This is probably the first video-essay I watched on Outer Wilds that refuses to spoil any of the major points to convince its audience. You totally achieved your purpose, kudos!
I feel like every other video I watched was like "no spoilers" and then proceed to show footage from every planet, talking about why they're unique, giving away answers if even for early puzzles, and it's just like....those are spoilers in a game like this though? lol
@@daniel_netzel I'll second that! A fantastic video and spoiler-free breakdown, and, I must say, as a graphic designer and video guy myself, very nice job with the typography and graphics. I love that you created a 14 minute video without showing anything beyond the opening moments of the game and without it ever being repetitive too. I didn't know whether to laugh or cry at the 'cult-like fan base' because a) we are lol, and b) I hate hyping the game without being able to go into specifics :D It's a curse!
Much appreciated! I don't always do the fancy graphics anymore, but I felt this video needed them! And I'm 100% a member of this cult at this point lol I think anyone who gets into this game gets REALLY into it, and that's definitely me
To me Outer Wilds is so special in part because it's the most pure and lifelike form of progression I've ever seen in a game. In most video games, your progression is necessarily gamified - you level up, get to choose new skills, find new objects. In the real world, most of our growth is just... *learning* things, about ourselves and our world. I learned how to build a chair, I learned how to do taxes, I learned how to communicate feelings and bake a cake and drive a car. Halfway through Outer Wilds you start to realize that there's nothing you're going to get you didn't get in the first ten minutes except for knowledge. And there's nothing like it.
This isn't really a new approach but it is one that's largely forgotten in modern games. The Sierra games or Myst series from the 90s in particular had a lot of these elements to them where you had to actually read/understand and remember how puzzles and their solutions connect to one another.
I never finished it but Damn I remember the first time I played it. I wanted to keep learning. Everything was a mystery that I wanted to figure out. It was so amazing
i know this is brought up every time someone says what you said, but there is another kind of game like this one: fighting games. Almost all you do in fighting games is develop your understanding of the game, with mild (and disappearing) codas for perception and physical execution - and understanding has always trumped those anyway. That said, I don't blame anyone who is attracted to the journey in the context of OW and not the rather more intense FGs. Also, as was said: Myst and also Rain World, while not quite the same, are close enough to be worth playing if you love OW
Not a single art form could come close to the experience that was Outer wilds, one of the few games that rises far anove the rest and transcends above being just a game
Even though it's been months now since I beat it, I still think about it nearly every day. It's truly a one of a kind experience that is totally in its own league compared to other video games.
Exactly, this game will have a special place in my heart forever. I can’t think of any other piece of media that matched the experience I had playing it
I could not agree more, i dont even like calling it a game esp after you know all of the ins and outs of the story. its almost like gamafied or interactive philosophy
This video convinced me to play Outer Wilds myself. I just wanted to thank you for that as this game really was the best one I've ever played. If anyone out there reading this is still not sure whether to get the game or not: Just do it. You're gonna love it and you will think about it for a LONG time.
Another thing to be said about Outer Wilds that you did not address is the score. Andrew Prahlow absolutely created one of the greatest video game scores of all time, and it's all bound together by one of the simplest, but most profound melodies I've ever heard. The music truly enhances the different, complicated moods and feelings that travelling through unfamiliar territory can bring out. I won't spoil it, but there's a feature allows you to always find that familiar melody in that unfamiliar territory. Truly a masterclass of the combination of video game mechanics and music.
I briefly mention it, but if I ever make a video properly discussing the game(with spoilers) I would definitely go more into detail than I do here, because to properly talk about what makes the music great gets into more spoilers than I wanted to do here, but I 100% agree, the score is amazing, one of my favorite video game soundtracks.
I regularly listen to Ash Twin Project, followed by Final Voyage, then Travelers, Let There Be Light, and then finally 14.3 Billion Years. I can relive the last 20 minutes of the game through those songs alone. Brings me to tears regularly.
I can't believe nobody promotes the sound more. I forgot I was still wearing headphones while listening to the opening theme song. The ambient music is amazing.
I still remember the moment I was floating out in space, probably farther than possible for me to get back, alone in the silence. I pulled out my scanner right as a bunch of signals aligned to hear a beautiful chorus of sound, and I didn't feel so alone in my last moments. One of the most beautiful gaming experiences and it was completely organic
I had a similar moment, just wanted to see how far they let me fly away when I noticed I was nearing the end of a loop, and had my mind blown. That song still gets me feeling things every time i hear it
Yeap, you even get a trophy for doing this. I was experimenting with what would happen if I just kept flying away from the system (it does indeed have separate ending text), and the combination of all the instruments was just a beautiful moment that I'll never forget.
Okay, you did it. I've had this game installed for a year without playing it. I've heard that it was so incredible that I knew I had to experience it. But I was so anxious about actually going through with it. What if it doesn't live up to the hype? What if it does and nothing can compare afterwards. As long as I didn't play it, I wouldn't have to confront those questions. But tonight, I'm going to give it a try. I've waited long enough.
My best advice is to give it time if it doesn't click right away, I didn't truly fall in love with it for a half a dozen hours or so, but once it got its hooks in me, it didn't let go for the rest of the game. It might make enjoying some other games harder, it really has no parallel that I've ever found, but man if it isn't worth it
@@zero1487 Update: I finished it last night and just sat there not knowing what to do with myself for the next 5 hours. I had to unlearn things 20 years of gaming had taught me, to ignore meaningless lore or to wait for some equipment to pass through a problem. I found myself desperately searching for information, trying to read everything I could get my hands on. Sometimes that music near the end would start playing when I was moments away from uncovering what might have been the key to everything. Discovering the truth completely pulled the floor from under me I didn't know how to cope. All my expectations and goals I assumed I had and that would be unchanging certainties ended up being meaningless. I began my journey seeking to save the day, be the hero. I ended up seeking knowledge for it's own reward, just like those who came before me. What is over the next hill, and how will it make me feel?
The way I did it with Subnautica and Outer Wilds is I started watching a let's play before realizing that I needed to experience the game for myself. I'd get less than 5 minutes into the video before making this decision.
just completed it. holy, what an ending. the anticipation of "the reveal" after you everything you did is something. one of the best game i have ever played
@@andrespolanco3182had the same feeling. As I try not to spoil it for anyone watching. My jaw dropped and it took my breath when I saw what the ending showed. I won't lie it brought me to tears. The feeling a game gave me is something quite astonishing.
Dude this game changed me. Nothing like it on the gaming market. It was a spiritual experience. Have to say one of the greatest gaming experiences I’ve ever had, and my favorite games are Elden Ring, Witcher 3, etc… and your editing of all your videos clips at the end just like Outer Wilds was genius.
Couldn't agree more, and both of those games are some of my favorites too! At this point my favorite of all time is a 3 way tie between Bloodborne, Elden Ring, and Outer Wilds
I've been putting off trying this game for a few months now, but considering you both adore the same masterpieces I do and consider this game up there, I figure I might as well give it a go 🤣@@daniel_netzel
@@zzodysseuszz You're entitled to your opinion, but so is everyone else. Many people feel that this is the greatest gaming experience they've ever had, if you didn't then that's a shame, but that doesn't mean other people are exaggerating their love for it.
@@JerPlaysGuitar21 I havent played Omori so I guess I'll need to check that out, but I'll say this about Outer Wilds. I played it a year ago and its literally my favorite game ever and I come from a background of pretty much only liking shooter games. This game made me rethink my whole opinion of indie games and and storytelling games. I cant say that it'll top Omori for you, but I promise youll come out of this game absolutely loving the experience you just had. Please do yourself the favor of genuinely trying it
Omori is great, but there's something upon pondering Outer Wilds' ending that *always* moves me deeply. Accounting for the games themes and how they manifest it in the conclusion is what makes its ending a triumph. @@JerPlaysGuitar21
You know a game is memorable when every time you switch to one of the various songs in the game I get genuine chills. The main theme always manages to make me cry.
@@AninoNiKugiwe all are desperately looking for our next outer wilds fix. Be that video essays or vicariously experiencing again through other people.
I am always happy to see another video attempting to spread the wonder of this game to others. Thank you for your contribution; you did a fantastic job. Great Video!
Outer Wilds is one of those games that you keep playing, even when you aren't at your computer. You get so immersed that even in bed, you're still thinking of solutions to puzzle's you encountered. Even when the game is finished, you continuously try to find experiences similar to it, or compare aspects of it to your own life because you miss the sense of accomplishment, exploration and wonder that it gives you. 10/10 incredible game
Very well made video!! The only nitpick being the mention of the time-loop. That is almost unavoidable but learning yourself that its a time loop game is a discovery of it own. I've always pitched the game to friends and new players as "xeno-archaeological adventure in space with dynamic, hand crafted worlds that urge you to explore because of your own curiosity." Keeping the time loop thing out, and only saying it as a final thing to convince someone if they are teetering. But a great job nevertheless! The only thing missing, a link to your own play through of the game, you know we fans want that to relive the experience of enjoying the game for the first time. If you recorded it then do share!
