MiraMiraOTW
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This review contains spoilers
Base game review
In my most recent review of the base game, I mentioned that discovery is the ethos of Outer Wilds. That ethos is successfully carried over to the Echoes of the Eye DLC, but not in a way that I expected. A key aspect of discovery is the ability to bravely face the unknown, and it’s that very aspect that Echoes of the Eye tests its players on. The farther you progress throughout the DLC, the more the game tests you in this regard, as you gradually learn more and more about the fate of the species that occupies The Stranger, and you eventually trespass through a world that’s hostile, oppressive, and foreboding in order to learn the truth about this mysterious and unheard-of alien race, as well as how they tie into the mystery regarding the Eye of the Universe.
The DLC feels very segmented from the core game, while at the same time managing to integrate itself naturally with the rest of Outer Wilds’ galaxy. Its explanation for why you wouldn’t have discovered it over the course of your original playthrough makes sense. The Stranger uses cloaking technology to make itself invisible so you likely would never find it over the course of your original journey. I like how they made getting to The Stranger a puzzle itself, further justifying why you wouldn’t have discovered it during your original run.
The Stranger is a very cool environment to explore. Making it a ring world like Halo was a great idea, and I love how its environment is more or less an extension to that of Timber Hearth’s, with its woodlands-based climate. Navigating The Stranger is quite fun. Regardless of your overall feelings towards the DLC, I feel like almost everyone can agree that water rafting to the different areas throughout the ship is really fun, especially with the accompanying music track that plays when the raft picks up speed.
The storytelling is done differently in the DLC. Since your translator doesn’t understand the language of the alien race aboard The Stranger, the story is told via the different projector reels that you find all throughout various abandoned and rotting buildings in the ship, and eventually, the dream world as well. Once you start to discover the various projection reels, the DLC gradually becomes more and more ominous as you learn additional details regarding the race that’s aboard the Stranger. I can’t tell you how uneasy I felt when I discovered the corpses of this race hidden away in one of their dream rooms. It was extremely unnerving the first time.
The contrast between dark and light is a key theme of the DLC, and like the base game, the DLC ties its key narrative theme with its gameplay very well. From the moment you board The Stranger, you discover how the ship’s systems generally operate via sources of light, making your flashlight a key tool throughout the entire DLC. This contrast is explored even further when you explore the dream world, which is enshrouded in pitch black darkness. Going from the bright and serene environment of The Stranger to the dark and oppressive atmosphere of the dream world is such an intense transition. The devs went above and beyond in making you feel like the dream world is a place you are not supposed to be in. Thanks to the incredible sound design as well as the usage of darkness to make it difficult to get a grasp on your surroundings, it feels like anything can come out of the dark to surprise and attack you at any moment. This is how Echoes of the Eye tests your ability to face the unknown in order to reach the truth.
I truly admire the lengths gone to in order to tie this narrative theme with the gameplay. The devs definitely accomplished what they set out to do with it, but at the same time, part of me feels like they did a little too good of a job. The dream world is so dark that it’s actually a bit of a nuisance trying to explore it. That in addition to its overwhelming atmosphere and the inability to fight back against enemies is the primary reason why unlike the base game, I wasn’t enthusiastic about exploring the dream world, and there were times where I actually had to sit down and force myself through it. I don’t know why I had such a reaction to the dream world when I’m normally an enjoyer and advocate for horror. It might be because of how much the environment is obfuscated in the dream world. In other horror games, I feel like I can at the very least prepare for threats by being aware of my surroundings, and I’m generally able to fight back against enemies, even in a limited capacity. In the dream world, my inability to always have a firm grasp of my surroundings due to the darkness or fight back at all against the patrolling enemies, as well as the oppressive soundscape, kept me constantly uncomfortable and on edge at all times. Even if the enemies are telegraphed by the lanterns they carry in the dark, they could still be hard to spot, and I would occasionally just turn around a corner and run into one of them with no way of knowing beforehand.
