I LOVE Outer Wilds, and I did really loved this DLC, it builds up on the already established lore without messing anything up, it presents new mechanics and aspects that makes you think in a different manner and awesome visuals and worldbuilding.
But I can't let the bad parts of this DLC alone... As soon as the "horror" part of the DLC started I was getting more and more frustrating, for a game that is heavily about you discovering the lore and mysteries of this world, this sections feel really frustrating, I do love the horror aspect and it gave me chills for the most part, but when I needed to repeat the same sections again and again because they're ridiculously hard I started to get frustrated, not just because it's hard, but because it took me away from the main thing of this game, discovering... I really think this DLC would benefit from a little more fairness in those parts, they were just too annoying for me.
But don't get me wrong, this is still and AMAZING DLC for anyone that loves Outer Wilds, and even with those missteps I truly loved basically everything here, this is how you do a expansion right, if you're reluctant about buying this, trust me, if you liked the main game you'll have a blast with this!
(and as the devs said that this would be the one and only DLC for Outer Wilds I can't wait to see their next game, I don't want, or think it'll happen, a Outer Wilds 2, but whatever these guys will do I'll be there to watch, or play I guess xD)
- Will Neot
But I can't let the bad parts of this DLC alone... As soon as the "horror" part of the DLC started I was getting more and more frustrating, for a game that is heavily about you discovering the lore and mysteries of this world, this sections feel really frustrating, I do love the horror aspect and it gave me chills for the most part, but when I needed to repeat the same sections again and again because they're ridiculously hard I started to get frustrated, not just because it's hard, but because it took me away from the main thing of this game, discovering... I really think this DLC would benefit from a little more fairness in those parts, they were just too annoying for me.
But don't get me wrong, this is still and AMAZING DLC for anyone that loves Outer Wilds, and even with those missteps I truly loved basically everything here, this is how you do a expansion right, if you're reluctant about buying this, trust me, if you liked the main game you'll have a blast with this!
(and as the devs said that this would be the one and only DLC for Outer Wilds I can't wait to see their next game, I don't want, or think it'll happen, a Outer Wilds 2, but whatever these guys will do I'll be there to watch, or play I guess xD)
- Will Neot
This review contains spoilers
SPOILERS FOR ENTIRE GAME
Admitting that I didn't love EOTE is deeply painful. Outer Wilds is one of the best games I've ever played and I was beyond thrilled to try the expansion. While it didn't ruin the original game for me, neither did it improve upon it.
I would describe Outer Wilds as combining three key aspects: space exploration, a time loop, and a mystery which you gradually piece together. EOTE delivers only the last aspect.
Space Exploration:
Discovering the Stranger and getting the first glimpse of the ringworld got an audible "holy shit" from me. It's visually striking and impressive from a technical standpoint. But that's where it ends, you can't take your ship inside so once you enter the Stranger you are essentially on foot for the rest of the expansion. The fact that it's a ringworld is almost incidental and isn't explored in any creative way within the gameplay.
In any other game this wouldn't be a gripe, but the base game uses the diverse properties of all the other planets as core parts of the overall puzzle. Not so here.
Time Loop:
This aspect of the game is almost entirely lost in EOTE. Other than the dam bursting about halfway through the loop, which is used for only one major puzzle, having to restart the loop every 22 minutes is nothing but an impediment to your progress within the Stranger. It's almost baffling that the developers treated the primary mechanic of the base game as a complete afterthought here. Remember, this isn't a standalone expansion, it's very much crafted to be a part of the overall experience and narrative of the base game.
Mystery:
In this one regard, the game does not disappoint. I love the story which is told in EOTE, and found myself relating a lot more to the existential terror of the Elks than the reckless curiosity of the Nomai. Piecing together the story was a thrill, and the eventual reveal of the prisoner was a wonderful moment. I especially liked the emphasis on visual storytelling rather than text logs, something the base game relied heavily upon.
--
Traditional Horror:
This is probably the most notable aspect of EOTE. Now let me just say, Outer Wilds is one of the scariest games I've ever played. But that horror was something unique that I have never experienced in any other game.
