Outer Wilds

Spent half the game angry and lost. Then felt lost and angry after I realized it was all over.

It is very hard to talk about this game, because of how the progression of the game is entirely devoid of any (typical) progression at all. Instead, it's a game about knowledge. You begin the game as an astronaut trainee just about to blast off into space. Right from the get-go, literally everything in the game is accessible to you. Everything - you can get to the ending in under 20 minutes [spoiler] There's even an achievement for this! [/spoiler], if you want to, and you know how. Unfortunately, you don't know how. So you get on your ship, blast off into space, and start exploring. And you uncover a marvellous, wonderful, hand-crafted world full of mysteries. You jump from planet to planet, digging through buried ruins and ancient stones and the relics of long-dead species. You learn about the world. You learn about the 'Nomai', an alien race that inhabited your Solar System thousands of years ago. You learn about who they were, how they lived, what they most deeply desired. You see them grow from children to adults, you see them fall in love, you see them fear for the lives of those they hold dear. And they become dear to you - as dear as your own fellow villagers. This is the true progression of the game. Entwined within this masterpiece of a story, you learn the truth about your present circumstances. You learn secrets about your universe that no one has spoken for centuries. And you learn how to end the game. There is so much that I want to say about this game - so much praise about its puzzles, its people, its story and the message it tells. But I can't say that. It is nigh-impossible to truly explain just how amazing this experience is, because the most amazing parts are all intrinsically linked to critical secrets that you learn throughout the game. Speaking about the experience robs you the ability to fully experience it yourself - and, in this game, that is unacceptable. So, I fear you'll just have to take my word for it. Go, give these gifted devs some of your cash and some of your time, and in return be blessed with one of the foremost games of our time. May your curiosity never fade, and may your marshmallows stay unburnt. Edit: 30 hours of gameplay and somehow I didn't realize it was "Nomai" and not "Naomi"

I wish I could go back and play it for the first time again and again. I have searched high and low for another game like it, and it does not exist. One of the most unique gaming experiences you will ever have. Just try it.

I started playing this game around the height of the pandemic in the US and to say it was a transcendent experience is somewhat of an understatement. This game broke me. It snapped something in my psyche that was already hanging on by a thread. It was fantastic at first. The sense of wonder and exploration as you solve puzzles, traverse each world, and learn about the history of the people that once inhabited it. Once I finally pieced together what wiped out the nomai, however, I very quickly broke down. The idea that you and everyone you know could just be vaporized in a fraction of a second, without ever realizing what was coming. The idea that everything you spent generations working for could be ripped away from you so suddenly and violently was the straw that broke the camels back. I went to mental institutions, been on a variety of medications, seen many therapist, and to this day I still cannot spend more than 5 minutes playing this game without feeling a panic attack coming on. I never got to finish it. I never got to that hidden planet. I never unlocked the secrets in the nomai ship, or even played the DLC. No, I didn't make a mistake in giving this a positive review. I love this game more than anything I've played since mass effect. I've played a LOT of different horror games. Something about being in control of the experience and being able to walk away at any time really helps me cope with my disabilites, but not even SOMA had me drowning (pun intended) in existential dread as badly as this game does. I'm going to continue to reinstall it every few months to see if I can get through it. I'm determined to see the end of this game. Once I roll credits on The Outer Wilds, I think I can consider my pandemic trauma healed.

Perhaps the best game I have ever played, if you haven't played it play it. Like 6 months after playing it I still think about it most days.

This is my favourite indie game of all time. The music, sound effects, atmosphere, and world that they created are an absolute triumph. I didn't play this game, I lived inside of it. Going from planet to planet, slowly uncovering the mystery of the Nomai, while exploring every corner of each planet really made me feel an explorer making revolutionary discoveries for my species. And finally, the main twist of the game, and the overall ending as a result of it were absolutely beautiful and perfectly executed, and left me thinking about it for months and months after I'd finished playing. If you were dying, and could only play one more game before you passed on, this is the one I would tell you to play. Play Outer Wilds, change your life.

