The Outer Worlds 2: 11-Minute Gameplay Reveal

Welcome to our latest IGN First – a full month of exclusive coverage throughout April, all dedicated to The Outer Worlds 2. This is your first real-time look at gameplay, following a mission where you infiltrate the N-Ray Facility to see several new features and mechanics, as well as the game’s fresh approach to level design. One of the most striking improvements is how much deeper the RPG systems are, with developer Obsidian reflecting on its history and drawing inspiration from immersive sims like Deus Ex and Dishonored.

While those influences have always existed in first-person RPGs, The Outer Worlds 2 introduces more sophisticated systems compared to the original. It now includes a true stealth mechanic and better tools to support that playstyle—such as effective melee weapons and skills for silent takedowns. For example, enemy health bars now feature a purple indicator that shows how much damage a stealth attack will inflict. This helps you decide whether you can secure a one-hit kill or if it’s worth engaging at all. Enemies will also detect fallen allies and alert nearby guards, but you can quickly dispose of bodies if you possess the skill to disintegrate them on the spot.

The Outer Worlds 2 Gameplay - Screenshots

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Later in the mission, you obtain the N-Ray Scanner, which lets you detect certain objects and NPCs through walls. While essential for solving complex environmental puzzles, it also plays a key role in stealth and combat. Throughout the N-Ray Facility, cloaked enemies remain invisible to the naked eye but are revealed by the scanner. If you don’t use it regularly, these hidden foes can easily ambush you. This is just one example of how gadgets introduce new strategic layers to gameplay.

Several interconnected systems influence your playstyle, emphasizing the RPG elements that define different character builds.

These overlapping mechanics allow for more flexible approaches, leaning further into the RPG foundations that shape unique character builds. Stealth and immersive sim elements aren’t the only areas where The Outer Worlds 2 is expanding. Obsidian also focused heavily on improving gunplay, citing Destiny as a reference for responsive and satisfying combat. The game won’t become a full-fledged shooter, but it now handles more like a modern first-person experience with firearms.

This is demonstrated during the assault on the N-Ray Facility when you go in with guns blazing. Movement has also been refined to support combat, making your character more agile—letting you sprint-slide while aiming down sights, much like an action hero. Combined with the return of Tactical Time Dilation (TTD), the bullet-time feature remains an effective part of your combat rotation. Throwable weapons add another layer to your arsenal. While not entirely new for the genre, they offer creative options—like tossing a grenade, activating TTD, and shooting it mid-air to surprise unsuspecting enemies.

Story details remain scarce for now, including the context behind the N-Ray Facility mission, but the sequel also refines dialogue interactions. In the gameplay video above, you encounter an NPC named Exemplar Foxworth, who survived a cultist takeover. She’s badly injured, and based on your Medical skill, you can assist her—or respond according to your Guns or Melee stats. While we couldn’t explore companions in depth, this section introduces a new ally named Aza, a former cultist who joins you in an effort to redeem their past actions.

Many of these elements appeared in some form in the original Outer Worlds, but while that game established a new foundation for Obsidian, The Outer Worlds 2 looks to fully realize that initial vision. Along with early access, I spoke with the team at Obsidian to learn about many new features and the creative direction behind this sequel. The developers are embracing the studio’s RPG heritage while reimagining what a modern first-person RPG can be—often referencing Fallout: New Vegas as a key inspiration. Needless to say, expectations are running high.

That’s just a preview of what’s coming in The Outer Worlds 2 and what we’ll cover in this month’s IGN First. I’ll break down character builds, the new flaws system, a variety of unique weapons, and the expanded scope of the sequel through interviews with key team members like original Fallout developer and creative director Leonard Boyarsky, game director Brandon Adler, and design director Matt Singh. Keep checking IGN throughout April for more exclusive coverage!