The Outer worlds might not be the most difficult or complicated RPG you’ve ever played, but there are still certain parts of the game that aren’t as well explained as others, making them easily missed if you don’t pay attention.
If you don’t want to miss out on anything or if you’re not quite sure how certain mechanics work within the game world, then check out my list of things you might not know in The Outer Worlds.
Steal, just don’t be seen – Stealing in many RPG’s can have serious repercussions, especially if you get caught with stolen items in your inventory. In The Outer Worlds, however, stealing matters very little. In fact, as long as you’re not seen committing the crime, stealing has zero repercussions! Stolen items are collected like any other item, faction reputation is unaffected, and characters you have stolen from behave no different, despite the fact you’ve cleared out their room behind their back. With all this in mind, steal everything you see!
Level Science to 20 to use the Tinker feature – The Tinker feature at workbenches is a straight forward and simple way to improve both your damage output and armour. For the cost of a few bits you can really improve your characters effectiveness in combat The only way to tinker with your gear however is to be level 20 in Science. I recommend you level up to 20 as soon as possible, as combat encounters can be quite challenging early on, especially in the higher difficulty settings .
Level Lock-Picking to open everything – Honestly, there are so many locked doors and boxes in The Outer Worlds that not levelling Lock-Picking early on feels like a massive mistake. Items, Bits, and quest objectives can all be found behind lock and key, making Lock-Picking a vital part of the game. Start by getting to level 20 as quickly as possible so that locks which require one Mag-Pic can be opened for free.
Level Engineering for field repairs – This one applies more to the higher difficulty settings where durability loss can have a massive impact on combat. It’s a good idea to get your Engineering level to 20 so that you can repair your equipment on the move. Without the level 20 investment, you will have to rely on workbenches and vendors to repair your gear, which I often completely forgot to do in town. Engineering is also useful to pass skill checks in both dialog and out in the field, both of which can be found early on in the game.
Explore every corner, Loot everything – The game world is literally littered with lootable items, so take your time to explore and loot everything you see. Items can be found in pretty much every corner of the map, so be sure to pay attention. Some items may not seem that exciting—truth-be-told consumables feel a little pointless on the lower difficulty settings—but everything has a value, even if that value is just bits.
Unlock Pickpocket for easy access to bits and items – With an investment of 40 in Sneaking you can unlock the very useful Pickpocket ability. The best part about pick pocketing is that, like stealing, there are no repercussions for your actions – no reputation loss – as long as you don’t get seen. You can steal from pretty much everyone and take everything they have, including quest items. Pick-pocketing not only helps you out financially but can also save you time with lengthy quest objectives.
Where’s my Re-spec? – Re-speccing your characters Skill points and Perks is available at any time aboard your spaceship for an ever increasing amount of bits. The first Re-spec will cost 500 bits which will then continue to double for every Re-spec afterwards. As well as resetting your Skill points and Perks (not base attributes you select at the start of the game), Companion Perks will also be reset. This is a great way to change build types mid-game if you’re feeling a little bored of your current setup.
Avoid inventory management by using store boxes – Inventory management is one of the most frustrating parts of any game in my opinion, The Outer Worlds being no exception. The game uses the weight system, meaning your character can only carry a certain amount of items. To avoid having to break down items mid-mission, store any items you might want to hold onto in boxes throughout the world. My box of choice is the one in the cabin of your ship.
Read, but don’t read – Yeah, reading through all the information on a terminal can feel a little pointless at times, especially if you’re not fully committed to the lore side of the game. Luckily, you don’t actually have to ‘read’ everything in the game to unlock the information within. Simply click on the information and then immediately press back. Any relevant quest information will pop up on screen, so you can then go back and read it carefully or just check out the journal to know what happened.
Be careful with the Flaw system – The Flaw for Perks system in The Outer Worlds is an interesting one. At first I was convinced that gaining an additional perk point for a Flaw was always the way to go, the game makes it sound like it’s trying to help you. It’s not, and for many situations it’s better to ignore the flaws completely. Flaws are permanent and can really mess with the way you’ve levelled your character. Flaws are also very different, with many different negative effects. Make sure you read the description carefully before desciding what to do.
Use consumables, armour, and companions to pass skill checks – If you’re not playing on Super-Nova difficulty, you may wonder what the need is for the endless amount of consumables the game throws at you. I finished my first playthrough on hard with an inventory filled with food and drink. These items, while useful in difficult combat situations, can also be used for a temporary boost to skills. The same can be said for armour and companions, which can both be equipped to increase your skill level and pass these in-game and dialog skill checks.
Buy ammo often – For the most part, I found vendors and vending machines fairly unexciting. I ignored purchasing anything and instead opted to save my bits for more important things. It wasn’t until i started going gun-ho with a machine gun in town that I wished I’d had more ammo. Yes, ammo is thrown at you from all angles in The Outer Worlds, but since when is too much ammo too much? Pick it up whenever it’s available, you’ll run out of ammo way before you run out of bits!
So, those were my dozen tips to help you with your adventures in The Outer Worlds. If you found them useful, or if you’ve got anything you think I should add to my list, please let me know in our comments sections below.
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