The Outer Worlds announced its first DLC, Peril on Gorgon, in July 2020 and it was later released in September. Players could pre-order just Peril on Gorgon, or pay extra to get the full Expansion Pass that included both Peril on Gorgon and Murder on Eridanos. Now that both DLCs have been released, it’s worth noting how many similarities and differences there are between the two. Each has its own unique story, but there’s definitely some overlap to be unpacked. While this is a comparison, it’s not to pit the two DLCs against each other.
Both have their own strengths, weaknesses, and unique aspects that players will be drawn to. With Peril on Gorgon’s story centering around the Spacer’s Choice corporation, it’s safe to say that the DLC is “not the best choice, it’s Spacer’s Choice!” Comparatively speaking, Murder on Eridanos focuses on the Rizzo’s corporation, and while the slogan may be “woah, woah, woah, it’s Rizzo’s!” the DLC could have its own slogan of “woah, woah, woah, it’s murder!” Both DLCs add new, fun gameplay to The Outer Worlds.
Peril on Gorgon and Murder on Eridanos task players with solving a mystery, though each DLC tackles it in its own way. Peril on Gorgon is a “pulp noir” tale, specially crafted with unique musical cues and lighting changes to really capture the mysterious, and perilous, feeling of investigating the Gorgon asteroid. Murder on Eridanos, on the other hand, doesn’t build up the suspense as much. Players are immediately shown what happens to Halcyon Helen and are then hired to be the head Investigator of the case.
Murder on Eridanos advertises itself as a “whodunit,” which definitely fits the overall atmosphere of the DLC. Where Peril on Gorgon was full of mystery and intrigue, Murder on Eridanos functions more like an episode of Scooby-Doo. Players collect evidence and piece together the stories from everyone they interview to get a cohesive picture of the circumstances surrounding Helen’s murder. Despite it being about a murder, the newest DLC has a noticeably lighter atmosphere and it’s not just because of the color scheme.
The Scooby-Doo comparison works in this situation because players take their rag-tag team of Halcyon outlaws (and one pure-hearted engineer) to investigate what exactly happened to Halcyon Helen. The investigation has a few twists and is definitely propelled forward by the supporting cast of NPCs. Each person interviewed in relation to Helen’s murder has a unique motive that may, or may not, implicate them with her death. Murder on Eridanos definitely isn’t as heavy as Peril on Gorgon, but both DLCs give players new mysteries to solve.
Players who have gone through Peril on Gorgon will remember leaving the Gorgon asteroid to complete a thorough investigation of the abandoned Spacer’s Choice facility. While it may not have been much, players at least had to travel to the Olympus Orbital Pharmaceutical Station and the back bays of Groundbreaker to get the answers they sought. Not to mention even having to travel from Ambrose Manor to the asteroid itself.
Murder on Eridanos doesn’t have any travel necessary. This isn’t necessarily a fault of the DLC and makes sense because the murder happened in one place and, due to the fact the area is locked down, the murderer would still be trapped there. The story is very self-contained, with players exploring different parts of the newly unlocked planet, but never having to leave. All information necessary to solving Halcyon Helen’s murder exists on the planet, as long as players know where to look.
Even the base game of The Outer Worlds is known for rewarding its players with memorabilia reminders of different quests completed as the game progresses. Players can decorate their Captain’s Quarters with tons of subtle (or more pronounced) items that show how far they’ve come and what quests they’ve completed thus far. Even for being a DLC, Peril on Gorgon had quite a few nods added to the Quarters that players could interact with — one of which being a pet teacup canid.
Murder on Eridanos doesn’t seem to have this kind of attention to detail. There are some reminders of the adventure on Eridanos, but not nearly as many were included compared to the last DLC. While this may not be a big deal to all players, it’s still a bit disappointing to see how much was included with Peril on Gorgon and to not have that energy matched in Murder on Eridanos.
Peril on Gorgon is about an abandoned Spacer’s Choice facility, which of course means that players will learn more about that corporation as the DLC progresses. What players learn while solving the mystery of Gorgon is appropriately dark, disturbing, and fits in with the rest of The Outer Worlds’ Halcyon colony. Even the companions are rightly horrified by the events uncovered, adding to the drama of uncovering the truth of the facility.
Comparatively, Murder on Eridanos doesn’t have the same effect, even though it places a heavy emphasis on a different corporation. Rizzo’s is known for its alcoholic beverages, but players can also wear Rizzo’s armor in The Outer Worlds. The armor selection is increased with the Murder on Eridanos DLC as well. Peril on Gorgon made it explicitly clear what was going on behind the scenes at Spacer’s Choice, while Murder on Eridanos takes a less-extreme approach. As expected, both corporations do some shady things, but the emphasis on seedy corporate behavior seems focused on Spacer’s Choice, rather than both corporations.
Both Peril on Gorgon and Murder on Eridanos are exciting DLCs that players can get for The Outer Worlds base game. Neither one is better than the other, but which one players will prefer depends on what kind of story they’re looking for. If players want a darker narrative experience, Peril on Gorgon is the way to go. For a more dramatic mystery, players may want to invest in Murder on Eridanos. Or, players can experience both with the Expansion Pass.
The Outer Worlds: Murder on Eridanos is available now for PC, PS4, and Xbox One.
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