Outer Wilds Reviews
Outer Wilds viscerally fascinates mysteries and sci-fi fans, owning a huge potential expressed thanks to a heavy dose of creativity applied to gaming and top quality writing
Review in Italian | Read full review
Each new discovery or observation brings with it a real sense of joy and wonder and the pleasing notion that you’re the first person to behold each particular oddity.
When the credits roll on Outer Wilds: Archaeologist Edition, you'll feel sad that there's no way to experience it with fresh eyes again. You can play the main story for close to 15-20 hours, and the meaty DLC adds another 10 hours or more, but this isn't a game that you'll return to after completion because you've solved the puzzle. As cool as the little pocket galaxy is, if you have another system besides the Switch that can run Outer Wilds, I'd recommend playing the game on the other system instead. Outer Wilds simply isn't meant to be played on a handheld console.
It's a lonely, cold planet over here. Mileage on Outer Wilds will depend largely on how much one enjoys exploration, discovery and extrinsic reward versus repetitive backtracking and restrictive (but also far too long and frequently-occurring-to-be-as-restrictive-as-it-is) time limits. It may certainly be a monkey brain desire for feedback and a more robust signposting of progress, but even knowing that the lack of it here is exactly the point, one can't help think there are examples within interactive media that have done lateral think puzzles better. Ones that would waste less time in between solving puzzles, too. Clearly, there's a majority disagreement for this view, so take it with a pinch of salt, but also go into it aware that it's not going to be for everyone. It is an experience that introduces a lot of mind-bending sci-fi concepts and a surprisingly emotional, if conflicting, conclusion. One just wonders if we like the scaffolding more than we like the building itself. Perhaps, though, it's just that some people really don't like time loop mechanics.
I could go on and on with praises for Outer Wilds. The atmosphere, the sound design, the score, the overwhelmingly amazing attention to detail, clever puzzle design, the story. It is magical. Outer Wilds is a must on Switch. Yūgen is a Japanese concept that doesn’t have a direct English translation. It varies, but I particularly like this definition: “an awareness of the universe that triggers an emotional response too deep and powerful for words.” After looking away from my Switch screen once the final credits of the (main) ending finished only to find myself back on Earth in a room that felt too small to contain something intangible, I took a quiet moment to pause and reorient myself in this reality. I think I need some time on the roof to stargaze for a while.
Outer Wilds is a genuinely delightful experience with a lot of bright points. It somehow manages to take the idea of a game about repeatedly dying in terrible ways and makes it enjoyable, relaxing and enthusiastic. It won't be a game for everyone due to its self-guided nature and its focus on puzzling things out for yourself, but it's exactly the game it needs to be. If you long for the space travel that No Man's Sky couldn't provide, give Outer Wilds a shot. It might not have a billion worlds, but each one is worth a visit.
Outer Wilds is one of the biggest surprises of the year, without any doubt. An easy adventure to recommend for its ingenious proposal and pleasant ambience, but it may be that few get to devote the necessary effort to understand the operation of its narrative and gameplay.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
If I ever find myself in my own closed time-loop, I’d wish for me to play the Outer Wilds, but with the added bonus of forgetting about it, just so I can experience it all over again. It’s that good, and the first true title that I could say is a 'must-play' for 2019.
Enjoying Outer Wilds depends on your willingness to read guides and discuss the game online. Otherwise, you'll probably feel like you're regularly hitting your head on a brick wall as you try to make just an inch of progress.
Outer Wilds stands as a masterpiece of exploration and narrative in a video game industry often dominated by fast-paced action. Through its non-linear story, engaging writing and soundtrack, the game perfectly captures the essence of interplanetary adventure and gives players an unforgettable experience. With a depth that enchants, this title proves that video games can be much more than a pastime, offering total immersion in a mysterious universe just waiting to be discovered and loved.
Review in Italian | Read full review
This is the textbook example of exploration and every point of interest begs to be found as it creates a cohesive and captivating experience that is a constant feast for the adventurous soul.
Whether due to the mystery surrounding the Nomai, the secrets that permeate the universe, the diversity of unique planets or the freedom given to the player, the Mobius Digital game is, without a shadow of a doubt, extraordinary. The absence of clear indicators of progress and the need to cultivate active curiosity may initially pose challenges for some players; however, for those willing to become deeply involved in the plot and uncover the secrets of this intriguing cosmos, Outer Wilds offers a truly unforgettable experience, proving to be an unmissable game for authentic and curious explorers.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
Outer Wilds is a masterpiece, and it's still a masterpiece on the Nintendo Switch. The unmatched sense of exploration and discovery is preserved on the platform. The superb soundtrack and excellent art direction persist despite some aliasing concerns. There are some minor performance issues in complex scenes, but none of those detract from the overall experience.
Your enjoyment of this outer space adventure will mostly correspond to your comfort with a general lack of direction
Outer Wilds is an immersive space exploration experience that oozes originality. Its vibrant world design works as a great puzzle full of beauty and charm that always aims to stimulate the player's curiosity, while transmitting the fear of the new and the inhospitable. Even with occasional failures, here we have an experience marked by creative excellence that exposes the true concept of freedom in electronic games.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
Outer Wilds is a great piece of work, one absolutely deserving of titles and high praise.
Though occasionally frustrating, Outer Wilds presents a unique experience to explore a world with few limitations.
Complaining about Outer Wilds inscrutability is a little like criticizing Rome because you don’t know which sights to see. Do a measly Google search. Mobius Digital has, at times, erred on the side of giving players too little information. But, as a result, they have created a world that casts you as Isaac Newton. They are eagerly waiting for you to discover its gravity.
Outer Wilds is ver unique adventure game. Also fundemental mechanics are very fun.
Review in Turkish | Read full review
Outer Wilds is easily my game of the year thus far, and continues to move up the list of my personal favorite games of all time. It's an experience I genuinely cannot stop thinking about, managing to encompass everything I love about the adventure gaming genre and the smart sci-fi musings of my all-time favorite authors. The few negatives brought on by the time loop at the game's core are universally outweighed by the pioneering spirit cultivated throughout. I urge you to seek out Outer Wilds if you can, if only to try out what is surely one of the greatest adventure games ever created.