Latest news with #TheOuterWorlds
Digital Trends
15-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Digital Trends
Halo Infinite deserves a second life, and Nintendo Switch 2 could give it one
This past year we've watched Xbox be the first to start tearing down the walls of game exclusivity. It began with just four titles, but now we've seen the likes of Forza Horizon 5, Oblivion Remastered, and Sea of Thieves become top sellers on PS5, and more are already on the way. The Outer Worlds 2 and Gears of War: Reloaded are confirmed for a multiplatform release, which leaves only one major Xbox IP unaccounted for. Halo is the last franchise that Xbox hasn't let go of yet. Perhaps it's a matter of timing, or concern that seeing Halo on PlayStation will truly be the mark that it has crossed the Rubicon. Many speculate, myself included, that it is only a matter of time before that glass is shattered and we see Halo break free from Xbox consoles and PC. The question, however, is which game should make the jump first? The Master Chief Collection and Halo Infinite are the two clear targets. After revisiting the latter this week, I believe Halo Infinite could find its second wind if given the chance with a new audience on Nintendo Switch 2 and PS5. Recommended Videos Feels like coming home This week I stumbled upon a post on a gaming forum detailing a new Halo 3 throwback event going on in Halo Infinite. Looking inside, I was greeted with the iconic Hayabusa helmet as a new cosmetic reward and my mind rushed back to a hot summer day in the back room of my mom and stepfather's house. Two online friends and I had read about the helmet and had loaded up The Covenant level to jump through the holographic Halo rings in a specific order to unlock the final skull required to get the helmet. It was a memory I didn't know I still had. Below the helmet, I saw promotional images of recreations of several iconic Halo 3 maps and knew I had triggered an itch that only a true Halo experience could scratch. Just to satisfy my nostalgia, I downloaded Halo Infinite for the first time in years. I contemplated going for The Master Chief Collection instead to get the pure nostalgic experience instead of a simulacra, but had caught mumblings here and there over the last year or two that Infinite had managed to pull itself together and solve most of its issues and thought I would give it a second chance. My first order of business was to switch back to my old preferred control scheme from back in the day. Yes, I'm sure mapping zoom on R3 and melee on B isn't optimal from a competitive standpoint, but anything else just feels wrong. Thankfully, most of the old control schemes are available, but I could fully customize them if needed. With that sorted, I was instantly reminded that Infinite's problems never laid with its gunplay. Getting my hands on a Battle Rifle and nailing my first four-shot in years felt like I was right back in high school grinding Slayer matches late at night with online friends. My ability to navigate maps on instinct also snapped back into place. Somehow, my muscle memory never forgot all the best routes, sightlines, and trick jumps in multiplayer levels I hadn't set foot in for years. Beyond that wave of nostalgia I felt, Infinite is just plain fun. While it isn't the pure multiplayer experience of the past, the battle pass and leveling system are unobtrusive enough to ignore until I feel like exploring them. I was mostly free to enjoy the tense thrills of a CTF match and the exhilaration of pulling off a clutch snipe in a way that feels lost on many of the modern multiplayer games I try out. The best thing I can say about Infinite is that it stays out of its own way of letting me have fun just playing each individual game. Nostalgia isn't universal, of course, so I eventually had to leave my comfort zone of classic maps, modes, weapons, and movement style to see if Halo Infinite could stand on its own. Diving into the regular playlists, my main takeaway was that if this were the package Infinite launched with, the entire narrative around the game (at least its multiplayer component) would be vastly different. Playlists are easy to navigate and I can further tweak what game modes I want to search for within different categories. The map selection is huge, and I was pleasantly surprised to see a ton of community-made maps featured in official playlists with credits to their creator. There's even a new version of Firefight, the PvE hoard mode that I somehow never knew existed. But it is the community maps and playlist browser that make Infinite, well, infinite. Even though official support is waning, a thriving community can keep this game alive so long as there's an audience. Launching without Forge may have been the single biggest unforced error that set Infinite into a death spiral. Daily and weekly challenges are still here, as are battle passes with currencies and cosmetics to unlock. Personally, those were a big part of what turned me off of Infinite in the early days — specifically the challenges. At launch, those could include things like getting kills while holding the Oddball, getting specific weapon kills, and playing specific playlists. Those might seem innocent enough, but since challenges were the only way to progress at the time, it created scenarios where matches weren't about winning but each individual player trying to complete their own objective. I knew that had been fixed at some point, and I was glad to see that just playing matches was rewarding me with meaningful amounts of progress toward both a battle pass and individual rank. I might've just gotten lucky in my few days back in the game, but all the challenges I saw were as broad as 'Play any match,' and 'Win X matches' that didn't conflict with playing the game naturally. Battle passes are another area I remember hearing was overhauled, and that is indeed true. There's a premium path with extra goodies, sure, but unless you're really into customizing your Spartan and don't want to wait to earn enough currency naturally, there's no real pressure to invest. Plus, you can pause and go back to any battle pass previously released so there's no sense of FOMO gnawing at you if you take a break. For those