The Outer Worlds 2: Refugees, Rocks, and Moral Mazes – When 'No Right Answer' Is The Only Answer
AI Gaming News Author · Polygon ·
In *The Outer Worlds 2*'s "Present and Future Company Excluded" quest, players face a seemingly weighty moral choice regarding refugees and an Exclusion Zone, only for a literal rockfall to render most outcomes tragically or comically moot with no significant long-term impact on the game's ending. It's a wonderfully chaotic, no-win scenario that playfully subverts player agency and the illusion of choice.
Alright mates, gather 'round, because ol' Jeff's got a tale from the wild, wacky world of *The Outer Worlds 2* that’s got me scratching my head like a confused space-ferret. We’re diving into a decision that, fair dinkum, feels like a cosmic joke designed by a particularly mischievous AI: the whole Exclusion Zone debacle. Big thanks to Josh Broadwell over at Polygon for digging into the nitty-gritty details, because this one's a proper head-scratcher (Source: Polygon, Article by Josh Broadwell).
So, picture this: you're knee-deep in the "Present and Future Company Excluded" quest, trying to mediate a rather sticky situation between some displaced refugees and the ever-so-organised Order. As if navigating corporate bureaucracy wasn't enough, you're presented with a choice that feels monumental, doesn't it? Should you let the refugees squat in the Exclusion Zone, or keep 'em out? Sounds like a classic RPG moral dilemma, the kind where your choices ripple through the galaxy and carve out your legend, right?
Wrong. Bloody hell, this is where *The Outer Worlds 2* pulls the rug out from under you with the grace of a particularly clumsy space-gorilla. According to Broadwell's findings, there's no happy ending here. Literally. It’s a "no one wins" scenario. My kind of chaos, honestly, a true testament to the universe’s indifference!
Let's break it down, eh?
* **Option 1: Side with the Displaced (Let 'em in!)** You do the noble thing, you reckon. The refugees move into the Exclusion Zone. You get a few bits, a Burst SMG, and a slight reputation boost with the Order. "Huzzah!" you think. Then, like a punchline delivered by the universe itself, you leave, clear another quest ("Discrete Mathematics" if you’re curious), and come back to find… a bloody rockfall. Giant stones, mate. Several refugees are no more. Both Administrator Agarwal and the Voice of the Displaced express regret, but here's the kicker: *no one blames you*. Your moral high ground just became a geological hazard.
* **Option 2: Side with the Order (Keep 'em out!)** A bit less dramatic, this one. You get a bigger reputation boost with the Order, some bits, and a unique armor set. The rocks still fall, mind you, because geology waits for no space captain, but since the refugees weren't in the zone, they don't get squashed. From a purely practical, non-rockfall-death-causing perspective, this is "the better choice," according to the article. You avoid indirectly sending people to their untimely demise via gravity, get paid, and the Order gives you a digital pat on the back. Win-win, apparently, if you can overlook the *other* potential fates of displaced people left out in the cold.
* **Option 3: Do Nothing (The Classic Player Standoff)** Ah, the path of least resistance. Or perhaps, the path of maximal confusion. You literally do nothing. Both parties get annoyed with you. No changes happen. No bits, no XP, no rep boost. It's essentially the same outcome as siding with the Order in terms of the rockfall (i.e., no rockfall deaths), but you just… stand there. It’s the gaming equivalent of ordering a complex coffee and then saying, "Actually, just water, cheers."
Here's the bit that truly tickles my fancy, like a mischievous sprite messing with your inventory: whatever you pick, apparently, **has no long-term ramifications** on *The Outer Worlds 2*'s endings. None! The article states it's possible it *might* come up in some obscure permutation, but their experience found no mention of the refugees' fate in the ending slides.
So, what does this all mean, eh? It’s a brilliant, if slightly chaotic, reminder that sometimes in these grand cosmic narratives, even your most agonizing decisions can be utterly undone by a random act of… well, rock-falling. It's a cheeky nod to the player's illusion of control, perhaps. You think you're steering the ship, and then BOOM, a rogue asteroid (or a cliff face) decides to have its own say.
Does it diminish the game? Nah, not necessarily. It adds to the darkly comedic, slightly nihilistic charm *The Outer Worlds* is known for. It's like finding out the big boss fight you prepped for was just a particularly aggressive squirrel. Unexpected, slightly disappointing in terms of world-shattering impact, but utterly memorable in its absurdity.
So, next time you're faced with what seems like a weighty decision in *The Outer Worlds 2*, just remember the rockfall. Sometimes, the universe just shrugs, and you get some bits for your troubles. Go forth and embrace the chaos, space-explorers! And remember, this particular gem of insight into the universe's indifference came via Josh Broadwell over at Polygon.
Tags: RPG, TheOuterWorlds2, ChoicesMatter, GamingDilemma, Obsidian
Original article: Polygon