The Outer Worlds 2 is a large improvement over the first installment. Gameplay, gunplay, movement and control reception are all up to date. The graphics are attractive, with good lighting/shading simulation. There aren't many loading screens for interiors, except for larger cells, which are often themselves small "planet sandboxes" you can explore. Every area is handcrafted, and fairly unique.
The dialogue and characters are good to average, with lots of fairly funny moments throughout. The eclectically diverse people of the Order, Protectorate and Aunties Choice feel unique and distinctive. The way they talk, phrase things, their values and boundaries. The level designs are really good, exploration is good to decent. Overall, I'd rate this a 7.5/10. It's a good game, but not a masterpiece. But definitely not a 1/10 or a terrible game, do not listen to these negative people. Try it yourself before judging based on what your favourite YouTuber has to say.
Some of the negatives: the companions are easily the weakest thing. They are unique and distinctive, but also bland and dull. I don't really care about these characters, which does display as poorly written or poorly fleshed out, when compared to characters from New Vegas, or later games like RDR2, The Witcher or Cyverpunk 2077.
The combat is improved but the AI is still a bit stiff and doesn't feel very genuine. The enemy types and varieties are interesting and varied, but largely it's just run and shoot, or throw grenades. The abilities like the slow motion return, with new ones which I found largely useless except for the N-ray goggles which can be useful for quest solutions and certain combat encounters in the dark.
While the universe itself is grand in its science fiction, it rarely felt like anything I hadn't heard before. It wasn't clichéd, yet didn't draw me in, no matter how much I wanted it to.
Overall a fun game, worth 40 dollars/gamepass.