Outer Wilds

I've maybe no right to give a review as I didn't actually finish the game personally*, but am compelled to add to the overwhelmingly positive reviews its received because it is without a doubt a masterpiece of a game.

I didn't finish it myself just because the gameplay didn't click with me (personal preference), but I did appreciate the game enough to *"finish" it through Youtube videos which is why I'm able to attest to it being a masterpiece.

Go in blind, like literally anyone else who has played the game will advise, because it's an absolute treat that you can only experience once, don't spoil it for yourself.

The same way I feel I've no right to leave a review, I've also no right to put it my top 5, maybe top 3 games of all time, but it is there in my mind.

While slowly roasting a marshmallow at the campfire with the other Hearthians, I felt uniquely pleasant. It was a feeling I had experienced multiple times in my life, but it was different this time around. However, I couldn't pinpoint a specific reason at first, so I decided to look back at my journey in the Outer Wilds.

Exploring many planets and uncovering the secrets within is definitely one factor, though it wasn't the main cause of my feeling. I went deeper, reminding myself of discovering a Nomai's writing, reading through various dialogues, looking at the ship's logs for clues, and finally solving the puzzles. Still, I could only find a supporting factor for my feeling. None was the main cause.

It took me some time before I realized that the main factor was how the game shaped me. During the first section of my journey into space, I found myself annoyed and irritated at the puzzles. I thought that some of them took too much time and some were too vague. However, I realized over time that my approach was the problem. I would barge into a puzzle and try to solve it without carefully looking at the surroundings, nor would I try to gather hints from other places. I was too hasty at the time.

Later into my journey, I found myself slowly observing the surroundings, reading the dialogues, and enjoying my time doing these things. To me, Outer Wilds wasn't a game where you try to progress as much as you can within the time you have, but a game to slowly enjoy. There are times when I am too frustrated with the puzzle and decide to watch a walkthrough, and there are also times when I try to solve the puzzle myself for hours.

At the end, I figured out the cause of that feeling. It was the changes within myself caused by this journey. It was a lesson about approaching a problem. In the past, I would bash my head into the wall for a few minutes, get angry, and search for a solution. However, Outer Wilds taught me to take my time and slowly approach a problem from another perspective. Maybe try looking around the problem, but not at the problem itself. Maybe try to think of the unique circumstances of the problem. Maybe try the thing that I thought was impossible. Truly, Outer Wilds was a whole journey for me.

To new Hearthians coming to this solar system, I would advise you to take your time with your journey. I believe that Outer Wilds is a game to be enjoyed, not a game to be completed. I hope you enjoy your time, hatchling!

By the way, this is my first time writing a comment for games, so I might be inexperienced.

There are very few games that give you a sense of before and after.
And Outer Wilds is by far the one that changes you the most.
You still did not play this game ? And you've never been spoiled of anything ? Just play it, no hesitation.
Simply the best game ever made, period.

This has to be the greatest story I have experienced in gaming. I believe this is a story that can only be told this good through the medium of a game. Absolutely incredible, I have been listening to the soundtrack for months straight. The puzzles built into the world are so satisfying to solve. Please play it!!!

The game that uses the medium to its fullest.
An unbelievable work of art and possibly the best use of gameplay to push the narrative and the player forward I've ever seen in a game. The joy this game brings through exploring new locations and piecing together information is second to none. It’s all elevated by a beautiful, carefully tailored soundtrack that makes every moment of your journey feel meaningful and memorable..
From the calm and powerful music that plays when you leave Timber Hearth that evokes the curiosity to explore the unknown to the mysterious and heavy sound of Dark Bramble that makes you question, "Am I even supposed to be here ?", the game masterfully communicates your place in the universe without ever feeling blunt or pretentious.

The game may feel small at first, but you'll be completely lost in its world in no time. The simple art style paired with the phenomenal art direction and just the right use of colors make sure that that every moment of the game is etched into your brain, which also helps with navigation.