I honestly debated leaving that as a surprise, but it's listed in every bio of the game that I've seen, and it is a huge part of what makes it all unique, so I felt like it was okay to mention, but hopefully I still kept it all vague enough. And oh man, if only I had the foresight. I literally just bought this game out of the blue when it was on sale, it wasn't until I was playing for about 5-6 hours, maybe even more when I realized how incredible this game was,, and how special that first playthrough was. But I WISH I had footage of it all lol
@@daniel_netzel Oh it's wonderfully put together! Not mentioning how the loop ends is always a plus, because you can figure out its a loop but not see the ending of it in a lot of loops. That twist in itself is a plot of its own. So great job for not putting even a hint of it (like visually) in the video.
The devs themselves mention timeloop in steam profile of the game. Moreover, they do that not in long one but right in a summary, the very first thing you see except thumbnail and screenshots. Is it spoiler then if quote of an official description? Like, probably, but...
This was exactly my first thought "dude you said TIME LOOP within the first 60 seconds!" But honestly it is the bare minimum to spoil to enable a lot more discussion of the mechanics of the game. Incredibly well-done (almost) spoiler-free video.
Incredible video! Can't believe you got so much across without so little spoilers. I do think the music deserves some time in the spotlight when trying to convince people since it's one of the elements that sticks with you the longest. But other than that this video is perfect and I will begin sending this to the people I know will love this game.
I love how this game is still blowing peoples minds all these years later, and im still here watching every and any Outer Wilds video essays i can get my hands on
I only just played it this year, so I imagine there are still a lot of people who haven't played it yet too. Honestly I blame reviews, having a solid 80-85 across the board signaled to me that it was a solid indie game, but nothing terribly special, and now that I've played it I genuinely don't understand how this didn't get 10s from every critic.
@daniel_netzel yeah a little strange, considering how many people genuinely love this game. Gaming has become very safe and rather stale these days, so when a game tries something different it really captures a certain gamer. Lack of hand holding can go both ways though unfortunately
The DLC somehow managed to feel fresh even after finishing the main game and it had its own heartwrenching story to tell. The final puzzle was absolutely mind-warping when I realized what I had to do! :0
Im gonna cry. Great video. I made a friend in high school, and he swore by this game. He conviced me to come over to his house and play outer wilds on his computer. So the summer after my senior year I would go play 2 or 3 hours and he would sit and watch me play, not saying a thing. I asked him if he was bored or was okay with just watching me play but he said he was really enjoying himself. After I finished it we both watched the ending scene and cried. He told me that watching me play the game for the first time was the closest thing he got to playing it again as he saw me learn and experience the beauty that is Outer Wilds. I don't know if I will play anything like it again but I am glad I was able to experience it and was able to do it with somebody who also enjoyed it as much as I did.
Just finished the Dlc. Just have to find someone to play. My wife just put the hands on the game but before really engaging she drooped. She was not in the mood for a "puzzle" at that time, and she was harsh about diyng. I didn't want to MAKE her play, so it ended like that for her. Since then im making spredsheets plans about how to make she play hahahah
Beautifully done. I’m one of the purists where I do my best to convince friends to play it without mentioning the time loop mechanic, even though you learn it so quickly anyways. I had no clue about it on my first play through, and that made it a little extra special :)
It’s funny how despite this video doing a fantastic job at not spoiling anything while making the game sound amazing, the majority of people watching are people like me… people who already love this game to bits and just want to hear more about it
Wow.... the way you described time being part of the exploration was great. I realized Outer Wilds leaves you exploring in 4 dimensions where all other games really have 2 or 3 dimensions of exploration. Time passing or world changes, even day/night cycles, are more like story progression than a dimension of exploration. But Outer Wilds truly uses time in exploration. Do you want to go up, down, left, right, forward, or backwards? Adding in 'when' to that list is part of what truly makes this game special and unique from all other gaming experiences.
I found your channel through your comment on DarkViper's video about Reaction content. All I will say is this, I am glad you decided to come back to UA-cam and give it your time. This is genuinely one of the best video essays I have watched and I can not wait for you to get the recognition you deserve. Much love
You've got yourself a brand new subscriber because of this masterpiece of a video, bro. Yesterday I started playing for the first time Outer Wilds and first hour I was struggling not to fall asleep but as soon as I took off flying around my mind begin expanding and it was a five hour long gameplay session non stop. I'm barely scratching the surface yet. Keep it up the quality content! Cheers from Brazil.
fantastic video!! ive been mentioning outerwilds to a good friend of mine, but havent been able to sell it well, without any spoiling. so i sent this to him! thanks for putting all the work into making it!
You illustrated really good points on why Outer Wilds is top 5 for me. Uncovering the secrets the game, as it gives you the choice to unearth everything as if they are rare artifacts is something that truly feels like discovery. To where when the game shows you more of what it has to offer, it makes you yearn to never wanna leave it. It feels like its own universe, system, planets, home. And as another comment said, the music has that thing, that when i hear the first note of the main theme. Its like that Vince McMahon meme thats been circling social media lately lol. Almost bringing tears. Im glad i made the choice to play it.
Bro this video is awesome, I've been contemplating playing OW ....you sold me. Il be back in a month to tell ya how i like it . Thank you for this again awesome vid without giving away anything
My husband's a game developer and we loved this game. We have a bit of a qualm with a small piece of the ending, but we loved it. Looking at your games you enjoy/games you worship, I'd highly recommend Hollow Knight, Horizon Zero Dawn, Jedi: Fallen Order, Gris, Oxenfree, and Inside. My husband is an explorer when he games and we both love rich narratives with heavy thematic payoff as well as environment based storytelling. Seems like you do too. Thank you for this lovely essay reminding me of the week we spent face-deep in this game world.
I LOVED Inside, and Limbo as well, really looking forward to whatever Playdead does next. I'll have to check out some of those other ones though! Jedi:Fallen Order wasn't quite for me(even though I do love Star Wars) but I haven't played the rest of your suggestions, so I'll definitely look into them :)
If you can endure a Kafkaesque (confusing and obfuscated) approach to storytelling, I can recommend Death Stranding. The clues are all over, but nobody notice much of them. You may be able to do a "called it" towards the end, but only for one of the story elements. The second one is too wild to comprehend. And the third one? It's not even presented, you'd have to play the game beyond the ending to get the final pieces of the puzzle (a puzzle you don't even know exist yet), and probably do numerous replays (or re-watches) to piece it all together. To be clear, my three favorite games of all time to watch are "Death Stranding", "Outer Wilds", and "Prey (2017)", all for different reasons but the two first mostly for storytelling (and cinematography in the case of Death Stranding which is also highly linear though), where for the last one it's more about the overall design and freedom of play. Witcher3+DLCs and RDR2 are also up there, but more from the players perspective than for the watcher.
I'd love to know what your qualm was, because the only problem I had with the ending was solved by the DLC (and was a veeeery small plot hole to begin with)
@@littlesnowflakepunk855 The jump scare. It set us on edge for the rest of the finale, which is meant to be peaceful. It meant we thought it was going to have a sinister ending or something was going to go wrong. We think it messed with the tone they were going for.
I am speechless. I am an avid fan of Outer Wilds, and I always found myself uneasy to convince friends to play the game, even as a game designer (this means that I should somehow be good at doing so) and even as an Outer Wilds modder (this means that I should be very familiar with the game) because I was afraid to spoil its magic. You managed to do it wonderfully. I am linking this to everybody I know who still linger. Thanks. You have earned a new fan. This video is something else.
I think its easy to explain why this game is amazing, but not without giving too much away, that's the tricky part lol But I felt that someone ought to try! I'm glad you enjoyed the video, I hope some of your friends end up trying the game!
This video got some of my friends to get the game. I simply left a message on discord, "Recommend this game, but don't know how to explain it without spoilers. Luckily, this guy did it for me" and linked them here. You have my thanks for helping share this experience of a game.
I'm so thankfull that i stumbled over this video. I bought the game after watching and it soaked me in like no game ever had. Now I'm showing this to my friends to convince them to play this game for themselves and I watched your video a second time. And now that I played like 10 hours for myself I can so much more enjoy this video the details you show, especially the part at the end are genious and you did the best to give just enough and the right information without spoiling. Top Game Top Video Thank you!
That's wonderful to hear! I'm just forever obsessed with this game now, and I wanted to do my part in sharing. I know it's not a game for everyone, but if it gets it's hooks in you, the journey you take in this game is just unparalleled. I hope some of your friends try it out too!
It's a beautiful, bitter sweet tragedy that I can only experience the greatest game I have ever played..... once. It's like a curse never to be able to experience your first playthrough again. I am a man that very rarely cries. I can count on one hand the movies and shows that have achieved it. Outer Wilds was the first video game in my 25 years of gaming to make me cry with its ending.