I definitely understand what the devs were trying to do by making the dream world dark and difficult to navigate. At the same time though, it made the dream world a pain to explore at times, as well as figure out what to do and where to go. When you discover the Forbidden Archives in each of the three key locations and you get the clues you need to figure out how to make navigating the dream world easier, it gets a lot better. You also learn additional details of the alien race that occupies The Stranger, including the contents of the projector reels that you discover on The Stranger that have burnt out slides, making them a particularly strong reward.
The conclusion of the DLC, which you reach by freeing the Prisoner after utilizing the techniques you learn in the Forbidden Archives, was rather satisfying. I really enjoyed the scene with the Prisoner where you exchange information with one another via his projection staff. I can’t imagine the complex emotions the Prisoner must’ve felt when he realized that his actions weren’t in vain, and in-fact, lead to core events that kick off the base game’s narrative. You can really grasp those feelings by listening to his pained, yet vindicated howl after the vision exchange. It’s a very tender and beautiful moment that only Outer Wilds is capable of. I was told to redo the base game’s ending again once I finished the DLC, and I’m glad I did, I’m actually a little ashamed that I didn’t think to do so after initially completing Echoes of the Eye. The addition of The Prisoner to the finale sequence was a welcome one, and it was very nice seeing him join up with the rest of the crew, introducing an additional race to the new universe that we birth together.
Echoes of the Eye is a different, yet excellent addition to Outer Wilds. However, I feel like I’d be lying if I said I completely enjoyed the experience. The dream world can be frustrating to navigate even when you do get used to the scary atmosphere and the enemies stop having that effect they once had on you, simply because of how difficult it is to see anything while you’re in it without leaving your artifact behind. Like most things in Outer Wilds though, it does become easier to navigate thanks to repetition. The DLC as a whole is still an excellent experience, and a worthwhile addition to the game. It’s not consistently fun, but at the same time it’s not trying to be. It challenges you to face the unknown, and I’m glad I braved that challenge.
In my most recent review of the base game, I mentioned that discovery is the ethos of Outer Wilds. That ethos is successfully carried over to the Echoes of the Eye DLC, but not in a way that I expected. A key aspect of discovery is the ability to bravely face the unknown, and it’s that very aspect that Echoes of the Eye tests its players on. The farther you progress throughout the DLC, the more the game tests you in this regard, as you gradually learn more and more about the fate of the species that occupies The Stranger, and you eventually trespass through a world that’s hostile, oppressive, and foreboding in order to learn the truth about this mysterious and unheard-of alien race, as well as how they tie into the mystery regarding the Eye of the Universe.
The DLC feels very segmented from the core game, while at the same time managing to integrate itself naturally with the rest of Outer Wilds’ galaxy. Its explanation for why you wouldn’t have discovered it over the course of your original playthrough makes sense. The Stranger uses cloaking technology to make itself invisible so you likely would never find it over the course of your original journey. I like how they made getting to The Stranger a puzzle itself, further justifying why you wouldn’t have discovered it during your original run.
The Stranger is a very cool environment to explore. Making it a ring world like Halo was a great idea, and I love how its environment is more or less an extension to that of Timber Hearth’s, with its woodlands-based climate. Navigating The Stranger is quite fun. Regardless of your overall feelings towards the DLC, I feel like almost everyone can agree that water rafting to the different areas throughout the ship is really fun, especially with the accompanying music track that plays when the raft picks up speed.
The storytelling is done differently in the DLC. Since your translator doesn’t understand the language of the alien race aboard The Stranger, the story is told via the different projector reels that you find all throughout various abandoned and rotting buildings in the ship, and eventually, the dream world as well. Once you start to discover the various projection reels, the DLC gradually becomes more and more ominous as you learn additional details regarding the race that’s aboard the Stranger. I can’t tell you how uneasy I felt when I discovered the corpses of this race hidden away in one of their dream rooms. It was extremely unnerving the first time.
The contrast between dark and light is a key theme of the DLC, and like the base game, the DLC ties its key narrative theme with its gameplay very well. From the moment you board The Stranger, you discover how the ship’s systems generally operate via sources of light, making your flashlight a key tool throughout the entire DLC. This contrast is explored even further when you explore the dream world, which is enshrouded in pitch black darkness. Going from the bright and serene environment of The Stranger to the dark and oppressive atmosphere of the dream world is such an intense transition. The devs went above and beyond in making you feel like the dream world is a place you are not supposed to be in. Thanks to the incredible sound design as well as the usage of darkness to make it difficult to get a grasp on your surroundings, it feels like anything can come out of the dark to surprise and attack you at any moment. This is how Echoes of the Eye tests your ability to face the unknown in order to reach the truth.