Hurtling through Giant's Deep's atmosphere to reveal an ocean covered in enormous waterspouts. The eerie drone of the enigmatic Quantum Moon's signal before it suddenly reappears on the other side of the solar system. Dropping feet-first into a black hole.
So many moments in Outer Wilds made my stomach lurch without relying on traditional horror tropes or video game mechanics. EOTE retains a little of that cosmic dread, but it mainly relies heavily on scrambling through the dark as screeching monsters hunt you. It's like they took the most frustrating part of the base game, the Angerflish, and decided to make that a major part of the expansion. While certainly terrifying, this is something that we've seen done in countless games before.
Combine that with a 22-minute time loop, and the initial horror rapidly gives way to annoyance as you rush past your foes for the umpteenth time.
--
EOTE didn't sour my love of the base game, but it left me feeling deflated. A day may come when I've forgotten enough about Outer Wilds to replay it all over again, but I doubt I will be revisiting my friends on the Stranger any time soon. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going back to sleep in the simulation where this expansion doesn't exist.
Admitting that I didn't love EOTE is deeply painful. Outer Wilds is one of the best games I've ever played and I was beyond thrilled to try the expansion. While it didn't ruin the original game for me, neither did it improve upon it.
I would describe Outer Wilds as combining three key aspects: space exploration, a time loop, and a mystery which you gradually piece together. EOTE delivers only the last aspect.
Space Exploration:
Discovering the Stranger and getting the first glimpse of the ringworld got an audible "holy shit" from me. It's visually striking and impressive from a technical standpoint. But that's where it ends, you can't take your ship inside so once you enter the Stranger you are essentially on foot for the rest of the expansion. The fact that it's a ringworld is almost incidental and isn't explored in any creative way within the gameplay.
In any other game this wouldn't be a gripe, but the base game uses the diverse properties of all the other planets as core parts of the overall puzzle. Not so here.
Time Loop:
This aspect of the game is almost entirely lost in EOTE. Other than the dam bursting about halfway through the loop, which is used for only one major puzzle, having to restart the loop every 22 minutes is nothing but an impediment to your progress within the Stranger. It's almost baffling that the developers treated the primary mechanic of the base game as a complete afterthought here. Remember, this isn't a standalone expansion, it's very much crafted to be a part of the overall experience and narrative of the base game.
Mystery:
In this one regard, the game does not disappoint. I love the story which is told in EOTE, and found myself relating a lot more to the existential terror of the Elks than the reckless curiosity of the Nomai. Piecing together the story was a thrill, and the eventual reveal of the prisoner was a wonderful moment. I especially liked the emphasis on visual storytelling rather than text logs, something the base game relied heavily upon.
--
Traditional Horror:
This is probably the most notable aspect of EOTE. Now let me just say, Outer Wilds is one of the scariest games I've ever played. But that horror was something unique that I have never experienced in any other game.
Hurtling through Giant's Deep's atmosphere to reveal an ocean covered in enormous waterspouts. The eerie drone of the enigmatic Quantum Moon's signal before it suddenly reappears on the other side of the solar system. Dropping feet-first into a black hole.
So many moments in Outer Wilds made my stomach lurch without relying on traditional horror tropes or video game mechanics. EOTE retains a little of that cosmic dread, but it mainly relies heavily on scrambling through the dark as screeching monsters hunt you. It's like they took the most frustrating part of the base game, the Angerflish, and decided to make that a major part of the expansion. While certainly terrifying, this is something that we've seen done in countless games before.
Combine that with a 22-minute time loop, and the initial horror rapidly gives way to annoyance as you rush past your foes for the umpteenth time.
--
EOTE didn't sour my love of the base game, but it left me feeling deflated. A day may come when I've forgotten enough about Outer Wilds to replay it all over again, but I doubt I will be revisiting my friends on the Stranger any time soon. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going back to sleep in the simulation where this expansion doesn't exist.
This review contains spoilers
Perfect complement to the original. Just to gush about some moments that took my breath away:
1) The first crash into the river of the Stranger was fucking incredible. So grateful we live in an age when games can render so far out because getting to witness the ring world in a single glance was chef's kiss.