This was one of the best video essay about a video game I have seen. I’ve always had this problem where when I have a interest in a new game I want to play, I want to make sure that it is a game I will enjoy, but then I go and start watching videos about it that just give everything away! So when I play the game, it already feels like I have beaten it at least thrice before. I was thinking about playing Outer Wilds for a while and didn’t want to spoil everything for myself again, and this video was perfect! Thank you for making this great video! 👍👍
Honestly that's why I wanted to make this video, because I do the same thing and it always really frustrates me how much people tend to give away when trying to sell a game, showing end-game content or hard spoilers when there's absolutely no reason to, it drives me crazy lol.
I gave this a go and was absolutely blown away. I actually loved that it doesn’t explain anything, you figure things out like any voyager would do. There’s moment when you overlook something only to discover later on a different discovery which make you think “hang on, I completely overlooked this somewhere at the start” and you go back and there is something amazing to unravel. This is one of the best games of all time to me, I think you need to get out of your COD or Elder Scrolls brain for a bit and be patient with this. It’s unbelievably relaxing and for anyone with an inquisitive mind, it’s just perfect.
A friend recommended Outer Wilds to me, telling me (As I now know to be a very stereotypical if very well placed) warning - Not to look up a single thing about the game. And so I didn't. I remember starting it up the first time, and even just the soundtrack of Timber Hearth feeling like a breath of fresh air. So warm. So inviting. Relaxing like a warm summer evening out camping. I don't usually like logic / puzzle games, as like to play to relax, not bash my head against the desk trying to solve a riddle. But the puzzles of outer wilds always felt so... Natural. When I encountered an issue, I *wanted* to solve it. If for nothing else, than to progress the story. And the game did something that no other game has done to me, I think, ever. It made fall in love with the world, like I was living in it. The characters, the planets, the story, the riddles, the music... Oh the music. Real life, I suffer of generalized anxiety disorder, but... Even now, years later, listening to the game's OST, it relaxes me. And certain pieces bring tears into my eyes. In a good way. As it brings back memories, much like of experiences in real life. Memories of good times. Of good people. And of the emotions I felt when first hearing the music. There is no other game, that I have ever even considered getting an OST of, in a Vinyl LP form. But Outer Wilds, there are evenings, when I pull out, and play, while just sitting on my bed, reliving those emotions. Outer Wilds... Is not a game. For me, it was an experience. A journey, I wish like so many others, that I could undertake again, like it was a first time. And a reminder, that good games can, and do, still pop up, even these days, of almost constant 3A rubbish release after rubbish release.
Fantastic video. I would only mention that The Witness is shown during a critique of puzzles in games as a "find the pattern" type of game--but the Witness is one of the few games that gives me the same sense of wonder as Outer Wilds, and that's because there is SO much more going on in the game than "find the pattern." That's what the game looks like on the surface, but once you've played far enough, you see it is also an open-world mystery, and if that mystery is not in service to an understandable story, the world as you explore it is still constantly contributing to your knowledge, and your increasing knowledge is the real key to solving puzzles. In fact that's what the Witness was designed to be: a game where the real "collectible" is your own knowledge.
Just the wake up exhaling and hearing the first guitar notes gives me an insane feeling of nostalgia. I played this game in a tough time of my life, and it helped me more than you can think. I couldn't stop thinking about it and even carried a notebook with me everywhere so I could write down my thoughts on what to do or explore next when I was blocked in the game. Simply something that I'll never forget.
Brilliantly presented, perfectly narrated. 🙂👍 I have had Outer Wilds sitting on my PC for what seems like ages, only ever played it for 80 minutes and have not played it in over two years. You've persuaded me to reinstall it and try again.
YES!!! The first few hours didn't grab me either, luckily I had nothing else to play so I pushed through it when I probably wouldn't have otherwise, but easily the best decision I could have made lol
13:15 That sound.... after.... a year when i finished the game, this give me goosebumps. And one thing - I love how the perception of this music gradually changed over the course of the game. From: "Hurry, I still have to get over there quickly, to do this, I have 10 seconds left..." Toward: "There's no point in chasing anything anymore, take it easy, enjoy the place where you are, in a little while you'll be able to come back here, with more time.
I just finished this game yesterday, going in totally blind! I loved your video essay. I do think that outright saying it's about a time loop spoils a bit of the surprise. It took me about 2 or 3 loops to understand what was happening; the first two or three times I died I was either inside a cave and thought something had exploded near me, or in an area where meteorites fall and I assumed one had squashed me. Actually watching the cycle come to an end for that first time, and realizing what had happened before, was a nice surprise.
love this game, love seeing people still making videos like this in 2023. i hope more and more people give it a chance - it truly is one of the best video game experiences. thank you for this awesome video!!
I'll forever be in the debt of the person who introduced me to this game and got to re-live it through me the whole way through... Purely a masterpiece which even years down the way, I still listen to the soundtrack. Great video, a few interesting hints in there but well done on the spoiler free efforts too!
Amazing video, one of the best “convince to play” videos for outer wilds I have seen in a while. ::) 13:24 the fun part of being an outer wilds player is I know what is unusual with this clip. ::)
12:15 regarding the danger: I had real trouble getting into the game because the danger created such fears in me that no other game had achieved. I stopped playing it twice for months each time because of that. I was seriously afraid to go to certain places for a long time on my third run when the investment on the game finally outweighed those fears. But it was one of, if not the most amazing game I've experienced.
The 2m² in the ship felt like a real home during my playthrough. It's limited, yes, and there's not much to do, but planning the next trip and thinking about the new information that will be gathered keept me busy in this 2m² area.And knowing the outside of the ship is just empty space and its so easy to get out it felt very dynamic
I think Outer Wilds nails that sense of true adventure like no other title. Partly that's down to the lack of handholding, and the fact that you can have so many experiences of getting into trouble, and somehow getting out of it. Studios used to love this idea of 'emergent gameplay', where you create a sandbox and let fun experiences just fall out of that, but I think OW does that better than anyone else. I had so many close shaves in that game, and it's incredible that you get a real sense of jeopardy even though you know you can't really fail. It's a masterpiece.
Its been 2 years now since i first finished this game, and you encapsulated exactly that feeling of playing this game for the first time for me. Its so hard to not get others to play it and talk about this experience any chance i get! I really hope there's future works that hit even a majority of what this game accomplishes!
8:38 I'd say the "greater purpose" to exploration in Outerwilds is even more genius then you let on. Its is guided by the players OWN CURIOSITY. The game NEVER tells you where to go, you only explore because you might think "oh that planet looks cool" or "Woah what is that flashing light I see when I wake up" or "What is that objecting orbiting the sun". This is the primary reason that all players have a different experience, because they are guided by their own curiosity rather then following quest markers.
This was a really wonderful overview and presentation, thank you! I wanted to mention that there is one game that is of the same caliber that not many talk about anymore. If you get the chance, play Riven. The distinction is that puzzles are the world, not your obstacles to exploring it. Riven needs a pen and paper notebook, but you will not regret playing it if you enjoyed Outer Wilds. OW in my eyes is the true and only spiritual successor to Riven. The other games in the Myst series are good too, but Riven is on another level.
I never tried the Myst series! I didn't have a PC capable of gaming until I was in high school and they just seemed so outdated, but ive thought about giving them a shot because I have heard they age surprisingly well
Thank you for putting this together. I find it very difficult to persuade my friends to try this game without venturing into spoiler territory, now I can just send them this video!
I stopped playing years ago but I have gamer kids and one of them loves creative games and he has this game and bought me my own. I am so glad he did, I find this game absolutely enchanting with it's breathtaking visuals and ethereal atmosphere. It's like stepping into a magical world every time I play, and I'm constantly in awe of it's beauty. You explained it beautifully without spoilers, great job!
There isnt a single game I wish I could unexperience just to re-experience as much as this one. This soundtrack brings me to tears, the ending is just unparalleled.
Fantastic job with this, about as spoiler free as you can possibly make it. I'd love to be able to leave the time loop as a surprise, but it's super difficult to explain anything about the game without that context. I usually just tell me friends more or less "Dude, just trust me, play it." Still, if anyone needed convincing to play the game, this video is what I would direct them to.
In the same way that i gift people a particular few books that have effected me, i try and introduce people to outer wilds. It's such an original and inspired gaming expereince that trancends the medium to another level. It has forever increased my standard for video game experiences or other mediums for that matter. This is a great introduction and explanation to the concepts the game delivers on without spoilers so i will definitely be pointing people here when trying to get them onboard.
One of my favorite aspects is how the nonlinear story meant that I would frequently flounder and wind up in places I had been before by accident, but then I'd slow down and read the same sign or look at the same structure I had passed by 10 other times and go "OH! That's what that is! This place is actually really important!" Sometimes it's as simple as a place you thought was inaccessible having a structure or symbol you recognize on another planet. Sometimes it was about exploring at the right time in the loop, but sometimes it was about exploring at the right time by seeing the same thing through new context. It's what's made watching others play the game so gratifying.
