This is one of those games that sticks with you. I finished it months before writing this review and I still think about it. I still listen to the OST. Unfortunately, because it sticks with you, you can't go back and experience it again. It's one of those kinds of games though. The ones where you say "I wish I could forget everything and play this game for the first time again." The less you know about the story of this game, the better. As great as I think this game is, I recognize that it's not for everyone. Here are some reasons why:

Piloting a lander
One of the things you do a lot in this game is pilot a small lander from planet to planet. You do this with thrusters for the main cardinal directions, and can rotate 360 for more precise movement. If you can't make a gentle landing or match the trajectory of another moving object, this game will probably frustrate you. You get better at piloting the more you play, but it takes some getting used to.

There's no direction
Everything in this game is for you to discover on your own. You get something like two explicit objectives in the entire game. The rest is for you to figure out. You have a computer that tracks your discoveries and gaps in your knowledge. Through that you can figure out your next steps. So you aren't entirely rudderless, but you don't get way-points on your map or objectives to check off. You also don't have to use the computer at all if you don't want to.

There are time gates and skill gates
This game will test your mastery of its skills at times. You will need to be able to do things within a certain amount of time, like reach a room before it fills up with sand. You will need to be able to navigate obstacles where one wrong move means failure. Along with the above point about there being no clear objectives, this game also involves some trial and error. You will need to figure out the solution to a puzzle by trying and failing.

If one or more of those things sounds like a deal-breaker, maybe you wouldn't be able to look past them to experience what is so great about Outer Wilds. There is something special here though. I really loved this game, even when I got stuck or lost. It's challenging, but there is a zen-like quality to it as well. I still marvel at the one-of-a-kind experiences and incredible story I got to witness. Play this game.

This is one of those games that sticks with you. I finished it months before writing this review and I still think about it. I still listen to the OST. Unfortunately, because it sticks with you, you can't go back and experience it again. It's one of those kinds of games though. The ones where you say "I wish I could forget everything and play this game for the first time again." The less you know about the story of this game, the better. As great as I think this game is, I recognize that it's not for everyone. Here are some reasons why: [u] Piloting a lander [/u] One of the things you do a lot in this game is pilot a small lander from planet to planet. You do this with thrusters for the main cardinal directions, and can rotate 360 for more precise movement. If you can't make a gentle landing or match the trajectory of another moving object, this game will probably frustrate you. You get better at piloting the more you play, but it takes some getting used to. [u] There's no direction [/u] Everything in this game is for you to discover on your own. You get something like two explicit objectives in the entire game. The rest is for you to figure out. You have a computer that tracks your discoveries and gaps in your knowledge. Through that you can figure out your next steps. So you aren't entirely rudderless, but you don't get way-points on your map or objectives to check off. You also don't have to use the computer at all if you don't want to. [u] There are time gates and skill gates [/u] This game will test your mastery of its skills at times. You will need to be able to do things within a certain amount of time, like reach a room before it fills up with sand. You will need to be able to navigate obstacles where one wrong move means failure. Along with the above point about there being no clear objectives, this game also involves some trial and error. You will need to figure out the solution to a puzzle by trying and failing. If one or more of those things sounds like a deal-breaker, maybe you wouldn't be able to look past them to experience what is so great about Outer Wilds. There is something special here though. I really loved this game, even when I got stuck or lost. It's challenging, but there is a zen-like quality to it as well. I still marvel at the one-of-a-kind experiences and incredible story I got to witness. Play this game.