2) The first time stepping into one of the secret fire rooms creeped me the fuck out; something about seeing the corpses and realizing I'd been stomping around in what was essentially a massive graveyard.
3) Which was only topped by running into one of the horned owls in the simulation and being like, oh damn you guys are STILL AROUND. Like seeing a ghost, but this one wants to eat you.
4) I'm soooo impressed that, with minimal actual horror game elements but maximum environmental storytelling, I was so creeped out by the dream. Had to walk away from the game for a week before I could step out into the darkness.
1) The first crash into the river of the Stranger was fucking incredible. So grateful we live in an age when games can render so far out because getting to witness the ring world in a single glance was chef's kiss.
2) The first time stepping into one of the secret fire rooms creeped me the fuck out; something about seeing the corpses and realizing I'd been stomping around in what was essentially a massive graveyard.
3) Which was only topped by running into one of the horned owls in the simulation and being like, oh damn you guys are STILL AROUND. Like seeing a ghost, but this one wants to eat you.
4) I'm soooo impressed that, with minimal actual horror game elements but maximum environmental storytelling, I was so creeped out by the dream. Had to walk away from the game for a week before I could step out into the darkness.
It doesn't quite hit the highs of the base game, but it is still a worthy expansion full of excellent "ah-ha" moments. I think this may be best to do alongside the base game for new players.
Outer Wilds: Echoes of the Eye is the greatest horror game I've ever played. I mean that with 100% sincerity.
Half-jokes aside, this DLC is wonderful. the mystery surrounding The Stranger is super intriguing, exploring The Stranger itself is a total treat, the story of the Owlk's is amazing and answers plenty of questions left by the base game, the music is stellar once again, and the way it all comes together in the end is beautiful. A fantastic DLC for a fantastic game.
Half-jokes aside, this DLC is wonderful. the mystery surrounding The Stranger is super intriguing, exploring The Stranger itself is a total treat, the story of the Owlk's is amazing and answers plenty of questions left by the base game, the music is stellar once again, and the way it all comes together in the end is beautiful. A fantastic DLC for a fantastic game.
A cool addition to the base game, but when by the end I was actively figuring out how to avoid certain game mechanics so that I didn’t have to deal with stealth sections that feel designed to make you fail over and over until it gets dull… well, let’s say it was far from the greatness of the base game, but it had some decent peaks at least. The ending kind of left me feeling more empty than fulfilled though. It doesn’t take away from Outer Wilds, but it also doesn’t add anything substantial or meaningful that the base game didn’t already do better.
Echoes of the Eye tells a beautiful story and its first and last impressions are its strongest, but I felt a deep sense of disappointment throughout much of my playtime. While The Stranger is a breathtaking environment and its ring shape is an excellent tool to inform the player of what is hidden within its winding canyons, you will regularly find yourself railroaded from waking up to an all-out bum rush toward The Stranger to the nearest artifact you're aware of to the Secret World's nearest access point, which leaves the actual structure of the game feeling rote and repetitive in a way that the base game didn't.
The ideas on display, especially when it comes to the Secret World as a Matrix allegory (and, by extension, an allegory for Plato's Allegory of the Cave) and the ways that the inhabitants of The Stranger serve as a Yang to the Nomai's Yin, both in regards to the Eye and the Protagonist are fascinating and certainly warranted the time given to them by the DLC. Furthermore, the Protagonist's conversation with The Prisoner is a beautiful vindication for someone who gave up everything in an attempt to help those who would come next, and I once again found myself misty eyed at the end of the game.
I stumbled upon the secret chambers to enter the Secret World very early on, and quickly determined how to enter the matrix without seeing all of the exposition slides due to the lanterns held by the inhabitants, which threw my progression through the DLC into disarray. While such sequence breaks could occur in the base game, they necessarily didn't shunt you too far off the intended path due to the fact that every branch of the game generally narrows as it goes (perhaps with exception to Ember Twin) and ties back into the others, whereas the shape of progression in Echoes of the Eye is that of a barbell. In contrast, the introduction of the DLC is very open but quickly narrows down to the bottleneck of figuring out how to enter the Secret World, before widening back out once you enter it. I owe a lot of my wasted time in the DLC and my overall negative reception of its pacing to that structure, though it was further reinforced by the limited interactivity with both The Stranger at large and the Secret World.
