While The Outer Worlds isn’t a completely open-world game, it does have quite a few different locations for players to visit and explore. There are plenty of locations within the base game that players can familiarize themselves with, but thanks to the Peril on Gorgon DLC, players also gain access to a seemingly abandoned asteroid named Gorgon. This asteroid has a rich mythological background and history, however, so it's not like Obsidian Entertainment just randomly threw an asteroid at players.

This added location isn’t even on the map until the Peril on Gorgon DLC is installed, though, which is a notable difference from other planets on the map. Even with the completion of the DLC, there are three locked planets that remain on The Outer Worlds map, yet Gorgon is an interesting and unique addition to the game thanks to the plotline of the DLC.

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The Mythology of Gorgon

the outer worlds how to start peril on gorgon

Greek mythology is easily found in many different facets of The Outer Worlds, most notably in the planets’ names and general environments. Though players cannot access the planet Typhon yet, it’s easy to predict that the planet will be full of monsters thanks to the myth that probably informed the naming of the world. Typhon is important in this case because he is considered the father of all monsters—some of his most notable descendants are the Gorgons.

Before his defeat, Typhon and Echidna, a half-woman, half-snake, had a ridiculous amount of monster-hybrid children. Of their Gorgon offspring, the most famous was Medusa, although she did have two sisters, Sthenno and Euryale. The Gorgons are well known for their hair, which was replaced with live snakes, and the ability to turn anyone who looked at them to stone. Of the Gorgons, Medusa was the only one who wasn’t immortal, having been slain by Perseus.

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Gorgon According to The Outer Worlds

Peril on Gorgon added two landing locations either on or near the Gorgon asteroid—Ambrose Manor and the Gorgon Landing Pad. The map states that the asteroid houses marauders, smugglers, and a Spacer’s Choice facility that’s been abandoned. Ambrose Manor doesn’t offer a lot to players in terms of exploration, but they’re really only supposed to go there to learn more about Minnie Ambrose and the Gorgon mystery/mission overall.

Things get more interesting once players land on the Gorgon Landing Pad and they can freely explore the brightly lit asteroid. Aesthetically, Gorgon is one of the most beautiful planets available to players with its electric blue flora and uniquely colored fauna, including special types of canids, raptidons, and mantisaurs. While the plants won’t kill players, the abilities that the specialized monsters have developed can definitely pose more of a challenge than their original forms.

It’s possible that the Gorgon of The Outer Worlds took inspiration from the Greek mythological creatures of the same name in one key way—monsters. The planet is filled with marauders who are monsters in their own right. Though they may not turn players to stone, they can be quite formidable in combat, especially those that have stayed on Gorgon and developed certain almost supernatural powers.

Additionally, it’s possible that the player character, Captain “Alex Hawthorne,” may be put in a similar position to that of Perseus who had to slay Medusa. The penultimate part of the Peril on Gorgon storyline requires players to make a choice, and depending on how they play the game, they may end up slaying whoever they disagree with more.

Though the exact references to Greek mythology are a little more nuanced with the Gorgon asteroid, it’s obvious that there is probably some form of connection between the naming of the planet and the myth of the same name. Players have a lot of exploring and combat to look forward to when running around the fluorescent asteroid, but the DLC is, of course, not required to complete or enjoy The Outer Worlds.

The Outer Worlds: Peril on Gorgon is available now for PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One.

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