I truly admire the lengths gone to in order to tie this narrative theme with the gameplay. The devs definitely accomplished what they set out to do with it, but at the same time, part of me feels like they did a little too good of a job. The dream world is so dark that it’s actually a bit of a nuisance trying to explore it. That in addition to its overwhelming atmosphere and the inability to fight back against enemies is the primary reason why unlike the base game, I wasn’t enthusiastic about exploring the dream world, and there were times where I actually had to sit down and force myself through it. I don’t know why I had such a reaction to the dream world when I’m normally an enjoyer and advocate for horror. It might be because of how much the environment is obfuscated in the dream world. In other horror games, I feel like I can at the very least prepare for threats by being aware of my surroundings, and I’m generally able to fight back against enemies, even in a limited capacity. In the dream world, my inability to always have a firm grasp of my surroundings due to the darkness or fight back at all against the patrolling enemies, as well as the oppressive soundscape, kept me constantly uncomfortable and on edge at all times. Even if the enemies are telegraphed by the lanterns they carry in the dark, they could still be hard to spot, and I would occasionally just turn around a corner and run into one of them with no way of knowing beforehand.
I definitely understand what the devs were trying to do by making the dream world dark and difficult to navigate. At the same time though, it made the dream world a pain to explore at times, as well as figure out what to do and where to go. When you discover the Forbidden Archives in each of the three key locations and you get the clues you need to figure out how to make navigating the dream world easier, it gets a lot better. You also learn additional details of the alien race that occupies The Stranger, including the contents of the projector reels that you discover on The Stranger that have burnt out slides, making them a particularly strong reward.
The conclusion of the DLC, which you reach by freeing the Prisoner after utilizing the techniques you learn in the Forbidden Archives, was rather satisfying. I really enjoyed the scene with the Prisoner where you exchange information with one another via his projection staff. I can’t imagine the complex emotions the Prisoner must’ve felt when he realized that his actions weren’t in vain, and in-fact, lead to core events that kick off the base game’s narrative. You can really grasp those feelings by listening to his pained, yet vindicated howl after the vision exchange. It’s a very tender and beautiful moment that only Outer Wilds is capable of. I was told to redo the base game’s ending again once I finished the DLC, and I’m glad I did, I’m actually a little ashamed that I didn’t think to do so after initially completing Echoes of the Eye. The addition of The Prisoner to the finale sequence was a welcome one, and it was very nice seeing him join up with the rest of the crew, introducing an additional race to the new universe that we birth together.
Echoes of the Eye is a different, yet excellent addition to Outer Wilds. However, I feel like I’d be lying if I said I completely enjoyed the experience. The dream world can be frustrating to navigate even when you do get used to the scary atmosphere and the enemies stop having that effect they once had on you, simply because of how difficult it is to see anything while you’re in it without leaving your artifact behind. Like most things in Outer Wilds though, it does become easier to navigate thanks to repetition. The DLC as a whole is still an excellent experience, and a worthwhile addition to the game. It’s not consistently fun, but at the same time it’s not trying to be. It challenges you to face the unknown, and I’m glad I braved that challenge.
These DLCs work well as more Citizen Sleeper even though they aren't seeking to add much to the game beyond a bit more narrative. It isn't quite as striking to me as the base game is and the mechanics begin to break down a bit more by this point.
I enjoyed playing through them and the narrative is pretty much in line with the rest of the game. It works well enough, but most every character is a familiar combination of extreme emotional availability and deeply rooted trauma. This is definitely just the writing style of the game, but the more characters that get added, the more apparent it becomes. The events are sort of unique and interesting sci-fi that I enjoyed having a hand in. Like the base game, it feels afraid to pull its punches -- everything has most of the consequence removed from it and bad outcomes are eminently avoidable.