One of the best mechanics in Outer Wilds is the jetpack because of all of the ways with which you are able to use it to smoothen your interaction with the world. Intelligent use of your thrusters allows you to utilize the curvature of the planet you're currently on to accelerate beyond your normal walking clip (essentially entering into a very low-altitude orbit once you go fast enough) or to overcome cliffs as a a player-made shortcut. Both of these are much rarer occurrences in The Stranger and downright impossible within the The Secret World, with the most desirable skip within The Stranger, to hop from a tree near the dam up to the top of the tallest cliffs, seemingly being impossible. Combined with fast movement in The Stranger being more-or-less limited to the use of the rafts, my aforementioned problem with the limited use of our spaceship, and the moment to moment gameplay within The Secret World boiling down to observe -> position properly, Echoes of the Eye felt less interactive than base Outer Wilds, which just left me bored a lot more often than I want from a game.
And yet, I do still have a lot of love for it. It's not as good as base Outer Wilds, but then very little is.
The ideas on display, especially when it comes to the Secret World as a Matrix allegory (and, by extension, an allegory for Plato's Allegory of the Cave) and the ways that the inhabitants of The Stranger serve as a Yang to the Nomai's Yin, both in regards to the Eye and the Protagonist are fascinating and certainly warranted the time given to them by the DLC. Furthermore, the Protagonist's conversation with The Prisoner is a beautiful vindication for someone who gave up everything in an attempt to help those who would come next, and I once again found myself misty eyed at the end of the game.
I stumbled upon the secret chambers to enter the Secret World very early on, and quickly determined how to enter the matrix without seeing all of the exposition slides due to the lanterns held by the inhabitants, which threw my progression through the DLC into disarray. While such sequence breaks could occur in the base game, they necessarily didn't shunt you too far off the intended path due to the fact that every branch of the game generally narrows as it goes (perhaps with exception to Ember Twin) and ties back into the others, whereas the shape of progression in Echoes of the Eye is that of a barbell. In contrast, the introduction of the DLC is very open but quickly narrows down to the bottleneck of figuring out how to enter the Secret World, before widening back out once you enter it. I owe a lot of my wasted time in the DLC and my overall negative reception of its pacing to that structure, though it was further reinforced by the limited interactivity with both The Stranger at large and the Secret World.
One of the best mechanics in Outer Wilds is the jetpack because of all of the ways with which you are able to use it to smoothen your interaction with the world. Intelligent use of your thrusters allows you to utilize the curvature of the planet you're currently on to accelerate beyond your normal walking clip (essentially entering into a very low-altitude orbit once you go fast enough) or to overcome cliffs as a a player-made shortcut. Both of these are much rarer occurrences in The Stranger and downright impossible within the The Secret World, with the most desirable skip within The Stranger, to hop from a tree near the dam up to the top of the tallest cliffs, seemingly being impossible. Combined with fast movement in The Stranger being more-or-less limited to the use of the rafts, my aforementioned problem with the limited use of our spaceship, and the moment to moment gameplay within The Secret World boiling down to observe -> position properly, Echoes of the Eye felt less interactive than base Outer Wilds, which just left me bored a lot more often than I want from a game.
And yet, I do still have a lot of love for it. It's not as good as base Outer Wilds, but then very little is.
halo infinite is looking kinda strange ngl
What is Echoes of the Eye?
A DLC add-on to 2019's Outer Wilds, encompassing a new object found in the solar system, known only as "The Stranger".
Who made Echoes of the Eye? When did Echoes of the Eye release?
Mobius Digital, an independent game studio based in Los Angeles, notably founded by Masi Oka of Heroes fame. It was released in September 2021 for PC, Xbox, and Playstation 4.
Why should you play Echoes of the Eye?
The thrills of discovery of something tucked away in time, the horror of breaking into something not meant to be found, the satisfaction of piecing it altogether and understanding why things fell apart and how to heal what remains.
