 0.17): The game features a variety of weapons and equipment, including unique science weapons. Players can customize their weapons and armor with various modifications.
- Satirical themes and commentary (weight 0.16): The game presents a satirical look at capitalism and corporate life, offering social commentary through its themes and narrative.
- Similar to Fallout series (weight 0.14): The game is often compared to the Fallout series, particularly Fallout: New Vegas, and combines elements from Fallout and Mass Effect.
- Variety of quests and missions (weight 0.13): Players can engage in a variety of quests and missions, including side quests and story missions. The game offers diverse and varied quests with multiple solutions.
- Customizable difficulty settings (weight 0.1): The game includes adjustable difficulty settings, allowing players to choose from various difficulty levels, including a challenging mode called Supernova.
- Character creation and development (weight 0.07): Players can create and develop their characters, including character backstories and progression through the game's narrative.

Performance notes:
- Poor optimization and performance (weight 0.3): Many players report that the game has poor optimization, leading to various performance issues such as low FPS, stuttering, and overall poor performance on different platforms.
- Game crashes and freezing (weight 0.17): Several players have experienced frequent game crashes, freezing, and issues with game not opening at all. This includes problems with save files and compatibility issues on different systems.
- Visual and graphical issues (weight 0.15): Players have reported various visual and graphical issues, including oversaturated visuals, rendering problems with clouds and grass, and graphical blur during rapid turns.
- Platform-specific performance (weight 0.13): Performance varies significantly across different platforms. For example, the game runs well on some PCs and Steam Deck but poorly on Xbox One and Switch.
- Frequent loading screens (weight 0.08): The game has frequent and excessive loading screens, which can disrupt the gaming experience. However, some players note that the loading times are fast.
- High system requirements and heating (weight 0.08): The game has high system requirements and can cause significant heating of hardware, even on high-end systems. Some players report thermal throttling issues.
- Control and sensitivity issues (weight 0.07): Some players have noted issues with controls, including shooting feeling off on controller and mouse sensitivity issues, as well as clunky movement and looking around.
- Miscellaneous bugs and glitches (weight 0.05): Players have encountered various bugs and glitches, such as getting stuck on terrain, clipping into scenery, and frame rate jitters.
- Audio and UI feedback (weight 0.04): The game has received mixed feedback on its audio, described as average, and positive feedback on its intuitive and easy-to-navigate UI.

Recommendations:
- Highly recommended purchase (weight 0.22): Many reviewers strongly recommend buying this game for its engaging story, characters, and fun gameplay experience.
- Recommended for Fallout fans (weight 0.19): This game is highly recommended for players who enjoy the Fallout series, particularly Fallout: New Vegas, due to its similar choice-driven RPG elements and strong dialogue.
- Worth buying on sale (weight 0.18): Several reviews suggest that the game is worth purchasing, especially when it is on sale, indicating good value for money at a discounted price.
- Unique setting and role-playing (weight 0.09): The game is praised for its unique setting, immersive world, and engaging role-playing elements, making it a standout title.
- Recommended for shooter and dialogue fans (weight 0.05): This game is recommended for fans of shooter games that also feature deep dialogue and humor, providing a rich narrative experience.
- Avoid comparisons to Fallout: New Vegas (weight 0.05): Reviewers suggest treating this game as its own unique experience rather than comparing it to Fallout: New Vegas to fully appreciate its qualities.
- Recommended for CRPG fans (weight 0.03): The game is recommended for fans of classic RPGs (CRPGs) due to its deep role-playing elements and engaging gameplay.
- Replayable with different outcomes (weight 0.03): The game offers high replayability due to different quest outcomes and character builds, providing varied experiences.
- Recommended for space and open-world RPG lovers (weight 0.03): This game is recommended for those who enjoy space-themed and open-world RPGs, offering a rich and immersive experience.
- Recommended for Steam Deck (weight 0.03): The game is recommended for players using the Steam Deck, indicating good compatibility and performance on the device.
- Recommended for story and choice lovers (weight 0.03): The game is recommended for players who enjoy stories with meaningful choices, as it offers a narrative-driven experience with significant player agency.

Other player notes:
- Modding instructions provided (weight 0.03): The game includes instructions or support for modding, allowing players to customize their experience.