I've seen this game held up in very high regard for a long time, but I never tried it for myself because something about the aesthetic turned me off. That and the fact that it's a space game with no apparent violence or martial conflict. But in watching your video it made me understand that it was more about capturing a certain experience instead of trying to do what is typically done with a space game, making it something much deeper. I appreciate this video--it was supurb--and i look forward to experiencing the game myself.
yes, it is a nearly perfect experience. best piece of any recreational media i have ever consumed. if there was a way to forget it and relive it for the first time i would pay for it. just go in blind. embrace the void of knowledge, the confusion, the crashes, the ridiculousness of it all.. its a truly sublime adventure for the few lucky ones that can see below the cartoonish style and the goofy characters and dive to the farthest depths of this masterpiece. just do it and you won't regret. ah, and you can finish without a guide, it might seem impossible at first but it will lock into place and you will reach the final destination and find all the secrets
Idk if it's my easy to tickle emotional nerve, but this video is amazing at everything you set out to do. Amazing transitions, use of game audio in amazing cinematics that don't spoil the game but shows it's majesty.❤❤❤❤ I wish this video came out when the game launched as the teaser video. Keep doing amazing work man
I've gotten a lot of flack for including it, but my feeling is still the same, if the devs themselves and the game's creator make that publicly known wherever the game is listed, I won't lose too much sleep at mentioning it here. I don't go into any specifics of how or why it's a time-loop, so I still feel there's a lot of surprise to be had
Hells yeah dude, i am the BIGGEST fan of this game, i reccommend it to everyone and love love love it. As so many do of course. Hats off to you Daniel, first vid ive discovered of yours, your voice is nice fyi, u speak well and the video is very well edited, audio, visual and pacing. Well done sir.
I did not expect much going into Outer Wilds when i first went into it over a year ago. Flash forward to now, and i love the game so much that i now own an Outer Wilds mousepad. This video does a great job for what I've struggled to do, which is bringing up the major points about why you should play this without also talking about any spoilers. And this is just a good video essay in general on top of all that.
Thank you for the kind words! Yeah, I had no idea what I was in for, I was hoping for a fun little indie game, didn't expect to have a new possible favorite game ever.
I wish i could forget this game, just so i could play it again for the first time. What a wonderful experience.
7 місяців тому
This video is as good as the game, without spoiling anything. Thanks and hats off to you for convincing me to continue this game I ditched after a couple of hours. I'm still probably half way to the end, but it grew in me and I'm excited to learn more about the Nomais
I watched this video with high hopes with getting invigorated with playing the game again. I tried it when it first game to game pass and gave it about 5 hours to hook me in. I’m a big fan of a lot of other space and exploration games, but for whatever reason I couldn’t grasp outer wilds just didn’t do it for me. I watched your video and absolutely adore the work, time and effort you went into making this video. I am the exact target audience for this video. I see the design of the game, the depth of the story, and mechanics at play in a unique physic based mystery. Perhaps the game isnt for me, but after my first few hours I just felt more lost and confused and frustrated than having fun with the game. While everyone else seems to enjoy the way the game handles flight, it caused me to uninstall before getting much past the tutorial and first planet. Might give it another try. Great content.
Like any game, it won't be for everyone, and you might be in that camp, you never know for sure. What I will say is that it didn't grab me for a while either. I love games that don't hold my hand, where I can explore and figure things out and that's why my favorite games are the Soulsborne games, but there was something in those first few hours where I just didn't see the appeal. Like cool, I found another bit of text, I flew my ship some more, is that all there is? But I had a curiosity for the story, and that's where the real magic of the game is. So I'd say the gameplay grows on you, you will get more comfortable flying the ship with time(especially if you learn to use the lock-on and guidance arrows/speedometer), but the real pull was the story for me, and without that it'd still be a cool space game in my mind, but the story and where it leads is what brought it to a 10/10 for me. So if story isn't really your thing, you might still enjoy it, and if story IS your thing, I'd say to try and just practice the gameplay until it's more comfortable, because the story is absolutely stunning.
Great video. I just finished the game yesterday and it was amazing. The fealings of sadness, tension and dread, coupled with a mystery, strong sense of exploration and many wow moments. As I said... amazing.
I just beat this game the other night as per a friends recommendation - it was amazing. I hadn’t thought about comparing it to Majora’s Mask before this video, but it also reminds me of the non-combat lore exploration of the first Metroid Prime. Thanks for the great video!
Dear Daniel! This game may be perfect, but your presentation, your way of explaining things, and last but not least, your fine voice makes this video to a special one. Liebe Grüße & allways happy landings
To me Outer Wilds has a place in my heart because of it achieves the curiosity that I had when I was a kid, and because of the game's storytelling, and the games soundtrack. The games ending song has a nod to the game's main menu theme song, so everything comes full circle. There were a few times where I was left in awe and other times I was left in tears.
I appreciate that you point out design with intention. People don't seem to understand why a director is great, or why a writer can immerse you. They often call it magic, or sometimes get close by calling it "Vision." Always act with intention. This is an ancient Taoist concept. The real reason an indie developer can produce a better narrative experience than almost any triple A dev is because he can be "totally committed" to the "vision." This is as close as the modern man can get to Living with Intention. Like any artist knows, you can't catch lightning in a bottle the same way TWICE. For me, Lightning in this game was losing my ship. The first time I left my ship to explore, I only took courage, and knew I may lose my way. Before I knew it, my ship was on the other side of the galaxy!
Thank you for this video! No Man's Sky is my favorite game of all time since the day it released. I passed on this one becasue I've been trying to get a physical copy. You sold me, just ordered the Archeologist Edition and the artbook.
This game is truly unlike anything I’ve ever played and I think will ever play. I’ve never felt so small, yet important from a game before. This is art in it’s purest form
Incredible video! Outer Wilds deserves more attention, this game has a special place in my heart, and can be special to so many people, because Outer Wilds is truly the work of art.
This is probably the first video-essay I watched on Outer Wilds that refuses to spoil any of the major points to convince its audience. You totally achieved your purpose, kudos!
I feel like every other video I watched was like "no spoilers" and then proceed to show footage from every planet, talking about why they're unique, giving away answers if even for early puzzles, and it's just like....those are spoilers in a game like this though? lol
@@daniel_netzel I'll second that! A fantastic video and spoiler-free breakdown, and, I must say, as a graphic designer and video guy myself, very nice job with the typography and graphics. I love that you created a 14 minute video without showing anything beyond the opening moments of the game and without it ever being repetitive too.
I didn't know whether to laugh or cry at the 'cult-like fan base' because a) we are lol, and b) I hate hyping the game without being able to go into specifics :D It's a curse!
Much appreciated! I don't always do the fancy graphics anymore, but I felt this video needed them! And I'm 100% a member of this cult at this point lol I think anyone who gets into this game gets REALLY into it, and that's definitely me
@@daniel_netzel
This always annoyed me too. Like, how am I supposed to reccomend a video to pitch a game when it gives away a bunch of cool moments?
Not quite *any* of the major points. If you watch play-throughs the fact that you're in a time-loop is a big moment for absolutely everybody.
To me Outer Wilds is so special in part because it's the most pure and lifelike form of progression I've ever seen in a game. In most video games, your progression is necessarily gamified - you level up, get to choose new skills, find new objects. In the real world, most of our growth is just... *learning* things, about ourselves and our world. I learned how to build a chair, I learned how to do taxes, I learned how to communicate feelings and bake a cake and drive a car. Halfway through Outer Wilds you start to realize that there's nothing you're going to get you didn't get in the first ten minutes except for knowledge. And there's nothing like it.
Love this. Well said
This isn't really a new approach but it is one that's largely forgotten in modern games. The Sierra games or Myst series from the 90s in particular had a lot of these elements to them where you had to actually read/understand and remember how puzzles and their solutions connect to one another.
Right? I’ve never ever played outer wild, and yet if I were to buy it I could beat the game in less then a minute, I have the knowledge
I never finished it but Damn I remember the first time I played it. I wanted to keep learning. Everything was a mystery that I wanted to figure out. It was so amazing
i know this is brought up every time someone says what you said, but there is another kind of game like this one: fighting games.
Almost all you do in fighting games is develop your understanding of the game, with mild (and disappearing) codas for perception and physical execution - and understanding has always trumped those anyway.
That said, I don't blame anyone who is attracted to the journey in the context of OW and not the rather more intense FGs.
Also, as was said: Myst and also Rain World, while not quite the same, are close enough to be worth playing if you love OW
Not a single art form could come close to the experience that was Outer wilds, one of the few games that rises far anove the rest and transcends above being just a game
Even though it's been months now since I beat it, I still think about it nearly every day. It's truly a one of a kind experience that is totally in its own league compared to other video games.
@@daniel_netzelthat will never go away. I played it years back when it first released and I still rant and rave about it
wont change even after years haha@@daniel_netzel
Exactly, this game will have a special place in my heart forever. I can’t think of any other piece of media that matched the experience I had playing it
I could not agree more, i dont even like calling it a game esp after you know all of the ins and outs of the story. its almost like gamafied or interactive philosophy
This video convinced me to play Outer Wilds myself. I just wanted to thank you for that as this game really was the best one I've ever played. If anyone out there reading this is still not sure whether to get the game or not: Just do it. You're gonna love it and you will think about it for a LONG time.
