Copyright Wccftech
It's not often that a developer comes out to publicly criticize another's work, and yet that is precisely what Kingdom Come Deliverance 2 Game Director Daniel Vávra did yesterday via his X account. The game he targeted was Obsidian's latest roleplaying game, The Outer Worlds 2, which he scored 7 out of 10. Arguably, the most scathing bit was that, even with 'Microsoft's money' (Obsidian was acquired in November 2018 by Microsoft, alongside inXile), they haven't managed to innovate in the last fifteen years following the release of Fallout: New Vegas, which Vávra ranks among his favorite games. Here's the full quote: Finished. 7/10. But what I find sad is that the company and the people who gave us one of my favorite games ever (Fallout: New Vegas) have been unable, even after 15 years and with all of Microsoft's money and latest technological advances, to come up with a single new game mechanic that could take this proven but ancient formula somewhere new. Can any of you think of a single new game mechanic in The Outer Worlds that wasn't already in Deus Ex or the original Fallout games more than 25 years ago? Unfortunately, I can't. Give me a living, simulated world! True non-linearity! Give me something more than loot boxes, maintenance shafts, loading screens, and level grinding in a static, scripted world. When a follower pointed out that even Kingdom Come Deliverance 2 doesn't really add any new mechanics, Vávra protested that it does feature the simulation of thousands of NPCs and their daily routines. It is indeed true that KCD2 is a much more detailed simulation than The Outer Worlds 2. The latter does inflict bounties when you're caught stealing stuff, but the NPCs do not have true routines, and they do not really object much to your character being inside their homes, just as an example. While I do generally prefer a simulated world, it's not really an innovative feature, either. Bethesda has had it in their games since The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion (2006), at the very least. All that is to say that this is hardly an innovative badge Kingdom Come Deliverance 2 can grab for itself. As for The Outer Worlds 2, I've also recently completed the game. I had my fair share of criticism to levy at the first one, but I much agree with our reviewer David Carcasole that the sequel exhibits many improvements. Although there may not be brand-new RPG mechanics, the developers certainly pushed for a lot more player choice in various ways, thus subtly boosting its roleplaying potential (and even the replayability factor). Besides, it's not exactly easy to innovate at this point in videogames. Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 managed it with its turn-based combat mixed with real-time elements, but did Baldur's Gate 3 truly bring new mechanics, or was it just an incredible execution and never-before-seen presentation for a gargantuan cRPG? I rather lean toward the latter. There's also the fact that badmouthing a fellow developer like that isn't likely to win a lot of fans. Regardless, Kingdom Come Deliverance 2 is also a great roleplaying game, and it's getting its final DLC, Mysteria Ecclesiae, next Tuesday. The game is also playable for free this weekend on PC and Xbox, for those who are still on the fence about it.
