By DEV CROWLEY
I have been a big supporter of THE OUTER WORLDS since it was announced. It got a rave review from me and even The Peril on Gorgon DLC was well received. Recently, Obsidian released another mysterious adventure to send you on and this one may be the best of the bunch. The Murder on Eridanos DLC will drop you into a world of mysterious death, strange parasites and cloud cities
As a quick recap, THE OUTER WORLDS is a game developed by Obsidian and published by Take-Two Interactive and Private Division. You play as the Stranger, a person woken up from cryosleep on the failed colony ship, Hope. The scientist Phineas Welles has woken you up because he needs your help. Halcyon colony is being run by mega-corporations that are driving it into the ground and he needs your help to stop them. That will involve lots of dialogue, planet hopping and a lot of shooting. This is truly a “play as you want” type of game. With so many dialogue options and the ability to level up whatever skills you deem important, this is easily one of the best games of its generation. While Peril on Gorgon was a fun DLC that kept the feel and pace of the main game, Murder on Eridanos takes it to the next level.
In Murder on Eridanos, ADA shows you a drama featuring Halcyon Helen, a famous serial actress who was recently murdered while on the planet Eridanos. She was there to showcase the new Rizzo product, Spectrum Brown. Authorities on Eridanos have decided to hire you to come to the planet and investigate her death. While there, the Stranger can also help employees of Rizzo’s orchard to solve a mystery of their own.
While the gameplay is mostly the same from the main game to this DLC, you feel more like a detective, especially thanks to a handy dandy piece of equipment you are given to help in the investigation. Part magnifying glass and part gun, the Discrepancy Amplifier will show you hidden clues to help solve the case. From tracing footsteps to analyzing chemicals, you use the Discrepancy Amplifier as one of the many unique weapons in the DLC to solve the case of who murdered Halcyon Helen. The cut scene graphics are stunning. I was blown away by the close ups of Halcyon Helen during the intro scenes, and you can really see how Obsidian has been working to improve the game even after release. There is also an amazing transition from black and white to color that will literally make your jaw drop.
This DLC alone is about an 8 hour journey and there is a lot to do on the gorgeous Eridanos. The planet doesn’t have a livable surface, so the fancy hotel and all the inhabitants live on floating masses in the clouds, which is reminiscent of Columbia from Bioshock Infinite. Murder on Eridanos is just as beautiful as the main game with the same amount of choice, humor, and action, and a great story thatt makes you feel like an old timey private dick. Play the DLC now!
“THE OUTER WORLDS: Murder on Eridanos” is available now.