Where does Echoes of the Eye fail?
I eventually realized that everything I disliked about this game were things that were not leading me closer to solving the mystery; the things I did were me banging my head against a wall, and when I realized the solution, it always worked, or if it didn't, it helped me understand something I didn't before.
How would you rate it?
On a scale of Pass/Meh/Fine/Cool/Play It!...
Play it!
A DLC add-on to 2019's Outer Wilds, encompassing a new object found in the solar system, known only as "The Stranger".
Who made Echoes of the Eye? When did Echoes of the Eye release?
Mobius Digital, an independent game studio based in Los Angeles, notably founded by Masi Oka of Heroes fame. It was released in September 2021 for PC, Xbox, and Playstation 4.
Why should you play Echoes of the Eye?
The thrills of discovery of something tucked away in time, the horror of breaking into something not meant to be found, the satisfaction of piecing it altogether and understanding why things fell apart and how to heal what remains.
Where does Echoes of the Eye fail?
I eventually realized that everything I disliked about this game were things that were not leading me closer to solving the mystery; the things I did were me banging my head against a wall, and when I realized the solution, it always worked, or if it didn't, it helped me understand something I didn't before.
How would you rate it?
On a scale of Pass/Meh/Fine/Cool/Play It!...
Play it!
It PAINS me to give this anything less than a full 5🌟 rating. 😭
The ambition and wonder and intricate assemblage of this is in many ways the original Outer Wilds in microcosm, and once I was into it I was totally engrossed in the painstaking but emotionally rewarding process of pulling this new thing apart to get at its “core” in the same way I had the original. I loooove the way the game starts feeling like almost nothing has changed in the universe before it dawns on you what the experience will even be. I love the ambiguous malice that tinges the experience in a way that makes it feel unique from the original, and the bevy of new storytelling and mechanical ideas that don’t retread nearly anything from the original and thematically link to one another yet again. The music is again transcendent.
I can’t believe they pulled off this emotional/mechanical magic trick twice and yet…. one new mechanic is so frustrating and rough-edged when combined with the time-punishing nature of the loop it pulled me out of the experience entirely for a couple of hours, which was a supreme bummer. Stuck with it, though, and the highs are so high I’ll still carry it with me the way I do the original as something truly special.
Prolly shoulda done a spoiler-y review cuz attempting not to has had me talking in vague circles. 😜🦉
The ambition and wonder and intricate assemblage of this is in many ways the original Outer Wilds in microcosm, and once I was into it I was totally engrossed in the painstaking but emotionally rewarding process of pulling this new thing apart to get at its “core” in the same way I had the original. I loooove the way the game starts feeling like almost nothing has changed in the universe before it dawns on you what the experience will even be. I love the ambiguous malice that tinges the experience in a way that makes it feel unique from the original, and the bevy of new storytelling and mechanical ideas that don’t retread nearly anything from the original and thematically link to one another yet again. The music is again transcendent.
I can’t believe they pulled off this emotional/mechanical magic trick twice and yet…. one new mechanic is so frustrating and rough-edged when combined with the time-punishing nature of the loop it pulled me out of the experience entirely for a couple of hours, which was a supreme bummer. Stuck with it, though, and the highs are so high I’ll still carry it with me the way I do the original as something truly special.
Prolly shoulda done a spoiler-y review cuz attempting not to has had me talking in vague circles. 😜🦉
incredible dlc, but some of the horror segments are a bit annoying
Uma DLC que vale mais que muitos jogos AAA, não tenho palavras pra descrever o sentimento que o jogo + a dlc te entregam
el theremín es el ingrediente final de uno de los mejores finales del videojuego
Fiquei impressionado com está DLC, praticamente perfeita, se não fosse um pouco massante algumas partes. Recomendo Fortemente a experimentar.
Bruh
Every bit as good as the original while being completely its own. This is the gold standard for DLC; I am left speechless by how well Echoes of the Eye introduces so much, simultaneously making it stand apart from the base game and feel right at home.
No spoilers here. If you haven't played it yet: fuck you, start playing. If you have played it: you already know it's flipping incredible.
