If you’re gearing up to play The Outer Worlds 2, one of the first choices you’ll make is selecting your difficulty. Whether you’re in it for the story or want a serious challenge, each setting impacts how tough enemies are and how the game plays. Here’s what you need to know before locking in your choice.
The Outer Worlds 2 Difficulty Levels Explained
The Outer Worlds 2 offers four difficulty levels, each tailored to different types of players:
- Story: Ideal if you care more about narrative than combat. Enemies in Story Mode have reduced health and deal less damage, letting you focus on exploration and dialogue.
- Normal: Recommended for most players on their first run. This mode offers balanced enemy health and damage, making for a well-rounded experience.
- Hard: Designed for players who want more of a challenge. Enemies are tougher and hit harder, requiring more strategy and resource management.
- Very Hard: Reserved for those who want a serious test of skill. Enemies deal significantly more damage, making every encounter riskier. It’s intense, but doable with the right build.
Achievement Guide for Difficulty Levels
There are three difficulty-related achievements in The Outer Worlds 2:
- Any Difficulty: Complete the game on any setting
- Hard: Complete the game on Hard difficulty
- Very Hard: Complete the game on Very Hard difficulty
Completing the game on a higher difficulty will also unlock the achievements for all lower ones. If you’re going for full completion, starting on Very Hard will save time.
I played on Very Hard while reviewing The Outer Worlds 2 and found it challenging but not frustrating. To make things smoother, I used a Sneak build focused on stealth kills and evasion. It let me avoid unnecessary fights and pick off enemies before they saw me.
Which Difficulty Level Will You Choose?
Choosing the right difficulty in The Outer Worlds 2 comes down to how you want to play, but if you’re chasing achievements or just love a tough fight, Very Hard is worth it. For more build guides, quest walkthroughs, and decision breakdowns, like Can You Play The Outer Worlds 2 on Steam Deck, check out our The Outer Worlds 2 hub.
