12-31-2018, 08:08 AM
Jess McDonell's Most Anticipated Game of 2019: The Outer Worlds
<p><em>With 2019 right around the corner, we've polled GameSpot's staff to find out what games they are looking forward to most in the new year. To be eligible, a game must simply have a release date currently planned for 2019. Of course, we all know nothing is set in stone; there's always a chance some games could slip into 2020. When you're done reading this entry, follow along with all of our other end-of-the-year coverage collected in our <a href="https://www.gamespot.com/best-games-of-2018/">Best of 2018 hub</a>.</em></p><p>Obsidian Entertainment have proved time and time again that they craft excellent single player RPGs. Their next project is <a href="https://www.gamespot.com/the-outer-worlds/">The Outer Worlds</a> which is being created by Tim Cain and Leonard Boyarsky, known for their work on <a href="https://www.gamespot.com/fallout/">Fallout 1</a> and <a href="https://www.gamespot.com/fallout-2/">Fallout 2</a>.</p><p dir="ltr">The first-person action RPG will arrive on PC, PS4, and Xbox One and is set in a future where megacorporations are colonizing and terraforming new planets. It kicks off with the player character exiting cryosleep on a colony ship only to find that the ships other inhabitants have yet to awaken. The Outer Worlds will include the management of NPC factions as well as a story that changes direction based on player choices. Right now it looks and sounds like a mish-mash of Fallout, <a href="https://www.gamespot.com/star-wars-knights-of-the-old-republic/">Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic</a>, and <a href="https://www.gamespot.com/mass-effect/">Mass Effect</a>, and I am very on board.</p><div data-embed-type="video" data-ref-id="2300-6447599" data-src="/videos/the-outer-worlds-official-announcement-trailer-the/2300-6447599/" data-width="100%" data-height="100%"><iframe src="/videos/embed/6447599/" width="100%" height="100%" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" webkitallowfullscreen mozallowfullscreen allowfullscreen></iframe></div><figure data-embed-type="gallery" data-img-src="https://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1430/14303732/3478420-%24+%287%29.jpeg,https://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1430/14303732/3478423-%24+%2810%29.jpeg,https://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1430/14303732/3478427-%24+%289%29.jpeg,https://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1430/14303732/3478430-%24+%288%29.jpeg,https://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1430/14303732/3478432-%24+%286%29.jpeg,https://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1430/14303732/3478435-%24+%285%29.jpeg,https://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1430/14303732/3478438-%24+%284%29.jpeg,https://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1430/14303732/3478441-%24+%283%29.jpeg,https://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1430/14303732/3478444-%24+%282%29.jpeg,https://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1430/14303732/3478451-%24+%281%29.jpeg" data-ref-id="1300-3478420,1300-3478423,1300-3478427,1300-3478430,1300-3478432,1300-3478435,1300-3478438,1300-3478441,1300-3478444,1300-3478451" data-resize-urls="https://static.gamespot.com/uploads/square_avatar/1430/14303732/3478420-%24+%287%29.jpeg,https://static.gamespot.com/uploads/square_avatar/1430/14303732/3478423-%24+%2810%29.jpeg,https://static.gamespot.com/uploads/square_avatar/1430/14303732/3478427-%24+%289%29.jpeg,https://static.gamespot.com/uploads/square_avatar/1430/14303732/3478430-%24+%288%29.jpeg,https://static.gamespot.com/uploads/square_avatar/1430/14303732/3478432-%24+%286%29.jpeg,https://static.gamespot.com/uploads/square_avatar/1430/14303732/3478435-%24+%285%29.jpeg,https://static.gamespot.com/uploads/square_avatar/1430/14303732/3478438-%24+%284%29.jpeg,https://static.gamespot.com/uploads/square_avatar/1430/14303732/3478441-%24+%283%29.jpeg,https://static.gamespot.com/uploads/square_avatar/1430/14303732/3478444-%24+%282%29.jpeg,https://static.gamespot.com/uploads/square_avatar/1430/14303732/3478451-%24+%281%29.jpeg"><a href="https://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1430/14303732/3478420-%24+%287%29.jpeg"><img src="https://static.gamespot.com/uploads/square_avatar/1430/14303732/3478420-%24+%287%29.jpeg" alt="Gallery image 1" data-full-srcset="https://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1430/14303732/3478420-%24+%287%29.jpeg 1920w, https://static.gamespot.com/uploads/scal...87%29.jpeg 1280w, https://static.gamespot.com/uploads/scal...87%29.jpeg 480w"></a><a href="https://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1430/14303732/3478423-%24+%2810%29.jpeg"><img