My sleeper is basically a god at this point. I can do any task immediately and most of the timers and tasks here to provide some level of difficulty simply don't. I don't know if this is avoidable in the systems themselves, but part of the problem is that the systems are used as problem solvers for every situation, rather than skewing occasionally into ways for the player to make decisions or influence things. One specific roadblock at the end of these DLCs almost feels like you are going to be making intentional choices about how things play out, but in the end you just do everything for everyone and the narrative moves along to where it was always going. Your binary choice at the end only having a minor impact on things.
These DLCs are quick to play through and give a bit more shape to this world and a bit more catharsis to the base game. Definitely worth checking out, but I would have liked them to push these systems, narrative, and world a bit farther.
I enjoyed playing through them and the narrative is pretty much in line with the rest of the game. It works well enough, but most every character is a familiar combination of extreme emotional availability and deeply rooted trauma. This is definitely just the writing style of the game, but the more characters that get added, the more apparent it becomes. The events are sort of unique and interesting sci-fi that I enjoyed having a hand in. Like the base game, it feels afraid to pull its punches -- everything has most of the consequence removed from it and bad outcomes are eminently avoidable.
My sleeper is basically a god at this point. I can do any task immediately and most of the timers and tasks here to provide some level of difficulty simply don't. I don't know if this is avoidable in the systems themselves, but part of the problem is that the systems are used as problem solvers for every situation, rather than skewing occasionally into ways for the player to make decisions or influence things. One specific roadblock at the end of these DLCs almost feels like you are going to be making intentional choices about how things play out, but in the end you just do everything for everyone and the narrative moves along to where it was always going. Your binary choice at the end only having a minor impact on things.
These DLCs are quick to play through and give a bit more shape to this world and a bit more catharsis to the base game. Definitely worth checking out, but I would have liked them to push these systems, narrative, and world a bit farther.
Dragon's Dogma II
2024
My greatest disappointment of 2024.
This was my most anticipated game of 2024, if not ever and Capcom managed to screwed it up badly.
The original Dragon's Dogma, despite being one of my favourite games, wasn't perfect, but it has charm and passion which is squeal is mostly devoid off.
Lack of enemy variety, uninspired side quests, poorly written half fast main story, the game despite being unfortunately running at 30fps barely runs consistently, some of worst difficult management ever as you either overpowered or a weakling that gets bodied regardless of level, poorly realised post game content.
The music, visuals and to a lesser extent gameplay were fine, but they don't save the game from being a subpar mess.
Stuff like this is the main reason why I don't preorder games anymore.
This was my most anticipated game of 2024, if not ever and Capcom managed to screwed it up badly.
The original Dragon's Dogma, despite being one of my favourite games, wasn't perfect, but it has charm and passion which is squeal is mostly devoid off.
Lack of enemy variety, uninspired side quests, poorly written half fast main story, the game despite being unfortunately running at 30fps barely runs consistently, some of worst difficult management ever as you either overpowered or a weakling that gets bodied regardless of level, poorly realised post game content.
The music, visuals and to a lesser extent gameplay were fine, but they don't save the game from being a subpar mess.
Stuff like this is the main reason why I don't preorder games anymore.
Persona 3 Reload
2024
This remake takes everything that made the original game special and throws it all in the trash. Not only is the soundtrack worse (color your night and its going down now are the only better ones), but Tartarus, which was the only part that needed to get better (although I didn't find it boring in the original game), feels and plays worse because the floors are bigger and slower to go through and the enemies are too easy to fight and avoid, so, unlike in the original, I didn't feel the need to fight at all.
The overworld doesn't look interesting anymore, and all the atmosphere of the original is gone. I just feel like there are too many people, and that the isolated and lonely look that the city had in the original was better because it set the perfect tone for the story and its themes. The voice acting is worse, with Akihiko's voice sounding too deep (and in general, the whole cast sounding a bit worse, imo); the new in-engine cutscenes that replace the animated ones are executed badly and lack emotion, for example, the intro scene, which was, at least in my opinion, one of the best ones, gets ruined because of Yukari talking and ruining all the tension that was created in the old one.
I don't think I'll ever understand the hype for this remake since almost everything that it tries to improve was done better in the original game.
