Completly BiaS Review: Outer Wilds and it's Horror

(At some point of this article there will be minor spoilers, there will again be another clear spoiler warning)

Get out there and explore!

At the time of writing, the dlc for Outer Wilds will be dropping in a few days. So I thought it was a good time to reflect on the game. It is without saying that Outer Wilds has been one of the best games in recent years. Sitting at a high score for both user reviews and critics rating.

The game was very surprising to me. I went in pretty much blind, which is in my opinion probably the best way to experience it, only knowing there is a time loop mechanic. I knew there were puzzles and light reading, so I was expecting a cookie-cutter indie walking simulator with pretty visuals. But it turned into a grand adventure about space exploration, uncovering ancient civilization and the mystery of the universe.

A brief summary of what Outer Wilds is about for those who have never heard of this game. You play as a newbie Astronaut of Hearthian(The dominant race of this solar system) Outer Wilds Venture space program. You are tasked with exploring the solar system to uncover all the secrets left by an ancient race known as Nomai. At some point, you will be stuck in a time loop where everything resets after a certain time but only you retain knowledge you have learned. Which makes you the perfect candidate to explore the solar system and figure out what is going on. It is an adventure/puzzle solving game. There is no combat in the game, you cannot (and no need to) shoot your way out of situations. Most of the puzzles are figuring out how to get from point A to point B. I will not go too deep into the puzzles or lore of this game, I think its best people figure those out themselves if they wish.

Then why did you say its horror? Is this a click bait?

For those who are worried that there will be jump scare, no there are not any jump scare. And yet as I was playing through this game, everytime I landed on a new planet or walked into a new previously inaccessible location. I felt an unexplainable dread, knowing full well there are no monsters gonna jump out and even if I somehow meet my demise my day will just reset. This is a horror that I have never felt in any narrative media, the fear of the unknown.

I am not sure if this was the developer’s intention, but every aspect of this game hit this mark very well. There is a certain achievement in the game that requires you to drive your space ship incredibly close to the sun. The gravity of the sun is enormous, so you have to painstakingly steer your ship into the sun’s orbit. I looked straight into the sun and it was terrifying, compared to the sun you are nothing but a tiny metal tin can. You can see the heatwave outside of your ship's window, hear the fire on the sun's surface. It was an experience that you cannot find in any other game.

You never know what's hidden in the ocean!

The gas giant known as Giant’s Deep is also a great example of Outer Wilds unique showcase of cosmic horror. (Minor spoilers ahead for Giant’s Deep) Giant’s Deep is a planet made of liquid and gas, the surface is a giant ocean and tornadoes raging through the surface at all times. When I first arrived at Giant’s Deep, I accidentally crashed my ship into the sea then I laid my eyes on the planet’s core. It’s a dark purple sphere that you cannot see through, you can see purple lightning pulsing within the core and it is protected by a current that cannot be penetrated. I was scared, fearing something there might suddenly jump out. I instantly left the water and parked my ship on an island close by. I only found out later through the ship log that the planet core is indeed something that can be explored. But I was so terrified by the first encounter with that huge dark sphere, I put off exploring there until later. But that fear of unknown was hugely refreshing to see as the fear of unknown is rarely presented so well in recent video games. (Minor spoilers ends here)

The sheer size of the solar system and celestial bodies reminds us how little we are compared to the uncertainty of space. Exploration is supposed to be scary, Outer Wilds provide a great opportunity to players to explore an unknown solar system. The game provides no maps or waymarks, all hints have to be solved by yourself. If you want to know what's beyond the horizon of the black hole, be brave and jump in!

Conculsion

Outer Wilds was a truly unique experience. It does an amazing job at being (unknowingly?) absolutely terrifying. Allowing the player to experience a horror that is rarely seen in video games, the horror of the unknown. It is excellent in terms of exploration and adventure, with some fun and interesting puzzles. Unfortunately there are many things in the game that cannot be spoiled as they are tied to the mysteries and puzzles, but I encourage people to try it out.

SCORE: * * * *

(* = Very Bad, not recommended to anyone. Not worth ANY time investment)

(** = Overall an average experience, flawed but still playable game. Generally would not recommend)

(*** = Good, would recommend it to people who love similar types of games. If the game is part of a franchise, then it is a must play for those fans )

(**** = Excellent, EVERYONE who loves games should try this one out. It has my highest regard)