After several failed attempts to get into this game over the years, I finally sat down and gave Outer Wilds the time and attention it deserves. What I found was one of the most memorable and powerful experiences I’ve had in any game. The way the story slowly unfolds, as you dig deeper into the past of this solar system and uncover pieces of a much larger mystery, is a masterclass in immersive storytelling. So much of what you learn isn’t required to finish the game, but the weight those discoveries carry and what they imply about the world and its themes is incredible. Outer Wilds is one of the rare games that truly justifies itself as a video game. It’s not just a story with gameplay. It’s a story that only works because of how it’s told through gameplay. There’s a lot more I could say, but explaining why this game is so special would ruin the experience of discovering it for yourself. If you have even a passing interest in space, puzzles, platformers, exploration, or the potential of games as an art form, please play this.

Bought this game to check out the great, raving reviews about it. However, I could just not get into it. The game felt clunky and I didn't feel a sense of direction on whether I was progressing or not. Seemed like all I was doing was going to different planets, reading some things, and then rinse & repeat. Unfortunately not for me. Music was great though.

Best game I've ever played, and I can't tell you anything about it. So I'll tell you how you should approach it instead in case you buy it. Knowledge based games are a blessing and a curse, and Outer Wilds is the truest expression of that, and it does it so well. Everything in the game is accessible the moment you start it, the only gate being that you don't know about most of it. So be curious. Ask why you can't get here or there, go looking for the rest of your friends, ask yourself why you died alone in space without your ship because you fell into the center of Brittle Hollow for the 8th time. Then go looking. Your ship has a computer that connects dots between information that you've learned and tells you where you should look for more information about the world around you when your little brain can't figure anything out anymore anyways. Outer Wilds has so much life and meaning put into it, but don't go looking for the meaning, or for it to change you, or you'll completely miss it and a beautiful one time experience.

This is a very special game. I haven't played the DLC yet, but I fully intend to. If you're thinking about getting this game, or coming back to it after being stuck, just do it. The ending is worth it, and piecing together the story and all the little clues hidden throughout the solar system is rewarding. Took me about 30 hours to explore (I think) everything in the base game, but it can be done quicker.

It's been nearly 3 years since I first experienced this game, and a day doesn't go by where I don't think about it. If you're hesitant and reading the reviews, thinking to yourself, "This game can't be THAT good."; you're dead wrong, it is nothing short of a masterpiece.

Going into the game I assumed that most of the praise I've heard about the game was exaggerated in some way, that there is no way a game could be *that* good. Yet here I am having finished the game, knowing that no, it really was *that* good all along. can't wait to go play the dlc

I think the argument about whether games can be considered art can be laid to rest here. This game is a beautiful technical marvel. From the moment you get access to your ship, you can go anywhere you want—exploring and learning more about what’s going on in each time loop. I don't want to spoil anything, because once you know, you know. But by the end, I felt a bittersweet satisfaction having seen it through. I will say that some of the puzzles are a little convoluted, and if you're aiming to collect all the notes, it starts to feel a bit like pixel hunting—like one of those old point-and-click adventure games, such as Day of the Tentacle. But all in all, this game is a treat, and it's an experience I’ll be thinking about for a very long time. It’s just very sad that it has zero replayability because... well, once you know, you know.

Honestly such a good game, the way Outer Wilds pushes you to figure everything out is amazing, Clues lead into clues which lead into more until you beat the game in awe. This approach can be demotivating when you don't find anything new in every run but I promise it is so worth to go back to the logs, cross check everything and you will progress! Best to go in blind. The DLC isn't as good as the base game but it is still pretty good, same search for clues to find the end which the base game built on!

this is potentially my favourite game of all time. it's hard to review outer wilds, considering you are intending to write for people who have never played the game before. and there's really only one thing you want to give someone who has never experienced outer wilds, and that is an entirely untainted experience. you want them to play the game, because saying it is an amazing game is probably an understatement, but you can't actually say what happens in the game, because that would taint the experience. the best, most suscinct way i've found to express this is to say, "You only get to experience Outer Wilds once." how you, person who has never played it before choose to do that, is entirely up to you. but i recommend you do so playing it blind, because it is an unforgettable experience. Needless to say i like this game very very much.