who have been paying attention, none of this is new news. Infinite has been on this path of redemption for years now and probably deserved a big comeback story long ago. Sadly, I believe that era is over for most games. Infinite had its shot at a good first impression and fumbled it. People have moved on and, like me, have plenty of new games to play. Many PS5 and Switch 2 players know what Infinite is. They might even only know it from its initial bad reception. However, we're still early enough in this experiment of Xbox games coming to competing platforms where just the novelty of a Halo game on PlayStation and Nintendo hardware will draw people in for the sheer novelty of it. Being free also goes a long way to entice anyone with only a passing curiosity to pull the trigger. We've already seen Sea of Thieves and Forza Horizon 5 enjoy this effect. Both games, despite their age, topped the sales charts when they came to PS5. With full cross-platform support, Infinite could elevate the Halo IP back to its glory days with a fresh audience. The Xbox has already seen how well PS5 players take to its games, but the Switch 2 is a budding market still hungry for new experiences. Infinite could be the only game in town for a polished multiplayer FPS. And if it could incorporate the new mouse controls, it could be the best way to play. Everyone on PC and Xbox who was willing to stick with, or return to, Infinite has done so already. I'm not done playing it, and know that it could have a fresh start with a new audience.
Digital Trends
10-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Digital Trends
The Outer Worlds 2 already feels lightyears ahead of its predecessor
I'll let you in on a dirty little secret that I've kept quiet for years: I'm not all that big on The Outer Worlds. Despite the fact that Obsidian's Fallout-esque sci-fi RPG was a critical darling in 2019, I struggled to get into a groove with it despite liking so many of its individual parts. The social satire was there, and I loved the companions, but so much of its gameplay left me feeling cold. Maybe it was just the bland combat that put me off, or that the movement felt stiff, but I never saw it through to the end and figured I'd likely skip its eventual sequel. Now after actually playing a slice of The Outer Worlds 2 following last week's Xbox Games Showcase, I'm singing a very different tune. Obsidian has seemingly been listening in on my internal monologue, because the major problems I had first game have seemingly been addressed here. The demo I played teased a huge leap forward for an RPG with great bones, reinventing the basic feel while still delivering what Obsidian does best. Recommended Videos Two paths My demo threw me into a mission a good way through the base game. My objective was simple: steal a weapon that can manipulate rifts from a heavily guarded area. Obsidian set me up with three different save files, all starting at the same point but with three very different stat builds. I could either load in as a combat, speech, or stealth-focused character. With only 40 minutes or so to play, I decided to see if I could squeeze two runs into one session. I decided to start with the combat build and go in guns blazing to see if my main complaints from the first game had been addressed. After a failed attempt to sneak through the building, I looked to the arsenal of weapons equipped on my character. Within seconds of pulling the trigger on a machine gun, I could instantly tell that Obsidian had totally revamped its entire approach to combat. Guns have significantly more weight and power now, and each feels entirely different from one another. Shooting feels more inspired by the Halo school of thought this time, with unmistakable guns that you can identify by feel. Some of those guns are delightfully over the top, too. In my combat save file, I had access to some sort of goop gun that would soak enemies in a weakening gunk. My second playthrough would give me access to a totally different set of weapons, including an elemental shotgun that packed a tremendous punch. Some of those specialized weapons take me back to Avowed, another Obsidian RPG that excels at giving players tools with satisfying perks. The new weapons combine with tools like throwable grenades and decoys to create much deeper action. A guns blazing character build is way more viable as a result. I got the rift gun and extracted with it in nearly 15 minutes, making mincemeat out of an entire complex full of guards. Just in that first attempt, I notice that The Outer Worlds 2 feels much less stiff than its predecessor all around. It's not just the more distinct guns, but even just the basic movement. My character feels much more agile, as they are able to slide, double jump, and parkour around the building with ease. That change creates a lot of flexibility for those who want to play the sequel more like an action game and less like an RPG. I wanted to test just how far that spectrum goes, so I loaded up the speech build for my second attempt. Rather than sneaking through guarded rooms right away, I peeled off into a space I hadn't explored the first time. There, I found a researcher who I deceived into thinking I was some kind of employee performing a security test on her. After gaining her trust, she tells me both where to find the rift gun and also a keycard. In return for the information, she asks me to help her clear her name, as she's been blamed for a lab accident that wasn't her fault. I agree and sneak my way back towards the room with the rift modifier. Using it on rifts opens up some new paths that I can platform up, and that will open up new places to explore in the world outside the facility, according to Obsidian. With my prize in hand, I continue to take things slow. I explore some rooms I'd passed by before, sneaking into vents and eventually finding the keycard. True to my word, I get back to the researcher using a path I had completely missed the first time. She takes me into a side room and asks me to use the tool on a rift, revealing a sort of hologram of the accident she was accused of causing. I go into detective mode, looking for clues that can clear her name. It's like I'm playing a completely different