Every bit as good as the original while being completely its own. This is the gold standard for DLC; I am left speechless by how well Echoes of the Eye introduces so much, simultaneously making it stand apart from the base game and feel right at home.
No spoilers here. If you haven't played it yet: fuck you, start playing. If you have played it: you already know it's flipping incredible.
I had high expectations but holy shit dude.
From the makers of Best Game Ever Made comes: Best Game Ever Made 2
Yes of course it's good was there ever any doubt
Yes of course it's good was there ever any doubt
Can't say anything about it because just like outer wilds it's better to know absolutely nothing about. Play the base game first, and then delve into this wonder. It was insanely nice to be back into this game for one crazy goodbye. Also i prefer it to the base game, don't @ me.
This review contains spoilers
The Prisoner’s apprehensive “and so a choice: are you certain you want to remember me?” foiling Solanum’s unashamedly appreciative “I’m glad you remembered me,” lives in my head completely and utterly rent-free. The shame and guilt the Prisoner is left to bear for their entire race contrasting Solanum’s unrivaled, stoic pride and determination as the last of her species as they both face the inevitable death and rebirth of the universe is something that only a game like Outer Wilds could accomplish.
Needless to say, this is one of my favorite video game experiences of all time.
Needless to say, this is one of my favorite video game experiences of all time.
Simply one of the best DLC ever!
This review contains spoilers
This dlc reaffirms what I said many months ago
Outer wilds is one of the greatest games ever made, dare I say one of the greatest pieces of art ever made, and echoes of the eye is probably the single greatest DLC for any game, right up there with Bloodborne’s old hunters dlc.
The stranger is such a cool location, the horror bits build greatly upon the dark bramble concept from the base game, the visual storytelling used here as opposed to the text based storytelling of the game is phenomenal, and despite its many horrors, it has a very wholesome ending and even adds some more wholesomeness to the main game’s ending.
If you loved outer wilds, obviously play this, part of me wishes I just played this with the base game but alas, I didn’t.
Outer wilds is one of the greatest games ever made, dare I say one of the greatest pieces of art ever made, and echoes of the eye is probably the single greatest DLC for any game, right up there with Bloodborne’s old hunters dlc.
The stranger is such a cool location, the horror bits build greatly upon the dark bramble concept from the base game, the visual storytelling used here as opposed to the text based storytelling of the game is phenomenal, and despite its many horrors, it has a very wholesome ending and even adds some more wholesomeness to the main game’s ending.
If you loved outer wilds, obviously play this, part of me wishes I just played this with the base game but alas, I didn’t.
The Outer Wilds is a beautiful, unique and technically dazzling work of art. By no means perfect, it nonetheless manages to forge a truly original experience that most players will never forget, one that is as varied as it is profound. Echoes of the Eye does not manage to recapture that magic, but then again, how could it?
There's a very reason the announcement of this DLC was such a surprise, and it's the same as why it would be strange if someone said they'd managed to fit more gears in their perfectly crafted watch. The little solar system of Outer Wilds is so finely tuned that there simply isn't the space to add another chunk of content without seriously impacting the balance of the rest of the game. Mobius took an interesting approach to making this DLC in deciding to almost entirely section it off. All but the quest to find it takes place on one (admittedly quite large) ship, hidden in plain sight all along. This is probably the only feasible way to add new stuff, but it means sacrificing a lot of what makes the base game so good.
The biggest problem with Echoes of the Eye is its enclosed nature. Where in the base game if you got stuck you could get in your ship and piss off to another planet or even just chill in space for a bit, here everything you need to do is in one place, with the same aesthetic across it all. Tired of wooden shacks and riverside nature? Bad luck mate, that's all we've got. The puzzles here feel even more basic than the base game, with most of the solutions being handed to you once you've found a hidden room it told you about earlier. Where Outer Wilds feels like following a huge, multi headed breadcrumb trail across a whole solar system, there's a more defined and obvious to-do list in Echoes. Go to three areas, find the solution to them and as a reward get one third of the solution to the final puzzle. Rinse and repeat.