The game doesn't tell you anything except few basic mechanics, no stupid loading screens, no quest markers. It just lets the player, you, sink into the world yourselves. You explore, you read, you check the ship logs. Sometimes you may even feel stuck; only to find out about the answer halfway through exploring another planet and realize how dumb you were the whole time.
But when the game clicks, you're in for a ride.

Do not wait for the perfect moment to play this game, play it right now. Who knows if the sun decides to explode tomorrow ;)

*Deep breath in*
Listen, This game, has no combat. No filler content. Nothing any other game uses to make it's runtime longer. It's a game you'll play ONCE and then buy it for your friends, cause you WILL wanna watch them try to go through this game in their own way.
There from time to time comes a game, so good, so beautiful that... You remember it. And cannot let go.
This is the only game I came back to just... sit in, look around. reminiscence.
If you ever get stuck... Look elsewhere. Remember what you did in other places. And answer will come. No Wiki required.

This is a one of a kind masterpiece. You need to play this as blind as possible. Just know the joy of it is exploring, discovering and solving puzzles. If you think the start is slow, just take your time and enjoy it while it lasts. This is the kind of game you can never play twice.

This game makes you question why AAA studios even exist. It is a masterpiece, and puts every title that a large studio has developed to shame.

Outer Wilds: Exploration, Space, Adventure
DLC: Terrifying, Suspicious, Terrifying

I never wrote a review before (or at least not a serious one). However, I must admit that this game is truly a magical experience, and I recommend that everyone try it blind. There were three times I abandoned this game before I finally stuck with it and realized just how amazing it is. Take breaks, be patient, and enjoy the ride!

Outer Wilds really is a game I wish everybody could experience, I really can't recommend it more.

One of the core game play mechanics is getting stuck behind knowledge checks and not knowing what to do to progress. I do think persisting is important but if you get truly stuck, look it up. There are plenty of hints and tips by the community which are super helpful and don't just give you the answer. I probably wouldn't have finished the game if I didn't look for some help here and there.

One of the best experiences out there nonetheless. The DLC is a bit more frustrating at times but still overall pretty good as well.

The best advice i got while playing this game was to remember to have fun. It can be easy to get lost in the puzzles but taking some time to explore aimlessly and just have fun is the best solution for when you find yourself stuck. This game is one of a kind and the only game that i consider to truly be life-changing. also BUY THE DLC.

Its been a year since I beat this game and it remains one of if not my favorite game ever. There will always be excuses not to do something, but this is one of those rare pieces of art than no excuse will be enough not to experience. It's well worth the money, well worth the time. Play the game, it will change your life.

Un jeu extrêmement bien ficelé où vous êtes en course contre la montre permanente et où le jeu ne vous laisse pas librement explorer tout.
Quand vous explorez, un nouvel élément vous donne envie d'aller explorer ailleurs et donc peut-être oublier la zone où vous étiez ! Tout ça en faisant attention à la boucle temporelle !

Honnêtement, en terme de graphisme le jeu est très beau, la bande son est juste merveilleuse et transmet super bien les émotions et l'histoire est émouvante si on s'immerge totalement dedans !

Si je devais classer les planètes dans l'ordre de la plus intéressante en terme de contenu je dirais :
Cravité
Sablière Rouge
Leviathe
Sombronces
Atrebois
Satellite solaire
La Lune Quantique
La Rocaille
L'intrus.
Plateforme Solaire
Le satellite de cravité avec son volcan (j'ai oublié le nom)

Maintenant, si je dois les évaluer sur leur degré de sensations qu'elles ont procuré, c'est vraiment tout l'inverse :
Sombronces (c'est triste !)
Cravité (les gens qui se cherchent)
Plateforme solaire (là... omg quand ils savent que quelque chose a mal tourné...)
Sablière rouge (idem)
L'intrus (un peu moins)
Toutes les autres sont insignifiantes en émotion.

