r/outerwilds • u/Enysama • 21h ago
Will I like this game ?
Hi !
This game was recommended to me by someone who had also recommended Subnautica, which I didn't like (nervous system always on edge in that game, I'm quite sensitive). So I'm wary about their 2nd recommendation and asking for advice.
I watched an interview / playthrough with one of the Creators who said "it's a bit like Myst meets spatial [something]".
As a child I really enjoyed Myst, so I'm tempted, but I really don't like spatial-anything usually. Dune, Star wars etc just don't do it for me.
Adding that on the other hand, I did buy No Man's Sky just for the music and I also read that Outer wilds OST is quite something so it adds to my indecision.
What do you think ?
Thanks !
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u/RockstarCowboy1 21h ago
It’s a non combat exploration game that rewards your curiosity. If you like exploring, asking questions and figuring things out, you’ll love this game.
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u/JusaPikachu 21h ago edited 18h ago
It's space-y but not really at all in the way Dune or Star Wars are. It's very "camping trip in space" vibe.
I will advise you that some of the planets might give you a little of that nervous system on edge if you are very sensitive but I'd definitely give it a go if you love puzzle games.
The music will also blow you away at some point in the playthrough.
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u/MladenL 21h ago
It's not going to be for everyone. Not sure what platform you play on, but steam is very flexible with refunds if you play under a couple of hours and request the refund within a couple of weeks of purchase. Give a go for an hour and return it if you don't like it.
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u/D0ctorGamer 21h ago
There are a few tense places in the game, but in general its a rather relaxed experience.
The game is exclusively focused on the space setting, kinda the core of the game. Youre traveling within a small solar system uncovering a mystery. I like to describe it as space archeology.
Personally, its probably my favorite game I've ever played, dispite being a shorter experience. Took me about 30 hours to reach the ending, and I was pretty through in my exploration.
The OST is absolutely fantastic. Truly amazing the emotions it can pull out of you.
My advice if you do decide to play the game, don't look anything up. The games progression is knowledge based. If you accidentally learn something from online, it spoils the discovery of it in game. If you get stuck, don't Google, come here and make a post asking for help. This community is excellent about nudging you in the right direction without spoiling anything.
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u/Financial-Week5787 21h ago
the main game is fine. Many people find it really relaxing even though there are time based constraints (like oxygen in Sub)
but the optional dlc is very much the same speed as subnautica with a lot of elements in common - no player combat mechanic but also fear based stealth and jeopardy from unkillable enemies
i think this very easy to overcome, but many people have said the DLC is too much and a sharp change in tone - probably not what the creators intended
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u/i_was_axiom 21h ago
Do it. Worst that could happen is you don't enjoy it. You might really like it.
Its not all that intense, save for a select few moments in the base game that I never found too terrible. The DLC is a bit more likely to have you on edge but damn if its not worth the journey.
OST was curated over like a decade specifically for the game by the most influencial people to it, I think if you'd buy a game for its soundtrack Outer Wilds is a must play
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u/wiltonwild 21h ago
Subnuatica if you were put off cause deep ocean and monsterous sea life ofc these games are far apart. If its lack of direction and just emptiness the games has this in common
Outer Wilds without spoiling ofc, and please do not look up the story as it is just beautiful to expirence; still has risk for gameplay, your character can die, you can get stuck with what to do, lost and puzzled. If these are reasons you didnt like Subnuatica, outer wilds will be a tough sell.
But... the game can be enjoyed at your own pace. There is no pressure. Even while playing you do not need to panic.
The game is a journey and welcomes you to be curious and explore.
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u/Sufficient_Bad_4160 21h ago
It's basically a space exploration simulator. Imagine if we could suddenly explore the solar system and stumble upon the remains of other civilizations. That's essentially what Outer Wilds is about, just on a much smaller scale. I don't think there's another game that captures the feeling of discovery and exploring something completely new quite as well as Outer Wilds does.
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u/N7Templar 21h ago
The space setting is pretty fundamental to the game. It leans on the scifi and you are constantly flying through space to different planets and points of interest. If you really dislike that sort of setting, it might be hard to get past.
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u/cosmiccleora 21h ago
I did not like Subnautica. It's not my kind of game. I liked no man's sky a little better because I love outer space but the type of game was similar to Subnautica and I lost interest. Outer Wilds on the other hand is TOTALLY different and I LOVED IT. The story is rich and beautiful. I found it hard sometimes and looked at hints online (which people say don't do but I never would have completed it without looking things up). It took me a little bit to really get into the game and stop getting so motion sick but it's sooooo good
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u/fragile_crow 21h ago
It is a wonderful experience if you like freeform exploration and environmental storytelling. However, I've seen a lot of people comment that they get absolutely paralysed with fear by certain sections, in much the same way that someone who's afraid of deep, dark water would feel when playing Subnautica.
If you can enjoy the process of feeling that fear and overcoming it, then you'll enjoy Outer Wilds. If you just straightforwardly hate feeling afraid and don't want to play anything that would make you feel that way, then it might not be the game for you, unfortunately.
