The Outer Worldsoriginally released in 2019, but had plans for DLC later down the line. The corporate-takedown sci-fi game received generally positive reviews from fans and critics, though sometimes the combat system leaves something to be desired. The first DLC forThe Outer Worlds, titledPeril on Gorgon, released in September 2020 and got average reviews from players. The DLC added a new mystery to the world of Halcyon, with an abandoned Spacer’s Choice facility that players explore and discover the truth about.
ThoughPeril on Gorgonmay have missed a couple items that players were wanting out ofThe Outer WorldsDLC, it actually did a lot of things correctly. It added new areas for players to explore, as well as a story that fit in with the rest of the game without seeming out of place.Murder on Eridanosis expected to release sometime in Q1, meaning fans have predicted it could be out by the end of March. ForMurder on Eridanosto be as successful asPeril on Gorgon, it really just needs to follow the groundwork already laid out by the first DLC.
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An Intriguing Story
Part of the intrigue and draw players had toPeril on Gorgonwas the mystery it not only promised players, but delivered on as well. Though it could be argued that the twists and turns of the plotline ofPeril on Gorgonwere a little predictable,the DLC still added 6 to 8 hours of new gameplaythat wasn’t inThe Outer Worldsbase game. Figuring out the truth of the Gorgon asteroid while visiting newly introduced or unlocked places in the game definitely made for an enjoyable DLC experience.
Murder on Eridanoslooks promising, as it is supposed to be Halcyon Helen’s last and greatest adventure. There’s not much known beyond that, but players can look forward to gaining access to most of, if not all, of the previously locked planets still on Halcyon’s map. So, Eridanos is probably going to be unlocked for players, given the title of the DLC, butthere’s a good chance planets like Hepaestusand Typhon become accessible as the story progresses as well.
These planets are ripe for storytelling for a variety of reasons. Given some of the previous uses of Greek mythology inThe Outer Worldsbase game, it’s possible these planets will also function in a way similar to their Greek namesakes. The map of Typhon says that it “offers nothing to offer the Halcyon Colony,” but if players know anything fromPeril on Gorgon, that description could very well be a corporate cover up. Eridanosmight take a page from Olympus’ bookand have stations in the planet’s orbit based on its description referencing distillation plants, while Hephaestus was claimed by the mining company but could produce more than it initially seems.
Not much is known about Halcyon Helen either, apart from her loading screen advertising her showTerror on Monarch. Halcyon Helen is a heroine played by Ruth Bellamy andTerror on Monarchrecounts her adventures on the planet Monarch, “featuring real monsters from the doomed world!”Murder on Eridanosis Halcyon Helen’s“final and finest adventure,” which means it’s got great storytelling potential and will probably be a grand story players get to watch unfold.
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New Locations, Weapons, and Enemies
The Gorgon asteroid, despite its malicious history, is absolutely gorgeous to explore. The glowing plants were unlike anything else found in the game, and really added to the excitement of running around the nearly desolate asteroid. Ambrose Manor didn’t exactly offer a lot in terms of exploration, but players could encounter some funny items if they strayed from the beaten, well-lit path leading to the mansion. Also, players get their very own canid in their room aboard The Unreliable after completing the “Mostly Harmless” quest, which may not be groundbreaking but is still kind of cute.
New weapons iswherePeril on Gorgonactually dropped the ball a bit, with players wanting more than they received. To its credit,Peril on Gorgonadded three new science weapons, which made sense with the theme of an abandoned science facility investigation. However, it had no new “normal” weapons, which disappointed a lot of fans.Murder on Eridanoscan make up for this, but it will probably also have new science weapons given that Hephaestus is the home of the Hephaestus Mining Company, creator of the Mandibular Rearranger.
Enemies were also a hit-or-miss forPeril on Gorgonas well. The DLC introduced new types of marauders that players had to fight, butotherwise the enemies on Gorgon(or Olympus or the back bays of Groundbreaker) were pretty much already found in-game. The only almost-exception to this was Gorgon, which had genetically modified versions of canids, raptidons, mantisaurs, and primals. Though these enemies were tougher, they were just jazzed up versions of already existing creatures that players had encountered inThe Outer Worldsbase game.
Murder on Eridanoscould definitely introduce players to new enemies if it decides to include the planet Typhon in the DLC. In Greek mythology,Typhon is the father of all monsters, which obviously gives the developer a lot of opportunities to introduce new creatures that players could face off against. However, it still remains to be seen whether or not potential new creatures could stray too far from the already existing enemies players have to fight.
Peril on Gorgonwas a good DLC for all intents and purposes, it just needed a little bit of fine-tuning to make it as close to perfect as possible.Murder on Eridanoscan follow the blueprints laid out by the first DLC, but also expand upon it and add the things thatseemed to be missing fromPeril on Gorgon. There’s still no official release date forMurder on Eridanos, but luckily Nintendo Switch players have time to catch up onPeril on Gorgonthanks to its Switch release date of February 10.
The Outer Worlds: Peril on Gorgonis available now for Switch, PC, PS4, and Xbox One.
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