Summary
The Outer Worldsalready has a heavy armor type, but these sets generally offer high-damage resistances with no extra bonuses. The lighter armor set alternatives on the other hand have the added benefit of providing buffs and skills to the players' stats. Heavy armor is some of thebest armor inThe Outer Worldswhen it comes to survivability, and this also rings true for power armor in theFalloutfranchise. What sets heavy armor and power armor apart is that power armor can offer many more benefits to players, even beyond superior protection, skills, and buffs.
With a class of armor inspired by theFalloutfranchise’s power armor,The Outer Worlds 2could mix up the current meta by bridging the gap between clothing, light, medium, and heavy armor sets. Power armor could be an opportunity to give players a combination of all the best parts of the different armor types inThe Outer Worldswithout compromising on defensive attributes. Otherwise, there are many other benefits and features that power armor could also explore inThe Outer Worlds 2.
RELATED:Fallout 5’s Power Armor is Caught Between a Rock and a Hard Place
Power Armor is a Staple Throughout the Fallout Franchise
Part of what makesFallout’s power armor so impactful is its additional bonuses beyond defenses, and sometimes the offensive utilities. TakeFallout 76’s Excavator power armorfor example, which significantly increases players' inventory and gives bonus yields for harvesting minerals on top of great defenses. Excavator power armor is just one of many different unique sets of power armor inFallout 76thatThe Outer Worldscould take inspiration from.
While there are many different positive benefits to wearingFallout 76’s different sets of power armor, there are also plenty of downsides that make it a balanced alternative to standard armor sets. One of the biggest disadvantages of wearing power armor inFallout 76is that it is one of the noisiest types of armor, which means that it isn’t very effective for stealth encounters. Another negative aspect that power armor forces upon its users is that it requires a fuel source to operate.
Not only couldThe Outer Worlds 2draw influence from theFalloutfranchise, but this connection could potentially go both ways in the future. Leading up to the release ofFallout 5,power armor in theFalloutfranchiseis currently in an awkward state. Many highly divisive changes to power armor in theFalloutfranchise have somewhat tarnished the reputation of power armor, andFallout 5is expected to once again overhaul parts of how power armor functions. With the outside perspective thatThe Outer Worlds 2could offer, it might be worth using this as a mutual learning opportunity for both franchises.
What Power Armor Could Look Like in The Outer Worlds Games
The Outer Worlds 2doesn’t have to be littered with Power Armor variants likeFallout 76necessarily, but it could still benefit from having a few landmark sets. Even for players who prefer to use the lighter armor sets inThe Outer Worlds, power armor could still provide some worthwhile offhand benefits. On Supernova difficulty,companions inThe Outer Worldscan permanently die, and on the lower difficulties, they instead become temporarily unconscious if they take too much damage. With something as strong as power armor, companions would be more likely to stay in the fight for longer.
WithThe Outer Worlds' sci-fi humor and overall setting, the franchise has plenty of room to experiment with new original features for how power armor could function and its unique benefits. Considering how silly and powerful the Science weapons and otherunique weapons inThe Outer Worldsare, it’s time that armor sets explored the same kind of silliness. Following in the footsteps of the originalThe Outer Worlds, the sequel has a lot of potential to explore, and it shouldn’t miss the opportunity of adapting power armor from theFalloutfranchise.
