Outer Wilds Critic Reviews

This is a rare adventure game in which the journey is actually more of a reward than the destination.

Outer Wilds is one of the greatest surprises we have received. A game that mixes exploration with a Groundhog Day-like scheme and a charismatic narrative to give, as a result, something truly unique. A hidden gem that everyone should try.

Outer Wilds does what it sets out to do so well that I can give it no higher praise than say it’s a must-have game for any of us interested in outer space and science fiction. It takes the lessons from games before it, mixes in some actual spooky physics, and leans on its handcrafted nature to great impact. While small in scope there’s so much to uncover you will never want it to end.

As someone who loves adventure and puzzle games, Outer Wilds was a match made in heaven. It’s not action-packed, and there’s not crafting or deep survival mechanics like most space games have. Instead, it delivers an engaging mystery that isn’t spoon fed to you. It offers its own unique challenge that I highly recommend to anyone that loves video games or space.

Outer Wilds proves there's still a sense of genuine adventure to be gained from games that commit to a set, fixed structure and design, rather than the kind of sprawling, endless expanses many contemporary titles set out to become. Playing it brought to mind my favorite bits of Dr. Seuss' Oh, The Places You'll Go...except with more of the sun exploding.

By letting you chart your own course and piece together its mystery at your own pace, Outer Wilds makes each of its expeditions feel incredibly personal and absolutely unmissable.

It's difficult to talk about Outer Wilds without saying too much. It's one of those rare games where you just want to place the person you are trying to convince in front of the screen and watch them play, like you'd watch a child stack building blocks for the first time. There is something inherently fascinating and intriguing about this simulation of space archaeology, where the journey is just as important as the destination — both in the messages it delivers and the satisfaction it provides.

Forget about the space battles and hours poured into crafting. Outer Wilds redefines what exploration means in a video game. Smart writing and ingenious game-design, it’s a vibrant call to follow your own curiosity.

At its core, Outer Wilds is a game about exploration, knowledge and experimentation. It's the sum of all those parts and more, perfectly blending them together to create one of the most fascinating games of this generation. Outer Wilds proves a micro - as opposed to a macro - take on space exploration works just as well, if not better.

This temporally unique game adds something new with your every death and moves the story forward beautifully. The environments are breathtaking, the music will soothe you. This is the perfect game for those of you who are, above all, curious.

Beneath its charming and inventive worlds, Outer Wilds hides a cleverly unfolding mystery.

Outer Wilds is very unique adventure game. Also fundamental mechanics are fun.

Outer Wilds is a brilliant Sundance Sci-Fi experience, with a perfect balance of space exploration, mystery solving and storytelling. The solar system designed by Mobius Digital is an outstanding playground, full of odd surprises and unique events. Above all, it's a place worth exploring and it’s perfectly integrated into the time loop structure of the game. If you love to feel a genuine sense of discovery and adventure, it’s definitely your game.

Outer Wilds takes you on a wonderful mystery through a hand-crafted solar system that is well worth a visit.

A tale straight from our childhood tree forts—Outer Wilds will reawaken the passion for exploration that you thought you lost.

Outer Wilds is a genuinely delightful experience with a lot of bright points. It somehow manages to take the idea of a game about repeatedly dying in terrible ways and makes it enjoyable, relaxing and enthusiastic. It won't be a game for everyone due to its self-guided nature and its focus on puzzling things out for yourself, but it's exactly the game it needs to be. If you long for the space travel that No Man's Sky couldn't provide, give Outer Wilds a shot. It might not have a billion worlds, but each one is worth a visit.

The space of Outer Wilds, despite its aesthetic beauty and the incredible sensation of immensity it returns, is in short "only" a useful tool to trigger thoughts and considerations; to answer some questions or formulate others, even profound and existential.

Exploring the uncharted worlds of Outer Wilds feels like a true adventure in ways most games never achieve.

It may be due to the charming look and the likeable DIY approach of the hobby astronauts of Holzkamin, but Outer Wilds reminds me in the best sense (probably idealized) childhood experiences: the feeling of discovering something new at a ramble, finally on the top of the tallest tree Climbing in the woods or just getting to know something new that enhances your own horizons - I have that feeling in every corner of Outer Wilds.

Outer Wilds is an absorbing experience, charming and unique. It may seem simple, but there’s much more than meets the eye. One of those special titles virtual explores will love.