TOut ça pour dire qu'il faut y aller ! Il faut foncer et l'acheter ! Je m'en vais faire le DLC de ce pas et je mettrai à jour mon avis pour le DLC !

I have many words to say about this game, but it would be just difficult and hardy to just use all of them, because they are how my heart feel about this, so I'll rather stay simple in my review and do a little packing of my emotions a bit.

To start, this game didn't run on my PC but I'm glad Steam is allowing me to publish this review here, I played and finished this game on my Xbox, got all achievements and 100% the game, but I'll keep this review only about the base game (Excluding the DLC)

MAJOR THOUGHTS:

This is one of the best games I ever played in my life, it almost didn't look like I was playing a game but rather living it by myself, this game immerses you to a whole level you wouldn't understand.

The game can feel a bit numb and boring when you start it, it was hard for my emotions to trigger, but after everything, I definitely had a heart melt with it and all that came.

VISUALS:

This game is an interactive art, it was perfectly crafted in all details, the world is beautiful, and despite not being too much alive, IT DEFINITELY IS ALIVE (you should play the game to understand this bit), every piece of land you explore gives sensations of outer space you would never imagine without building an actual rocket on earth and flying off the solar system.

GAMEPLAY/MECHANICS:

This is a puzzle/exploration game, that's what the game promises you and that's what it delivers fully, the puzzles test your mind and knowledge you aquire playing the game, and it's not your day to day game puzzle, the puzzles feel real, it's like plugging a water pipe at your home but you're an alien astronaut, everything you learn is meaningful, so take your time to enjoy and truly learn about the game for yourself, as searching puzzles and story takes what the game has to offer you: a true experience.

SOUNDTRACK:

No words, just tears in the eye and soft ears while listening to it.

FINAL CONSIDERATIONS?:

I'm literally writing this from my heart rn and I don't know if I missed something, just, if you haven't played the game and Is wondering if you should, give it a try, it really could change your life view forever. :)

I have played this game before and let's say I had the "privilege of forgetting" what this game was (and I put that in quotes because you are only supposed to play this once). I did not completely forget, but I was at a point in my life where I didn't appreciate things the way I do now, so it hadn't impacted me as much as the second play-through did. I'm also not one to cry or shed tears for media but this one almost got me, as this one is a deep adventure that'll have you really contemplate where you're at in life. I could say so much more but it would potentially ruin the magic of Outer Wilds.

I'm not usually one to label something as a 'masterpiece' but this game is definitely a masterpiece. You absolutely NEED to play this game, and go in as blind as possible because this is an experience everyone should have.

Technically a 22-minute game that i just can't stop replaying

I resisted playing Outer Wilds for nearly five years, managing to ignore the constant praise and recommendations. I don’t buy games easily, and I’m often swayed by short first impressions of my own. Recently, a wave of visually similar games has emerged, each claiming to offer an experience similar to Outer Wilds.

To it's most basic, Outer Wilds is a game about exploration and uncovering the story of a long-lost civilization—one indirectly responsible for your species’ leap into the space age. It’s not a revolutionary premise; media has tackled similar themes before. There’s no combat, no character progression, and for roughly 80% of its 20-hour runtime, you won't even know what is exactly going on, unsure of what’s happening or where it’s all leading.

I understand why this is a hard sell—it certainly was for me. How do you convince someone that your game is special when you can’t really explain why without giving it away?

I don’t really have an answer for that, I don't think the developers had one either. But what I do know is that we, thankfully, live in an era where games no longer need media mouthpieces or flashy marketing to succeed. Outer Wilds thrived on word of mouth, and for good reason—because it delivers a truly unique experience. I went in blind, and I’m grateful for that.

Bit by bit, you piece together multiple intertwining stories, each offering glimpses into events that unfolded across the galaxy hundreds of thousands of years ago. Slowly, you begin to understand not just what happened, but why you are in your current situation.

