Outer Wilds Switch Review

I missed Outer Wilds the first time around and I really didn’t know what to expect from the game when I purchased it this week. Outer Wilds promises to be an intriguing space exploration adventure, within an ever-changing solar system that is full of mystery. The game is something similar to a space hiking sim with survival elements, but don’t let my poor description put you off as budding space explorers will be in for quite a ride. What’s it Like? Grab a pack of marshmallows, get into your spacesuit, and buckle up as we explore Outer Wilds.

Please note: There are some very mild spoilers relating to early story sections and the premise of the game. All footage shown is within the first 2 hours of my playthrough and I have taken as much care as possible not to spoil the game for you. For those who already know they are buying the game, I implore you to stop watching and pick it up, you won’t be disappointed. For those explorers looking to know a little more, please remain seated for the rest of the journey.

You awake from a slumber next to a campfire on a forest planet, as an alien explorer, it’s tradition to camp out under the stars before you attempt to reach them. You lazily toast a marshmallow and can take your time exploring your home world, learning the intricacies of the game. It’s all very well done, never forcing you to participate should you wish to rush to get your launch codes. The game gives you freedom… a lot of it, and you are able to take off into the stars and go anywhere you wish. At first, this lack of hand-holding may put you off, but it’s actually a tool to drive the narrative forward as you only have 22 minutes of game time (or less if you fly into the mouth of a giant space monster) before the sun goes supernova, destroying you, and everyone in the solar system.

So begins the mystery of Outer Wilds, a 22-minute window to learn what you can, die, rinse, and repeat. The good news is you don’t have an inventory so to speak, so progress isn’t lost in that sense, and thankfully you have a handy ship log that never wipes, meaning the puzzle pieces you uncover will remain so until they are ready to fall into place. To unravel the mystery of the time loop, you will travel to planets and explore messages left behind to piece things together. During these 22 minutes, planets will warp and change, meaning you may have to visit certain places early or later in the loop in order to delve further.

Once you take off from your home planet, you can fly anywhere in any order you wish, with no loading times (with the exception of a couple of events). There’s a handy Autopilot system to help navigate to where you want to be, although landings can be a little… rough… once you get there. Thankfully you can unbuckle yourself and repair your ship to keep moving forward. Each planet has its own discoveries to be made, in the form of deciphering alien languages to piece the narrative together. You can also send probes to help you map out an area, or use a signal tracker to find SOS beacons or other explorers in the Outer Wilds.

The game expertly builds tension as you explore, often remaining silent so you can only hear yourself breathing. Sometimes, it uses its beautiful musical score to evoke emotions… When the sun rose on my mysterious alien planet, somewhat akin to the forest moon of Endor, a melancholic acoustic guitar not only twanged the strings but gave me hope as well, reassuring me that this was going to be an amazing adventure. Planets rumble and crackle, moons orbit with a deep bass growl. Everything is enhanced by the stellar sound design.

Graphically, compromises have been made to get Outer Wilds running on Switch, meaning some textures look a bit washed out, and there are minor performance dips in some areas. None of this really detracts from the game, however, as I was so engrossed that I barely noticed them. The art style and direction perfectly illustrate calm and safe environments on one hand and paints a picture of desolation and destruction on the other. While there may not be an abundance of planter in your solar system to explore, each one is crafted to be varied, and offer a sense of scale, no matter how small they may be. The game also uses lighting really well as all planets orbit the sun, or your flashlight scours the darkness in search of answers. For my vision-impaired space explorers, you can scale the UI, and adjust the brightness as the game is rather dark.

All in all Outer Wilds is a surprising journey. It is emotional, lonely, and still gives you just a hint of hope. It expertly builds tension and drip feeds answers to the mysteries of the time loop you are stuck in, making the game more absorbing than a black hole. As the game is reasonably priced at less than $30 AUD, it’s very easy to recommend Outer Wilds to all gamers who enjoy a narrative-focused exploration adventure.

So, What’s it Like?

Outer Wilds is like No Man’s Sky, meets Groundhog Day.