All that said, I still think it's an impressive piece of game. Echoes is as visually and aurally stunning as you'd expect and the reveal of the DLC area (and its time-based twist) is absolutely stunning. The story it eventually tells is a remarkably touching one too and its ending manages to feel like a true epilogue to the themes of the base game. Playing this back-to-back with the basegame feels as though I've just finished an exquisitie, perfectly portioned, truly original main course and followed it up with a heaving bowl of decent but somewhat bland bread and butter pudding. In the end, I feel bloated and kind of nauseuous, and it makes it harder to remember just how good that main course was when all I can taste is custard.
I'll stop torturing innocent metaphors now and make some effort at a conclusion. Echoes of the Eye is a valiant attempt at an expansion for a game that felt impossible to have more of, but in the end it stumbles too often to feel half as impactful as its progenitor. If you're going to play, have some separation from Outer Wilds before you do, take six months between them and treat it like a pseudo-spinoff rather than a DLC. The story told here and the artistry is still absolutely worth baring witness to, but keep it separate from the sublimity of the proper game and you'll hopefully enjoy it more than I did.
There's a very reason the announcement of this DLC was such a surprise, and it's the same as why it would be strange if someone said they'd managed to fit more gears in their perfectly crafted watch. The little solar system of Outer Wilds is so finely tuned that there simply isn't the space to add another chunk of content without seriously impacting the balance of the rest of the game. Mobius took an interesting approach to making this DLC in deciding to almost entirely section it off. All but the quest to find it takes place on one (admittedly quite large) ship, hidden in plain sight all along. This is probably the only feasible way to add new stuff, but it means sacrificing a lot of what makes the base game so good.
The biggest problem with Echoes of the Eye is its enclosed nature. Where in the base game if you got stuck you could get in your ship and piss off to another planet or even just chill in space for a bit, here everything you need to do is in one place, with the same aesthetic across it all. Tired of wooden shacks and riverside nature? Bad luck mate, that's all we've got. The puzzles here feel even more basic than the base game, with most of the solutions being handed to you once you've found a hidden room it told you about earlier. Where Outer Wilds feels like following a huge, multi headed breadcrumb trail across a whole solar system, there's a more defined and obvious to-do list in Echoes. Go to three areas, find the solution to them and as a reward get one third of the solution to the final puzzle. Rinse and repeat.
All that said, I still think it's an impressive piece of game. Echoes is as visually and aurally stunning as you'd expect and the reveal of the DLC area (and its time-based twist) is absolutely stunning. The story it eventually tells is a remarkably touching one too and its ending manages to feel like a true epilogue to the themes of the base game. Playing this back-to-back with the basegame feels as though I've just finished an exquisitie, perfectly portioned, truly original main course and followed it up with a heaving bowl of decent but somewhat bland bread and butter pudding. In the end, I feel bloated and kind of nauseuous, and it makes it harder to remember just how good that main course was when all I can taste is custard.
I'll stop torturing innocent metaphors now and make some effort at a conclusion. Echoes of the Eye is a valiant attempt at an expansion for a game that felt impossible to have more of, but in the end it stumbles too often to feel half as impactful as its progenitor. If you're going to play, have some separation from Outer Wilds before you do, take six months between them and treat it like a pseudo-spinoff rather than a DLC. The story told here and the artistry is still absolutely worth baring witness to, but keep it separate from the sublimity of the proper game and you'll hopefully enjoy it more than I did.
This review contains spoilers
The base game is one of the best ever made, this felt out of place and convoluted. Where the base game gave you a varied toolset, the DLC takes it away. Jetpack? Glorified double jump. Signalscope? used once. Translator? Never used. Oxygen? No longer a concern. Gravity? Same throughout the whole DLC. Looping? The DLC doesn't help you solve the overall mystery of the base game, so even loops feel out of place.
The dream world is the complete opposite of what I enjoyed from the base game. Why is my movement restricted? Why take even more of my equipment away? Why am I exploring a pitch black area? Why are there forced stealth sequences. Where the base game fun, varied and visually interesting, the DLC is the complete opposite. The DLC is also more linear than the base game, which makes getting stuck frustrating (whereas in the base game you could just go somewhere else due to the non-linear nature of the game).