Another thing to be said about Outer Wilds that you did not address is the score. Andrew Prahlow absolutely created one of the greatest video game scores of all time, and it's all bound together by one of the simplest, but most profound melodies I've ever heard. The music truly enhances the different, complicated moods and feelings that travelling through unfamiliar territory can bring out. I won't spoil it, but there's a feature allows you to always find that familiar melody in that unfamiliar territory. Truly a masterclass of the combination of video game mechanics and music.
I briefly mention it, but if I ever make a video properly discussing the game(with spoilers) I would definitely go more into detail than I do here, because to properly talk about what makes the music great gets into more spoilers than I wanted to do here, but I 100% agree, the score is amazing, one of my favorite video game soundtracks.
I regularly listen to Ash Twin Project, followed by Final Voyage, then Travelers, Let There Be Light, and then finally 14.3 Billion Years. I can relive the last 20 minutes of the game through those songs alone. Brings me to tears regularly.
Travellers gets me right in the feels every. Single. Time.
I can't believe nobody promotes the sound more. I forgot I was still wearing headphones while listening to the opening theme song. The ambient music is amazing.
I still remember the moment I was floating out in space, probably farther than possible for me to get back, alone in the silence. I pulled out my scanner right as a bunch of signals aligned to hear a beautiful chorus of sound, and I didn't feel so alone in my last moments. One of the most beautiful gaming experiences and it was completely organic
I had a similar moment, just wanted to see how far they let me fly away when I noticed I was nearing the end of a loop, and had my mind blown. That song still gets me feeling things every time i hear it
If I'm not mistaken, when I did the same thing. I got a trophy for it when I played it on PS4
Yeap, you even get a trophy for doing this. I was experimenting with what would happen if I just kept flying away from the system (it does indeed have separate ending text), and the combination of all the instruments was just a beautiful moment that I'll never forget.
Okay, you did it. I've had this game installed for a year without playing it. I've heard that it was so incredible that I knew I had to experience it. But I was so anxious about actually going through with it. What if it doesn't live up to the hype? What if it does and nothing can compare afterwards. As long as I didn't play it, I wouldn't have to confront those questions. But tonight, I'm going to give it a try. I've waited long enough.
My best advice is to give it time if it doesn't click right away, I didn't truly fall in love with it for a half a dozen hours or so, but once it got its hooks in me, it didn't let go for the rest of the game. It might make enjoying some other games harder, it really has no parallel that I've ever found, but man if it isn't worth it
check back in here when you're done :) I'd love to hear about your experience with it
@@zero1487 Update: I finished it last night and just sat there not knowing what to do with myself for the next 5 hours. I had to unlearn things 20 years of gaming had taught me, to ignore meaningless lore or to wait for some equipment to pass through a problem. I found myself desperately searching for information, trying to read everything I could get my hands on. Sometimes that music near the end would start playing when I was moments away from uncovering what might have been the key to everything. Discovering the truth completely pulled the floor from under me I didn't know how to cope. All my expectations and goals I assumed I had and that would be unchanging certainties ended up being meaningless. I began my journey seeking to save the day, be the hero. I ended up seeking knowledge for it's own reward, just like those who came before me. What is over the next hill, and how will it make me feel?
The way I did it with Subnautica and Outer Wilds is I started watching a let's play before realizing that I needed to experience the game for myself. I'd get less than 5 minutes into the video before making this decision.
Bro come back and tell us how you're liking it so far
just completed it. holy, what an ending. the anticipation of "the reveal" after you everything you did is something. one of the best game i have ever played
The moment when you pull that item, and then the music kicks in and you realize… “holy shit… this is it”. Indescribable feeling.
@@andrespolanco3182only for you to die cause of a certain lifeform on your way to the true ending and get the titlescreen the first time around😭
@@andrespolanco3182had the same feeling. As I try not to spoil it for anyone watching. My jaw dropped and it took my breath when I saw what the ending showed. I won't lie it brought me to tears.
The feeling a game gave me is something quite astonishing.
Dude this game changed me. Nothing like it on the gaming market. It was a spiritual experience. Have to say one of the greatest gaming experiences I’ve ever had, and my favorite games are Elden Ring, Witcher 3, etc… and your editing of all your videos clips at the end just like Outer Wilds was genius.
Couldn't agree more, and both of those games are some of my favorites too! At this point my favorite of all time is a 3 way tie between Bloodborne, Elden Ring, and Outer Wilds
I've been putting off trying this game for a few months now, but considering you both adore the same masterpieces I do and consider this game up there, I figure I might as well give it a go 🤣@@daniel_netzel
Massive exaggeration. Alright game, but no replay value and 90% of the game is completely pointless.
@@zzodysseuszz You're entitled to your opinion, but so is everyone else. Many people feel that this is the greatest gaming experience they've ever had, if you didn't then that's a shame, but that doesn't mean other people are exaggerating their love for it.
rdr2 is onde of those breath taking games
this is actually the best "play outer wilds" video yet. the editing, the writing and spoiler free. absolutely immaculate
This video's ending is probably the best way to end a video about outer wilds. Very well done.
Weirdly, "one of the greatest finales of any story told in any medium" is not hyperbole.
That ending will stick with me forever, absolutely flawless IMO
Haven't played OW yet. Is it somehow even better than Omori's good ending?
@@JerPlaysGuitar21 I havent played Omori so I guess I'll need to check that out, but I'll say this about Outer Wilds. I played it a year ago and its literally my favorite game ever and I come from a background of pretty much only liking shooter games. This game made me rethink my whole opinion of indie games and and storytelling games. I cant say that it'll top Omori for you, but I promise youll come out of this game absolutely loving the experience you just had. Please do yourself the favor of genuinely trying it
@@zero1487 Thanks for the input! I'll definitely give it a try :D
Omori is great, but there's something upon pondering Outer Wilds' ending that *always* moves me deeply. Accounting for the games themes and how they manifest it in the conclusion is what makes its ending a triumph. @@JerPlaysGuitar21
You know a game is memorable when every time you switch to one of the various songs in the game I get genuine chills. The main theme always manages to make me cry.
When the [redacted] song started playing, I noticed I was suddenly feeling anxious and panicky because I even realized which song was playing lol
No need to convince me to play the best game ever.
Someone of culture I see!
Yet here we are watching Outer Wilds videos that mostly shows and says things that we already know 😆
@@AninoNiKugiwe all are desperately looking for our next outer wilds fix. Be that video essays or vicariously experiencing again through other people.
@@LukasJampen Yeah, watching other people's streams keeps scratching that itch.
Without a doubt
I am always happy to see another video attempting to spread the wonder of this game to others. Thank you for your contribution; you did a fantastic job. Great Video!
Thank you for watching!
One of the best pre gameplay review of outer wilds available, well done!!
Thank you!
Outer Wilds is one of those games that you keep playing, even when you aren't at your computer. You get so immersed that even in bed, you're still thinking of solutions to puzzle's you encountered. Even when the game is finished, you continuously try to find experiences similar to it, or compare aspects of it to your own life because you miss the sense of accomplishment, exploration and wonder that it gives you. 10/10 incredible game
As someone who played this game when it first came out in 2019, im glad to see it having such a long tail and is staying relevant 4 years later
Very well made video!! The only nitpick being the mention of the time-loop. That is almost unavoidable but learning yourself that its a time loop game is a discovery of it own.
I've always pitched the game to friends and new players as "xeno-archaeological adventure in space with dynamic, hand crafted worlds that urge you to explore because of your own curiosity." Keeping the time loop thing out, and only saying it as a final thing to convince someone if they are teetering.
But a great job nevertheless! The only thing missing, a link to your own play through of the game, you know we fans want that to relive the experience of enjoying the game for the first time. If you recorded it then do share!
I honestly debated leaving that as a surprise, but it's listed in every bio of the game that I've seen, and it is a huge part of what makes it all unique, so I felt like it was okay to mention, but hopefully I still kept it all vague enough.
And oh man, if only I had the foresight. I literally just bought this game out of the blue when it was on sale, it wasn't until I was playing for about 5-6 hours, maybe even more when I realized how incredible this game was,, and how special that first playthrough was. But I WISH I had footage of it all lol
@@daniel_netzel Oh it's wonderfully put together! Not mentioning how the loop ends is always a plus, because you can figure out its a loop but not see the ending of it in a lot of loops.
That twist in itself is a plot of its own. So great job for not putting even a hint of it (like visually) in the video.
The devs themselves mention timeloop in steam profile of the game. Moreover, they do that not in long one but right in a summary, the very first thing you see except thumbnail and screenshots. Is it spoiler then if quote of an official description? Like, probably, but...
@@inter_acies I know that. Just saying that learning about it while playing yourself is a brilliant surprise.