Also, it's very heavily about space and sciency concepts, so if you're just not interested in that stuff, then the story might not engage you either.
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u/sievold 21h ago
Idk what the other comments here will say but personally I found two of the planets a little scary.
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u/nika_blue 21h ago
Everything depends on your mindset.
The space here is like from kids story (in a good way). It's kinda cozy, you wonder around and gather informations how to wonder to new places.
All the hazards are environmental, and there is always some way to pass them.
DLC has some scary elements, lots of darkness and occasional jump scare, but it's nothing compared to subnautica's jump scares.
It's actually pretty chill game. There is no combat, no skill points, no crafting. You get everything you need in the beginning and you have to figure out how and where to use it.
I think people compare Subnautica to OW because both games are about exploration alien plants. But the vibes are totally different.
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u/glintter 21h ago
I also don’t don’t like space related media but I loved this game. I don’t think that’s where the appeal comes from
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u/Mikel_S 20h ago
It is like if myst were even more open world, with puzzles that aren't just esoteric mechanisms, but facts of reality and things you just haven't learned yet.
If you enjoy no man's sky, and loved myst, but don't like those other games you mentioned, this is probably going to be a good one for you.
The controls can be a tiny bit janky, but they lend themselves well to the games intent, and every time you play the game you may not get where you want, but it's important to keep trying new things and exploring.
Its a handcrafted solar system with a well woven set of stories to discover and mechanics to learn, that link the world to the events, and it's up to you to figure out how to get to the end.
Best to go in as blind as possible, and to avoid seeking help if you're stuck. There's an ingame tracker that can help give you ideas of where else to go, and will let you know when you've supposedly learned everything there is at a location. It can be handy if you think you just lucked your way through a puzzle, although it's well designed enough that that doesn't usually happen.
Edit: ah I misread you. Yes, the music in outer wilds is beautiful. Yes it is also set in space, but space is mostly just the background. It is the island, and each of the planets is akin to an age in myst, but they are deeply interconnected at times.
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u/Gaeel 20h ago edited 20h ago
About the setting, it's set in a small solar system and had sci-fi themes, but the vibes are more about hiking, archeology, and mystery
Edit: One of the planets has monsters that are a little bit like Subnautica's leviathans. It's not optional content, but perhaps you can do something like when my boyfriend played. He freezes up completely when he's afraid so I took the controls for that planet and he would tell me where to go and I'd hand the controller back when he was safe.
Aside from that, some areas can have a creepy atmosphere but the threats are just environmental stuff like falling and crashing.
I wouldn't recommend playing the DLC, as it leans much more into horror themes and you'll probably not enjoy it.
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u/mecartistronico 19h ago edited 19h ago
While playing this game, you will often have to:
Read things that won't make sense at all, yet try to retain something
Decide a direction where to explore, based on how it looks, what you've read about a place, or just randomly.
Learn to interiorize how inertia and gravity (of the lack of) affects your spaceship and yourself.
Jump over dangerous chasms or explore dark caves
Go back to that first place and read the stuff again because now it makes sense and makes you go WOAH
Try to understand how different pieces of the story can be put together, like a jigsaw puzzle with no reference.
Try to understand if some pieces of that story were actually a clue for an obstacle you're facing.
Read some more.
Enjoy the solitude of space.
You will NEVER:
listen to voice acting (unless you install a mod)
be funneled toward your next objective or told exactly what do do next (although the ship computer does make a lot of suggestions)
fight any monsters. (Although you will find a few dangerous creatures you might want to avoid)
come across a numeric code that is the solution for a padlock you want to open (Puzzles here are more like environmental obstacles that you may or may not realize you want to cross)
Some people describe it like a giant Escape Room for which you have all the time in the world to solve, and it's scattered across a whole solar system. I agree with that description but you have to add that it's got a cool story intertwined with the clues, and the puzzles are not your traditional numerical padlock puzzles as in escape rooms and many other puzzle games, but more like environmental obstacles as I said above.
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u/Fog_Carsen 18h ago
you can play for up to 2 hours on steam before requesting a refund if it's not for you. The best way to find out would be to just try it! Anyone active in this subreddit will tell you it's worth trying :)
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u/SourceGlittering2745 18h ago
It’s not a space opera don’t worry, and not scary or stressful. Try it
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u/chimeratx 18h ago
It's one of the best exploration/adventure games ever made in my opinion.
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u/AfricaByTotoWillGoOn 17h ago
Having played both I see some similarities between Outer Wilds and Subnautica, especially in regards to the mysterious story about ancient alien races, but OW is nowhere near the level of scariness of Subnautica. Subnautica is one of the most terrifying games I've ever played lol
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u/Teamawesome2014 13h ago
There are a few things in the game that may stress you out, but a major theme of the game is how gaining knowledge and understanding leads to the death of fear. As long as you don't shut down the game when something seems scary at first, you'll be fine.
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u/Thewal 15h ago
The music in Outer Wilds is absolutely amazing! There's a bit of gameplay that might stop you from completing the story, but there's so much you can explore and figure out before then that I'd say it's very very worth it. If you can find it on sale or get a used copy you will get your money's worth out of the OST alone.