Obsidian, a studio renowned for deep and humorous RPGs like The Outer Worlds 2, is expanding its universe with a focus on satire, player agency, and rich storytelling, all while maintaining a fun and creative work environment supported by Microsoft.
Originally Published 2 months ago — by Rolling Stone
The Outer Worlds 2, a quirky and satirical space RPG by Obsidian Entertainment, continues its tradition of humorous, character-driven storytelling with meaningful choices, diverse factions, and unpredictable quests, set to release on October 29 across multiple platforms.
The Blood of Dawnwalker, developed by Rebel Wolves, is a unique RPG featuring a 30-day time limit to save your family from vampires, with a non-linear, exploration-focused campaign where time is a resource and player choices significantly impact the story and its endings. The game emphasizes player agency, allowing for optional quests, character deaths, and night/day gameplay, all within a dynamic world that reacts to your actions and notoriety.
The author, a fan of Death Stranding, explains that skipping cutscenes enhances their gaming experience by allowing quicker access to gameplay and exploration, and they plan to do the same in the upcoming sequel, focusing on traversal and environmental interaction.
The Outer Worlds 2 emphasizes deep RPG mechanics with a focus on meaningful choices and consequences, featuring a large perk system and no character respec option to encourage thoughtful character development, aiming to enhance role-playing depth despite potentially dividing players.
Some players of Baldur’s Gate 3 claim there's a "wrong" way to play the game after a Reddit thread revealed a player's completion of the game in under 60 hours by skipping non-main quests and ending in Act 2. The community expressed surprise and criticism, emphasizing the importance of exploring and experiencing as much of the game as possible, despite the game's freedom to play at one's own pace.
Obsidian's upcoming RPG, Avowed, will feature multiple endings, as confirmed by game director Carrie Patel. Emphasizing player choice, the game aims to provide a range of consequences and outcomes, with a focus on player expression and interpretation of the world's reactions. Avowed, set for a 2024 release, prioritizes diverse experiences for players as they navigate the open world. The game will not include romances but will offer various companion relationships, and players can choose to play as an elf or a human in the character creator.
A Baldur's Gate 3 player was impressed by the game's adaptability when they killed a key Act 2 character, Flaming Fist Marcus, earlier than the game's storyline intended. The game, developed by Larian Studios, demonstrated its detailed design by allowing the story to continue logically despite the unexpected player action, showcasing the developers' foresight and the game's flexibility in accommodating different player choices. This level of detail has led to comparisons with the experience of playing with a real Dungeon Master in tabletop Dungeons & Dragons.
Players of Baldur's Gate 3 have noticed a storytelling problem when playing as Origin characters, as their personal storylines and dilemmas are not fully explored if the player chooses to play as that character. While players still have the choice of how the character's story plays out, some feel that the lack of outside influence on the character's progression leads to storytelling inconsistencies.
A Baldur's Gate 3 player regrets not using crucial buffs by avoiding adding more tadpoles to their brain due to fear of story repercussions, only to discover that the decision has little impact on the plot. Other players express surprise and frustration, realizing the missed opportunity for useful powers in boss fights.
After much debate, players of Baldur's Gate 3 have determined that Dammon is the hottest character in the game. Praised for his personality traits, appearance, and helpfulness, players have deemed him the "whole package." Despite not being available as a companion, players appreciate Dammon as a supportive and attractive character in the game.
A new video game called The Walking Dead: Destinies allows players to rewrite the canon events of the TV show by making different decisions. The trailer reveals the possibility of Shane killing Rick instead, resulting in Shane taking on Rick's role for the rest of the game. Other potential switches include Merle replacing Daryl and The Governor holding Michonne's sword. The game's visual quality is a concern, as it is developed by a smaller studio. No release dates have been announced, but the concept of altering the show's storyline is intriguing.
The act of save scumming in Baldur's Gate 3, where players save and reload to achieve desired outcomes, is argued to be in line with the spirit of the Dungeons & Dragons tabletop game it adapts. Just as players can tweak rules and outcomes in TTRPGs, save scumming allows players to customize their experience and enjoy the game in their preferred way. It is akin to fudging rolls as a Dungeon Master to enhance fun and player success. The article suggests that players should feel no guilt in save scumming, as it allows them to fully engage with the game and make choices aligned with their intentions.
Baldur's Gate 3, developed by Larian Studios, offers players the ability to create a character with a deep and insatiable urge to kill for pleasure, known as the Dark Urge. This dark inclination affects the player's journey in various ways, sometimes taking control and leading to unexpected consequences. The game's emphasis on player choice and the exploration of inner darkness draws thematic parallels to the original Baldur's Gate games, creating a unique and immersive experience for players.
The legendary visual novel Tsukihime, which kickstarted the Melty Blood franchise, is set to release in the West for the first time in 2024. The PS4 remake, titled Tsukihime: A Piece of Blue Glass Moon, removes the adult content but retains its mature rating due to violent imagery and adult themes. Known for its heavy player choice and branching plot, the game offers different routes based on character interactions. Fans are eagerly anticipating its Western release.