The Outer Worlds 2's Most Outrageous Build May Already Be…

The Outer Worlds 2 is shaping up to be a promising and enticing follow-up to its 2019 predecessor, complete with all the role-playing bells and whistles that Obsidian Entertainment has become so well known for. Much like the first game, The Outer Worlds 2 seems to shine through its commitment to player freedom, leaving countless doors open for players to walk through, whether that means building a protagonist around an unconventional playstyle or making left-field narrative choices at every opportunity.

This emphasis on player freedom was illuminated during an Obsidian interview with IGN this past April, during which the developers of The Outer Worlds 2 pulled back the curtain on its various build-crafting tools, explaining how a combination of skills and gear can contribute to a wildly diverse range of playstyles. Weapon modifications that offer buffs for engaging in a specific combat vector, for instance, can help form a strong reward system which, at least in theory, should lead to a gratifying process of player-driven gameplay and progression. But one of the most-discussed elements of this IGN interview is the mention of the Psychopath and Serial Killer perk combo, which underscores the potential for truly outlandish character builds.

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The Outer Worlds 2 might share similarities with Avowed, but the former may benefit from leaning harder into its RPG elements.

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By LB Beistad

Even Before Launch, a Serial Killer Archetype Might Be The Outer Worlds 2's Most Popular Nonconventional Build

The Outer Worlds 2 Will Let Players Wreak Havoc as a Mass Murderer

According to the same IGN interview, The Outer Worlds will feature perks like Serial Killer and Psychopath which will grant players rewards such as "permanent health boosts" for indiscriminate killing. So far, Obsidian Entertainment seems to be speaking about these perks in an intentionally vague manner, but the studio has made one thing potently clear: being a serial killer or generalized violent degenerate will be a viable playstyle in The Outer Worlds 2, and may even be advisable, depending on one's propensity for virtual murder.

Obsidian programming in-game rewards for those engaging in a psychopathic murderer playstyle synergizes with the fact that players can kill any NPC in The Outer Worlds 2. Just like its predecessor, The Outer Worlds 2 will allow players to permanently dispatch any character, friendly or otherwise, and rather than restricting such violence in the sequel, Obsidian has leaned into it, making it a potentially favorable trade-off for those seeking a unique experience. This sets The Outer Worlds 2 apart from other RPGs of its kind, which often put up walls around such behaviors, either for ethical reasons or to prevent the player from locking themselves out of important quests. By going the opposite direction, Obsidian demonstrates its willingness to embrace the chaos of the RPG genre.

When discussing this theoretical serial killer archetype, Obsidian's developers noted that it's probably best suited for subsequent playthroughs, as killing certain Outer Worlds 2 NPCs can wind up locking a player out of a lot of content.

Why the Potential for 'Psycho' Builds Is Promising for The Outer Worlds 2

While most players will probably opt for a more morally upright experience, and some might even denounce The Outer Worlds 2's potential for mass violence as harmful in some way, the freedom that a wildly evil path offers further demonstrates Obsidian's strengths. Because even if a player does indeed choose to be heroic (as most tend to do in RPGs), this choice is far more meaningful by virtue of there being an alternative. If the game were riddled with safeguards to prevent killing, or otherwise issued major punishments for evil deeds, then playing as an upstanding citizen wouldn't really be a choice—it would just be the default way to play. Here's hoping that the teased depth of a psycho killer build extends to a number of other unconventional playstyles as well.

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