Outer Wilds is nothing short of a once-in-a-generation experience. It's not just a game, it's an invitation to curiosity, to discovery, and to awe. Every corner of its solar system is packed with purpose, secrets, and breathtaking surprises. The game doesn't hold your hand, but instead respects your intelligence, rewarding your natural curiosity with revelations that are as emotionally resonant as they are intellectually satisfying. The sense of scale, the clever design of each celestial body, and the beautifully interwoven mysteries create a narrative and game-play unlike anything else in gaming. There's no combat, no experience points. Just you, your ship, your wits, and the drive to uncover the truth. And what a truth it is. Then comes Echoes of the Eye, a DLC that not only expands the universe but deepens it in profound and unexpected ways. It is haunting, mesmerising, and flawlessly integrated into the base game. It's rare for additional content to elevate a game this much, but Echoes of the Eye manages to be both a love letter to the original and a bold step into new emotional and thematic territory. Together, Outer Wilds and Echoes of the Eye form a complete, unforgettable journey, one that lingers in your thoughts long after the credits roll. It's a triumph of game design, storytelling, atmosphere, and ambition. If you play one game in your lifetime that truly makes you see life from a different perspective and feel like an explorer of the unknown, let it be this one. ∞/10

This game is incredible, between gameplay, story, and soundtrack. I will say, it can be difficult to figure out at times-- you may be overthinking it-- and it can be frustrating when you get stuck because there's no part in the game specifically directing you to a next step persay. However, if you stick with it, use the ship log to check what you know, and play through the story (which does end up making sense), it's an incredible game unlike anything else out there. I will admit, I wasn't as blown away as other positive reviewers on my first playthrough, mostly because at that time I was playing for completion and not for the experience specifically. It does work best with an experience-centered mindset. But after I played through it, I couldn't get this game out of my head. I bought the DLC and played through that (which I honestly loved even more than the base game, NOT as a complaint but as in "this is focused to one area, less bothered by the time loop bc everything is closer together"). I strongly believe you should play the DLC in order to get the most complete experience, the DLC absolutely blew me away and only served to make the base game even stronger. It's best to play it after completing the main story, or near the end of the main story at least, to get the full impact of its tale. Overall, I absolutely adore Outer Wilds and have been recommending it to all my gaming friends. Truly, so much respect for the devs and everything they went through to bring this game to life. Super grateful to all the reviewers and the unofficial Discord server (because there's a lot of helpers on there for when you get stuck, but without giving you spoilers) for their undying love for this game, because it pulled me in like gravity. Thank you for a wonderful time!

One of my favorite games—if not the best I've ever played. The story is incredibly engaging and can be experienced in just about any way a player could want, thanks to its clever storytelling and exceptional world-building. It features the best implementation of an open world I’ve ever experienced. Everything has meaning and serves a purpose. Every nook and cranny hides secrets of an ancient civilization waiting to be discovered, helping to piece together the overarching narrative and uncover the mysteries of the solar system in which the story unfolds. All of this is wrapped in a cozy and charming art style, and your solitary journey among the planets is accompanied by a perfectly crafted soundtrack that enhances every moment. I could write endlessly about the core gameplay mechanics and how they seamlessly intertwine to create an immersive and challenging journey through space, but doing so might spoil moments that are best experienced firsthand; the ones that truly take your breath away. 10/10

“I learned a lot, by the end of everything. The past is past, now, but that’s… you know, that’s okay! It’s never really gone completely. The future is always built on the past, even if we won’t get to see it. Still, it’s um, time for something new, now.” - Riebeck

First of all, the storyline is AMAZING. It starts where you can understand, and gradually spirals. The fact that everything is knowledge based makes it even better. Yes, you can complete the game in like, 8 minutes, but to gain that knowledge you need to learn HOW. In my opinion, probably the best game I have every played 11/10.

9/10, if I could wipe my memory of this game and replay it over and over it would be a perfect 10/10.

This game is a large set of puzzles scattered across the solar system that is caught in a time loop. It starts unassuming at first. You're a novice explorer, equipped with few tools, out to explore what looks like a handful of small planets. This game, though, gets BIG in a hurry. Instead of power-ups or leveling up, the reward for solving them is more knowledge about the setting and story, which is where the game's real triumph lies. You play the role of archeologist and it is a joy. There's geniune fun in learning bit by bit more about what happened in the solar system and why what's happening is happening - and sadness, too, in realizing what it all means. You might not like this game if you don't do well with a serious lack of guidance in a time crunch. This game is best played blind but there are many moments that will require creative thinking or trial-and-error. And the game involves time loops, which means there is a lot you will be repeating until you are finally done with it.

