"This game is important." This is what I think every time I reflect on my time spent playing Outer Wilds. What I mean by this is that Outer Wilds is one of those games that I played at the right place, at the right time, and feels as though it has significantly impacted me in a way few games really do. I will keep this review as spoiler free as possible so that others may enjoy this game as I have.
The design philosophy at the heart of Outer Wilds is to give the player a large physics-based solar system sandbox, and let the player progress through their own self motivation. There is no path, there is no directive; just explore and take away what you learned. The culmination of all that you learn in Outer Wilds will ultimately lead you to the end credits. There are plenty of threads to pull on, each revealing an interesting part of the history, mystery, or mechanics of the Outer Wilds universe. But if you are worried about becoming too lost in this game, the developers have a system to address this as well. All of the story threads are cleverly catalogued in your ships computer, and will always provide a starting point for those who become "stuck" in the game. I put the word "stuck" in quotations because exploration and trying new approaches, even if unfruitful or uneventful, are core experiences of the game and can even be highlights of the experience. The game certainly gains momentum when you find the right thread to pull on and suddenly find yourself with the knowledge to pull another three, but your "failures" in exploring this universe never take away from your progress and are just as important to the experience overall. It's important to note that the key to progression in Outer Wilds is largely based on player knowledge. What keeps you from progressing to the end of the game is the lack of knowledge as to what the end game even is and how you could reach it. It's a truly brilliantly designed system that keeps the player coming back for more and makes all progress feel distinctly earned by the player. Even if you choose to forgo attempting to complete the story of Outer Wilds, the game still succeeds in being a massively fun outer-space physics simulation. Once you learn the fundamentals of it all, you are free to attempt any wild feat of physics you can imagine. This can allow you to get to places or see things in ways most likely unintended by the developers, and that alone for many players is exciting. I cannot praise this game enough when it comes to design philosophy or game mechanics, and I have to give similar praise to the art direction, sound design, and music as well.
Outer Wilds has an aesthetic that is equal parts comfy, mysterious, beautiful, and at times cosmically scary. These things would seem to conflict with each other, but Outer Wilds strings these things together beautifully. Your spaceship is a loving mix of ancient alien technology and wood planks. At some point you will switch your audio telescope away from the gentle frequency of a fellow explorer's banjo to hear an inscrutable Nomai signal. When you are admiring the universe around you, you will watch distant stars blink out of existence in beautiful showers that will ultimately leave you more alone in the cold dark of space. When you feel bold your sense of confidence and security will entirely abandon you when you leave your ship in the middle of empty space and you are left to float alone with just the sounds of your suit and your breathing to keep you company. It is truly a one of a kind experience that gives the large, miraculous, and deadly vacuum of space the considerations it deserves. The soundtrack of this game is in a league of its own and deserves to be considered among the best of video game OSTs. I often find myself putting on the Outer Wilds soundtrack when I need to peacefully drift off into sleep or reflect on something important in my life. Andrew Prahlow gave such a lovingly crafted soundtrack to this game and for that I am sincerely grateful to him.
There are more things positives that I'd like to include but I do not want to go detail for the sake of players who have yet to explore this game. Just know that the planet designs and take aways from this game are all wonderful and deserve their own separate analyses and essays (if you're interested I know there is a surplus of exactly these types of videos on Youtube).
My review is one of many that have universally praised this game in every way possible, and I'm proud to join that chorus of voices. Outer Wilds is a lovingly crafted experience that has been the subject of a lot of acclaim and romanticism from the community. The developers should be proud of what they created; it is truly in a league of its own. If you're still reading and are on the fence about getting Outer Wilds, please play this game. It has been one of my most significant gaming experiences in the last 5 years, and it could be one of yours too.
The design philosophy at the heart of Outer Wilds is to give the player a large physics-based solar system sandbox, and let the player progress through their own self motivation. There is no path, there is no directive; just explore and take away what you learned. The culmination of all that you learn in Outer Wilds will ultimately lead you to the end credits. There are plenty of threads to pull on, each revealing an interesting part of the history, mystery, or mechanics of the Outer Wilds universe. But if you are worried about becoming too lost in this game, the developers have a system to address this as well. All of the story threads are cleverly catalogued in your ships computer, and will always provide a starting point for those who become "stuck" in the game. I put the word "stuck" in quotations because exploration and trying new approaches, even if unfruitful or uneventful, are core experiences of the game and can even be highlights of the experience. The game certainly gains momentum when you find the right thread to pull on and suddenly find yourself with the knowledge to pull another three, but your "failures" in exploring this universe never take away from your progress and are just as important to the experience overall. It's important to note that the key to progression in Outer Wilds is largely based on player knowledge. What keeps you from progressing to the end of the game is the lack of knowledge as to what the end game even is and how you could reach it. It's a truly brilliantly designed system that keeps the player coming back for more and makes all progress feel distinctly earned by the player. Even if you choose to forgo attempting to complete the story of Outer Wilds, the game still succeeds in being a massively fun outer-space physics simulation. Once you learn the fundamentals of it all, you are free to attempt any wild feat of physics you can imagine. This can allow you to get to places or see things in ways most likely unintended by the developers, and that alone for many players is exciting. I cannot praise this game enough when it comes to design philosophy or game mechanics, and I have to give similar praise to the art direction, sound design, and music as well.
Outer Wilds has an aesthetic that is equal parts comfy, mysterious, beautiful, and at times cosmically scary. These things would seem to conflict with each other, but Outer Wilds strings these things together beautifully. Your spaceship is a loving mix of ancient alien technology and wood planks. At some point you will switch your audio telescope away from the gentle frequency of a fellow explorer's banjo to hear an inscrutable Nomai signal. When you are admiring the universe around you, you will watch distant stars blink out of existence in beautiful showers that will ultimately leave you more alone in the cold dark of space. When you feel bold your sense of confidence and security will entirely abandon you when you leave your ship in the middle of empty space and you are left to float alone with just the sounds of your suit and your breathing to keep you company. It is truly a one of a kind experience that gives the large, miraculous, and deadly vacuum of space the considerations it deserves. The soundtrack of this game is in a league of its own and deserves to be considered among the best of video game OSTs. I often find myself putting on the Outer Wilds soundtrack when I need to peacefully drift off into sleep or reflect on something important in my life. Andrew Prahlow gave such a lovingly crafted soundtrack to this game and for that I am sincerely grateful to him.
There are more things positives that I'd like to include but I do not want to go detail for the sake of players who have yet to explore this game. Just know that the planet designs and take aways from this game are all wonderful and deserve their own separate analyses and essays (if you're interested I know there is a surplus of exactly these types of videos on Youtube).
My review is one of many that have universally praised this game in every way possible, and I'm proud to join that chorus of voices. Outer Wilds is a lovingly crafted experience that has been the subject of a lot of acclaim and romanticism from the community. The developers should be proud of what they created; it is truly in a league of its own. If you're still reading and are on the fence about getting Outer Wilds, please play this game. It has been one of my most significant gaming experiences in the last 5 years, and it could be one of yours too.