The overworld doesn't look interesting anymore, and all the atmosphere of the original is gone. I just feel like there are too many people, and that the isolated and lonely look that the city had in the original was better because it set the perfect tone for the story and its themes. The voice acting is worse, with Akihiko's voice sounding too deep (and in general, the whole cast sounding a bit worse, imo); the new in-engine cutscenes that replace the animated ones are executed badly and lack emotion, for example, the intro scene, which was, at least in my opinion, one of the best ones, gets ruined because of Yukari talking and ruining all the tension that was created in the old one.
I don't think I'll ever understand the hype for this remake since almost everything that it tries to improve was done better in the original game.
Library of Ruina
2021
Thanks for teaching me that the best way to overcome systemic oppression, the cycle of violence, and past trauma is beating up SCPs and burning souls to use the funny solemn lament + dark flame + chained wrath + clean + myongest + blunt stance combo.
Hades
2018
only so many times I can go thru the same floors with the same enemies and the same bosses and the same weapons and the same everythings. for something so lauded I expected some variety. I'm sure some bozo will tell me "umm actually curse, there's six billion lines of bespoke artisinal stone baked dialogue" but you can blow it out your ass if the whole thing's contingent on slaving away in the metalayer currency mines for hours on end
every room seems to go on forever man. imagine if in isaac or monolith you cleared a room and then it filled back up with the same shit five more times. what the fuck guys? you have like four enemies per zone, you don't need to rub it in. is the expectation that I'm basking and luxuriating in these encounters? I'm not. I'm bored before I hit the third floor
maybe it gets better once I suck up to every NPC and collect all the gizmos and upgrade the weapons and upgrade the dungeon and upgrade the shop and upgrade the trinkets and fill out my pokedex, but I'll never know. I fuck with greek mythology when it's about cronus eating his kids and perseus cutting heads and severed testicles goin in the sea, but I don't think I'm the target audience for this kinda snarky post-tumblr young adult stuff. I'm glad folks like jacking off to it, I guess?
probably beats playing it!
every room seems to go on forever man. imagine if in isaac or monolith you cleared a room and then it filled back up with the same shit five more times. what the fuck guys? you have like four enemies per zone, you don't need to rub it in. is the expectation that I'm basking and luxuriating in these encounters? I'm not. I'm bored before I hit the third floor
maybe it gets better once I suck up to every NPC and collect all the gizmos and upgrade the weapons and upgrade the dungeon and upgrade the shop and upgrade the trinkets and fill out my pokedex, but I'll never know. I fuck with greek mythology when it's about cronus eating his kids and perseus cutting heads and severed testicles goin in the sea, but I don't think I'm the target audience for this kinda snarky post-tumblr young adult stuff. I'm glad folks like jacking off to it, I guess?
probably beats playing it!
No More Heroes
2007
"This game is fucking brilliant. These characters are so well written and this story is so smart." I say as I jerk off my Joycon after cutting like 20 dudes in half.
Nothing short of a cruel joke to have the single best missions in the ace combat franchise sandwhiched between a wall of unskippable dialogue, poor missile economy and occasionally respawning units.
It's that type of self-sabotage that only happens with Sonic games.
It's that type of self-sabotage that only happens with Sonic games.
Sonic Advance 2
2002
Has it ever happened to you that you're working on a sequel to your 2D handheld platformer for a beloved and iconic IP, and everything is going great because you're fixing a bunch of problems the first game had and designing really cool movement tech and levels that are fun to play, but this guy you don't know keeps sneaking in at night and programming the most dogshit bosses imaginable and adding bottomless pits to ruin all of your levels? What do you mean you gotta collect seven rings in a zone to unlock the special stage AND it's the worst one in the whole entire series!? Somebody needs to stop this guy!!
Ghostwire: Tokyo
2022
With Evil Within, Tango Gameworks made a great jumpscare simulator. With Hi-Fi Rush, they made a rhythm game I could enjoy. With this, they made an Ubisoft open world, and I cheered. Shove all these landmarks, all these skill branches, all these side quests up my asshole, whose tightness applies to the world design. AA studios keep winning I swear, ok we'd be fine without the deluxe edition of cosmetics but they said "you shan't be starved of those and emotes" like they're announcing the return of a wrestler live and his name is Tupac-chan. Speaking of, honorifics aren't kept post-translation here unlike the Yakuza series. Figured you deserve to know.
