Written by Jack Tsaparis
Developer: Obsidian Entertainment
Publisher: Private Division
Reviewed on: PS4
Also available on: Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, PC
Release: 9th September 2020
Rating: MA15+
Price: $22.95
Minor spoilers ahead for The Outer Worlds: Peril on Gorgon.
With the recent release of The Outer Worlds: Peril on Gorgon, it feels appropriate to take a look back at where we last saw the Halcyon Colony.
Back in October of 2019, we were introduced to a little game from developer Obsidian called The Outer Worlds. A space themed RPG wrought with shameless greed, deception and a power struggle holding the delicate balance of the colony at its centre.
Through a collection of grounded and humorous quests, we were able to experience the far reaches of the colony. In our adventure, we are consistently introduced to more and more characters, each feeling more distinct than the last. Your job is to navigate the conflict between an entity known as The Board, a scientist named Phineas Welles and the struggling people of the Halcyon colony.
Like many RPGs, a great deal of choice is usually given to the player from the get go and The Outer Worlds is no different. Peril on Gorgon continues this trait in spades, as the stage is set to give players an even greater look into the mythos surrounding the colony.
We begin the story on a lawless asteroid know as Gorgon, a place of mystery, deceitful means and violent ends. Your task and catalyst for beginning your next adventure is to retrieve a journal for one Minnie Ambrose, the daughter of Dr Olivia Ambrose who was the one in charge of the creation of a drug known as Adrena-Time. This sets you on your way to explore the asteroid as you gradually look to uncover its secrets.
Peril on Gorgon improves on a lot of the meat that the original game had to offer, which includes the variety of enemies that we see. Common enemies known as Marauders now come in a range of classes such as the Berserker and Crack Shot.
The Berserkers have enhanced speed while the Crack Shot enemies have toxic sniper rifles and tend to keep their distance from you. Other marauders that you encounter will also have increased strength.
This variety also extends to Canids, the creatures that resemble dogs in this world. Chargers and Sentinels, fast and strong creatures respectively, will also be found spread across Gorgon. Additionally, a new type of Mantisaur has been added, now boasting a new frost projectile ability. These new enemy types may seem like reskins of the regular foes we’ve seen before but they add a much needed change of pace to combat and has injected new life into the gameplay.
The map of Gorgon is quite large when compared to some of the other areas of the game. It features the typical layout of natural set pieces and winding trails that will lead you to virtually every point of interest.
In addition to Gorgon, we also get to see a few new areas from various planets we’ve visited before. These new areas lightly expand on the contents of the colony but don’t offer anywhere near as much as the asteroid itself.
The soundtrack for Gorgon is as eerie and mysterious as ever and features the same gentle tones that can be found when exploring Terra 2 or Monarch.
The main quest seems to follow the same structure as the main game, allowing you to proceed at your own pace in any order you choose. The way that player choice has further been adhered to is a welcome sight as it was lacking in the later parts of the main game’s quests.
The player choice extends even further as it winds down in its final hours, where you uncover secrets that you may never had foreseen.
The writing retains the same charm and humour that we saw in the main game with many NPCs seeming to be quite dynamic with responding to the dialogue options you are given.
Peril on Gorgon also includes a number of side quests to keep you busy. While they are mostly collectible based, they’re quite enjoyable. One quest will have you collect Phonographs, audio devices that offer great insight into the characters of this DLC.
If you enjoyed the unique weapons that were available in The Outer Worlds, you’ll be pleased to know that there are more to be obtained. Like the enemies, these new weapons are fairly vast in variety and also include great stat boosts to help you on your journey.
Overall, this DLC is a reasonably sized expansion on the lore and identity of the world that Obsidian has created. You’ll find hours of content to play at your own pace while still being able to enjoy the same amount of choice that you’re accustomed to in The Outer Worlds. It’s an engaging mystery that is sure to keep you excited for future instalments of the series.
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