When a new game that I’m interested in comes out, I generally don’t buy it on the day of its release. My reasons for that vary, but they usually involve one of three things: the initial price, the timing of the release, or the quality of the game on day 1. When I buy a game, I want to make sure I am getting it at a solid price and in good condition, while also having a convenient time to play through it. I don’t want to run the risk of making an impulse purchase without considering any of what I mentioned above.

That didn’t stop me from snatching Outer Wilds while it was on sale during October, however. Released in 2019, I had heard nothing but glowing praise for it, especially from an old friend of mine who I’ve now lost contact with. Whenever he talked about it, he always refused to get too into detail, as he risked spoiling what he called “the unforgettable experience”. All he said was that you piloted a spaceship, explored some planets, and solve some cool mysteries. It sounded interesting at the time, but I was too caught up in my life and other hobbies to really pay much attention.

That was a mistake, especially since I’m sitting here 4 years later kicking myself for not buying it sooner. Outer Wilds is not only one of the best games I’ve played this year, I would even say it’s one of the best I’ve ever played. I’m not kidding, it’s honestly that good.

Now unfortunately, the biggest reasons for why it’s so good are things that I would rather not mention here, due to them being major spoilers for the plot and the ending of the game. My old friend was right to not tell me much of anything, as this is a game that I truly think deserves to be played while knowing as little as possible. That being said, I’d like to briefly mention a few things that stood out to me.

For starters, if you like games with lots of exploration and juicy rewards for doing so, this one has both of those in spades. I can think of only a couple other games that gave me the sense of satisfaction and progression that Outer Wilds did, those being Hollow Knight and the Ace Attorney games. Your poking and prodding around the various planets you come across not only rewards you for being curious, it also makes sure that you never leave those locations with empty hands. And considering you’re going to make multiple trips to the same places, you will likely find some new information every time you go there.

Secondly, the gameplay loop is not only unique, but also addictive. I mentioned just a few lines above that you will inevitably have to go to the same locations over and over to learn more things, and the reason for that is due to a time limit that the game places on you for each excursion you go on. While I won’t mention why that’s a thing in this post, I will mention that despite having to do the same things over and over again at times, it never feels like a chore or obligation. You find yourself itching to jump right back into your ship on the next loop and get back to where you left off, or to go explore areas in a different way compared to your previous times there. Outer Wilds makes you think deeply about your surroundings, while also keeping things interesting enough that any moment of repetition can still feel like progress. Not many games can do that.

Finally, I have to hand it to the brilliant presentation of the game as a whole. The people at Mobius Digital did a heck of a job making this game, and if they ever decide to do a new project together, I’ll definitely look into it. Each location you can visit is brimming with atmosphere, Andrew Prahlow’s soundtrack is equal parts soothing and haunting, and the mysteries that you gradually uncover are well-written and are reminiscent of some old sci-fi greats. The developers of this game made it with love and passion, which are things that are unfortunately absent from most other ones nowadays. I hope that changes soon.

As much as I’d like to keep gushing about my experience, I’m going to cut it short before I go too far, because I know I’ll end up accidentally spoiling something massive. Self control is very important, in case you didn’t know.

If anything I said above sounded interesting or cool to you, then please check Outer Wilds out. It’s $32.99 CAD (or $24.99 USD) at full price, and I can definitely say that it’s worth every penny. It’s easily in my top 10 games of all time, and my first time playing through it was an experience that I will never forget.

Thanks, and have a good day.