Few games achieve what Outer Wilds does. It transcends the medium, crafting an experience that lingers in your mind and heart long after you’ve put down the controller. From the first time you step into its handcrafted, miniature solar system, it’s clear that Outer Wilds isn’t just a game, it’s a profound journey.

This isn’t simply a story of exploration; it’s a meditation on curiosity, solitude, and the interconnectedness of everything. Rarely does a game evoke such a deep emotional resonance while balancing awe-inspiring mechanics and a narrative that rewards your every discovery. It’s a work of art that challenges how we think about storytelling and design in gaming, creating something truly unforgettable.

Outer Wilds is a game best experienced without any prior knowledge, as its brilliance lies in the discoveries you make along the way. I’ll keep this review mostly spoiler-free, but I encourage you to dive in without reading too much about the game beforehand. The true magic of Outer Wilds is in the journey, and that journey is most impactful when it’s a surprise, and we will be talking about some major gameplay features that are truly worth discovering on your own.

The Signalscope: A Symphony of Connection

In the vast, lonely expanse of space, the Signalscope becomes more than just a tool; it’s a lifeline to connection. Where other games might employ sterile distress signals or blinking beacons, Outer Wilds uses music. Each celestial melody comes from another traveler, creating an emotional tether that defies the cold void of space.

Imagine scanning the cosmos and hearing a banjo, a harmonica, or a flute, each distinct and profoundly human. These melodies guide your exploration and linger long after you stop playing. This design choice is profoundly empathetic. The music reassures, sparks curiosity, and gives hope, emotions players need in the vast emptiness of space. The musical cues foster a sense of connection, reducing isolation and encouraging further exploration, making the vastness of the cosmos feel more intimate.

The signalscope scanning the frequency of the Nomai Statue

The Music: An Emotional Journey Through Sound

I can’t overstate how incredible the soundtrack of Outer Wilds is, it might just be the best I’ve ever heard in a game. The music isn’t just a background score; it is intrinsically woven into the fabric of the game’s world and experience, perfectly complementing every moment of exploration, wonder, and discovery.

The melodies, composed by Andrew Prahlow, range from subtle and haunting to grand and awe-inspiring, with each piece resonating deeply with the player. The music reflects the vast emptiness of space and the thrill of exploration, but it also carries an emotional weight, evoking a sense of melancholy and loss that lingers long after you’ve finished the game. It’s rare to find a soundtrack that speaks to you on such a profound level, and this one does so beautifully.

What sets the music apart is its incredible use of human instruments, like banjos, harmonicas, and flutes, which create an emotional connection in a way that is often missing from other space exploration games that rely on electronic or ambient scores. These instruments feel personal, comforting, and familiar, turning the cold vastness of space into a place where human connection can still be felt, even in the silence of the universe.

The soundscapes shift seamlessly between quiet moments of solitude, where the music is sparse and minimal, to exhilarating compositions that punctuate major discoveries. The feeling of flying through space, scanning distant planets, or witnessing the fleeting beauty of an alien landscape is all amplified by the soundtrack, making these moments even more unforgettable.

The Outer Wilds soundtrack doesn’t just accompany the player’s journey; it shapes it. The music becomes a character in the story, guiding you through the emotional highs and lows, sometimes offering reassurance, other times reinforcing the inevitable sadness of the game’s central narrative. When you hear those familiar melodies, whether they’re associated with the Nomai, the Signalscope, or simply the cosmic surroundings, you know you’re about to uncover something meaningful.

It’s a rare thing for a game’s music to stay with you after the credits roll, but Outer Wilds’ soundtrack achieves that. Even after finishing the game, you might find yourself replaying certain tracks, reliving the emotions tied to each celestial discovery. It’s a testament to the power of sound design and how music can elevate a game from a simple adventure to a profound, emotional experience.

Non-linear Storytelling: Knowledge as the True Key

From the moment you launch into space, Outer Wilds trusts you. There are no waypoints, no hand-holding, only your curiosity and a universe waiting to be unraveled. Progress isn’t gated by items or upgrades but by knowledge. The more you learn, the further you can go. This is a bold and brilliant choice, putting the player’s agency at the forefront.

Take the Nomai language, for example. This intricate writing system isn’t just lore; it’s a conversation. Purple highlights indicate unread sections, white signifies what you’ve deciphered, and orange threads connect conversations across distant locations. The design encourages players to piece together the story at their own pace, fostering an organic sense of discovery.

Nomai Language being translated to english text

The Nomai writings in Outer Wilds are a masterclass in user-centered design. The visual cues are intuitive, with color coding effectively guiding players through the timeline. This system allows players to feel like true archaeologists of the cosmos, piecing together the story at their own pace, making each discovery rewarding.

The 22-Minute Time Loop: Embracing Loss and Urgency

Every 22 minutes, the universe ends in a brilliant, terrifying supernova, and you’re thrust back to the beginning. It’s a mechanic that could have been purely frustrating, yet Outer Wilds turns it into something profound. The inevitability of the supernova makes every moment matter. You could be on the brink of a major discovery, only to hear the melancholic melody that signals the end. You’ll find yourself whispering, “I don’t want to go,” as the sun’s fiery embrace consumes everything.