And then, there’s that moment—an irreplaceable, deeply satisfying realization. The moment when everything clicks in your head. When this meticulously crafted, beautifully paced story finally crashes down on you, you understand everything, and you are the one who did it, you explored the galaxy and you put all of the pieces together. And then, it’s time to put an end to it.

Outer Wilds deserves every bit of praise it has received—the scores, the awards, the glowing reviews. It’s the kind of game you only get to experience once, so do yourself a favor: buy it, and buy it at full price. Years from now, when I look back at the turn of the decade, Outer Wilds will sit alongside the cherished games of my childhood—the ones that spark a unique kind of nostalgia, the kind that never really fades.

I played this game in its entirety at a friend's place and I loved it so much that I bought it too for the sole reason that I wanted to support the creators. And even so, I still boot it up sometimes just for the nostalgia to hit. <3

This game is just amazing. I can't say much without potentially spoiling something but what I will say is that the ending made me emotional and almost cry. The game is one giant puzzle and you will figure it out.

Please if you want to play this game GO IN AS BLIND AS YOU CAN. LOOK AT NOTHING INVOLVING THIS GAME'S CONTENT UNLESS YOU'VE BEATEN IT JUST SO YOU DON'T SPOIL YOURSELF.

The game is absolutely worth the price and after beating it I would've payed full price for it.

Everything about this game is amazing. The story, the universe, the music, the mechanisms... 12/10 !

"Ah, here we go again" Or is it?

Outer Wilds is about exploring and finding ways to explore a changing environment, presenting 'window of opportunities' and how to utilize those to find out what is happening in the solar system you (the character) are currently in.

This game's mechanics appreciates players who dared to ask "What ifs" and are rewarded with knowledge and novel game mechanics. However, this game requires players to deduce information for "Why things happen" (in-game) via reading (logs/dialogue), followed by trying things directly to prove it. Therefore, this game is actually a Huge Puzzle of an Adventure game , unlike puzzle games in-general with specific levels to clear, or Adventure games that may require grinding for items.

There are two ways to enjoy the game:

1. you follow the 'story' [more like breadcrumbs], and use the information to answering lingering questions/mechanics as you explore (there is a "recording device" that tracks "progress").
   
2. you blast off into space curiously and experience the environment directly while gathering knowledge [to which one will find inaccessible regions, unanswerable questions, or things-that-really-does-not-make-sense], then collecting the findings (some may be recorded in-game) which is then used figure out how to progress further in the game. [some things can be achieved by trial and error, others require knowledge first].
   *It is much recommended to use the first method before using to the second to a least understand the basic premise of the game.
   

The main reason to "enter this game blind" as most reviews suggest is the same reason why you don't look for a solution outside of a puzzle game: the reward of solving (in this case, finding ways to explore 'uncharted waters') are the main driver of this gameplay. However, for those who are stuck, there are discussion pages available with the community able to offer clues. (The discussion page for most of the "help i am stuck" threads are filled with so many vague hints and redacted spoilers, the forum is basically filled with black boxes)

However, this is game a Timed "Puzzle", raising the possibility of Redo-ing "puzzles" [the game explicitly says time-loop], especially when the player has only partially finish exploring a site, or missed a 'window of opportunity'. The thing that sticks with the player is information (experience) the player gets per-loop [important parts are recorded in-game via text/logs]. Other things (if not, almost all) resets, which offer the chance give those missed opportunities a second try. As the player understands more about the mechanics of gameplay, one can save more time during exploration (you explore things faster the more you know).

Replayability of this game is, therefore, minimal since once experienced cannot be "un-experienced" as the information is not only stuck in-game, but with the player as well, due to its built-in mechanic. (unless you get specific-amnesia for this game only, to which, i think most Outer Wilds players who have completed this would have wished for)

Overall, this game is a must try for players who like Puzzle-Adventures, or Adventure games in-general. 10/10 would experience it again (you couldn't; but at least the amazing music can help you re-live the moments).


