The Outer Worlds (Nintendo Switch)
Official GBAtemp Review
Product Information:
- Release Date (NA): June 5, 2020
- Release Date (EU): June 5, 2020
- Publisher: Private Division
- Developer: Obsidian Entertainment
- Also For: Computer, PlayStation 4, Xbox One
Game Features:
Alright, right off the bat I’ll recommend that if you have another console to play The Outer Worlds on (it’s already available on PC, PS4 and Xbox One), then you should definitely do so. If however this hybrid bundle of joy is your only option, or the idea of taking Obsidian's latest adventure with you on the go is too enticing to overlook, read on; this may yet be for you.
The game puts you in the shoes of a customisable space colonist who was awoken by a mad scientist trying to upend the corporate shenanigans that are the norm in Halcyon, the planetary system in the neck of the galaxy that you are in. As you progress, the game will throw main and optional quests at you that will shape the game’s universe based on your decisions. Cut off the power supply to a band of deserters living free of corporate overlords or help them overthrow the adjacent town where workers are burnt out and suffering from a plague? Buy a key item or bargain vital information for it? Turn in your associate or work with him to overtake the Board? Ultimately, your choices revolve around two elaborately disguised options (often in satire): maintain the status quo or slowly bring about a revolution?
It might sound like a binary solution but if you dig around, talk to people, explore the surroundings for clues and hack into their mails, you can get more insights behind the motives of the quest-giving NPCs. In this way, exploration is encouraged and the adventurer in me was easily enticed. You can mind your own business or mind that of others as much as you want, but being inquisitive might mean you’d lean towards the latter. It’s always an interesting experience to see how the world reacts to your actions and decisions.
Above all, engaging with the game's universe will reward you. Completing side quests can result in you gaining new party members or even have a helpful robot sentry which will help you in another main quest. Those side quests are well-designed and feel rewarding upon completion, as well as tying in better with the main narrative as compared to other games like, say, Xenoblade Chronicles.
Fans of narrative-driven games will rejoice thanks to the top-notch narrative design and its branching aspect making for a more immersive experience. Your oratory skills will come in handy in conversations such as perception or lying, and playing your cards right might lead to a previously inaccessible path. Then again, there is no real right or wrong choice in The Outer Worlds, as even an apparently-straightforward path might lead to unexpected twists that could allow you to revert back on your initial choice. More than once it forced me to think about “what if” scenarios that could unravel during another playthrough.
Moreover, the game is not only about talking your way through. There’s an ample amount of combat to engage in whether you’re out on a quest or simply exploring Halcyon’s numerous colourful planets and settlements populated with otherworldly fauna and flora. The bonus addition to the Switch port allows you to control your aim with motion controls. These fare pretty well for an FPS and did make for better aiming rather than rely on the Joy Cons’ control sticks. If you however prefer traditional controls, twin stick controls will do fine, even if I’d recommend a Pro controller for these purposes.
Aiding you in combat are a myriad of weapons ranging from revolvers through shotguns to daggers, all of which can be repaired, broken down for parts or enhanced with mods. There’s also a skill tree to manage and buff up your stats. Additional combat assists come in the form of your companions whom you meet during your space travels and join your party. You will have to manage their equipment and skill sets which can greatly supplement areas that are not your forte. Furthermore, these companions have stories of their own into which you can dig in to your liking by conversing with them and following side quests of their own.
Even if the main campaign can be completed relatively fast (10-15 hours), the side quests and alternate endings easily warrant at least another playthrough for another outlook on the game and Halcyon’s fate.
The Nintendo Switch port is a significant visual downgrade compared to the PC or PS4/Xbox One counterpart. The environment is more barren, devoid of elements present in the other versions and for those that remain, their details are murky from a distance. Character textures, often blurry, look like a distant callback to last gen and are only best experienced when up close in a conversation. The discrepancies are more noticeable in handheld mode while the visuals aren’t that bad in docked mode.
Additionally, there is quite a noticeable loading time when transitioning from one area to another (but the cheerful propaganda posters on the loading screen make for a slightly more bearable experience). There are also certain instances of frame rate drops in chaotic combats or populated scenes, but nothing game-breaking or that would feel disadvantageous.
Despite the visual shortcomings and load times, my experience of The Outer Worlds was an enjoyable one. It’s probably not a popular opinion and Obsidian should really reconsider swapping teams if they plan to port other games to the Switch in the future. But if graphics aren’t the most important aspect in a game for you, then The Outer Worlds will compensate with its gameplay and deliver a captivating narrative-driven game with the Obsidian touch, on-the-go.
The Outer Worlds - Nintendo Switch Launch Trailer
Verdict
- Narrative design
- Branching plot and alternate endings
- Engaging side quests
- Motion-controlled aiming with Joy Cons
- Port with significant visual downgrade
- Load times