Absolute masterpiece which you can experience literally once in a lifetime. What a journey, man.

If there was a neutral review I could leave, I would select that over an outright like, because I like the game as much as I dislike the game. The Short version is, I suggest you pick up the game while it's on sale, but not to 100% complete it. Recommended to go in blind, as that will lead to the best experience. In essense, the Introduction to the game is fantastic at setting up the plot, and the open ended nature allows you to be fully immersed into the environment, exploring a variety of unique planets with their own individual themes and challenges to them. When it hits with the visual storytelling, it really has you appreciating how much time and effort went into the creation of the game. It's just that over multiple hours/sessions of playing, Quality of Life issues start to spring up when you try and search for loose ends to help you progress (which made me resent going to certain places as a result), and certain elements of the story start to blend together as to who said what and who did certain things. The feeling of satisfaction and worth for each find for diminishes over time, with spikes if it's visually striking or leads to you understanding particular mechanics for the first time, and the final payoff left me disappointed more than anything else (even if it was well made on a technical and visual standpoint). And the final cleanup/achievement collecting had me the most frustrated overall, (with Hotshot in particular being a pain to collect) having me consistently experience the QOL issues head-on for an extended period of time. Basically, Outer Wilds is the embodiment of "It's about the Journey, and not the Destination." Enjoy the little moments as you find them, and try not to brute force the game if you get stuck in a rut.

An absolute masterpiece from start to finish. Breathtakingly beautiful game, so incredibly important. If I could make everyone on this planet play one video game, itd be this one.

Outer Wilds is THE perfect game (for me). I am so serious about this that I pledge to delete all other game reviews across my account, and leave the words "outer wilds" in my profile for the rest of my life and the rest of my account's life. As long as this review is up, you can rest assured I have found no game that supersedes it, because it will then take this review's place. Outer Wilds ruined other games for me. Don't read anything about this game, just try it. On the 1% chance you don't like it, it will have been worth it for just the CHANCE to have enjoyed a game so entirely and completely as I have. The themes of this game connected with me on an almost spiritual-level and hit all the right spots in my primate brain, perhaps at the optimal time in my life, and now is an intrinsic part of my very being. Still, years later, I feel like my 1 singular playthrough teaches me every time I think back to it, or I'm reminded to the game by the beautiful soundtrack appearing on my shuffle playlist. I ALREADY have nostalgia hearing the music and it's been like 3 years. ⭐ My Only Review ⭐

An incredible experience that you can only have once. I am so glad that I stuck through the first hour or so of the game which almost lost me.

It is my honest unbiased opinion that the world would be a better place if everybody played this game. This is one of if not the only game I would call perfect in everything it tries to accomplish.

I wish I could erase my memory just to experience this game again. Outer Wilds rejects artificial progress barriers—the entire solar system is open from the start. Theoretically, you could finish it in 30 minutes... if you knew its secrets. But you don’t. Neither does your character. And so begins a journey of discovery where knowledge is your only progression. The genius lies in how the game mirrors your journey: your character retains what you learn across each loop, making immersion effortless. You don’t just play the role—you become the curious astronaut unraveling cosmic mysteries. This revolutionary design alone would make it exceptional. But add to it: * Breathtaking exploration of a dynamic, clockwork universe; * Clever environmental puzzles that reward intuition; * Rich, haunting lore scattered across crumbling ruins; * Stylish, minimalist art and ethereal ambient music ...and you get a masterpiece that respects your intelligence. Outer Wilds never holds your hand. It opens the airlock and whispers: "This galaxy is yours. Go lose yourself in it." It reignites your inner child—that fearless curiosity hungry for the unknown. It teaches you to cherish fleeting moments, to fall in love with the universe’s fragile beauty... It teaches you to love life in general. This isn’t just a game; it’s philosophy in motion. Even giants like Baldur’s Gate 3 (which I adore) can’t dethrone it. Why? Because Outer Wilds isn’t just played—it’s lived. And no other game has ever made me feel so profoundly changed. In short: A perfect storm of design, emotion, and freedom. Nothing else compares.