This was exactly my first thought "dude you said TIME LOOP within the first 60 seconds!" But honestly it is the bare minimum to spoil to enable a lot more discussion of the mechanics of the game. Incredibly well-done (almost) spoiler-free video.
Incredible video! Can't believe you got so much across without so little spoilers. I do think the music deserves some time in the spotlight when trying to convince people since it's one of the elements that sticks with you the longest. But other than that this video is perfect and I will begin sending this to the people I know will love this game.
Thank you very much! Yeah the soundtrack is really special, I listen to it a lot just on its own, one of my favorite game soundtracks
I love how this game is still blowing peoples minds all these years later, and im still here watching every and any Outer Wilds video essays i can get my hands on
I only just played it this year, so I imagine there are still a lot of people who haven't played it yet too. Honestly I blame reviews, having a solid 80-85 across the board signaled to me that it was a solid indie game, but nothing terribly special, and now that I've played it I genuinely don't understand how this didn't get 10s from every critic.
@daniel_netzel yeah a little strange, considering how many people genuinely love this game. Gaming has become very safe and rather stale these days, so when a game tries something different it really captures a certain gamer. Lack of hand holding can go both ways though unfortunately
Have you seen the one on the channel Ceave Perspective? "Outer Wilds: An Existentialist Masterpiece"
It's like, very good.
@witherschat I just looked up the channel and yes, I have seen it! Good vid
@@xjamiec The channel is probably in my top 3 of all of youtube TBH. Insightful commentary in an ADHD-friendly retelling with a good dose of humor.
I just finished EOTE a couple hours ago. Holy shit man. May be my favourite DLC ever
Fair enough, I'd say it's gotta be close for me, but as a Bloodborne obsessive, Old Hunters will be hard to top ;)
The DLC somehow managed to feel fresh even after finishing the main game and it had its own heartwrenching story to tell.
The final puzzle was absolutely mind-warping when I realized what I had to do! :0
@@Moshugaani Spoilers
@@gusmcbean9474 Fair enough, I edited the comment to be less spoilery.
Im gonna cry. Great video.
I made a friend in high school, and he swore by this game. He conviced me to come over to his house and play outer wilds on his computer. So the summer after my senior year I would go play 2 or 3 hours and he would sit and watch me play, not saying a thing. I asked him if he was bored or was okay with just watching me play but he said he was really enjoying himself. After I finished it we both watched the ending scene and cried. He told me that watching me play the game for the first time was the closest thing he got to playing it again as he saw me learn and experience the beauty that is Outer Wilds. I don't know if I will play anything like it again but I am glad I was able to experience it and was able to do it with somebody who also enjoyed it as much as I did.
Just finished the Dlc. Just have to find someone to play. My wife just put the hands on the game but before really engaging she drooped. She was not in the mood for a "puzzle" at that time, and she was harsh about diyng. I didn't want to MAKE her play, so it ended like that for her. Since then im making spredsheets plans about how to make she play hahahah
Beautifully done. I’m one of the purists where I do my best to convince friends to play it without mentioning the time loop mechanic, even though you learn it so quickly anyways. I had no clue about it on my first play through, and that made it a little extra special :)
It’s funny how despite this video doing a fantastic job at not spoiling anything while making the game sound amazing, the majority of people watching are people like me… people who already love this game to bits and just want to hear more about it
I've been looking for this exact kind of video of being very high quality and almost spoiler free to finally convince my friends to play it.
Wow.... the way you described time being part of the exploration was great. I realized Outer Wilds leaves you exploring in 4 dimensions where all other games really have 2 or 3 dimensions of exploration. Time passing or world changes, even day/night cycles, are more like story progression than a dimension of exploration. But Outer Wilds truly uses time in exploration. Do you want to go up, down, left, right, forward, or backwards? Adding in 'when' to that list is part of what truly makes this game special and unique from all other gaming experiences.
I found your channel through your comment on DarkViper's video about Reaction content. All I will say is this, I am glad you decided to come back to UA-cam and give it your time. This is genuinely one of the best video essays I have watched and I can not wait for you to get the recognition you deserve. Much love
I appreciate you saying so! It's still rough going these days but I am glad to be back, here's hoping though 🙏
You've got yourself a brand new subscriber because of this masterpiece of a video, bro.
Yesterday I started playing for the first time Outer Wilds and first hour I was struggling not to fall asleep but as soon as I took off flying around my mind begin expanding and it was a five hour long gameplay session non stop. I'm barely scratching the surface yet.
Keep it up the quality content! Cheers from Brazil.
Great review! The editing in this video was amazing; hope this gets more views
Thank you! And dude I hope so too
fantastic video!! ive been mentioning outerwilds to a good friend of mine, but havent been able to sell it well, without any spoiling. so i sent this to him!
thanks for putting all the work into making it!
Thanks for watching! And I hope it gets your friend to try it out!
You illustrated really good points on why Outer Wilds is top 5 for me. Uncovering the secrets the game, as it gives you the choice to unearth everything as if they are rare artifacts is something that truly feels like discovery. To where when the game shows you more of what it has to offer, it makes you yearn to never wanna leave it. It feels like its own universe, system, planets, home.
And as another comment said, the music has that thing, that when i hear the first note of the main theme. Its like that Vince McMahon meme thats been circling social media lately lol. Almost bringing tears.
Im glad i made the choice to play it.
Bro this video is awesome, I've been contemplating playing OW ....you sold me. Il be back in a month to tell ya how i like it . Thank you for this again awesome vid without giving away anything
Thanks for watching! Just be ready for this game to totally change your life, because I certainly wasn't ready for that lol
My husband's a game developer and we loved this game. We have a bit of a qualm with a small piece of the ending, but we loved it. Looking at your games you enjoy/games you worship, I'd highly recommend Hollow Knight, Horizon Zero Dawn, Jedi: Fallen Order, Gris, Oxenfree, and Inside. My husband is an explorer when he games and we both love rich narratives with heavy thematic payoff as well as environment based storytelling. Seems like you do too. Thank you for this lovely essay reminding me of the week we spent face-deep in this game world.
I LOVED Inside, and Limbo as well, really looking forward to whatever Playdead does next. I'll have to check out some of those other ones though! Jedi:Fallen Order wasn't quite for me(even though I do love Star Wars) but I haven't played the rest of your suggestions, so I'll definitely look into them :)
If you can endure a Kafkaesque (confusing and obfuscated) approach to storytelling, I can recommend Death Stranding. The clues are all over, but nobody notice much of them. You may be able to do a "called it" towards the end, but only for one of the story elements. The second one is too wild to comprehend. And the third one? It's not even presented, you'd have to play the game beyond the ending to get the final pieces of the puzzle (a puzzle you don't even know exist yet), and probably do numerous replays (or re-watches) to piece it all together. To be clear, my three favorite games of all time to watch are "Death Stranding", "Outer Wilds", and "Prey (2017)", all for different reasons but the two first mostly for storytelling (and cinematography in the case of Death Stranding which is also highly linear though), where for the last one it's more about the overall design and freedom of play. Witcher3+DLCs and RDR2 are also up there, but more from the players perspective than for the watcher.
I'd love to know what your qualm was, because the only problem I had with the ending was solved by the DLC (and was a veeeery small plot hole to begin with)
@@littlesnowflakepunk855 The jump scare. It set us on edge for the rest of the finale, which is meant to be peaceful. It meant we thought it was going to have a sinister ending or something was going to go wrong. We think it messed with the tone they were going for.
@@lydia1634 Ah, with the anglerfish? I can see that. I viewed it as Feldspar's last joke, personally lol
I am speechless. I am an avid fan of Outer Wilds, and I always found myself uneasy to convince friends to play the game, even as a game designer (this means that I should somehow be good at doing so) and even as an Outer Wilds modder (this means that I should be very familiar with the game) because I was afraid to spoil its magic.
You managed to do it wonderfully. I am linking this to everybody I know who still linger. Thanks. You have earned a new fan. This video is something else.
I think its easy to explain why this game is amazing, but not without giving too much away, that's the tricky part lol But I felt that someone ought to try! I'm glad you enjoyed the video, I hope some of your friends end up trying the game!
This video got some of my friends to get the game. I simply left a message on discord, "Recommend this game, but don't know how to explain it without spoilers. Luckily, this guy did it for me" and linked them here. You have my thanks for helping share this experience of a game.
That's awesome! I hope they love it as much as we do!
I'm so thankfull that i stumbled over this video. I bought the game after watching
and it soaked me in like no game ever had. Now I'm showing this to my friends to convince them to play this game for themselves and I watched your video a second time. And now that I played like 10 hours for myself I can so much more enjoy this video the details you show, especially the part at the end are genious and you did the best to give just enough and the right information without spoiling.
Top Game
Top Video
Thank you!
That's wonderful to hear! I'm just forever obsessed with this game now, and I wanted to do my part in sharing. I know it's not a game for everyone, but if it gets it's hooks in you, the journey you take in this game is just unparalleled. I hope some of your friends try it out too!
