Obsidian Entertainment debuted the trailer for their next RPG, The Outer Worlds, at the 2018 Game Awards. While some fans lamented that the game wasn’t related to Bioshock as rumors suggested, few complained about the new game. The video brings to mind the best of Fallout, BioShock, and Borderlands with some Dead Space equipment mixed in for good measure. The teaser provided some preliminary hints at the game’s plot, but not enough to sate enamored fans. Thankfully, senior narrative designer Kathryn Megan Starks elaborated a bit more on what players can expect from the upcoming title.

In an interview with RPG Site, Starks explained some themes and choices players will encounter in The Outer Worlds. Similar to Ubisoft’s mentality with Assassin’s Creed Odyssey, Obsidian hopes that players feel the gravity of their decisions. Much of that will stem from the game’s NPCs.

“We want companions to really emphasize that they have stakes that are important to them,” Starks said. “They’ll ask you to help out on their quests and they’ll speak out against you if they don’t support what you’re doing, we want their motivations and goals to always be at the center of their character.”

As with many RPGs, The Outer Worlds wants players to become totally immersed in the game’s universe. That means nearly unlimited freedom in deciding who to help and who to off. Starks debated how much freedom to grant, but ultimately decided to let players approach the game from any way they deemed fit.

“As a designer, I’m always tempted to just have it made so that you can’t kill this person or that person. But we have a philosophy where we feel like it makes for a better gameplay experience to allow the player to do these sorts of things. You can even kill the scientist if you want.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MGLTgt0EEqc

Lastly, Starks discussed the game’s massive size. The Outer Worlds obviously takes place on the far edges of the universe, and Obsidian crafted an expansive galaxy to match. “We wanted to provide a focused single-player story experience while leaving options open to explore the different environments,” Starks explained. “Once you get your ship, you’ll have a lot of options to explore specific locations, with more opening up as you finish quests or purchase new passes in-game.”

The Outer Worlds looks like an absolute blast to play. Everything about this title screams classic Obsidian RPG. Fallout: New Vegas remains my favorite title in that esteemed franchise. Based on what we know, I have no doubt that The Outer Worlds will follow in that game’s large footsteps. Fallout: New Vegas in space might be our editor-in-chief’s dream game. The trailer and Starks’ comments indicate that she’ll get just that next year.

Here’s Obsidian’s description from the YouTube video:

“In The Outer Worlds, you awake from hibernation on a colonist ship that was lost in transit to Halcyon, the furthest colony from Earth located at the edge of the galaxy, only to find yourself in the midst of a deep conspiracy threatening to destroy it. As you explore the furthest reaches of space and encounter various factions, all vying for power, the character you decide to become will determine how this player-driven story unfolds. In the corporate equation for the colony, you are the unplanned variable.”

Obsidian has yet to announce an official release date for The Outer Worlds. However, we do know that the RPG will launch sometime in 2019 for PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One. Don’t Feed The Gamers will keep you informed as more details become available. To make sure you don’t miss anything, follow DFTG on Facebook and Twitter!

Thanks, ComicBook.