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The Outer Worlds 2 continues the trend of its predecessor by being an intergalactic goofball spiritual successor to Fallout. Like the Fallout series, The Outer Worlds 2 provides the player with allies they can use in battle, whose powers and can turn the tide of battle, especially on the harder modes. The Outer Worlds 2 Companions are found throughout the game, with two accessible straight after the tutorial that are impossible to miss. You can get through the game perfectly well with these two allies, but if you want to make your space adventure a hell of a lot easier, you’ll want to expand your roster. The Escapist recaps The Outer Worlds 2 launched on October 29 for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S, with a day-one launch on Game Pass. While The Outer Worlds 2 uses the same intergalactic setting as its predecessor, it’s considered a standalone game, and you don’t need to have played the first one to understand the story. As the captain of a spaceship, you’ll acquire crew over the course of the game, who act as party members. You can have two Companion characters with you at all times, with the others returning to the ship. Each Companion has special powers you can use in combat, as well as their own equipment and traits. Marisol is encountered as part of the Beginning at the Endpoint side quest, which is found in the Zyranium Manufactory VII in Golden Ridge on the planet Dorado. Once you encounter her, simply side with her and ask her to join the party. Marisol has two Perk paths, with the first focused on boosting Gadget energy, and the second focuses on increasing the damage dealt by the party. The second route is best for most playthroughs, as it can allow you to take down enemies with ease. Her Companion ability allows her to fire a blast that stuns enemies, increasing the damage dealt, making things even easier. The best Perk loadout for Marisol is Combatant Analyzer (Level 5), which marks body parts and applies status effects if shot, Dispersed Glare (Level 10), which makes her Companion power affect an AoE instead of a single foe, N-Ray Scanner Analyzer (Level 20), which lets you apply status effects on marked enemies, Chain Paralysis (Level 25), where an enemy killed while affected by Marisol’s stun ability will have the effect moved to nearby foes, and Energy Relay (Leel 30), which creates a zone that adds shock damage to all allies who stand within it. Marisol is the perfect damage-dealing package, one who can buff the protagonist to a ridiculous degree. The Outer Worlds 2 has a ton of combat, and Marisol will make most fights a breeze to get through. Poor Niles. His role in the game is totally stolen by Tristan, who is an incredible tank and damage dealer. Anyone who wants to be a long-ranged character or science hero might want to seek Tristan out as soon as possible, as he can jump on the front lines and take all the hits for your hero. You’ll find Tristan during the Arbitrary Measures quest. To start the quest, head to the 2nd Choice Bar in Free Market Station, and you’ll find Tristan talking to the bartender. Agree to help him out and take on the quest. Once completed, you’ll be able to hire him into the party as a Companion. Tristan serves double duty as a Tank and a DPS unit. It’s usually better to have him focus on drawing aggro. This gives him a pretty obvious Perk focus, taking Juggernaut (Level 5), making enemies more likely to target him, Shield of the Law (Level 10), which taunts enemies aggro’d via conversation, and Zyranium Regeneration (Level 15), healing him when he’s exposed to Zyranium. For later levels, choose Aggressive Challenge (Level 20), where he Goads instead of Taunting enemies, Steel Wall (Level 25), doubling his health at the start of combat, and Groundshaker (Level 30), which knocks down enemies in an AoE. Valerie is one of the first two Companions you’ll be given at the start of The Outer Worlds 2. It’s worth keeping Valerie in your party for the entire game, as they have tremendous healing capabilities that work quickly. Valerie’s Life Injection Module provides free healing at the tap of a button, though it’s tied to a charge bar. Having instant access to healing is a lifesaver, literally, considering how brutal combat can be in The Outer Worlds 2. What’s more, you can improve Valerie’s restorative potential by selecting specific Perks, listed below. For Valerie’s Level 10 Perk, choose based on whether you favor lock-picking or crafting. Valerie’s best Perks are Restorative Operation (Level 5), which allows Life Injection Module to heal the entire party, Fortitude Support Module (Level 15), which removes hostile status effects, Preparation Protocols (Level 20), which causes Valerie’s Companion power to charge faster, Preservation Catalyst (Level 25), which gives the party regeneration, and Prolonged Restoration (Level 30), granting even more regeneration. Ask The Escapist