It's a beautiful, bitter sweet tragedy that I can only experience the greatest game I have ever played..... once. It's like a curse never to be able to experience your first playthrough again.
I am a man that very rarely cries. I can count on one hand the movies and shows that have achieved it. Outer Wilds was the first video game in my 25 years of gaming to make me cry with its ending.
It’s a part of the experience and one of the many messages this game has to offer. Nothing beautiful ever lasts.
This was one of the best video essay about a video game I have seen. I’ve always had this problem where when I have a interest in a new game I want to play, I want to make sure that it is a game I will enjoy, but then I go and start watching videos about it that just give everything away! So when I play the game, it already feels like I have beaten it at least thrice before. I was thinking about playing Outer Wilds for a while and didn’t want to spoil everything for myself again, and this video was perfect! Thank you for making this great video! 👍👍
Honestly that's why I wanted to make this video, because I do the same thing and it always really frustrates me how much people tend to give away when trying to sell a game, showing end-game content or hard spoilers when there's absolutely no reason to, it drives me crazy lol.
I actually teared up watching this. This game is truly a masterpiece
Same
I gave this a go and was absolutely blown away. I actually loved that it doesn’t explain anything, you figure things out like any voyager would do. There’s moment when you overlook something only to discover later on a different discovery which make you think “hang on, I completely overlooked this somewhere at the start” and you go back and there is something amazing to unravel. This is one of the best games of all time to me, I think you need to get out of your COD or Elder Scrolls brain for a bit and be patient with this. It’s unbelievably relaxing and for anyone with an inquisitive mind, it’s just perfect.
A friend recommended Outer Wilds to me, telling me (As I now know to be a very stereotypical if very well placed) warning - Not to look up a single thing about the game. And so I didn't.
I remember starting it up the first time, and even just the soundtrack of Timber Hearth feeling like a breath of fresh air. So warm. So inviting. Relaxing like a warm summer evening out camping.
I don't usually like logic / puzzle games, as like to play to relax, not bash my head against the desk trying to solve a riddle. But the puzzles of outer wilds always felt so... Natural. When I encountered an issue, I *wanted* to solve it. If for nothing else, than to progress the story.
And the game did something that no other game has done to me, I think, ever. It made fall in love with the world, like I was living in it. The characters, the planets, the story, the riddles, the music... Oh the music.
Real life, I suffer of generalized anxiety disorder, but... Even now, years later, listening to the game's OST, it relaxes me. And certain pieces bring tears into my eyes. In a good way. As it brings back memories, much like of experiences in real life. Memories of good times. Of good people. And of the emotions I felt when first hearing the music.
There is no other game, that I have ever even considered getting an OST of, in a Vinyl LP form. But Outer Wilds, there are evenings, when I pull out, and play, while just sitting on my bed, reliving those emotions.
Outer Wilds... Is not a game. For me, it was an experience. A journey, I wish like so many others, that I could undertake again, like it was a first time.
And a reminder, that good games can, and do, still pop up, even these days, of almost constant 3A rubbish release after rubbish release.
Fantastic video. I would only mention that The Witness is shown during a critique of puzzles in games as a "find the pattern" type of game--but the Witness is one of the few games that gives me the same sense of wonder as Outer Wilds, and that's because there is SO much more going on in the game than "find the pattern." That's what the game looks like on the surface, but once you've played far enough, you see it is also an open-world mystery, and if that mystery is not in service to an understandable story, the world as you explore it is still constantly contributing to your knowledge, and your increasing knowledge is the real key to solving puzzles. In fact that's what the Witness was designed to be: a game where the real "collectible" is your own knowledge.
Your videos are all so well done!❤
Aww thanks mom!
Just the wake up exhaling and hearing the first guitar notes gives me an insane feeling of nostalgia.
I played this game in a tough time of my life, and it helped me more than you can think. I couldn't stop thinking about it and even carried a notebook with me everywhere so I could write down my thoughts on what to do or explore next when I was blocked in the game. Simply something that I'll never forget.
Brilliantly presented, perfectly narrated. 🙂👍
I have had Outer Wilds sitting on my PC for what seems like ages, only ever played it for 80 minutes and have not played it in over two years. You've persuaded me to reinstall it and try again.
YES!!! The first few hours didn't grab me either, luckily I had nothing else to play so I pushed through it when I probably wouldn't have otherwise, but easily the best decision I could have made lol
13:15 That sound.... after.... a year when i finished the game, this give me goosebumps.
And one thing - I love how the perception of this music gradually changed over the course of the game. From: "Hurry, I still have to get over there quickly, to do this, I have 10 seconds left..." Toward: "There's no point in chasing anything anymore, take it easy, enjoy the place where you are, in a little while you'll be able to come back here, with more time.
I just finished this game yesterday, going in totally blind!
I loved your video essay. I do think that outright saying it's about a time loop spoils a bit of the surprise. It took me about 2 or 3 loops to understand what was happening; the first two or three times I died I was either inside a cave and thought something had exploded near me, or in an area where meteorites fall and I assumed one had squashed me. Actually watching the cycle come to an end for that first time, and realizing what had happened before, was a nice surprise.
love this game, love seeing people still making videos like this in 2023. i hope more and more people give it a chance - it truly is one of the best video game experiences. thank you for this awesome video!!
Beautifully done! This is the first video I've seen that captures the essence of the game while skillfully avoiding spoilers and hype
Top-notch video essay! Perfect for sharing with friends to get them interested in the game!
Thank you so much!
I'll forever be in the debt of the person who introduced me to this game and got to re-live it through me the whole way through... Purely a masterpiece which even years down the way, I still listen to the soundtrack. Great video, a few interesting hints in there but well done on the spoiler free efforts too!
Amazing video, one of the best “convince to play” videos for outer wilds I have seen in a while. ::)
13:24 the fun part of being an outer wilds player is I know what is unusual with this clip. ::)
12:06 bro! You spoiled the launch codes!
Now I just have to figure out how to type them in
12:15 regarding the danger: I had real trouble getting into the game because the danger created such fears in me that no other game had achieved. I stopped playing it twice for months each time because of that. I was seriously afraid to go to certain places for a long time on my third run when the investment on the game finally outweighed those fears. But it was one of, if not the most amazing game I've experienced.
The 2m² in the ship felt like a real home during my playthrough. It's limited, yes, and there's not much to do, but planning the next trip and thinking about the new information that will be gathered keept me busy in this 2m² area.And knowing the outside of the ship is just empty space and its so easy to get out it felt very dynamic
Holy crap you could win an award for how slick this editing is
Great video omg. Your montage style, voice, narration, and text are all amazing! +1 sub cheers
Thank you so much! And thanks for subscribing :)
I’ve been thinking about getting Outer Wilds for a while now, and your video just sealed the deal.
Thank you for staying so light on spoilers!
Thank you so much for this video. As a die-hard Outer Wilds fan, this brought tears of joy from the memories you brought back. :)
Beautiful video! Mega job on keeping the spoilers down, impressive work.
Thank you very much! I appreciate it!
I think Outer Wilds nails that sense of true adventure like no other title. Partly that's down to the lack of handholding, and the fact that you can have so many experiences of getting into trouble, and somehow getting out of it. Studios used to love this idea of 'emergent gameplay', where you create a sandbox and let fun experiences just fall out of that, but I think OW does that better than anyone else. I had so many close shaves in that game, and it's incredible that you get a real sense of jeopardy even though you know you can't really fail. It's a masterpiece.
Its been 2 years now since i first finished this game, and you encapsulated exactly that feeling of playing this game for the first time for me. Its so hard to not get others to play it and talk about this experience any chance i get! I really hope there's future works that hit even a majority of what this game accomplishes!
8:38 I'd say the "greater purpose" to exploration in Outerwilds is even more genius then you let on. Its is guided by the players OWN CURIOSITY. The game NEVER tells you where to go, you only explore because you might think "oh that planet looks cool" or "Woah what is that flashing light I see when I wake up" or "What is that objecting orbiting the sun".
This is the primary reason that all players have a different experience, because they are guided by their own curiosity rather then following quest markers.
This was a really wonderful overview and presentation, thank you! I wanted to mention that there is one game that is of the same caliber that not many talk about anymore. If you get the chance, play Riven. The distinction is that puzzles are the world, not your obstacles to exploring it. Riven needs a pen and paper notebook, but you will not regret playing it if you enjoyed Outer Wilds. OW in my eyes is the true and only spiritual successor to Riven. The other games in the Myst series are good too, but Riven is on another level.
I never tried the Myst series! I didn't have a PC capable of gaming until I was in high school and they just seemed so outdated, but ive thought about giving them a shot because I have heard they age surprisingly well
What a video, that was a really really great way of teasing the game without spoiling ANYTHING ! Insane job !
Thank you!
Thank you for putting this together. I find it very difficult to persuade my friends to try this game without venturing into spoiler territory, now I can just send them this video!