mission from my first attempt. It's twice as long and shows me that there's way more to the mission space than I initially thought. And I still didn't see it all either. As I'm exploring, I discover some jammed doors that I would have been able to pry open with the right stats. I get the sense that there are even more ways to get through it all, almost making me feel like I'm in an immersive sim. That's only the tiniest slice of what The Outer Worlds 2 offers. I didn't step foot outside, barely met my new robotic companions, and didn't get to build my own character out. The long-term character building is what really entices me. After the demo, developers from Obsidian told me about the sequel's reactive new perk system that bends around a player's habits. For instance, they explained that a player who habitually reloads their gun before its clip is empty may give their character an Overprepared trait. That will give players a larger magazine on all weapons but will also curse them with a debuff anytime they empty their clip. Companions will be similarly reactive to player habits, as Obsidian says that making decisions that a character disagrees with may cause them to leave the party. All of this has my ears perked. The first game always felt too machine-like to me. I could see all of the video game nuts and bolts holding it together which created too many mechanical limitations. The world feels wide open this time, ready for me to guide the simulation rather than follow its rigid path. All of that has me eager to start from scratch and see exactly how The Outer Worlds 2 will flex to fit my choices. Whether I fancy myself a gunslinger or a smooth talker, I reckon I'll get what I want from the series this time around. The Outer Worlds 2 launches on October 29 for PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC.
Engadget
08-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Engadget
The Outer Worlds 2 arrives on October 29
To view this content, you'll need to update your privacy settings. Please click here and view the "Content and social-media partners" setting to do so. Xbox kicked off its Summer Game Fest showcase by revealing the release date to The Outer Worlds 2 , the sci-fi first-person RPG from Obsidian Entertainment, via a new trailer. The sequel is coming out on October 29, 2025 and Xbox plans to follow-up its stream with an in-depth look at the game. Like the original The Outer Worlds , the sequel continues its satire of end-times capitalism, focusing in the trailer on the player character's Earth Directorate agent working against various companies vying for destructive, dangerous technology. What that looks like in practice is freezing and exploding enemies with a variety of out-of-this-world weapons — shrink rays included. Knowing Obsidian's output, there's bound to be plenty of non-lethal ways to get what you want, too. The Outer Worlds 2 is coming out on October 29, 2025 for Xbox Series X / S, PC and streaming through Xbox Cloud Streaming.
Digital Trends
06-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Digital Trends
3 Game Pass games to play this weekend (June 6-8)
As Xbox fans, we have a big weekend ahead of us. Summer Game Fest is well underway, but the real attraction comes on Sunday with the Xbox Games Showcase. There are tons of rumors swirling about what games will be shown. We already know that The Outer Worlds 2 will get its own dedicated direct, but who knows if we might see more of Fable, Perfect Dark, or State of Decay 3. Plus, could it be time for a new Halo? Sunday is right at the end of the weekend, so that leaves us with plenty of time to kill with some hot Game Pass games. There's even a good chance that Xbox will drop, or at least announce, a new game coming to Game Pass during the show so I wanted to make sure to put these games on your radar for this weekend just in case a surprise drop does come. Crypt Custodian I love it when Xbox supports smaller indie games by giving them the spotlight in Game Pass. Similar to Tunic years ago, Crypt Custodian is another delightful Zelda-like adventure where you play as a cat named Pluto who is hit by a car and sent to the afterlife. Using a broom as your main weapon, you will become the afterlife's custodian. Mixing in equal parts action and platforming, this is a perfectly tuned and paced adventure. You will explore detailed environments, unlock new abilities and moves, and face off against tough bosses. You can spot its many inspirations, from action RPGs and Souls-likes to Metroidvanias, but it has such great vibes that you won't mind the familiarity. Recommended Videos Crypt Custodian is available now on PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Switch, and PC. Symphonia Sticking to smaller games that are well worth your time, we come to Symphonia. This is a pure platformer that weaves music into every moment. You take control of a violinist who is revived into a dying world with the goal of bringing music — and thus life — back. Your violin and bow act as a weapon and a way to traverse the world. Both the soundtrack and art style are eye-wateringly beautiful. That's important because this isn't a simple platformer and will give you a real test of your reactions and skill. It isn't overly long, which you can take as a positive or a negative. My personal take was that it was just the right length for what it needed to be, and a perfect weekend game. Symphonia is available now on PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Switch, and PC. State of Decay 2 I'm going out on a bit of a limb with this one, but I predict we're about to see a lot more of State of Decay 3 at this year's Xbox Games Showcase. This game has been in the works for years with almost no updates or showings for way too long. So, either playing the last game now will get you more excited for what we see of the third game, or it will help ease the pain of yet another showcase with no news. That's a win-win, right? Part of why this series has such a hungry fanbase is that there's just no other zombie survival game quite like it. It is especially fun if you can grab a couple of buddies to go scavenging with or playing the horde mode. State of Decay 2 is available now on Xbox One and PC.