src="https://static.gamespot.com/uploads/square_avatar/1430/14303732/3478423-%24+%2810%29.jpeg" alt="Gallery image 2" data-full-srcset="https://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1430/14303732/3478423-%24+%2810%29.jpeg 1920w, https://static.gamespot.com/uploads/scal...10%29.jpeg 1280w, https://static.gamespot.com/uploads/scal...10%29.jpeg 480w"></a><a href="https://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1430/14303732/3478427-%24+%289%29.jpeg"><img src="https://static.gamespot.com/uploads/square_avatar/1430/14303732/3478427-%24+%289%29.jpeg" alt="Gallery image 3" data-full-srcset="https://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1430/14303732/3478427-%24+%289%29.jpeg 1920w, https://static.gamespot.com/uploads/scal...89%29.jpeg 1280w, https://static.gamespot.com/uploads/scal...89%29.jpeg 480w"></a><a href="https://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1430/14303732/3478430-%24+%288%29.jpeg"><img src="https://static.gamespot.com/uploads/square_avatar/1430/14303732/3478430-%24+%288%29.jpeg" alt="Gallery image 4" data-full-srcset="https://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1430/14303732/3478430-%24+%288%29.jpeg 1920w, https://static.gamespot.com/uploads/scal...88%29.jpeg 1280w, https://static.gamespot.com/uploads/scal...88%29.jpeg 480w"></a><a href="https://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1430/14303732/3478432-%24+%286%29.jpeg"><img src="https://static.gamespot.com/uploads/square_avatar/1430/14303732/3478432-%24+%286%29.jpeg" alt="Gallery image 5" data-full-srcset="https://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1430/14303732/3478432-%24+%286%29.jpeg 1920w, https://static.gamespot.com/uploads/scal...86%29.jpeg 1280w, https://static.gamespot.com/uploads/scal...86%29.jpeg 480w"></a><a href="https://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1430/14303732/3478435-%24+%285%29.jpeg"><img src="https://static.gamespot.com/uploads/square_avatar/1430/14303732/3478435-%24+%285%29.jpeg" alt="Gallery image 6" data-full-srcset="https://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1430/14303732/3478435-%24+%285%29.jpeg 1920w, https://static.gamespot.com/uploads/scal...85%29.jpeg 1280w, https://static.gamespot.com/uploads/scal...85%29.jpeg 480w"></a><a href="https://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1430/14303732/3478438-%24+%284%29.jpeg"><img src="https://static.gamespot.com/uploads/square_avatar/1430/14303732/3478438-%24+%284%29.jpeg" alt="Gallery image 7" data-full-srcset="https://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1430/14303732/3478438-%24+%284%29.jpeg 1920w, https://static.gamespot.com/uploads/scal...84%29.jpeg 1280w, https://static.gamespot.com/uploads/scal...84%29.jpeg 480w"></a><a href="https://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1430/14303732/3478441-%24+%283%29.jpeg"><img src="https://static.gamespot.com/uploads/square_avatar/1430/14303732/3478441-%24+%283%29.jpeg" alt="Gallery image 8" data-full-srcset="https://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1430/14303732/3478441-%24+%283%29.jpeg 1920w, https://static.gamespot.com/uploads/scal...83%29.jpeg 1280w, https://static.gamespot.com/uploads/scal...83%29.jpeg 480w"></a><a href="https://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1430/14303732/3478444-%24+%282%29.jpeg"><img src="https://static.gamespot.com/uploads/square_avatar/1430/14303732/3478444-%24+%282%29.jpeg" alt="Gallery image 9" data-full-srcset="https://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1430/14303732/3478444-%24+%282%29.jpeg 1920w, https://static.gamespot.com/uploads/scal...82%29.jpeg 1280w, https://static.gamespot.com/uploads/scal...82%29.jpeg 480w"></a><a href="https://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1430/14303732/3478451-%24+%281%29.jpeg"><img src="https://static.gamespot.com/uploads/square_avatar/1430/14303732/3478451-%24+%281%29.jpeg" alt="Gallery image 10" data-full-srcset="https://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1430/14303732/3478451-%24+%281%29.jpeg 1920w, https://static.gamespot.com/uploads/scal...81%29.jpeg 1280w, https://static.gamespot.com/uploads/scal...81%29.jpeg 480w"></a></figure><p dir="ltr">There appears to be a large focus on vibrant characters and environments, coupled with a great sense of humor. It's wonderful to see a hardcore RPG that's comfortable with not taking itself too seriously and I'm hopeful that this sense of humor is threaded through the entire game. While your player character is voiceless, you will meet and recruit companions who have their own missions and motivations. You'll be able to elect dialogue choices when you engage with NPCs in the open world and your companions will change their opinion of you based on your actions.