There has long been a debate about whether or not video games are art. And while this question may seem offensive to some gamers, I do understand where it comes from. Does art have to say something? Does art have to make you feel something? It's hard to define exactly what art is, but I don't think games like the thirty-fifth iteration of Assassin's Creed or Call of Duty quite make the cut. To me, a lot of games are more akin to going bowling or taking a ride on a rollercoaster in that they are fun and even memorable at times, but serve more as an entertaining way to pass the time than a piece of art - and that's totally fine. Outer Wilds is a different story however - Outer Wilds, without question, is art and also one of the best games I've ever played.

Outer Wilds explores the transience of life on many wildly creative levels. In Outer Wilds you are stuck in a time loop in which every cycle ends in you or the entire universe dying. This theme of fleeting existence is nailed home further in the melancholy yet hopeful ending in which even after figuring out all the secrets of the system you are in, after dying hundreds of times, after learning everything the Nomai have to teach, and making the perilous journey to the eye of the universe you find out that the universe will end regardless - your hard work has only saved you from the dreaded time loop and this time, when you die you won't wake up at that all too familiar campfire. The upshot of this otherwise existential dread fueling finale being that you get to say goodbye to all the friends you've made along the way and later get to see life beginning anew albeit sans you. The thematic cherry on top is that Outer Wilds is designed in such a way that knowledge of the game is the only thing holding you back from completing it - so much like life, you can only truly experience this masterpiece once.