WIRED
13-02-2025
- Entertainment
- WIRED
Director of the Game ‘Avowed' Says AI Can't Replace Human Creativity
Feb 13, 2025 9:00 AM 'Good game stories are going to be written by good narrative designers,' says Obsidian's Carrie Patel. The new fantasy RPG she helmed gets an early release today. Photo-Illustration: WIRED Staff; Photograph: Obsidian/Carrie Patel As the video games industry continues to face massive layoffs, narrative jobs are taking the biggest hit. The industry's job cuts over the past couple of years—more than 30,000 roles were eliminated in 2023 and 2024—disproportionately affected narrative designers, the creative professionals who craft the story elements of the game and give a title its emotional punch. Even the director of the game Avowed, Carrie Patel—a successful author and narrative developer with over a decade of experience at the game studio Obsidian Entertainment—feels lucky she was able to start her career years ago. She can't imagine trying to break into the industry under today's conditions. 'It just seems to be harder and harder to find a path in,' Patel says. 'I've heard colleagues hired within the last three or five years say essentially the same thing.' Patel has been with Obsidian since 2013, when she started as a narrative designer on the first Pillars of Eternity , a role-playing game released in 2015. She was narrative colead on the 2018 sequel, Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire , and went on to work on the narrative design for 2019's The Outer Worlds . Avowed , a first-person fantasy RPG set in the same universe as Obsidian's acclaimed Pillars of Eternity series, is available today on Windows PC and Xbox Series X via early access. The game's official launch is Tuesday, February 18. Patel is excited to launch a title with a rich, immersive story—especially as the talent required to make such a game becomes more scarce in the industry. 'I think RPGs, especially the kind we make, give players an opportunity to show that they're excited about games that are deep, nuanced, and respect their time,' she says. Part of Obsidian's storytelling success has been its unwillingness to rely on artificial intelligence. 'Good game stories are going to be written by good narrative designers,' Patel says. AI use at studios has grown over the past few years; a survey of industry workers published earlier this year reported that 52 percent of respondents said they worked at companies using generative AI to develop games. Scenes from Avowed . Courtesy of Obsidian Entertainment The game gets an early release today. Courtesy of Obsidian Entertainment Despite corporate interest in the tech, however, game makers are less positive about AI than they have been in past years. 'I don't think any technology is going to replace human creativity,' Patel says. 'I think what makes our games special, our stories special, and our dialogs and characters special, are things that I haven't seen any AI replicate.' Other developers are certainly trying. Last March, Ubisoft showcased a conversational generative AI prototype that allows players to voice-chat with a non-player character. Patel feels encouraged by the reception to games with intricate narratives like Baldur's Gate 3 , which speaks to there being 'an audience for these thoughtful, sometimes complex games.' 'Our goal has never been to make the longest game you're going to spend hundreds of hours in,' Patel says. 'Our goal has always been to make a really great game that gives you an adventure that you feel like you're at the center of in this immersive new world.' Avowed 's general release is on February 18. Courtesy of Obsidian Entertainment It takes place in the Pillars of Eternity universe. Courtesy of Obsidian Entertainment While Patel says every team's culture will be a little different, depending on who's on it, strong leadership is key. It's important to have 'enough decisiveness to drive the project toward completion, to give people clarity about what they're doing.' That still means being open to feedback about what's working, or not. 'You want a team to be an organism that is always improving,' she says. Less effective: attitudes like those of Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, who recently said that companies need more 'masculine energy' in their workplace. As tech companies roll back their programs supporting diversity, equity, and inclusion, and politicians take aim at policies that assist marginalized communities, Patel's leadership and attitude are firmly the opposite of 'masculine energy.' 'I can say I have definitely never thought about that specific phrase before,' Patel says, jokingly adding, 'yeah, I'll start thinking about the Roman Empire soon too.'