</p><p dir="ltr">Combat appears to be fairly similar to what you'd find in the 3D Fallout games. It includes a kind of bullet time ability where you get extra time to aim your shot, but the feature doesn't replicate the targeting of specific body parts like VATS. The roleplaying elements will include a variety of social, technical, and combat skills, so it looks like there will be plenty of opportunity to shape your character in the way you want to. As is the case in other Obsidian RPGs, you'll be able to leverage the skills of your party to accommodate for or bolster your own.</p><figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="https://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1430/14303732/3478419-%24+%2811%29.jpeg" data-ref-id="1300-3478419" data-ratio="0.5625" data-width="1920" data-embed-type="image" style="width: 1920px"><a href="https://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1430/14303732/3478419-%24+%2811%29.jpeg"><img alt="No Caption Provided" src="https://static.gamespot.com/uploads/scale_super/1430/14303732/3478419-%24+%2811%29.jpeg" srcset="https://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1430/14303732/3478419-%24+%2811%29.jpeg 1920w, https://static.gamespot.com/uploads/scal...11%29.jpeg 1280w, https://static.gamespot.com/uploads/scal...11%29.jpeg 480w" sizes="(max-width: 1280px) 100vw, 1280px" data-width="1280"></a></figure><p dir="ltr">The Outer Worlds will arrive sometime next year and is being published by Private Division, a subsidiary of Take Two Interactive. Despite Microsoft's acquisition of Obsidian last month, it appears that the Xbox publisher are not currently involved in the development of The Outer Worlds, but how that will affect the game down the line remains to be seen. There's plenty more details to be mined from the gameplay footage and <a href="https://www.gamespot.com/articles/the-outer-worlds-looks-a-lot-like-fallout-but-that/1100-6463757/">various interviews released so far</a>, but The Outer Worlds is particularly exciting for fans who felt let down by <a href="https://www.gamespot.com/fallout-76/">Fallout 76</a> this year. With a fleshed out party system, a focus on single-player, and plenty of NPCs to interact with and take quests from, The Outer Worlds could be the perfect antithesis to 76.</p><p> </p>
<p><em>With 2019 right around the corner, we've polled GameSpot's staff to find out what games they are looking forward to most in the new year. To be eligible, a game must simply have a release date currently planned for 2019. Of course, we all know nothing is set in stone; there's always a chance some games could slip into 2020. When you're done reading this entry, follow along with all of our other end-of-the-year coverage collected in our <a href="https://www.gamespot.com/best-games-of-2018/">Best of 2018 hub</a>.</em></p><p>Obsidian Entertainment have proved time and time again that they craft excellent single player RPGs. Their next project is <a href="https://www.gamespot.com/the-outer-worlds/">The Outer Worlds</a> which is being created by Tim Cain and Leonard Boyarsky, known for their work on <a href="https://www.gamespot.com/fallout/">Fallout 1</a> and <a href="https://www.gamespot.com/fallout-2/">Fallout 2</a>.</p><p dir="ltr">The first-person action RPG will arrive on PC, PS4, and Xbox One and is set in a future where megacorporations are colonizing and terraforming new planets. It kicks off with the player character exiting cryosleep on a colony ship only to find that the ships other inhabitants have yet to awaken. The Outer Worlds will include the management of NPC factions as well as a story that changes direction based on player choices. Right now it looks and sounds like a mish-mash of Fallout, <a href="https://www.gamespot.com/star-wars-knights-of-the-old-republic/">Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic</a>, and <a href="https://www.gamespot.com/mass-effect/">Mass Effect</a>, and I am very on board.