You play as siscon icon Akito, who didn't know the parable of the hare and the tortoise, resulting in checks notes using his body as a vessel for one mf whose name is one letter short from changing the game's rating (bro name is KK huuuuh figure that one out). The story isn't strong or explored in any way, backseating the gameplay by molding new mechanics and situations at a moment's notice. It's coherent enough to not cause eyebrow raise emoji spam. The clap of my buttcheeks keep alerting the Japanese inquisition AMA.
I'll leave that side unexplored. I've explored my fair share already behind the scenes, you know it's the Unlock The Map With New TP Points mechanic shit. You're not Spider-Man, despite what the free update's moniker would have you believe, but aerial control is prevalent. Sometimes you have to climb apartment stairs for what seems like forever to indulge in the activity. First skill I took was aerial takedown in fact, not an ounce of regret it's dumb and fun. What I wish I would have gotten earlier is faster crouch speed. It's a thing that looks very handy at first glance and further glances prove that yup it's very handy.
This doesn't get stale and happens to have a few surprises in it. Now, the combat. I have a few qualms with it, but I didn't feel the critics about its linearity and repetitivity sticking to me when experiencing it. You have to be aware of your surroundings: enemies and unfortunate layout, lest you incur the wrath of a mob beating. I've struggled with sometimes taking hits I thought I was out of the range of, but the overall experience is really cool. If I charge shots, I save ammo and can land more damage if they all hit, but I'm vulnerable and it's possible to have that Duck Hunt ahh aim. When the enemy runs out of HP, I have to bait other enemy attacks and dodge before I can safely take care of its vulnerable state, or crouch where no ghosts can reach me with their big balls before making their ghost friend kiss the sun goodbye. One of my boldest ratings yet and I'm owning up to it.
PS: I have been informed a month after making this review.... of the sudden demise of one of the greatest AA studios I've seen. I hope the talent will be able to find their way to stable jobs where they can express their creativity once more. This shit fucking sucks I'm so tired boss
You play as siscon icon Akito, who didn't know the parable of the hare and the tortoise, resulting in checks notes using his body as a vessel for one mf whose name is one letter short from changing the game's rating (bro name is KK huuuuh figure that one out). The story isn't strong or explored in any way, backseating the gameplay by molding new mechanics and situations at a moment's notice. It's coherent enough to not cause eyebrow raise emoji spam. The clap of my buttcheeks keep alerting the Japanese inquisition AMA.
I'll leave that side unexplored. I've explored my fair share already behind the scenes, you know it's the Unlock The Map With New TP Points mechanic shit. You're not Spider-Man, despite what the free update's moniker would have you believe, but aerial control is prevalent. Sometimes you have to climb apartment stairs for what seems like forever to indulge in the activity. First skill I took was aerial takedown in fact, not an ounce of regret it's dumb and fun. What I wish I would have gotten earlier is faster crouch speed. It's a thing that looks very handy at first glance and further glances prove that yup it's very handy.
This doesn't get stale and happens to have a few surprises in it. Now, the combat. I have a few qualms with it, but I didn't feel the critics about its linearity and repetitivity sticking to me when experiencing it. You have to be aware of your surroundings: enemies and unfortunate layout, lest you incur the wrath of a mob beating. I've struggled with sometimes taking hits I thought I was out of the range of, but the overall experience is really cool. If I charge shots, I save ammo and can land more damage if they all hit, but I'm vulnerable and it's possible to have that Duck Hunt ahh aim. When the enemy runs out of HP, I have to bait other enemy attacks and dodge before I can safely take care of its vulnerable state, or crouch where no ghosts can reach me with their big balls before making their ghost friend kiss the sun goodbye. One of my boldest ratings yet and I'm owning up to it.
PS: I have been informed a month after making this review.... of the sudden demise of one of the greatest AA studios I've seen. I hope the talent will be able to find their way to stable jobs where they can express their creativity once more. This shit fucking sucks I'm so tired boss
