Outer Wilds
Genres: Puzzle, Horror, Mystery, Sci-Fi, Story Rich, Atmospheric, Adventure
Play modes: singleplayer
Release Date: 18-6-2020
Developer: Mobius Digital
Our verdict
9/10
- Difficulty: Hard
- Players: 1
- Playtime: 15–25 h
Outer Wilds is an open-world mystery about a solar system trapped in a time loop: every 22 minutes the sun goes supernova and you wake up again. You fly a fragile wooden spaceship between hand-built planets, read the ruins of a vanished alien race and piece together why the loop exists. Progress is pure knowledge, with no upgrades, so it suits solo players who love deduction through exploration. It won Best Game at the 2020 BAFTA Games Awards.
Steam reviews are very positive (about 95% of 53,690). Nearly every reviewer urges you to go in knowing as little as possible, and many wish they could play it for the first time again. Players describe the moment the pieces click as unlike any other game, helped by a much-loved soundtrack.
The game gives almost no direction, so it can feel confusing early on, and the space flight and some timed or dark areas test patience. Expect 15 to 25 hours. If you enjoy working out a mystery yourself, it is essential; avoid spoilers and give it a few hours to hook you.
Pros
- 22-minute time loop where knowledge is your only progress
- Hand-built planets full of alien ruins to decode
- Mystery comes together in memorable aha moments
Cons
- Very little direction in the first hours
- Fiddly space flight and some stressful areas
About
Winner of Best Game at the 2020 BAFTA Games Awards and named Game of the Year 2019 by Giant Bomb, Polygon, Eurogamer, and The Guardian, Outer Wilds is a critically-acclaimed and award-winning open world mystery about a solar system trapped in an endless time loop.
Welcome to the Space Program!
You're the newest recruit of Outer Wilds Ventures, a fledgling space program searching for answers in a strange, constantly evolving solar system.
Mysteries of the Solar System...
What lurks in the heart of the ominous Dark Bramble? Who built the alien ruins on the Moon? Can the endless time loop be stopped? Answers await you in the most dangerous reaches of space.
A World That Changes Over Time
The planets of Outer Wilds are packed with hidden locations that change with the passage of time. Visit an underground city before it's swallowed by sand, or explore the surface of a planet as it crumbles beneath your feet. Every secret is guarded by hazardous environments and natural catastrophes.
Grab Your Intergalactic Hiking Gear!
Strap on your hiking boots, check your oxygen levels, and get ready to venture into space. Use a variety of unique gadgets to probe your surroundings, track down mysterious signals, decipher ancient alien writing, and roast the perfect marshmallow.