The sun in supernova state on the verge of explosion

This is where Outer Wilds shines as a human experience. It forces players to confront impermanence. How do you balance urgency with exploration? How do you let go of progress, knowing you’ll have to start over? These are deeply emotional questions, and the game’s design evokes them with grace.

The time loop in Outer Wilds strikes a delicate balance between frustration and satisfaction. Players are forced to adapt to the rhythm of the cycle, with the inevitable reset both motivating further exploration and reinforcing the game’s sense of urgency. This dynamic is carefully designed, ensuring the reset never feels demoralising, but instead adds to the emotional weight of the experience.

A Universe of Awe and Curiosity

Every location in Outer Wilds is a marvel. Brittle Hollow crumbles into a black hole at its core. Giant’s Deep hides secrets beneath its stormy surface. Each celestial body is a sandbox of discovery, designed to ignite your curiosity. The universe feels alive, dynamic, and deeply mysterious.

A map of all of the planets in Outer Wilds (Barring the DLC)

As a player, you’re not just solving puzzles; you’re exploring the unknown. The planets in Outer Wilds are intuitively designed, fostering a sense of wonder without overwhelming you. The environmental design is a masterclass in subtle guidance, inviting exploration without ever making you feel lost.

Designing for Humanity

What sets Outer Wilds apart is its humanity. It’s not just about usability or functionality; it’s about how the game makes you feel. Loneliness, awe, curiosity, and loss are all woven into the fabric of the experience. Every mechanic, from the Signalscope to the time loop, serves to evoke these emotions.

Outer Wilds is a goldmine of insights, showcasing the importance of understanding not just what players need, but what they feel. It’s a reminder that great design goes beyond solving problems, it creates moments that resonate on a deeply human level.

The DLC: A Study in Contrast

While the base game is in my opinion, a perfect experience, the DLC, Echoes of the Eye, introduces some challenges. It focuses on a single, large location with stealth-horror elements that feel at odds with the open-ended exploration of the main game. The time loop mechanic, so well-suited to the base game, becomes a source of frustration here, as reaching certain areas requires extensive setup that can be undone by a single mistake.

This is where I feel that more user research could have made a difference. Playtests might have revealed how the DLC’s design clashed with players’ expectations. Perhaps removing the time loop from the DLC location or streamlining access points could have alleviated frustration. That said, the DLC still offers moments of brilliance and a satisfying conclusion for those who persevere.

Accessibility Settings

Outer Wilds does not include a wide range of dedicated accessibility settings, particularly for concerns like motion sickness or color blindness. However, there are some general settings that can help make the experience more comfortable for certain players.

Motion Sickness: While there isn’t an official motion sickness mode, players sensitive to motion can adjust the field of view. By increasing the FOV from the default 70 to a higher setting (such as 95 or 110), players have reported feeling less discomfort during movement. This adjustment can help reduce the feeling of motion sickness that can arise from the game’s first-person perspective and free exploration.

Color Blindness: Currently, Outer Wilds does not include a specific color-blind mode or any color adjustments to cater to players with color vision deficiencies. This means players with color blindness may encounter difficulties in some of the game’s visual cues, though it is still possible to progress without these features.

However, the Echoes of the Eye DLC introduces a “Reduced Frights” option that allows players to adjust the intensity of certain horror elements. Enabling this setting reduces the frequency and intensity of specific scares, making the experience more comfortable for those sensitive to horror themes. This option can be toggled in the game’s settings menu.

Despite these few accessible features, Outer Wilds does not provide more comprehensive settings such as full controller remapping or advanced visual adjustments. However, the available settings do offer some customisation to ensure a more comfortable and personalised experience for players with specific needs. While not exhaustive, these settings can help make the game more enjoyable for a broader audience.

Final Thoughts: A Cosmic Invitation

Outer Wilds is more than a game; it’s a testament to what gaming can achieve. It’s a masterpiece that trusts players to explore, discover, and feel. As someone aspiring to shape the future of games through research, I’m endlessly inspired by how it blends design, narrative, and emotion into an unforgettable journey.

If you haven’t played Outer Wilds yet, consider this your cosmic invitation. And if you have, I’d love to hear your thoughts. What moments stuck with you? How did the game make you feel? Let’s celebrate this incredible piece of art together.

For me, Outer Wilds isn’t just a favourite game, it’s a reminder of why I’m passionate about the intersection of design, research, and humanity. So here’s to the mysteries of the universe and the games that let us explore them. I have 50 hours totalled into this game and dlc as well as 33/33 achievements on xbox series x.

That said, it’s important to note that Outer Wilds isn’t a game that offers much in terms of replayability once you’ve unlocked the full narrative. The primary draw of the game lies in the discoveries you make as you uncover the mysteries of the solar system. Since progress in Outer Wilds is entirely driven by knowledge, once you’ve pieced together the story, the game loses much of its magic. Though you might enjoy revisiting specific planets or moments, the thrill of discovery diminishes when you already know the outcome of the journey, and the game can be beaten in about 10 minutes if you know what to do.

Finally, I would give this game 5/5 perfectly roasted marshmallows.