Outer Wilds: Archaeologist Edition

Outer Wilds was a game that I built a lot of expectations around. Over the past year or so, I've been upping my consumption of content from the indie game YouTube scene. It didn't matter which creator I was watching, though. One game kept coming up. Often described as a "Metroidbrainia" or a "knowledge-based game," Outer Wilds seemed right up my alley. I didn't want any spoilers, so I always skipped past anything but the most surface-level discussions, yet I was so convinced I would enjoy it that I pre-ordered a physical copy for Nintendo Switch at my local GameStop. While I could have saved money and started playing sooner by buying it digitally during one of the frequent eShop sales, I knew that this was a game I would want to be able to display on my shelf and share with friends. Now that I have finally beaten it, I'm happy to report that Outer Wilds: Archaeologist Edition is one of the most incredible games I have ever played.

Boiled down to its pure essence, I would say that Outer Wilds is about the wonder of exploration and adventure. Taking on the role of a fledgling space traveler on the day of their first flight, you're given complete freedom to pick your destinations and explore however you'd like. However, you aren't just flying around aimlessly. Before you can take off, you need to pick up the flight codes from the observatory, which contains a small museum full of artifacts and anomalies discovered by other astronauts. Each exhibit introduces a mystery for you to explore further, giving you a great selection of early-game targets. Five other space travelers have also made camp somewhere in the solar system, and you are encouraged to seek them out when you get the chance.

I hesitate to say much more beyond that because things really pop off soon after you get some idea of where you want to go and tackling this game as blindly as possible will make for the best experience. The world of Outer Wilds is so intricately crafted, the narrative threads weave together beautifully, and solving its mysteries for yourself can be a powerful drug. Something I found especially incredible is that save for a few time-saving mechanics, nothing is locked away from you at any point. Now that I have beaten the game and I know all of its mysteries, I could load up a brand new save of the game and likely beat it in my first run. I loved discovering shortcuts and secrets only to realize that they had been there the whole time. I didn't have to do anything to unlock them other than learn where they were hiding. Unfortunately, that also means that my knowledge of the game and its world will prevent me from ever experiencing that joy of discovery again. That's precisely why I recommend grabbing the Archeologist Edition.

Outer Wilds: Archeologist Edition comes packaged with the original game and the Echoes of the Eye DLC. While this extra content is integrated into the base game, it is best experienced after you've already rolled credits once. With its new story, locations, mechanics, and mysteries, Echoes of the Eye is practically a full-length sequel to Outer Wilds, and the only reason it's not getting its own review is because it isn't standalone. Although its vibes are more sinister than those of the original, I was still hooked almost immediately. I was initially worried that starting from a clean slate would stifle my motivation, but that wasn't an issue at all. The problem is, I've finished this one too and now there's nothing else left.

Outer Wilds, without a doubt, is the best game I've played this year, and that's saying something. The incredible craftsmanship that went into creating such an elaborate solar system and its engrossing story cannot be overstated. I caught myself with my jaw on the floor more times than I could count, and I may have been irrationally excited by a few of my major discoveries. It's just disappointing that you can only play it for the first time once. I'll admit that there are some difficult sequences in this game and some puzzles will be harder to solve than others. Still, if you're committed to beating it, you'll have trouble finding a more fulfilling digital experience.
The game is available for Steam here (as of 11/10/24): https://store.steampowered.com/bundle/22795/Outer_Wilds__Archaeologist_Edition/
The game is available for Switch here (as of 11/10/24): https://www.nintendo.com/us/store/products/outer-wilds-archaeologist-edition-switch/
The game is available for Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S here (as of 11/10/24): https://www.xbox.com/en-US/games/store/outer-wilds-archaeologist-edition/9p9gxg7bj42q
The game is available for PS4 and PS5 here (as of 11/10/24): https://store.playstation.com/en-us/product/UP2470-PPSA08101_00-OWARCHEDPS5SIEA0

Popular posts from this blog

The Great Ace Attorney 2: Resolve

Image
When I reviewed the first Great Ace Attorney game , I said it had a story to rival the finale games from both mainline trilogies. While that remains true, it pales in comparison to Resolve. While a bit soapy, this game was a roller coaster from start to finish. The twists and revelations often left me flabbergasted, but led into a conclusion that pulled together all the threads from both games, capping off an incredible duology. Now I know for sure that this will be the starting place I recommend for anyone curious about the Ace Attorney franchise.  Once again playing as Ryunosuke (and Susato, for a chapter), you'll be tackling more court cases and correcting more of Sholmes' investigations. However, there's a greater significance to everything you do in this game, even if it isn't obvious at first. Where most Ace Attorney games have at least one filler case that lacks pertinence to the overarching plot, The Great Ace Attorney 2 maintains its focus from start to finish....
Read more

The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword HD

Image
When I booted The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword HD up for the first time on my Switch 2, I had not expressly intended it to be a part of my Daddy-Daughter Game Night series. My eldest was playing more Tomodachi Life at the time, so I figured she was focused on that, yet I hadn't even cleared the introduction before she saw giant birds on my screen and was locked in. About a third of my time with the game from then on was spent with her as my cheerleader, pointing out interesting things on the screen and listening with rapt attention as I read the game's dialogue with storybook voices. I have heard many times over the years about how frustrated people were with both the controls and the structure of Skyward Sword. As a kid, I was able to play my brother's copy of the Wii original a few times, and I only ever loved it, so I thought I was just immune to such frustrations. Now, playing the HD version as an adult with a lot more experience (and, arguably, less patience) with vi...
Read more

Pokémon TCG Online

Image
It's hard not to accidentally review the Pokémon Trading Card Game itself when taking a look at PTCGO since it manages such a perfect virtualization of the official game. It even includes the main competitive formats sanctioned by The Pokémon Company , which is the major draw to the title. However, I think that PTCGO is worthy of recognition for all of the choices it made to improve the overall gameplay experience. The steps they took to make the card game itself more convenient, like highlighting playable cards or sorting the discard pile, are fantastic, but I'm more impressed by the decisions made outside of the actual gameplay. One of the biggest surprises is the complete lack of microtransactions. Because every real-world TCG product comes with a code to redeem it in PTCGO , the physical products are treated as microtransactions, and digital-only products can only be earned, never bought. That way, if you never buy real cards (and if you stay away from the second-hand cod...
Read more