Outer Worlds 2: The Curious Case of the Purloined Propaganda (and Why We Hunt for It)
AI Gaming News Author · Polygon ·
Dive into *The Outer Worlds 2*'s 'In Pursuit of Purloined Propaganda' quest, a fetch mission for 'Science Adventures Quarterly' that's more than just a collectible hunt—it's a quirky tour of Paradise Island's corporate-dystopian charm. Jeff dissects the quest's satirical undertones, the journey to find the ten volumes, and whether the rewards are worth the interstellar legwork.
Right, so you've just crash-landed (or elegantly docked, depending on your piloting prowess and the narrative choices of your long-suffering ship AI) on Paradise Island in *The Outer Worlds 2*. It’s all corporate satire and questionable fashion choices, as per usual. And before you can even properly calibrate your moral compass, some poor soul, Redactor Quesnel, has you on the hunt for what she cryptically calls 'purloined propaganda'. Fair dinkum, mate, another fetch quest. But what if this isn't just *any* fetch quest?
I've been tinkering with this story all morning, and bloody hell, it's wilder than it first appeared. On the surface, you're tracking down ten scattered volumes of 'Science Adventures Quarterly'. Sounds innocent enough, right? A bit like finding those old 'Captain Cosmos' comics in Fallout, or perhaps something more arcane, like tracking down forgotten magical tomes in some dusty wizard's tower. But this isn't just about collectible bragging rights; it's about diving headfirst into the wonderfully dystopian heart of *The Outer Worlds* universe.
Now, anyone who's spent five minutes in the Halcyon Colony knows that nothing is quite as it seems. 'Science Adventures Quarterly' sounds like something your eccentric aunt might subscribe to, full of speculative fiction and maybe a few questionable remedies for space-sickness. But 'propaganda'? That's where Jeff's antennae start twitching. What kind of 'science adventures' could possibly be considered propaganda in a world run by soulless corporations? Is it pro-corporate fluff disguised as education? Or perhaps it’s subversive material, thinly veiled critiques that the Board would rather see buried deep in a desolate corner of Paradise Island?
You kick off this quest, 'In Pursuit of Purloined Propaganda', either by having a chinwag with Redactor Quesnel in her lonely abode west of Fairfield (tell her you're keen for odd jobs, and she'll practically trip over herself to offload this task) or by simply stumbling upon one of these mysterious magazines yourself. That's the beauty of open-world RPGs, isn't it? Sometimes the quest finds *you*, like a particularly persistent stray cat or a rogue spell ricocheting off a dimension wall. Don't sweat it if you miss her initially; she'll wait. She's got all the time in the world, unlike us gamers who are probably trying to juggle this with a dozen other pressing matters, like deciding which corporate overlord to slightly annoy next.
So, what does this treasure hunt entail? Well, it means a grand tour of Paradise Island, from its bustling (well, 'bustling' for this universe) outposts to its most remote, forgotten corners. You'll be rummaging through abandoned shacks, peeking around porches, and generally poking your nose where it probably doesn't belong. This isn't a high-octane dungeon crawl, mate; it's more of a contemplative stroll through a world struggling under the weight of corporate control, punctuated by the occasional skirmish with whatever unfortunate wildlife has evolved to deal with the Board's questionable terraforming efforts.
Let's talk about the *experience* of the hunt, because that's where the real story lies. You're not just following a GPS marker; you're traversing the landscape. Picture yourself trudging through the wilds, perhaps past a desolate settlement that looks like it's seen better eons, or navigating near a colossal corporate structure that just screams 'we're watching you.' Each volume tells a mini-story of the island itself. You might find one tucked away in a tiny wooden building in Westport, lying on a bed as if its last reader simply vanished into thin air. Another might be casually left on a porch table at the southernmost tip of the island, catching the nonexistent breeze between two rocking chairs – a testament to a life (or lack thereof) that once was.
Some of these spots are delightfully mundane, like the magazine near the Ministry of Accuracy (oh, the irony!). Others require a bit more legwork, like the one in Sovereign's Sweet Spire Grove, which means either repairing a lift (if you've got the Engineering chops) or doing a bit of parkour (because who needs sensible ladders when you can risk a fatal fall for a magazine, eh?). And yes, there might be raptidons. Because what's an adventure without the threat of being torn limb from limb by genetically engineered critters?
What I love about these kinds of quests in *The Outer Worlds* (and Obsidian's games in general) is that they aren't just about the 'what.' They're about the 'where' and the 'why.' Each remote building, each abandoned outpost, contributes to the game's atmosphere. You're not just finding a collectible; you're witnessing the scattered fragments of lives lived under the crushing thumb of corporate bureaucracy. These magazines, whatever their content, feel like little time capsules, tiny rebellions, or perhaps just overlooked ephemera from a bygone, slightly less awful era.
And the rewards? Well, they're exactly what you'd expect from a company that probably counts pennies in light-years. Redactor Quesnel doles out rewards in stages: 500 bit cartridges for your first find (enough for a few packs of gum, perhaps), then another 500 bits *and* a 'Pitchball Card: Josephus Fielder' for five volumes. This card, a seemingly random piece of corporate memorabilia, grants you a +1% damage upgrade. A whole 1%! That's the kind of incremental improvement that really changes the game, isn't it? (Jeff's gentle skepticism is showing.)
But collect all ten, and you'll snag the 'Townie Clothing' body armor. This gem offers +20% evasion chance and +50% combat sprint speed. Now, *that's* something you can actually feel! Dodging corporate enforcement drones like a digital ninja or legging it across a desolate plain faster than a terrified raptidon? Sign me up, mate. It’s a classic RPG move: putting in the legwork for a cosmetic and a genuinely useful stat boost. Makes you wonder if Redactor Quesnel knew all along that we'd mostly be in it for the snazzy threads and the speed boost, rather than the intrinsic value of 'Science Adventures Quarterly'.
So, while 'In Pursuit of Purloined Propaganda' might seem like another item on your ever-growing to-do list, it’s a brilliant excuse to explore Paradise Island and soak in *The Outer Worlds 2*'s unique brand of sci-fi satire. Go forth, curious gamer, and uncover those hidden stories – even if they just turn out to be incredibly dull corporate newsletters disguised as adventure mags. You never know what other secrets you'll stumble upon on your journey across the cosmos. Happy hunting!
Tags: The Outer Worlds 2, RPG, Quest Guide, Obsidian Entertainment, Sci-Fi
Original article: Polygon