Outer Worlds 2 Is Fixing My Biggest Problem With Avowed's Gameplay

Published Apr 10, 2025

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Feature Image Credit: Katarina Cimbaljevic

I loved a lot about Avowed, but there was one major gameplay feature that I felt it was lacking. Luckily, it looks like Obsidian's other Action RPG this year, The Outer Worlds 2, will be solving that problem for me. As a huge fan of Obsidian's games, I'm absolutely thrilled to be getting two of them in the same year, and previews of The Outer Worlds 2 have me excited to return to its dystopian, but also often silly, corporatist future.

In general, I was mostly pleased with how Avowed handled its combat, and I didn't even mind that it sacrificed some immersive elements for streamlined gameplay. However, it felt a little strange that a game with so many story choices would take away a major choice of how to handle combat encounters. Avowed may have nailed its fast-paced combat, and made it satisfying to square off against a room full of enemies, but it failed to deliver some engaging stealth mechanics. Luckily, it looks like The Outer Worlds 2 will be stepping up to fix that issue.

Outer Worlds 2 Features Real Stealth Mechanics

Outer Worlds 2 Reportedly Features Stealth Takedowns And Immersive Sim Elements

The Outer Worlds 2 Player With chainsaw like weapon approaching enemies. — Obsidian

IGN recently showed off some exclusive gameplay from The Outer Worlds 2, and in it highlighted the game's new stealth mechanics. While you're hidden, if you look at an enemy, The Outer Worlds 2 shows you a health bar over their heads. The amount of damage you can do is highlighted in purple, and if you're able to kill the enemy while in stealth, the game shows a little skull, so there's no questioning whether your attack will be lethal or not. From the gameplay shown, it appears that attacking an enemy point-blank from stealth is typically a guaranteed kill.

A character in The Outer Worlds 2 looks at the sunset on a rocky planet

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IGN writer Michael Higham, who tested the game, also notes that The Outer Worlds 2 includes immersive sim elements similar to games like Deus Ex and Dishonored. This would have me believe that stealth isn't just a good way to take out enemies, but also a viable way to explore entire levels without having to get into any head-on fights. A lot of games can kneecap their stealth builds by forcing players into some fights, so I'm hoping Higham's comments mean that The Outer Worlds 2 will be more ive of a stealthy approach to missions.

Avowed's Lack Of Stealth Was Disappointing

Avowed's Stealth Mechanic Was Neither Mechanically Nor Narratively Satisfying

Although Avowed did feature a takedown of sorts, it was nowhere near as fleshed out as The Outer Worlds 2's stealth mechanic seems to be. Most encounters in Avowed dealt with a group of enemies, and even if you managed to sneak up on one and deliver a powerful stealth blow, the others would immediately jump into combat with you. This meant that stealth wasn't so much a viable option for approaching full encounters as it was just a way to score some extra damage before a fight. While not nothing, this felt disappointing given the game's many other options.

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Avowed feels like a game built for stealth and immersive sim elements. A more robust stealth system would have paired nicely with Avowed's many ways to talk yourself out of a conflict, allowing for a more peaceful run. One example that comes to mind is when you're pursuing Ygwulf early in the game.

I pretty much knew right off the bat that I didn't want to kill Ygwulf if I had the chance. I understood where he and the Paradisian rebels were coming from, and I wanted the game to give me a chance to peacefully resolve things between us. Although the game does offer you the chance to forgive your would-be assassin, you have to fight through several rooms full of rebels to get there. Being able to sneak in, and smooth things over would have felt more narratively satisfying than cutting through rebels only to convince them I mean no harm.

Obsidian's Games Are Perfect For Stealth Options

Obsidian RPGs Offer A Lot Options For Solving Problems

The player holding a rifle near enemies in The Outer Worlds 2.

My issue with Avowed's lack of stealth from a story standpoint is exactly why I think Obsidian's games would be perfect for a full stealth option. Obsidian does a great job allowing you to approach tasks from multiple angles, often including a less violent choice for handling conflicts. I would love to see a more robust stealth system, coupled with immersive sim elements, that let me do a full pacifist run that relies on sneaking and smooth-talking.

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While I understand making a game like Dishonored that allows for a full pacifist run could be difficult to do while also juggling RPG elements and allowing for other gameplay styles. Still, I'd love it if The Outer Worlds 2 at least gives me the chance to sneak past certain conflicts when it makes sense in the story. The example of Avowed's rebels is the perfect case of the type of scenario I hope Obsidian will let us avoid in their game.

Source: IGN