Important notes about controls:

• Try to get the feels for the controls, some have reservations with the way 'jumping' works in the game. (it is hold Space to 'prepare' jump, and let-go space to initiate jumping, prior momentum before jumping affects the jump as well).
  
[*]Both controller and keyboard is fine, but some very fine movements are better with a controller (I played with the keyboard-mouse no problem).

Note about horrors:
The base-game does have little 'horror'(?) elements (includes the dark, and the many possible risks of death, not limited to physical and biological properties) but you will have the tools (if used correctly) and information (in-game) to overcome/prevent them.


=================================

Regarding, DLC Echoes of the Eye (EoE):

The light is very dim, it is very dark. The horror is in the things you have not yet understand, in the dark.

The DLC augments the main game as an extra "side" adventure, which revolves around a specific site in the game. This will render the game a little more confined [in the specific area(s)]. Everything else is still similar to the base game.

During my play-through of the DLC specifically (which i purchased as a bundle, after borrowing the base game for +-25 mins), I did shelf the game for quite some time, due to the dark and horror* nature of the genre {one simply must understand why tags exists, I underestimated it (a bit)}. After a long delay, i tried picked it up again to finish it.

Great job with the Sound, Music, and Environment Design team for the ambiance. Despite everything (a.k.a the horrors), the DLC story does add (even more) weight to the general story.

Overall for the DLC (8.5/10) will experience again (the joy of discovery, will prefer skipping the horrors unless integral to the story, which it does apparently).

For those who does not like horrors, it is much better to stick with the base game. Those who dare (or are curious enough) may consider the DLC as well.

P.S. *I did not use the reduced fright option (available in settings), thinking it will cause a different experience than intended. Have never tried it as well, so I cannot comment on it.

if you are planning to play this game DO NOT LOOK UP ANY SPOILERS!
so much of the game's fun is discovering and finding out what is happening
there was a moment where everything just clicked for me and i knew what i had to do and that moment might be different for everyone depending on how they play the game
peak game

Words can’t do it justice. Truly a magical experience.

Outer Wilds has to be the best example of a game that transcends its medium — all while remaining a game.

It’s playful, tactile, and system-driven in the best possible way.
At the same time, it’s powerful and full of surprises. And when the pieces finally click into place, the feeling is indescribable.

I really liked piloting titans in this game. The gun play feels amazing.
Titan gameplay is a great tactical counterpart to the pilot crazy movement-shooting sequences.
This is hands-down the best movement-shooter as well as a mech game to ever been created so far.

Would 100% recommend!

this is possibly the best game i've ever played. it made me reconsider many things i thought i knew about the universe and reignited my passion in astronomy. soundtrack wise, i think its up there with hollow knight and minecraft with how great it is - i truly believe everybody should play this game once in their life

Out of all the exploration and discovery games out there, I think Outer Wilds is among the best. Its an incredibly thoughtful experience and I would absolutely recommend this to anyone who enjoys video games

Absolute journey, really cool game, worth every single goddamn penny.

Just rawdog this game bruh. Trust me. I haven't even finished yet but I'm having such a fun time rawdogging it.

EDIT: I FINISHED. DON'T READ/WATCH ANYTHING, JUST PLAY THIS GAME.

If you appreciate video games, you absolutely must try Outer Wilds. I can't guarantee that it will hit for you, but if it does, it's one of the greatest video games ever made. This game is special, and I really don't want to say anything more about it than that.

This might as well be the best gaming experience i have ever had. This game play around with it's own medium so well. I will go as far as to say that this might be the closest a game got to true art. A brilliant idea brilliantly done. Enough glazing. This game is fantastic adventure where you explore solar system full of mysteries and puzzles. Progressively you gain new knowledge unlocking new areas, mechanics and more. You have all the tools you need right at the start, you just down know how, where or when to use it. So knowledge is priceless commodity in this game, it's the only thing keeping you from the end of the game. Storytelling here is done through exploration and interaction and it's masterfully and carefully done.
This game can be so beautiful and terrifying at times. The ending felt so profound and almost spiritual, it made me tear up a little. Beautiful piece of art, hard recommend for everyone, just don't let the experience be ruined by spoilers.

