Highlights
- Starfield is an exhilarating sci-fi RPG that stands above the rest, with a thrilling adventure and a massive universe to explore.
- The Outer Worlds 2 may struggle to match Starfield's success and break free from its immense shadow, despite Obsidian Entertainment's RPG expertise.
- The Outer Worlds' smaller-scale adventure and limited world size may not hold up against Starfield's vastness, and may not meet the expectations set by the genre.
Just like with Fallout and The Elder Scrolls before it, Starfield has shown players that Bethesda knows how to craft an exhilarating RPG. While there are some rough edges, it is easily one of the best sci-fi RPGs in years. The adventure it takes players on is exciting, the massive universe is a sight to behold, and all of its various systems help create a game that stands above the rest. Starfield may very well be the source of inspiration to beat now, and that will not stop studios from trying.
After Starfield, the next big sci-fi RPG that players may want to keep their eyes on is Obsidian Entertainment's The Outer Worlds 2. Not much is known about this project, but it may stand a strong chance at matching Bethesda's sci-fi adventure since Obsidian has shown it also knows how to craft fantastic RPGs. However, Starfield may have also put The Outer Worlds 2 in an impossible situation as it will need to break free from Bethesda's immense shadow if it wants any chance at thriving.
The Outer Worlds 2 Has a Lot to Prove After Starfield
The Outer Worlds was a special type of game when it launched back in 2019. Obsidian Entertainment is probably the closest studio to match Bethesda's gameplay style, as seen with Fallout: New Vegas. Instead of continuing to follow in the footsteps of that studio, Obsidian chose to bring its RPG formula to a new sci-fi universe. This was well before Bethesda did the same through Starfield, so it made The Outer Worlds feel special.
Not only has Bethesda shown the industry how to craft a sci-fi RPG, but Obsidian Entertainment is also now under Xbox Game Studios. That puts a lot of pressure on The Outer Worlds 2 to deliver a similar experience to Starfield while also forcing the game to be a system seller. While players only have a reveal trailer to base the game's quality on, there is a strong chance it has already faltered in at least one of those areas. On the other hand, fans who prefer The Outer Worlds to Starfield may already believe its sequel to have no competition on the matter.
The Outer Worlds was a great sci-fi adventure, yet when it is compared to Starfield it feels limited. Starfield has given players a massive universe of over 1,000 planets to explore, filled to the brim with stories waiting to be discovered. This has created an exciting sci-fi sandbox that players can get lost in for hours. On the other hand, The Outer Worlds only gave players five planets and various other locales to explore. The game may have all that classic RPG goodness that fans of the genre love, but The Outer World's world size does not hold up against Starfield's.
The Outer Worlds 2 will likely follow in its predecessor’s footsteps by delivering a smaller-scale sci-fi adventure. There is nothing wrong with small-scale adventures, but sci-fi fans have now seen what a massive adventure can look like. This has set some pretty lofty expectations for future sci-fi games to match. However, The Outer Worlds 2 will probably not be able to match those, and that may hurt some players' enjoyment a bit.
The Outer Worlds 2 is also coming at a time when Bethesda has explored the sci-fi genre, thus it will not benefit from a relatively untapped Xbox market. Since the studio is now under Xbox Game Studios, it could lead to another massive sci-fi adventure on par with Starfield. Yet, that will likely not be the case if Avowed's size is anything to go by. The Outer Worlds 2 will likely never be Starfield, nor should players expect it to be. There is a chance Bethesda's success still impacts Obsidian’s, but that remains to be seen.
Starfield is available now for PC and Xbox Series X/S.