The Outer Worlds and Outer Wilds are very easy to get confused at first. Both games came out in close proximity to one another, both share very similar names, and both are space-faring RPGs with unique style and flair. These two games are some of the best recent RPGs, so it is important to know what each of them offers in order to keep the two from getting confused.
The differences between Outer Wilds and The Outer Worlds are more numerous and significant than their surface-level similarities. These games may appear identical at first, but they cater to completely separate playstyles and moods. Many players will certainly find a great deal of joy in both titles, but for very different reasons.
Outer Wilds
Outer Wilds is a slightly less well-known title, so it will serve to start with it first. This game is one of the year’s most compelling non-blockbuster games because of its very unique premise and presentation. Players find themselves in a hand-crafted solar system filled with various planets in to explore, which may require players to look up a Outer Wilds planets guide.
Not only are there numerous planets, but also many NPCs and environments, all carefully built to be understood bit by bit. The catch is that the entire solar system is caught in a groundhog-day-type loop, resetting every 22 minutes when the sun goes supernova. However, each time the system resets, things will be slightly different depending on the player’s actions.
This means that the player can explore different areas each time the system resets, slowly piecing together what happened before they began the game and unraveling the mysteries of the setting. Of course, the setting is rife with mysteries. Take for example the Quantum Moon, which seems normal at first but changes location when it is not being observed.
Outer Wilds has an artsy style, a focused design, and a very unique way of telling its story. It is a relaxed journey through repeating loops in time and probability, making it a great game for those who want to chill out and thoughtfully explore a beautiful setting.
The Outer Worlds
The Outer Worlds is, by comparison, a much bigger title. It has rocked the gaming community as one of the best classic-style RPGs in recent memory, and stands as yet another testament to the writing prowess of Obsidian Entertainment. It has drawn comparisons to some other great RPGs currently available, from Fallout to Mass Effect and No Man's Sky.
People compare The Outer Worlds to greats like Fallout with good reason. It has a focused story, hours of side content, compelling action, and its own fair share of hidden secrets to discover. Like Outer Wilds, The Outer Worlds has a very tightly-crafted story. It is far more focused than recent Fallout titles, which tend to have sprawling, massive worlds and near-endless amounts of content.
The Outer Worlds takes advantage of Obsidian’s ability to tell a well-crafted, engaging, and satisfying story. In order to do this, the tale cannot wind on endlessly as it might in other modern RPGs. This being said, the amount of exploration and side content in the Outer Worlds is pretty immense in its own right.
The Outer Worlds is a somewhat less experimental game than Outer Wilds. It is a new take on a classic formula, and something of a spiritual successor to some of the best games that Obsidian was involved with. It is a title that will satisfy those who want a classic RPG experience in a shiny new package, rather than a subtle, unconventional take on how an environment is explored.
The tone is more bombastic and wacky, as evidenced by the inclusion of such fun weapons as a mind control gun and shrink ray. The size of the setting is also much larger than Outer Wilds because the focus is on exploring outwards, rather than re-visiting the same locations in order to unravel their secrets slowly. This is comes down to a matter of taste, or even just a matter of how the player is feeling on any given day they might pick up one of these games.
The Outer Worlds and Outer Wilds share carefully crafted environments, NPCs, and areas, but the rewards for exploring them and the tone that they elicit will be entirely different. In either case, each world is masterfully crafted to give the player a memorable journey and an emotional experience. Choosing which to play first is a challenge, but they are both worth picking up for their own individual merits. Those who want an engaging story that allows them to re-live the glory days of New Vegas will be completely satisfied by The Outer Worlds, while those who want to explore a space-time mystery at a relaxed pace should consider Outer Wilds.