I hate it when I cause the end and rebirth of the universe due to quantum mechanics and Superposition decay

Honestly, the praises that people sung in this game's favor has always left a sort of sore feeling where "Something can't be this good." Well, I played it with an open mind, and thoroughly enjoyed my experience and think this is one of the better investigative games out there! It's a very unique and cool spin on the time-travel shtick that left me very intrigued all the way through.

The story itself is also intriguing, and has elements of investigative "Eureka!" moments that never get old. Uncovering information and following that information or drawing your own conclusions has that classic feel of victory that I typically get in deduction-based games.

I didn't expect I'd love this game the way that I did and I certainly recommend everyone to play this if you haven't!

The gameplay probably isn't for everyone. It's a bit slow and can honestly be a bit frustrating at times, but if you're at all a curious person, it hooks you pretty quickly. There are a lot of things you see or discover that don't make any sense and really pique your curiosity, but you come back to later as you start piecing the story together and it's a very satisfying progression once you realize that it's kinda less about the gameplay and more about how you discover things. Like many others have said, discovery is a big gameplay mechanic in itself.

But the ending would make the game worth it even if I didn't enjoy the rest of the game, 1000 times over. I played this shortly after losing my mom to a long battle with covid. I went into the game fairly blind overall, but definitely blind to the ending, and I'm glad I did, because it hit me like freight truck, but in a sort of deep, profound bittersweet way. It is by far, in every category that I can think of, the best ending to a video game I have ever experienced, and in terms of lasting emotional impact, maybe the best ending to any piece of media I have seen or read. It's corny, but it really is a work of art. When you think you're getting towards the end, make sure you can experience this alone, in a calm setting without any distractions, it really does deserve your full attention. (And your mom doesn't need to be dead to get the full experience).

"Can you hear music?"

Before going into this game: "Man I love space and this seems like a cool exploration game."
Me after finishing the main game and DLC: "I can never experience something so beautiful ever again."

Buy this, play it, do not spoil yourself anything. This is the best game that one can tell absolutely NOTHING about it. Do yourself a favour, buy it.

Probably one of the most beautiful games ever created.

Dont let the first few hours discourage you...

I started the game three times before getting into it, but after you understand its perfect.
(Ps: Always look into the Ship Log)

If the setting doesn't immediately hook you within the first 10 minutes, refund the game. If you are not a fan of walking simulators, do not buy this game. If the description: "It's like Firewatch but in space" doesn't peak your interest, do not buy this game. If the gameplay loop of - walk to a location, read something written on the wall, walk to another location, speak to an NPC - doesn't sound appealing, do not buy this game. Just because a game gets universal acclaim doesn't mean it will be engaging for everyone. This is 100% not a game everyone should play.

holy.
whatever you do, if the game is not fun in the beginning, WAIT. Wait for it to be good because it will.

A cinematic masterpiece, the visuals and soundtrack stunning, the story is beyond this world it will change your perspective on life a 10/10 must play

Outer Wilds is the Game of the Decade. What are you doing reading reviews about it still? Haven't all your friends already told you to play it? Are you upset that they won't tell you anything about it? Well listen, they probably just think you're a wonderful person and they want you to have an experience of a lifetime without spoiling anything of it. So just give it a shot.

It's my favorite game.
My goal in life is to make as many people as possible play Outer Wilds.
So you, person reading this: [b]go play Outer Wilds!

One of the best games ever made... but it's not for everyone. You need to at least like puzzle games and reading. If you like, play the game with the least possible information about it.
I played it 2 years ago and didn't like it because I thought it was too slow, I didn't know where to go, but everything changed when I realized... that's the point (kinda). Just wander, find things, get immersed in this universe and take your time to think. Realizing where to go or what to do, even tho it may be hard, is really rewarding.
Again, it's not for everyone. The game have no combat, no clear path to follow and the only reward for doing something right is more text, but if you give it a chance, it may be an unforgettable experience.

