Murder on Eridanos is not my first rodeo into Halcyon – I reviewed Peril on Gorgon too, the first expansion of The Outer Worlds. And it is for that reason exactly, I would like to repeat my disclaimer: I am a big fan of Obsidian. My review therefore, is exactly what you might fear – biased. But then isn’t that the point of a review?
If you have stuck around, welcome to the hyper-corpo family! Murder on Eridanos expertly mixes the retropunk genre, artdeco vibes, pulpy telenovela dramas and the classic whodunit in this second meaty expansion. But does it work? Well, you will have to read more to find out.
Halcyon Helen vs The Brain Eaters
Aetherwave sensation Halcyon Helen has been murdered, and you have been summoned to investigate the case. The scene of the crime: Eridanos, a group of floating islands above a gas giant, managed by Rizzo’s and Sublight Underground (SLUG). Unlike the last expansion, this one is pretty self-contained – you will not need to leave Eridanos. The entire story unwinds in the different regions of the planet – The Grand Colonial Hotel, Wilderness Exploitation Reserve, Purpleberry Orchards, Piraeus Spaceport, the Pilothouse and the Distillation Station.
Armed with the droll know-it-all Discrepancy Amplifier, a Watson-esque sidekick to your Sherlock-style sleuthing skills, you will embark on a journey to interview all the suspects, poke holes in their elaborate alibis and try to identify the actual killer. Who is it? You bounce off a series of interesting characters – a tossball star ex-boyfriend, a brilliant scientist with zero empathy, a jealous co-star who dreams to be the lead, a crime boss company manager, a doctor who loves dead bodies, a life-coach scam artist, an accident-prone intern, a bellhop stalker and a lot more! The branching conversation, on-point humour and soap opera storyline are the stars of the show.
Rizzo’s Spectrum Brown – If it’s brown, drink it down
It is the devil in the details that Obsidian gets right. And it never ever forgets to celebrate the smaller moments. Especially when you and Parvati play the good cop – bad cop routine. Or when Felix gushes about his love for tossball. Or when the Discrepancy Amplifier fake-praises you, since its in the routine. The dinghy bellhop quarters only a level below the shining hotel lobby. A throwaway campy guffaw when you notice the last three letters of the hotel signboard not lighting up – making it spell “Grand Colon”. A flower and candle memorial for the late actress after her body has been moved. Or when you find that there are some die-hard fans of an automech actor. The lore and the world-building is downright immaculate.
But players beware! There is a level requirement for this expansion, and you need to complete some major quests of the main story to enjoy what is in here. This could have been managed better – especially since the expansion completely takes place in Eridanos. Skill checks and enemy difficulty could have been made dynamic to entertain a new player who wants to see this story in its entirety. The level design is not as complicated as the last expansion – there are clear routes, open vistas and visible landmarks to guide you easily towards your destination.
What are the rules of Tossball again?
Despite of its strong storytelling roots, there is one aspect where it falters. After save-scumming for a few times, I was led to a sad conclusion. No matter who you accuse near the end, the final mission does not change. Whether you get it right or wrong, the game ends in a predictable confrontation. And even when you make a world-altering decision (not mentioned because of its spoilery nature – but you will know it, when you do it), you still go back out to see that it hasn’t changed much – a severe lapse in continuity.
Obsidian’s insistence on leaning on noir detective dramas for both their expansions, is an exciting look into how they want to shape the future of this game. The visuals are good, but nowhere close to current AAA industry standards. The combat is serviceable, but undoubtedly the weakest link of the game. You will want to fast-travel a lot of times during the game, and that doesn’t bode well for the world design of the game. There is a same-ness in the enemy types, guns and armour. No romance, no new music tracks. Yet, it works. Its more of the same – a familiarity that fans want more of. The Outer Worlds is an exceptionally polished RPG with a strong story made by a small team on a tight budget – if you keep that in mind, you will probably be happy to ignore all the jank and technical limitations that come with such a game.
Real Talk
If you are looking for high stakes and plenty of combat, you will be disappointed. Murder on Eridanos is a lore-heavy expansion, which thrives on silver-tongued conversation. Indulge yourself in interrogating weird colourful characters, as you try to solve the mystery behind Eridanos’s murderous reputation. For the Obsidian RPG fan who enjoys the story over everything else, I can bet that your 10+ hours in this game will feel extremely rewarding! A fitting end to The Outer Worlds, and perhaps, a keen insight into what is in store for this exciting new IP!