The Outer Worlds is a wonderful display of space exploration that Obsidian brought to life back in 2019. As is the case with any good open world RPG, there are plenty of fun Easter eggs and discoveries hidden in The Outer Worlds; one of the most underrated secret details is a clever nod to a song by The Beatles.
When it comes to Easter eggs in The Outer Worlds, there are fun details hidden where players least expect, and one of the greatest secrets is found with a specific variant of the Impact Hammer. The Impact Hammer is one of the many melee weapons available in The Outer Worlds, but one special variant named Maxwell has a deeper story behind it.
The Outer Worlds 2 is in a Pickle with The First Game’s Biggest Plot Twist
With The Outer Worlds 2 in the works, developer Obsidian may have to wrestle with coherently incorporating the original’s major reveal.
The Outer Worlds’ Interesting Tie To The Beatles
At first, this just seems like a funny little detail. Perhaps a developer working on the game just wanted to have some fun with this particular hammer, but there is actually a deeper meaning behind this naming. Maxwell is named as such because it’s a nod to the Beatles song “Maxwell’s Silver Hammer”. The Outer Worlds is a big game that truly embraces exploration, and coming across this Easter egg is a fun detail that many fans of The Beatles might enjoy.
Maxwell’s Silver Hammer
Although the name of the Impact Hammer is taken straight from The Beatles song, there’s a much darker meaning behind the lyrics. In classic Beatles fashion, the song is a bouncy, happy tune, but the lyrics are downright sinister. The song follows the titular Maxwell asking a girl out to the movies, only to eventually hit her over the head with a hammer, killing her. The Outer Worlds is known for its lawless frontier, which only makes sense to nickname a hammer after a song about murder.
The lyrics go, “Bang! Bang! Maxwell’s silver hammer came down upon her head”. The juxtaposition of such dark lyrics embedded in a happy musical composition is actually perfect for The Outer Worlds, since that’s the exact tone the game has as well. The Outer Worlds goes heavy on satire, which is one of the main reasons why the game is so much fun. The game’s bleak world overcast with a blanket of clever humor makes “Maxwell’s Silver Hammer” the perfect song to pay homage to in a small way.
Bang! Bang! Maxwell’s silver hammer came down upon her head.
The Cleverness of Outer Worlds
The inclusion of this particular song by The Beatles is a great example of just how good Obsidian is at expanding the tone of its worlds with even the most minuscule details. The great humor permeating The Outer Worlds makes the prospect of the sequel incredibly exciting, and there’s no telling what great Easter eggs will be hidden in the second game.
Maxwell the Impact Hammer isn’t the only Beatles Easter egg in The Outer Worlds. There is a side quest titled “Happiness is a Warm Spaceship”, which is a clear reference to the song “Happiness is a Warm Gun”.
For a detail that seems so small, it actually speaks volumes. Detailed game development like this makes a game’s world feel far more rich than one first realizes, and this is why world building at every corner is so important. There are a lot of expectations for The Outer Worlds 2, but Obsidian has proven that it can craft some fantastic worlds with its history of Fallout: New Vegas and the first Outer Worlds.
The Outer Worlds
Created by Obsidian Entertainment, the same company responsible for the beloved Fallout: New Vegas, The Outer Worlds is a Sci-Fi FPS adventure with RPG elements. Players will embark on an epic quest across multiple planets and areas, taking on quests from NPCs, gaining companions, and unraveling an interstellar mystery.
In the game, players can create their own character and unlock a ship, which will be the central hub and fast travel access point for the game.
- Released
- October 25, 2019
- ESRB
- M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Strong Language
- How Long To Beat
- 13 Hours
- X|S Enhanced
- No
- File Size Xbox Series
- 53 GB (December 2023)