I almost quit this game. Really. I spent my first few hours flying around, crashing into planets, running out of oxygen, and getting stuck in places I didn’t understand. The worst part? I had no idea if I was making any progress. Every time I thought I had a lead, I’d die in some ridiculous way and start over.

If you’re in that stage right now - feeling like you’re wandering aimlessly, getting nowhere - trust me, I was there too. Outer Wilds doesn’t hold your hand, and that’s both its greatest strength and its biggest obstacle.

But then it clicks.

At some point, after stubbornly pushing through or (like me) sneaking a glance at the wiki to get one nudge in the right direction, things start to make sense. You realize that every piece of information you find is a clue leading to something else. The game isn’t about leveling up or collecting tools, it’s about gathering knowledge, and that alone is what unlocks new discoveries.

Suddenly, you’re no longer lost. You’re investigating. You see connections between places, uncover hidden mechanics, and slowly piece together one of the most mind-blowing narratives in gaming. Every time I thought I had the biggest mystery figured out, the game would pull the rug out from under me in the best way possible.

The world of Outer Wilds is small - a miniature solar system where you can hop between planets in minutes. But each location is packed with unique mechanics, breathtaking moments, and physics-driven challenges that make it feel massive.

Brittle Hollow is a planet that collapses into a black hole while you explore it. The Hourglass Twins are a set of planets where sand flows from one to the other, changing the landscape in real-time. Dark Bramble it’s a terrifying maze of shifting space and giant [redacted].

Every place has something surprising waiting for you. Sometimes, it's beautiful. Sometimes, it's horrifying. And sometimes, it's both.

If you stick with it, Outer Wilds delivers one of the most profound, emotional, and unforgettable endings in gaming. I won’t spoil it, but it’s the kind of experience that lingers in your mind long after you finish. The final moments left me staring at the screen, completely overwhelmed in the best way.

TL;DR: Outer Wilds is not for everyone. It requires patience, curiosity, and a willingness to be lost for a while. If you’re looking for a traditional action-adventure game with clear objectives, this will frustrate you. But if you push through the initial confusion, you’ll uncover one of the most unique, rewarding experiences in gaming. 8/10

LITMUS TEST - if you don't want to read this review because it's too long, then you probably won't enjoy this game either.

I purchased this game based entirely off of its overwhelmingly positive reviews, many of which encouraged me to just buy it and not look into it at all. I did so, only to later realize that it wasn't really a game for me. So here's an actual (spoiler free) review that you can read before you consider picking this game up. By the end of it, you will hopefully have decided whether this game is or isn't for you.

To start, this is a well-designed game, I will admit. The game is very heavily exploration focused. You explore the solar system and have to unlock its secrets. The game nudges you in the right direction through its ship log, which is definitely a help.

Number one, I made the mistake of marathoning this game. The first five hours were very enjoyable for me. It was all about exploration and discovering new things.

In the middle part of the game, it becomes more of a task where you need to compile all of the information you've received so far and find the best way to figure out what you need to do next. The ideal way to play this game, in my opinion, is to mess around for one or two hours, and then quit so you can give it a rest for a while while you figure out what you should do next. Every bit of text in this game is important to help you understand how to progress. I wasn't fully paying attention at the beginning, so I found myself having to go back to areas I had already explored to look at the information again. The playtime you see of a lot of players is actually a bit deceitful, as a lot of extra time needs to be spent thinking about the game and not just playing it. If you're the kind of person who wants to beat a game in a few sessions or have a linear, defined progression, then I wouldn't recommend it. If you're the kind of person who doesn't want to spend a lot of time reading a lot of information and piecing it together, then I wouldn't recommend it.

