Melhor dlc de todos os tempos
The Outer Wilds is a beautiful, unique and technically dazzling work of art. By no means perfect, it nonetheless manages to forge a truly original experience that most players will never forget, one that is as varied as it is profound. Echoes of the Eye does not manage to recapture that magic, but then again, how could it?
There's a very reason the announcement of this DLC was such a surprise, and it's the same as why it would be strange if someone said they'd managed to fit more gears in their perfectly crafted watch. The little solar system of Outer Wilds is so finely tuned that there simply isn't the space to add another chunk of content without seriously impacting the balance of the rest of the game. Mobius took an interesting approach to making this DLC in deciding to almost entirely section it off. All but the quest to find it takes place on one (admittedly quite large) ship, hidden in plain sight all along. This is probably the only feasible way to add new stuff, but it means sacrificing a lot of what makes the base game so good.
The biggest problem with Echoes of the Eye is its enclosed nature. Where in the base game if you got stuck you could get in your ship and piss off to another planet or even just chill in space for a bit, here everything you need to do is in one place, with the same aesthetic across it all. Tired of wooden shacks and riverside nature? Bad luck mate, that's all we've got. The puzzles here feel even more basic than the base game, with most of the solutions being handed to you once you've found a hidden room it told you about earlier. Where Outer Wilds feels like following a huge, multi headed breadcrumb trail across a whole solar system, there's a more defined and obvious to-do list in Echoes. Go to three areas, find the solution to them and as a reward get one third of the solution to the final puzzle. Rinse and repeat.
All that said, I still think it's an impressive piece of game. Echoes is as visually and aurally stunning as you'd expect and the reveal of the DLC area (and its time-based twist) is absolutely stunning. The story it eventually tells is a remarkably touching one too and its ending manages to feel like a true epilogue to the themes of the base game. Playing this back-to-back with the basegame feels as though I've just finished an exquisitie, perfectly portioned, truly original main course and followed it up with a heaving bowl of decent but somewhat bland bread and butter pudding. In the end, I feel bloated and kind of nauseuous, and it makes it harder to remember just how good that main course was when all I can taste is custard.
I'll stop torturing innocent metaphors now and make some effort at a conclusion. Echoes of the Eye is a valiant attempt at an expansion for a game that felt impossible to have more of, but in the end it stumbles too often to feel half as impactful as its progenitor. If you're going to play, have some separation from Outer Wilds before you do, take six months between them and treat it like a pseudo-spinoff rather than a DLC. The story told here and the artistry is still absolutely worth baring witness to, but keep it separate from the sublimity of the proper game and you'll hopefully enjoy it more than I did.
There's a very reason the announcement of this DLC was such a surprise, and it's the same as why it would be strange if someone said they'd managed to fit more gears in their perfectly crafted watch. The little solar system of Outer Wilds is so finely tuned that there simply isn't the space to add another chunk of content without seriously impacting the balance of the rest of the game. Mobius took an interesting approach to making this DLC in deciding to almost entirely section it off. All but the quest to find it takes place on one (admittedly quite large) ship, hidden in plain sight all along. This is probably the only feasible way to add new stuff, but it means sacrificing a lot of what makes the base game so good.
The biggest problem with Echoes of the Eye is its enclosed nature. Where in the base game if you got stuck you could get in your ship and piss off to another planet or even just chill in space for a bit, here everything you need to do is in one place, with the same aesthetic across it all. Tired of wooden shacks and riverside nature? Bad luck mate, that's all we've got. The puzzles here feel even more basic than the base game, with most of the solutions being handed to you once you've found a hidden room it told you about earlier. Where Outer Wilds feels like following a huge, multi headed breadcrumb trail across a whole solar system, there's a more defined and obvious to-do list in Echoes. Go to three areas, find the solution to them and as a reward get one third of the solution to the final puzzle. Rinse and repeat.
All that said, I still think it's an impressive piece of game. Echoes is as visually and aurally stunning as you'd expect and the reveal of the DLC area (and its time-based twist) is absolutely stunning. The story it eventually tells is a remarkably touching one too and its ending manages to feel like a true epilogue to the themes of the base game. Playing this back-to-back with the basegame feels as though I've just finished an exquisitie, perfectly portioned, truly original main course and followed it up with a heaving bowl of decent but somewhat bland bread and butter pudding. In the end, I feel bloated and kind of nauseuous, and it makes it harder to remember just how good that main course was when all I can taste is custard.