</p><div data-embed-type="video" data-ref-id="2300-6447599" data-src="/videos/the-outer-worlds-official-announcement-trailer-the/2300-6447599/" data-width="100%" data-height="100%"><iframe src="/videos/embed/6447599/" width="100%" height="100%" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" webkitallowfullscreen mozallowfullscreen allowfullscreen></iframe></div><figure data-embed-type="gallery" data-img-src="https://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1430/14303732/3478420-%24+%287%29.jpeg,https://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1430/14303732/3478423-%24+%2810%29.jpeg,https://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1430/14303732/3478427-%24+%289%29.jpeg,https://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1430/14303732/3478430-%24+%288%29.jpeg,https://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1430/14303732/3478432-%24+%286%29.jpeg,https://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1430/14303732/3478435-%24+%285%29.jpeg,https://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1430/14303732/3478438-%24+%284%29.jpeg,https://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1430/14303732/3478441-%24+%283%29.jpeg,https://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1430/14303732/3478444-%24+%282%29.jpeg,https://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1430/14303732/3478451-%24+%281%29.jpeg" data-ref-id="1300-3478420,1300-3478423,1300-3478427,1300-3478430,1300-3478432,1300-3478435,1300-3478438,1300-3478441,1300-3478444,1300-3478451" data-resize-urls="https://static.gamespot.com/uploads/square_avatar/1430/14303732/3478420-%24+%287%29.jpeg,https://static.gamespot.com/uploads/square_avatar/1430/14303732/3478423-%24+%2810%29.jpeg,https://static.gamespot.com/uploads/square_avatar/1430/14303732/3478427-%24+%289%29.jpeg,https://static.gamespot.com/uploads/square_avatar/1430/14303732/3478430-%24+%288%29.jpeg,https://static.gamespot.com/uploads/square_avatar/1430/14303732/3478432-%24+%286%29.jpeg,https://static.gamespot.com/uploads/square_avatar/1430/14303732/3478435-%24+%285%29.jpeg,https://static.gamespot.com/uploads/square_avatar/1430/14303732/3478438-%24+%284%29.jpeg,https://static.gamespot.com/uploads/square_avatar/1430/14303732/3478441-%24+%283%29.jpeg,https://static.gamespot.com/uploads/square_avatar/1430/14303732/3478444-%24+%282%29.jpeg,https://static.gamespot.com/uploads/square_avatar/1430/14303732/3478451-%24+%281%29.jpeg"><a href="https://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1430/14303732/3478420-%24+%287%29.jpeg"><img src="https://static.gamespot.com/uploads/square_avatar/1430/14303732/3478420-%24+%287%29.jpeg" alt="Gallery image 1" data-full-srcset="https://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1430/14303732/3478420-%24+%287%29.jpeg 1920w, https://static.gamespot.com/uploads/scal...87%29.jpeg 1280w, https://static.gamespot.com/uploads/scal...87%29.jpeg 480w"></a><a href="https://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1430/14303732/3478423-%24+%2810%29.jpeg"><img src="https://static.gamespot.com/uploads/square_avatar/1430/14303732/3478423-%24+%2810%29.jpeg" alt="Gallery image 2" data-full-srcset="https://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1430/14303732/3478423-%24+%2810%29.jpeg 1920w, https://static.gamespot.com/uploads/scal...10%29.jpeg 1280w, https://static.gamespot.com/uploads/scal...10%29.jpeg 480w"></a><a href="https://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1430/14303732/3478427-%24+%289%29.jpeg"><img src="https://static.gamespot.com/uploads/square_avatar/1430/14303732/3478427-%24+%289%29.jpeg" alt="Gallery image 3" data-full-srcset="https://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1430/14303732/3478427-%24+%289%29.jpeg 1920w, https://static.gamespot.com/uploads/scal...89%29.jpeg 1280w, https://static.gamespot.com/uploads/scal...89%29.jpeg 480w"></a><a href="https://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1430/14303732/3478430-%24+%288%29.jpeg"><img src="https://static.gamespot.com/uploads/square_avatar/1430/14303732/3478430-%24+%288%29.jpeg" alt="Gallery image 4" data-full-srcset="https://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1430/14303732/3478430-%24+%288%29.jpeg 1920w, https://static.gamespot.com/uploads/scal...88%29.jpeg 1280w, https://static.gamespot.com/uploads/scal...88%29.jpeg 480w"></a><a href="https://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1430/14303732/3478432-%24+%286%29.jpeg"><img src="https://static.gamespot.com/uploads/square_avatar/1430/14303732/3478432-%24+%286%29.jpeg" alt="Gallery image 5" data-full-srcset="https://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1430/14303732/3478432-%24+%286%29.jpeg 1920w, https://static.gamespot.com/uploads/scal...86%29.jpeg 1280w, https://static.gamespot.com/uploads/scal...86%29.jpeg 480w"></a><a href="https://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1430/14303732/3478435-%24+%285%29.jpeg"><img src="https://static.gamespot.com/uploads/square_avatar/1430/14303732/3478435-%24+%285%29.jpeg" alt="Gallery image 6" data-full-srcset="https://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1430/14303732/3478435-%24+%285%29.jpeg 1920w, https://static.gamespot.com/uploads/scal...85%29.jpeg 1280w, https://static.gamespot.com/uploads/scal...85%29.jpeg 480w"></a><a href="https://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1430/14303732/3478438-%24+%284%29.jpeg"><img