This game is an existentialist's wet dream, for better or for worse ([i]personally, I'd say worse[/i]). This game's setting is a world where the human struggle is ultimately meaningless, but it creates its own paradox for the sake of giving the human struggle meaning... and I mean every word I said in that sentence extremely literally. The game does, quite literally - in the proper definition of the word, 'literal' - do just that. Is that a good thing? I wouldn't really say so. Frankly, I disliked that part of it the most. But that's all that I disliked about it. This game is masterful in its exploration, its world building, its storytelling, its gameplay loop... really, honestly, every single aspect of this game is good, except for its core message. Its core message is a rather ironic paradox - ironic, because it [i]creates[/i] the very paradox it presents itself escaping from - wherein meaning is created from meaninglessness. Or, to phrase it better: meaning is given to something that, if we are to actually view the world of Outer Wilds through its own lens, is ultimately meaningless. The human struggle, if you want to call it, is glorified; it's given a [i]telos[/i], but that [i]telos[/i] is only real within this game. Which is to say, it creates the paradox it presents itself escaping from; and then it creates a new paradox to justify its escape from the previous paradox. Thus, if you wish to extrapolate the meaning within the internal world of this game into the real world, you're going to find it to be an impossible task, and I would say that you're doing a disservice to the creators of this story; though, perhaps, they desired such a thing, to which I would say that the creators of this story are doing a disservice to reality itself. But if you're appreciating the game's internal world as something instantiated within itself - as a story told with its own logic - then by all means; you'll find the game to be quite great, I think. It really is one of the most incredible sci-fi games I have ever played in my entire life.

My only complaint is I will never be able to play this game again unless someone neuralyzed me. 10/10

completing this game (and dlc!) was hands down the greatest experience of my life, as no other piece of media has ever struck me as so being so profound and impactful as this one did. slowly uncovering each and every bit of this game was more rewarding than I could ever describe. that journey and the final picture it creates can truly can only fully experience a single time, as once you know things, you know them. it turns out the people who would not shut up about avoiding spoilers were right, as I would carry a deep frustration with myself to the grave if I had any amount of information revealed to me before my completion of the game. please keep that in mind and avoid spoilers at all costs for both the base game and dlc. this is my new favorite game of all time by a long shot, and you need to play it.

Es toda una experiencia. Intenta jugarlo sin saber absolutamente nada del juego.

My favorite game. I've completed the base story, and now I come back to this every so often to stargaze and explore the solar system that isn't so mysterious anymore

This game is surreal. Everything, the aspect, vibes, ending, and puzzles are all insane. I don't want to say too much other than try it out for yourself and to just cherish the game without looking up guides or spoilers. Absolute Cinema.

This is a rare example of virtually everything going right with an indie game. The story, the way it's conveyed, the art style, the music, the rusticness of the setting while also being sci-fi, the need to discover more and figure out what's going on and why, the wonder of it all, and the ending that remains one of the most poignant I've experienced. Pick this up (with the DLC, which adds another welcome layer to things) if you get a chance. It'll stick with you long after you've finished it.

This might just be the greatest game ever made. The only catch is, once you play it, you can never replay it. A game has never stuck with me the way that this one does. Andrew Prahlow is a genius. Go play this right now.

I'd like to start of by saying I hate puzzle games and games where you have to figure out what to do on your own however this game has both of those things and I absolutely loved this game. it's easily one of the best games I've ever played and I really recommend it even if you're bad at solving puzzles like me.😁

My friends are lucky that I can't tell them why this game is the best. Only thing keeping me from not ever shutting up about it.

One of the best games I have ever played. If you havent played it yet youre doing yourself a disservice.

With a little curiosity, and a lot of patience, this game will take you on a one-of-a-kind journey. Outer Wilds is a masterpiece.

beautiful game, do not spoil literally any of it,

Went into this game completely blind, purposefully knowing nothing and MAN did that pay off! One of the best games I've played in years, possibly making my top 5 of all time. I'm not gonna say anything about the content since I don't want to ruin a similar experience to my own, but I highly recommend this game to everyone.

