14 DAY TRIAL // Discover a host of weird characters and edgy locations. Try to solve a murder mystery that has twists and turns but mostly runs on ridiculousness. Take down some powerful enemies. Get lost. Read comics. Kill Sprats with new science weapons to get rid of that awful chattering sound.
This is the second downloadable content pack for The Outer Worlds, the action role-playing game created by Obsidian. It adds one major new location to explore and can be bought on all platforms on which the original is available. The story revolves around a dead Halcyon Helen (actual name Ruth Bellamy, most characters can’t really separate drama from reality) and the possible killers. The Eridanos location is well-built, with varied discrete areas to explore.
The characters mostly work from a narrative standpoint, although Obsidian never seems to fully nail the balance between humor and horrific consequences. There's also a weird narrative separation between the DLC's plot and what happens in the main game. It is also relatively easy to see what the conclusion to the new content will be.
The DLC might have Murder in its name but the combat is weirdly subdued, maybe because going in at level 33 means that most enemies do not pose a real threat on the normal difficulty. Judicious use of companion abilities and time-slowdown meant that I only died a few times when I forgot to generously use the inhaler.
Murder on Eridanos has some beautiful moments, ranging from some dialogue moments and choices to some exploration and combat combos. The Discrepancy Amplifier is a cool tool at first, with repetition sapping it of some magic. The wildlife island showcases a good location and encounter design.
The biggest problem with the DLC is that it is just more of the same. The game needed a new companion. Or a new way to interact with the world. Or a location that breaks the rules. Eridanos is more of what we know and mostly love but it feels a little soulless.
The Outer Worlds: Murder on Eridanos does not tweak the game's presentation in any big way. The Rizzo theme means more pink splashed all over, which can become tiresome. The DLC also delivers some impressive vistas and nice visuals gags. The voice acting is as good as it was in the original release and I was a little disappointed by the rather limited new lines that companions have to offer. The soundtrack continues to impress.
Conclusion
Obsidian shows that it has solid capabilities for world creation, even if it lacks the space or the will to deliver entirely innovative gameplay. I look forward to seeing how they flex their narrative muscles on coming titles, given the extra freedom that Microsoft ownership can provide. But I also hope that they return to this universe and give us very different from Murder on Eridanos.
