In The Outer Worlds, holograms were an effective tool for their lone purpose. For The Outer Worlds 2, there are tons of possibilities for holograms to go beyond their original, limited functionality. The Outer Worlds 2 should double down on its sci-fi roots and learn from the ways other games have used holograms, or build upon the existing technology with its own unique improvements.
Holograms in The Outer Worlds offer players a way to camouflage themselves and infiltrate restricted areas without being detected. All a player needs is the right Identity Cartridge for their Holographic Shroud Device, and then when players enter a restricted area the device will instantly disguise them as a member of the relevant faction. The player is then free to wander around these restricted zones, though the limitations of the hologram device leave a time limit with certain actions that will disable the disguise. While the Holographic Shroud Device can still prove useful when The Outer Worlds 2 releases, it has plenty of room to take things up a notch.
The Potential for Holograms in The Outer Worlds 2
The Borderlands franchise offers one example of what holograms can do in The Outer Worlds 2. A few of the best vault hunters in Borderlands games have access to holograms with deadly combat capabilities. The Handsome Jack doppelganger in Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel summons holograms of the character that come with a unique set of skills, for example. Zayne from Borderlands 3 can summon an identical clone of himself as a hologram, down to the weapons and gear that a player has equipped. In both cases, the hologram clones are incredibly helpful in the heat of combat as they help dish out damage and take their fair share of it to protect the player.
Another way that The Outer Worlds 2 could improve upon its existing hologram technology is to allow it to become separated from the player. The Holographic Shroud Device already has all the components it needs to “send out” a diversion that leads enemy characters and animals away from the player, not unlike in Apex Legends. There’s an endless list of games that could be referenced for inspiration, but many stealth games have the player create a distraction with a throwable object or some other sound source instead.
Having combat-grade holograms in The Outer Worlds 2 is just one of many possibilities the game can explore, although it would address a related hurdle: combat clones and decoys could make the game’s Super Nova difficulty more accessible. Super Nova is the hardest difficulty in The Outer Worlds, as it tacks on a few survival mechanics to the game on top of increasing the risk of engaging in combat overall. One of the main ways Super Nova is risky is that any companion the player brings into combat can be permanently killed. This mechanic allows players to miss out on the important storylines of The Outer Worlds’ companions, so being able to summon disposable holograms for combat would be invaluable.
Another route that The Outer Worlds 2 could explore with holograms is to upgrade the identity cartridges for the Holographic Shroud Device. In the original game, players are only allowed to disguise themselves as generic faction members. The sequel can take The Outer Worlds' style of humor to the next level and improve holograms by allowing players to disguise themselves as specific characters, having drastic effects on dialogue encounters that players could easily manipulate.
The Outer Worlds 2 is currently in development.