Exploring an empty, barren galaxy while being alone and having no one to help or aleviate your loneliness, in other words this is the average experience of a man aged 18-30.

Literally my only complaint about this game is that you will only be able to experience it for the first time once. The magic of discovering all the different facets and details in each playthrough until you finally piece together the entire story and see it all is truly a unique experience

An absolutely phenomenal game if you enjoy exploration games with puzzle elements and a great story. Go in completely blind and trust the process, there are no other games quite like this.

A completely excellent game I would recommend to anyone who likes something open-world, space related or puzzle. The game leaves you to discover everything one piece at a time however way you'd like. There's no ridiculous game bounds that keep you following a strict story line, either. A beautiful, creatively-built game I would highly recommend. Would recommend manual flying, by the way.

*i watched my friend play this game, that is why I have such little play time. No spoilers: The whole game is about discovering so I will say very little in the No Spoilers section. Outer Wilds is One of the greatest games of all time - easily. The gameplay and concept are original and executed in an interesting and engaging way, and the soundtrack is absolutely incredible too. Simply put, it is a unique masterpiece that you should absolutely play. SPOILERS FOR THE ENTIRE GAME BELOW: Like all games that I consider to be in the top 10 best video games, it weaves its gameplay seamlessly into the themes it is trying to present, however it is even more unique than other games that do this like Persona 3 or Metal Gear Solid 2. Mainly because there are little to no tutorials in the game, you get an intro section that is about 10 minutes long but that's about it. After that, the game leaves you to fend for yourself. What makes this so brilliant aside from just being unique and cool is that it makes the player think about its philosophical ideas without them even realizing it. The player does not know their goal in the game, and are led to believe they are simply looking for a way to end the game within the time-loop, which is also a genius mechanic. I believe it represents the Sisyphean nature of life, how, when we search for meaning within our lives (or our 22 minutes) endlessly and yet it always seems like we never get a resolution to the meaning of our lives. Despite this absurdity, you continue. Even when you find out the truth about the Sun, how it will supernova no matter what, and you are powerless to stop it, you still march on. Of course, this idea is that of Albert Camus’ Absurdism, and this is just the beginning. When you discover the coordinates of the Eye of the Universe, and venture into it, after meeting all the friends you met along your journey, they form an orb, and with no other options, you jump into it. You then witness the birth of a new universe, ending the time-loop and, in turn, ending the game. What makes this ending so incredibly profound is that it parallels your journey through the existential dread the game provokes. And it is because you, the player, embraced the suffering and absurdity of life, that the loop of death and suffering could finally be put to rest. When we choose to embrace death, we are embracing life. Because after all, why not make the most of your 22 minutes? Here’s a good video that covers stuff I did not: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yChaI0Y0dcc&t=128s

I've seen so many people talk about what's made this game so amazing for them, and while I have many reasons myself.. there is one that stands out: As I played this game, there was a sense of fear that I felt almost always. Not just in the places where you're [i] supposed [/i] to be afraid, but [b][i] everywhere. [/i][/b] It was wondrous, yet horrifying, yet neither. There was a hopeful beauty in everything I saw, yet a lasting fear of the magnificence of it all. Then, I learned about Edmund Burke's work on "...Our Ideas of the Sublime and Beautiful". In it, he distinguishes the two, stating - in a philosophical sense - how the Beautiful is what is aesthetically pleasing, rational, and comfortable... While the Sublime is something more. It's standing on a beach, watching a hurricane swirl hundreds of miles into the ocean. It's standing at the edge of a canyon, and awing with the magnificent scale. Something is sublime when it is so grand that, when you look at it, you are separated from your own perspective of yourself in order to see the true magnificence of what lies before you. It is passion born of fear; Mainly fear of our own mortality. This game captures that. Better yet, it captures it more profoundly than any other piece of art I've seen to this day. That feeling, that wonder, that scale... [b] That [/b] is what made me fall in love with this game. The rest just made me love it more.

This is the best game ever created. There is no other game where I can't bring up something bad or negative about the game, this is the only exception. Just play it, you will not regret it. (And please don't watch anything about it before you finish it, you can do it. You are smart enough to figure it out on your own.)