src="https://static.gamespot.com/uploads/square_avatar/1430/14303732/3478438-%24+%284%29.jpeg" alt="Gallery image 7" data-full-srcset="https://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1430/14303732/3478438-%24+%284%29.jpeg 1920w, https://static.gamespot.com/uploads/scal...84%29.jpeg 1280w, https://static.gamespot.com/uploads/scal...84%29.jpeg 480w"></a><a href="https://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1430/14303732/3478441-%24+%283%29.jpeg"><img src="https://static.gamespot.com/uploads/square_avatar/1430/14303732/3478441-%24+%283%29.jpeg" alt="Gallery image 8" data-full-srcset="https://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1430/14303732/3478441-%24+%283%29.jpeg 1920w, https://static.gamespot.com/uploads/scal...83%29.jpeg 1280w, https://static.gamespot.com/uploads/scal...83%29.jpeg 480w"></a><a href="https://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1430/14303732/3478444-%24+%282%29.jpeg"><img src="https://static.gamespot.com/uploads/square_avatar/1430/14303732/3478444-%24+%282%29.jpeg" alt="Gallery image 9" data-full-srcset="https://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1430/14303732/3478444-%24+%282%29.jpeg 1920w, https://static.gamespot.com/uploads/scal...82%29.jpeg 1280w, https://static.gamespot.com/uploads/scal...82%29.jpeg 480w"></a><a href="https://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1430/14303732/3478451-%24+%281%29.jpeg"><img src="https://static.gamespot.com/uploads/square_avatar/1430/14303732/3478451-%24+%281%29.jpeg" alt="Gallery image 10" data-full-srcset="https://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1430/14303732/3478451-%24+%281%29.jpeg 1920w, https://static.gamespot.com/uploads/scal...81%29.jpeg 1280w, https://static.gamespot.com/uploads/scal...81%29.jpeg 480w"></a></figure><p dir="ltr">There appears to be a large focus on vibrant characters and environments, coupled with a great sense of humor. It's wonderful to see a hardcore RPG that's comfortable with not taking itself too seriously and I'm hopeful that this sense of humor is threaded through the entire game. While your player character is voiceless, you will meet and recruit companions who have their own missions and motivations. You'll be able to elect dialogue choices when you engage with NPCs in the open world and your companions will change their opinion of you based on your actions.</p><p dir="ltr">Combat appears to be fairly similar to what you'd find in the 3D Fallout games. It includes a kind of bullet time ability where you get extra time to aim your shot, but the feature doesn't replicate the targeting of specific body parts like VATS. The roleplaying elements will include a variety of social, technical, and combat skills, so it looks like there will be plenty of opportunity to shape your character in the way you want to. As is the case in other Obsidian RPGs, you'll be able to leverage the skills of your party to accommodate for or bolster your own.</p><figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="https://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1430/14303732/3478419-%24+%2811%29.jpeg" data-ref-id="1300-3478419" data-ratio="0.5625" data-width="1920" data-embed-type="image" style="width: 1920px"><a href="https://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1430/14303732/3478419-%24+%2811%29.jpeg"><img alt="No Caption Provided" src="https://static.gamespot.com/uploads/scale_super/1430/14303732/3478419-%24+%2811%29.jpeg" srcset="https://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1430/14303732/3478419-%24+%2811%29.jpeg 1920w, https://static.gamespot.com/uploads/scal...11%29.jpeg 1280w, https://static.gamespot.com/uploads/scal...11%29.jpeg 480w" sizes="(max-width: 1280px) 100vw, 1280px" data-width="1280"></a></figure><p dir="ltr">The Outer Worlds will arrive sometime next year and is being published by Private Division, a subsidiary of Take Two Interactive. Despite Microsoft's acquisition of Obsidian last month, it appears that the Xbox publisher are not currently involved in the development of The Outer Worlds, but how that will affect the game down the line remains to be seen. There's plenty more details to be mined from the gameplay footage and <a href="https://www.gamespot.com/articles/the-outer-worlds-looks-a-lot-like-fallout-but-that/1100-6463757/">various interviews released so far</a>, but The Outer Worlds is particularly exciting for fans who felt let down by <a href="https://www.gamespot.com/fallout-76/">Fallout 76</a> this year. With a fleshed out party system, a focus on single-player, and plenty of NPCs to interact with and take quests from, The Outer Worlds could be the perfect antithesis to 76.</p><p> </p>