What makes The Outer Worlds 2 bigger and better than the original? The game’s art director Daniel Alpert tells us
Obsidian’s sequel brings a massive colony, deeper RPG systems, and a full graphical overhaul.
Obsidian Entertainment is setting its sights higher for The Outer Worlds 2. In a recent interview with Art Director Daniel Alpert, the dev detailed how the sequel expands on the original’s foundation, bringing players a massive new colony to explore, a deeper character customization system, and a significant graphical upgrade.
Alpert explained that while the development team was satisfied with the first game, they always knew they “could do more.” The sequel gives them the chance to realize that potential, introducing more explorability, more weapons, more outfits, and generally more detailed visual designs. This commitment to expansion is about more than just quantity; it’s focused on making sure players can fully embrace the fantasy of the game.
A new generation for a retro-future universe
The move to current-gen consoles is key to the sequel’s increased ambition. The Outer Worlds 2 now features full ray tracing and global illumination in its lighting, all powered by Unreal Engine 5. Alpert noted that these technical enhancements were finally achievable on the new hardware, allowing the team to take the distinct aesthetic of the first game and “really make it shine this time around.”
The core art style remains the “retro future aesthetic” with a decorative, Art Nouveau feel. However, this sequel introduces new influences, blending that retro-futurism with design elements inspired by World War I, which reflects the game’s core theme: a universe “at war with each other.” This visual tension helps communicate the narrative and environmental feel of the new story.
A standalone adventure focused on player choice
For fans concerned about needing to complete the first installment, Alpert was clear: players do not need to play the first The Outer Worlds. While he recommends the original, the sequel is a “brand new colony, new story, new characters,” making it a perfect standalone adventure for anyone ready to dive into the universe. “It takes elements from the first game, but something that people can dive right into.”
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Ultimately, the goal is to give players the freedom to build a character they want to build and roleplay out any kind of fantasy within the universe. Alpert hopes that when players jump into The Outer Worlds 2, they will “play the role that they intend to play,” choosing everything from their personalities and perks to their flaws, resulting in the kind of rich RPG experience that is true to Obsidian Games in general. “You have old pulp science fiction like Buck Rogers and Flash Gordon. And you can even like go in and read Jules Verne and Isaac Asimov and see how these people envisioned the future, and using that lens, we apply that to our game.”
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