The end of the game involves a lot of frustration: trying different things, even for hours, and not actually getting anywhere. You will end up wasting a lot of time going down one route, only to learn that wasn't what you should have been doing. Even when you learn what you should do, the game often requires that you wait long amounts of time for the right window of opportunity. If you mess it up, you have to go back and do it again. This game requires a great deal of patience, far more than the average game would. If you aren't very patient when playing games, or if you're just looking for a game to invest your idle time into, I wouldn't recommend it.

Looking up a guide to this game can remove the entire point of playing it. If you know how to beat it, then there's no fun anymore, which is why people say that you can only play it once. The fun is trying to discover how to do it yourself. If you don't like doing that sort of thing, and you often find yourself looking up video game guides out of frustration, then I wouldn't recommend it.

However, I WOULD recommend this game to people who are intrigued by mystery and story elements. It's a very "nerdy" game, if that makes sense. So it has an appeal to certain people, and less of an appeal to others. If you feel like you fit into that category, then give it a go. If not, then I'd steer clear. It's very well put together and a lot of thought clearly went into it. It encourages a lot of thought, but the downside and irony to that is that the more you think about it, the more you see imperfections and conveniences in the story, although I can't give examples without spoiling it.

All in all, I can see how someone would really enjoy this game. I was lead to playing it because the reviewers refuse to give any context whatsoever as to the experience you'll be having with this game. If I had known, I would have given it a pass. My review is to act more as a caution than an actual denouncement of this game.

I have never experienced this kind of game before, and I absolutely love it. This is now one of my new favourite video games. This game left me wanting to play more games like Outer Wilds. This is the most unique space exploration game I've ever played.

I didn't know what Outer Wilds was really about, I thought it was just about exploring space. But it turned out to be so much more than that, and it was incredibly fun and unique experience.

Highly recommended. Don't read anything about it or spoil yourself, just experience it for yourself. Trust me, you won't regret it.

Absolute masterpiece. Went into this game not knowing anything about it, it was recommended to me by friends and I ended up hooked to it, it quickly become one of my faves.
The best way to play this game is blind as it revolves around exploration and mystery. It's hard to say more than that without spoiling anything but if space, exploration, archeology and mystery are themes that you like, I highly recommend playing, you won't be disappointed. If you're worried about forgetting information, don't worry, the game keep tracks of everything for you.
This game is a product of love, every detail has been well thought and it's honestly amazing to discover how it all comes together. There's always more details to notice, even after you've finished the game.
And what's even better? There's a DLC that's basically a second game. The vibes are different but its story is as interesting and as long as the base game, a masterpiece as well.
Enjoy your journey!

Amazing game, great music, compelling story, amazing puzzles that give you the perfect "OHHHHHH" feeling.
Please for your own sake learn as little as possible about this game before you start.

I'm pretty sure that there is something inside of here that makes this game warrant the rating of "Overwhelmingly Positive", but I didn't find it in the time I spent on it. Even trying to listen to the people here: going in as blind as possible and not use any guides to complete it... It really just made me feel more and more annoyed at the game for how nonsensical a lot of the parts of the game can be. And even tough I admire the little cosmos the devs have created here; the charm is lessened for each reset in the cycle and quickly had that shift to monotony.

The controls didn't help much either. Using a controller did help but it was often challenging to pilot the spaceship with any real precision, feeling more like you are forced to 'shoot from the hip' when it comes to landing on specific spots, which has lead to its fair share of unfair deaths.

And for the few times in which the core mystery of the game did grip me... It just as quickly lost me to the above mentioned repetition and aimless searching for the next bit of knowledge you need to move forward.

Maybe it's just me being stupid and not 'getting it'.

Wonderful game where you make progress not by making your character stronger, but by you yourself learning more.

Might be up there as one of the all time greatest games. I got this years ago and bounced off it pretty early, it wasn't until much later when I gave it a solid chance that it all clicked. The way it reveals the story, the art style, the music.

It's a beautiful experience.