The editing and visuals in this video are really amazing. Great video all around, hope you get some more recognition soon.
Thank you for the kind words! And man I hope so too lol
I stopped playing years ago but I have gamer kids and one of them loves creative games and he has this game and bought me my own. I am so glad he did, I find this game absolutely enchanting with it's breathtaking visuals and ethereal atmosphere. It's like stepping into a magical world every time I play, and I'm constantly in awe of it's beauty. You explained it beautifully without spoilers, great job!
There isnt a single game I wish I could unexperience just to re-experience as much as this one. This soundtrack brings me to tears, the ending is just unparalleled.
Fantastic job with this, about as spoiler free as you can possibly make it. I'd love to be able to leave the time loop as a surprise, but it's super difficult to explain anything about the game without that context. I usually just tell me friends more or less "Dude, just trust me, play it."
Still, if anyone needed convincing to play the game, this video is what I would direct them to.
In the same way that i gift people a particular few books that have effected me, i try and introduce people to outer wilds. It's such an original and inspired gaming expereince that trancends the medium to another level. It has forever increased my standard for video game experiences or other mediums for that matter. This is a great introduction and explanation to the concepts the game delivers on without spoilers so i will definitely be pointing people here when trying to get them onboard.
One of my favorite aspects is how the nonlinear story meant that I would frequently flounder and wind up in places I had been before by accident, but then I'd slow down and read the same sign or look at the same structure I had passed by 10 other times and go "OH! That's what that is! This place is actually really important!" Sometimes it's as simple as a place you thought was inaccessible having a structure or symbol you recognize on another planet. Sometimes it was about exploring at the right time in the loop, but sometimes it was about exploring at the right time by seeing the same thing through new context. It's what's made watching others play the game so gratifying.
Fantastic video, and I see what you did there at the end with the statue! ;) Great detail!
I've seen this game held up in very high regard for a long time, but I never tried it for myself because something about the aesthetic turned me off. That and the fact that it's a space game with no apparent violence or martial conflict. But in watching your video it made me understand that it was more about capturing a certain experience instead of trying to do what is typically done with a space game, making it something much deeper. I appreciate this video--it was supurb--and i look forward to experiencing the game myself.
yes, it is a nearly perfect experience. best piece of any recreational media i have ever consumed. if there was a way to forget it and relive it for the first time i would pay for it. just go in blind. embrace the void of knowledge, the confusion, the crashes, the ridiculousness of it all.. its a truly sublime adventure for the few lucky ones that can see below the cartoonish style and the goofy characters and dive to the farthest depths of this masterpiece. just do it and you won't regret. ah, and you can finish without a guide, it might seem impossible at first but it will lock into place and you will reach the final destination and find all the secrets
Idk if it's my easy to tickle emotional nerve, but this video is amazing at everything you set out to do. Amazing transitions, use of game audio in amazing cinematics that don't spoil the game but shows it's majesty.❤❤❤❤ I wish this video came out when the game launched as the teaser video. Keep doing amazing work man
And the ending!!!! Dude goosebumps
wow.. can`t believe I have missed this game.. you really sold it.. great video man!
Have you had a chance to play it yet robin?
I have! It’s really special. How about you?
I can't believe you spoiled the time-loop part. I think it's a marvellous moment, to discover you're in a loop, and all that comes with that.
I've gotten a lot of flack for including it, but my feeling is still the same, if the devs themselves and the game's creator make that publicly known wherever the game is listed, I won't lose too much sleep at mentioning it here. I don't go into any specifics of how or why it's a time-loop, so I still feel there's a lot of surprise to be had
Honestly this is one of the best Videogame Videos I ever watched. Thank you for this experience.
Hells yeah dude, i am the BIGGEST fan of this game, i reccommend it to everyone and love love love it. As so many do of course. Hats off to you Daniel, first vid ive discovered of yours, your voice is nice fyi, u speak well and the video is very well edited, audio, visual and pacing. Well done sir.
this is one of the best video I ever saw, thanks man, you really pay tribute to the game.
Thank you for the kind words!
Glad you liked it man,,, i completed it years ago. I still think about it alot lol. It's nice to see others speak about it
I did not expect much going into Outer Wilds when i first went into it over a year ago. Flash forward to now, and i love the game so much that i now own an Outer Wilds mousepad. This video does a great job for what I've struggled to do, which is bringing up the major points about why you should play this without also talking about any spoilers. And this is just a good video essay in general on top of all that.
Thank you for the kind words! Yeah, I had no idea what I was in for, I was hoping for a fun little indie game, didn't expect to have a new possible favorite game ever.
I wish i could forget this game, just so i could play it again for the first time. What a wonderful experience.
This video is as good as the game, without spoiling anything. Thanks and hats off to you for convincing me to continue this game I ditched after a couple of hours. I'm still probably half way to the end, but it grew in me and I'm excited to learn more about the Nomais
Absolutely nailed it on all points. Especially "all culminating in one of the greatest finales of any story told in any medium". SO TRUE 👏
I watched this video with high hopes with getting invigorated with playing the game again.
I tried it when it first game to game pass and gave it about 5 hours to hook me in. I’m a big fan of a lot of other space and exploration games, but for whatever reason I couldn’t grasp outer wilds just didn’t do it for me.
I watched your video and absolutely adore the work, time and effort you went into making this video. I am the exact target audience for this video.
I see the design of the game, the depth of the story, and mechanics at play in a unique physic based mystery. Perhaps the game isnt for me, but after my first few hours I just felt more lost and confused and frustrated than having fun with the game.
While everyone else seems to enjoy the way the game handles flight, it caused me to uninstall before getting much past the tutorial and first planet.
Might give it another try. Great content.
Like any game, it won't be for everyone, and you might be in that camp, you never know for sure. What I will say is that it didn't grab me for a while either. I love games that don't hold my hand, where I can explore and figure things out and that's why my favorite games are the Soulsborne games, but there was something in those first few hours where I just didn't see the appeal. Like cool, I found another bit of text, I flew my ship some more, is that all there is? But I had a curiosity for the story, and that's where the real magic of the game is. So I'd say the gameplay grows on you, you will get more comfortable flying the ship with time(especially if you learn to use the lock-on and guidance arrows/speedometer), but the real pull was the story for me, and without that it'd still be a cool space game in my mind, but the story and where it leads is what brought it to a 10/10 for me. So if story isn't really your thing, you might still enjoy it, and if story IS your thing, I'd say to try and just practice the gameplay until it's more comfortable, because the story is absolutely stunning.
Great video. I just finished the game yesterday and it was amazing.
The fealings of sadness, tension and dread, coupled with a mystery, strong sense of exploration and many wow moments.
As I said... amazing.
I just beat this game the other night as per a friends recommendation - it was amazing. I hadn’t thought about comparing it to Majora’s Mask before this video, but it also reminds me of the non-combat lore exploration of the first Metroid Prime. Thanks for the great video!
Dear Daniel! This game may be perfect, but your presentation, your way of explaining things, and last but not least, your fine voice makes this video to a special one. Liebe Grüße & allways happy landings
Thank you for the kind words! Happy landings fellow traveler.
To me Outer Wilds has a place in my heart because of it achieves the curiosity that I had when I was a kid, and because of the game's storytelling, and the games soundtrack. The games ending song has a nod to the game's main menu theme song, so everything comes full circle. There were a few times where I was left in awe and other times I was left in tears.
I appreciate that you point out design with intention. People don't seem to understand why a director is great, or why a writer can immerse you. They often call it magic, or sometimes get close by calling it "Vision."
Always act with intention. This is an ancient Taoist concept.
The real reason an indie developer can produce a better narrative experience than almost any triple A dev is because he can be "totally committed" to the "vision." This is as close as the modern man can get to Living with Intention. Like any artist knows, you can't catch lightning in a bottle the same way TWICE.
For me, Lightning in this game was losing my ship. The first time I left my ship to explore, I only took courage, and knew I may lose my way. Before I knew it, my ship was on the other side of the galaxy!
average brittle hollow visit
OKAY!! You convinced me. This sounds awesome. I'm gonna buy it!
Thank you for this video! No Man's Sky is my favorite game of all time since the day it released. I passed on this one becasue I've been trying to get a physical copy. You sold me, just ordered the Archeologist Edition and the artbook.
This game is truly unlike anything I’ve ever played and I think will ever play. I’ve never felt so small, yet important from a game before. This is art in it’s purest form
Besides from the very good content itself, this video is so well crafted i even enjoyed the video editing. Great job and an awesome ending too!
Absolutely great video, so well put together. I'm gonna try this game again, having given up in frustration first time round. And I'm gonna subscribe.
The frustration is normal, but I think it's more than worth it to push through!
Thank you. This was wonderful. I try so hard to articulate why this game is magic but this video does it so well (without spoilers of course.)
YOOOOOOOO that ending was an amazing touch. Nice work.
Incredible video! Outer Wilds deserves more attention, this game has a special place in my heart, and can be special to so many people, because Outer Wilds is truly the work of art.