This might be a nitpick but the new area also feels out of place, it's so disconnected from the main storyline. Adding what it is essentially a side mission to a game where everything is so interconnected kind of dilutes that aspect of the base game? Like I said, it might be a nitpick, but I do think this would be better as standalone DLC and leave the base game untouched.
This isn't to say the DLC is bad, it's just a big big step down from the base game. Which is understandable since the base game is one of the best games ever made. There are still some moments which have the classic Outer Wilds feel (e.g. when you enter the Stranger for the first time) and the story additions were good too.
I hope that whatever they make next maintains the open nature of the base game and doesn't restrict the player in the same way this DLC does
The dream world is the complete opposite of what I enjoyed from the base game. Why is my movement restricted? Why take even more of my equipment away? Why am I exploring a pitch black area? Why are there forced stealth sequences. Where the base game fun, varied and visually interesting, the DLC is the complete opposite. The DLC is also more linear than the base game, which makes getting stuck frustrating (whereas in the base game you could just go somewhere else due to the non-linear nature of the game).
This might be a nitpick but the new area also feels out of place, it's so disconnected from the main storyline. Adding what it is essentially a side mission to a game where everything is so interconnected kind of dilutes that aspect of the base game? Like I said, it might be a nitpick, but I do think this would be better as standalone DLC and leave the base game untouched.
This isn't to say the DLC is bad, it's just a big big step down from the base game. Which is understandable since the base game is one of the best games ever made. There are still some moments which have the classic Outer Wilds feel (e.g. when you enter the Stranger for the first time) and the story additions were good too.
I hope that whatever they make next maintains the open nature of the base game and doesn't restrict the player in the same way this DLC does
Stellenweise leider etwas nervig, aber insgesamt wieder ziemlich großartig. Leider beschränkt sich der DLC auf eine Region, was gegenüber dem Hauptspiel etwas an Abwechslungsreichtum einbüßt, aber für mich hat es sich auf jeden Fall gelohnt.
In space no one can hear you scream.
This review contains spoilers
Didn't really like the parts in the "dream" world, but everything else was fantastic!
Death is not an end. An exercise of extreme empathy through peril and terror. An urge, a need, to understand. We have to try to understand, we cannot be afraid of it for our whole lives. Because our lives are not alone. How we live will affect the way hundreds more will live, and so on. Our life will tell the stories that we leave behind, and those stories will shape life in ways that we will never be able to comprehend. It's amazing, just how small we are. It's endless curiosity, love of life, it's realizing that you as one are just as important as every one. Every one before you, every one after you. We are all so, so fucking amazing, and while it may take us too long to realize, and while we might be too afraid of understanding to notice, the way that we shine is bright, blinding, sheer and pure light, beaming and swallowing us all. An essential narrative to the original.
This review contains spoilers
the whole conceit here is misguided in that it barely feels like outer wilds, even if a lot of the individual components are good. i like the added focus on horror, though the stealth sections were pushing it for me - the ways you learn to bypass said sections were a highlight, but by the time you make those discoveries they've kind of outlived their usefulness, which feels like a missed opportunity. the slide reels were unequivocally great, though, and honestly a more interesting way of conveying information than the translated text of the base game. really, a lot of stuff here is quite good and intriguing once you manage to let go of your expectations of it being an outer wilds expansion, but i feel like that kind of gets at the heart of the problem. there's just an inescapable tension between what this expansion is trying to do and what the base game is, a tension that you feel every time the time loop (the central mechanic of the game!) rips you out of the experience and forces you to slog your way back to the stranger.
OUTER WILDS MOMENT
pls play this and play outer wilds and also play the DLC
the only reason this is a 4.5 and not a 5 is because i peed my pants while playing
pls play this and play outer wilds and also play the DLC
the only reason this is a 4.5 and not a 5 is because i peed my pants while playing
This review contains spoilers
They somehow made The Outer Wilds, one of the best games of all time, better. That moment where you pull a Neo and start seeing The Matrix is a top tier gaming moment.