Outer Wilds is one of two sci-fi games that were on my list for a long time. It’s a cozy game where you play as an alien who is part of a space exploration team. Your mission is to fly into the solar system, discover ancient ruins, and uncover mysteries. That’s about all you should know about the plot before going in. This game is best when you come in nearly completely blind.
Outer Wilds hooks you with a rustic, cheerful vibe, a beautiful world, and the thrill of adventure. I love the atmosphere that this game creates and love experiencing this world. Outer Wilds is fantastic. It may have also genuinely given me a case of astrophobia (a fear of space).
Outer Wilds creates some of the most unique sci-fi environments I’ve ever seen that are sure to delight players. Unfortunately, these environments only end up stressing me out. As cozy as the game’s vibe is, there are a ton of ways to die in space, and Outer Wilds is not shy about it. I’ve crashed, suffocated, and been burnt alive. Over the course of a month, I tried to pace myself through Outer Wilds, but I’ve struggled to finish it.
You deserve to understand why this game is so special, and you also may benefit from knowing what exactly terrifies me. I can think of no better way than to give you a brief tour of the solar system you’ll be experiencing in Outer Wilds. I won’t be going over any plot points or narrative details, so you can enjoy this preview of the planets free of spoilers.
Brittle Hollow
Brittle Hollow is the closest planet to your home planet in the solar system, apart from your moon. It could easily be one of the first places you travel. Brittle Hollow is aptly named. The planet’s crust is made of an amalgamation of rock, crystals, and ice. This combination is held together by the planet’s core. The planet’s core is a black hole.
I cannot keep falling into this black hole.
Let’s just be honest: this planet is super cool. Having a black hole keeping a planet together is a genuinely amazing concept and the game does a lot with it. Navigating Brittle Hollow is extremely fun. It involves navigating both the exterior and the interior of the planet. Oftentimes, exploration of the interior of the planet will happen while inverted due to gravity-defying crystals.
However, as referenced before, it is possible to fall into the black hole while exploring. This seems to happen to me a lot. Falling into the black hole is one of the most unnerving and disorienting experiences in the game. Perhaps, if I were more skilled at the game, I would not fall into the black hole. However, whenever I try to improve and set aside my fear, the black hole beckons. I only seem to fall in more.
The black hole experience was so repeatedly unsettling that I gave up exploring the planet to pursue other mysteries. There are some core mysteries lurking on this planet, just out of reach. A clever explorer may be able to time their exploration just right to gain access to the things this planet has sequestered. However, finding them means facing the risks of falling into the black hole.
Ember and Ash Twins
The Ember and Ash Twins are two planets that orbit each other, connected by a pillar of sand. The pillar of sand is actually a flow that streams majestically from one planet to another as gravity pulls the sand back and forth. This creates high “tides” and low “tides” of sand on the planets. When the low tide comes to one of the planets, you may be able to explore caves and facilities on the planet.
You can also be crushed in sand if you’re caught in a cave as high tide comes in. I never wanted to know what sound my body might make as all of my bones were crushed in one sickening instant. I do now.
These planets are lethal if you don’t know what you’re doing. I lost my ship the first time I was on the Ash Twin as the sand spout swallowed it up. I also lost my ship the next several times on these planets. The sand spout has consumed me more than once. The caverns have repeatedly led to my death, either due to suffocation or sharp plants. If the caverns and the sand don’t get you, the labyrinth of tunnels can swallow you whole and winnow away your time to search. I’ve run out of time more than once.
There is some cool stuff to discover on these planets. All the threads seem to point here, and answers lie buried in the labyrinth. I just can’t find them. Exploring these planets turns my stomach so badly that I literally thought I was going to be sick at one point. My trepidation and struggles with the maze of tunnels only slow me down and makes me spend more time here.
I want to love the Twins. Instead, I dread them.
Giant’s Deep
I have been to Giant’s Deep exactly once. It was the last time I played.
Giants Deep is a mass of water and gas with an absolutely overwhelming field of gravity. Landing on the planet, I thought I was drowning twice, first when I pierced the green atmosphere and thought it was waves. Then, I actually hit the waves and I almost drowned in the crushing fathoms. I simply didn’t know which way was up or down and almost dove down deeper.
When I at last made it to dry land, I stepped outside of my ship and the crushing gravity kept me from getting back inside, or moving much at all. A hurricane killed me not long after that.
Giant’s Deep was where I broke. I saw a mystery waiting for me on Giant’s Deep and I went on the internet and spoiled it for myself. I’ve spoiled myself for video games a dozen times before and felt completely fine. This time, I can honestly say I regret it. In truth, I feel ashamed.
The secrets of Giant’s Deep are worth discovering for yourself. They are waiting eagerly for you to understand them.
Here There Be Dragons
The solar system in Outer Wilds is something to be marveled at. There is so much to see and so much to do. I’m sure I have only scratched the surface. So many places have captured my interest and I can’t mention them all in depth. However, there are a few that deserve an honorable mention.
The Interloper is one of the first places I was immediately drawn to. The name is evocative and it is notably not included in the town museum’s model of the solar system. It is, quite clearly, not native to this part of the galaxy. This begs many questions. Where did it come from? How did it come here? Why did it come here? You might find those answers out for yourselves. I haven’t managed it just yet.
Dark Bramble is waiting for me. In the farthest reaches of the solar system, this terrifying mass of branches and teeth sings to me. Take out your signalscope. You’ll see what I mean. Its siren song is sure to lure in many explorers. It may even lure you in. One day it will lure me in too. Be careful. I’m not sure what’s in there…
Finally, a special mention must go out to the sun. The first time, I was in a building. I saw a blue light, but I didn’t see. The second time, my ship was facing the wrong way. I thought it was the interloper. The third time, I saw the sun. It was beautiful. It was horrifying.
This game is a masterpiece.
See You Space Cowboy
This article is not a cautionary tale. It is not a message to avoid this game. I love Outer Wilds. I genuinely think this is a gripping and thrilling narrative with a sweet environment and an atmosphere that I love. This game wants to say something profound and heartfelt and you deserve to hear that message. I just can’t hear it with you right now.
This game has crafted some of the most unique science fiction settings I have seen in a long time. It has created intricately thought out planets and environments with a central mechanic that makes it all even more compelling. I wholeheartedly recommend this game if you’re looking for an unforgettable experience.
I am not a fan of dropping games and I genuinely hate leaving a story like this unfinished. This game is special and deserves to be experienced. However, as of right now, I’m dropping this game. I’ll be back one day.
