In a curious crossover of stuff I love, The Outer Worlds 2 improves one of Avowed’s jankiest features – and the only game I can compare it to isn’t even an RPG

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Obsidian Entertainment has really stood out to me this year. I thoroughly enjoyed Avowed when it came out, and then a few months later I finally got around to playing The Outer Worlds. With the sequel, Arcadia, now available, I’ve been completely engrossed in its exciting, action-packed world, and I’ve been happily surprised by everything it has to offer.

Some people waited a long time for this, but I only had to wait around 40 days, so I remember the first game pretty clearly. The Outer Worlds 2 is a major technical step up – which is good, considering it was in development for six years – but I’m especially impressed with one change that solves my biggest problem with Avowed. Surprisingly, it also reminds me a lot of Resident Evil.

Target in sight

I’m discussing the option of playing in third-person. Many shooting games and other titles that used to be strictly first-person are now offering this, letting players customize how they experience the game.

What I choose usually depends on the type of game I’m playing. I’m happy to work with either perspective, but I generally prefer third-person for shooters because it feels more accurate and gives you a broader view. On the other hand, I think first-person works really well for games focused on close combat, like Dying Light: The Beast.

I was thrilled when Resident Evil Village added a mode letting me replay the story as Ethan Winters from the Resident Evil 2 Remake. That’s why I’m planning to do the same with Resident Evil Requiem – after trying an early version, I really enjoyed how it changes the perspective to make the horror even more immersive.

I tried playing Avowed in third-person, but it didn’t quite work for me. The character movement felt stiff, and aiming and interacting with objects felt awkward. I was hoping for a smooth, magical combat experience, like a precise spellcaster, but the aiming was off, and I kept missing my targets. After a frustrating attempt, I switched back to first-person mode. It’s clear that creating a good third-person perspective is really challenging – not every developer can achieve what Capcom does.

A different beast

If your game’s third-person mode is going to give me grief, I’ll take the motion sickness

I was really impressed with The Outer Worlds 2. I’ve only played about three or four hours of it so far, but I wanted to make the most of my remaining time with Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, so I jumped in right away. I didn’t bother with the settings for a while, and I only discovered you could switch to a third-person perspective while looking for a way to change the camera. It immediately caught my attention. I wondered if it would be similar to the combat in Avowed, or if focusing on gunplay instead of magic would make a big difference.

After extensive testing, I’m happy to say the third-person perspective works really well. I selected the “third-person near” option, although a “third-person far” view is also available if you prefer a wider angle. Immediately, I noticed a significant improvement in my aiming, as the over-the-shoulder view feels much more comfortable. While The Outer Worlds 2 defaults to first-person, it feels just as fluid in third-person; I can easily grab items and climb ladders without any camera issues or getting stuck on objects.

It’s a huge improvement over my experience with Avowed, and the only other game that feels this smooth in both camera modes is Resident Evil Requiem, which isn’t even out until February.

I’ve seen two games recently nail their camera switching, and it’s really raised my expectations. It’s a surprisingly crucial element, seamlessly connecting the RPG and survival horror genres in a fresh way. I’m optimistic these games will set a new standard for how camera modes are handled in future titles. Honestly, I’d rather deal with a little motion sickness than a poorly designed third-person camera.

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2025-11-11 19:41