Emotions:
- Disappointment (weight 0.23): The game fell short of expectations due to a variety of issues. Players found the story, characters, and overall quality lacking, especially when compared to other games like Starfield and Fallout: New Vegas. The game's repetitiveness, lack of engaging content, and various gameplay mechanics such as weak combat systems and poor AI contributed to this sentiment.
- Enjoyment (weight 0.22): Players found enjoyment in the game's engaging story, humorous elements, and memorable characters. The gameplay mechanics, including combat and exploration, were also highlighted as enjoyable aspects. The freedom to make choices and the overall RPG atmosphere contributed to a positive experience.
- Frustration (weight 0.14): Players experienced frustration due to various technical issues and gameplay mechanics. Performance problems, such as lag and stuttering, as well as repetitive quest design and poor AI, were significant sources of frustration. Additionally, issues with inventory management, level caps, and frequent game crashes added to the frustration.
- Satisfaction (weight 0.1): Players expressed satisfaction with the game's story, characters, and overall gameplay experience. The freedom of choice, engaging narrative, and well-crafted world were highlighted as positive aspects. Additionally, the game's solid performance, graphics, and character interactions contributed to a satisfying experience.
- Excitement (weight 0.06): Players were excited about the game's engaging gameplay, narrative, and unique setting. The variety of role-playing options, interesting story, and the prospect of space exploration and recruiting crew members added to the excitement. The game's lore, visuals, and extensive content were also sources of excitement.
- Joy (weight 0.03): Players found joy in the game's storytelling, characters, and overall gameplay experience. The enjoyable gameplay mechanics, interesting plot, and the game's atmosphere contributed to a joyful experience. The game's humor and the character Parvati were also highlighted as sources of joy.
- Nostalgia (weight 0.03): Players felt nostalgic due to the game's atmosphere, music, and comparisons to Fallout: New Vegas. The memorable companions, beautiful cosmos, and the game's ability to evoke memories of other beloved games contributed to this sentiment.
- Love (weight 0.03): Players expressed love for the game's storytelling, dialogue, and character interactions. The game's universe, easy controls, and graphics were also highlighted as lovable aspects. Despite its flaws, players appreciated the game's overall quality and engaging elements.
- Positive (weight 0.02): Players had an overall positive experience with the game, enjoying its various aspects such as the storyline, gameplay mechanics, and character interactions. The game's quality, freedom of choice, and engaging narrative contributed to a positive sentiment.
- Boredom (weight 0.02): Players found the game boring due to repetitive gameplay mechanics and unimaginative content. The lack of engaging storylines, impactful choices, and standard FPS gameplay contributed to this sentiment. Additionally, repetitive tasks and similar monster encounters added to the boredom.
- Anger (weight 0.02): Players felt anger towards the game's performance issues, lack of quality control, and expensive DLCs. The absence of a save feature and the game's overall quality were significant sources of anger. Technical problems and the game's corporate antagonists also contributed to this sentiment.
- Appreciation (weight 0.02): Players appreciated the game's storytelling, character development, and rich lore. The companions, dialogue choices, and deep dialogue system were highlighted as appreciable aspects. The game's well-written quests and charming characters also contributed to this sentiment.
- Amusement (weight 0.01): Players found amusement in the game's cute characters, unique dialogue options, and effective humor. The game's visuals, mechanics, and companions were also sources of amusement. The overall enjoyable and funny experience contributed to this sentiment.
- Disappointed (weight 0.01): Players felt disappointed with the game's theme, characters, and story length. The game's complexity and length compared to Fallout: New Vegas were significant sources of disappointment. The game's small size compared to Starfield also contributed to this sentiment.
- Satisfied (weight 0.01): Players were satisfied with the game's character customization, alternative choices, and amount of playtime. The art style, story, and performance were also highlighted as satisfying aspects. The game's overall quality contributed to this sentiment.
- Mixed feelings (weight 0.01): Players had mixed feelings about the game, appreciating its strengths but also noting its weaknesses. The game's appearance, animations, aesthetics, and humor were highlighted as positive aspects, while its weaknesses were also acknowledged. The game's quests and narrative engagement contributed to this mixed sentiment.
- Enthusiasm (weight 0.01): Players were enthusiastic about the game's quality, engaging story, and unique setting. The game's impressive details, story, characters, and overall experience contributed to this sentiment. The reviewer's excitement about the game's unique setting and impressive details was also highlighted.
- Anticipation (weight 0.01): Players looked forward to the sequel and more humor and story. The anticipation for future content and the game's potential contributed to this sentiment. The prospect of more engaging gameplay and character interactions also added to the anticipation.
- Excited (weight 0.01): Players were excited about the game's engaging gameplay, character interactions, and world-building. The quality of dialogue, social interactions, and the game's overall experience contributed to this sentiment. The game's unique setting and impressive details also added to the excitement.
- Admiration (weight 0.01): Players admired the game's design, architecture, and the developer's attention to player experience. The positive mention of Obsidian as top RPG developers and the game's overall quality contributed to this sentiment. The game's impressive details and engaging story also added to the admiration.}