I'll stop torturing innocent metaphors now and make some effort at a conclusion. Echoes of the Eye is a valiant attempt at an expansion for a game that felt impossible to have more of, but in the end it stumbles too often to feel half as impactful as its progenitor. If you're going to play, have some separation from Outer Wilds before you do, take six months between them and treat it like a pseudo-spinoff rather than a DLC. The story told here and the artistry is still absolutely worth baring witness to, but keep it separate from the sublimity of the proper game and you'll hopefully enjoy it more than I did.
Los ciervo-lechuzos, os amo ciervo-lechuzos
Holy fucking peak
Hard to rate. I think the highs and lows of the dlc match the game. exploriing the DLC area is a charm but by the end it gets tedious. Especially so when it comes to just attempting to run through the dark and avoid instakills. Fair warning. The ending to this completely spoils the game so it's best to leave this alone until you have finished the game
This review contains spoilers
A perfect game, through and through. Quite simply the best videogame experience of my life so far, and the benchmark that I've used to judge most other games since I've played this (and the original base game).
This is masterful game craft at its best. Brilliant game mechanics, the joyful curiosity-driven discovery, the minimalist narrative and environmental storytelling are perfectly sewn together to build an unrepeatable experience.
I'll always treasure the feeling I had when everything clicked into place and knew what I had to do to embark on my last spaceflight.
So yeah, if you're reading this but haven't started it yet, stop immediately, go get the game and play it blind.
This is masterful game craft at its best. Brilliant game mechanics, the joyful curiosity-driven discovery, the minimalist narrative and environmental storytelling are perfectly sewn together to build an unrepeatable experience.
I'll always treasure the feeling I had when everything clicked into place and knew what I had to do to embark on my last spaceflight.
So yeah, if you're reading this but haven't started it yet, stop immediately, go get the game and play it blind.
There is a fundamental difference with the base game here that I love and that made me struggle way less with this dlc. Its narration is visual, not textual. Everything makes so much sense visually, and the shorter scale helps making sense faster. I finished outer wilds in 2 years. I finished this dlc in a week. I just love the way they tell this story. Aside form narration, the general atmosphere was immaculate. It's gloomy, eerie, disarming and terrifying sometimes. It can also be beautiful, grandiose and very very sad. And once again, its the mistery that conveys all these emotions. When you know, you know. And in the end what was scary is now sad, what was mysterious is now completely logical. The most surprising fact may be that they just did it again. They gave us the same feelings, through a different lens. If you played the base game play this dlc, even if you're generally afraid, there is a option to make the 'horror' features less scary. It's worth your time. as much as the base game is
10/10 dlc
Eigentlich so gut wie das Basegame, nur ich bin einfach wirklich kein Freund von Horrorspielen also musste ich mich durch das halbe Dlc quälen da es schon extrem gruselig ist. (zumindest für mich)
Ist aber ein Ich Problem, horroraffinere Menschen als Ich werden am Dlc große Freude finden.
Dennoch gebe ich "nur" 7/10
Ist aber ein Ich Problem, horroraffinere Menschen als Ich werden am Dlc große Freude finden.
Dennoch gebe ich "nur" 7/10
Tem uma vibe um pouco mais diferente do jogo base, mas ainda é Outer Wilds.
Essa DLC é excelente, se você gostou do jogo base vai adorar!! Tem bastante coisa pra explorar, vale a pena demais
Lembre-se: Seja curioso em sua jornada! :)
Essa DLC é excelente, se você gostou do jogo base vai adorar!! Tem bastante coisa pra explorar, vale a pena demais
Lembre-se: Seja curioso em sua jornada! :)
This review contains spoilers
Excellent. Almost as good as the base game. I have only a couple complaints. I wish I got to use my ship more
then just a taxi to The Stranger every cycle. The ending was also very abrupt. I know you can go and do the
main ending with the prisoner afterwards, but I wish there was more closure in the cycle where you meet the
prisoner. You just drown yourself in the water and then "Echoes of the Eye" goes across the screen. Felt some
whiplash from that one.
then just a taxi to The Stranger every cycle. The ending was also very abrupt. I know you can go and do the
main ending with the prisoner afterwards, but I wish there was more closure in the cycle where you meet the
prisoner. You just drown yourself in the water and then "Echoes of the Eye" goes across the screen. Felt some
whiplash from that one.
La suite parfaite à Outer wilds. Cela paraissait presque mission impossible d'ajouter des éléments à un jeu qui semblait parfaitement ficelé, pourtant ils ont su exploité la seule faille de leur histoire pour ajouter des heures d'exploration et rendre le jeu plus parfait qu'il ne l'était déjà.
DLC agregou demais ao jogo, super valeu a pena
This review contains spoilers
The atmosphere and visual story telling in this expansion is incredible. The slide reals are so fun to examine. I vastly prefer them to the mountain of text in the base game. The narrow scope of the expansion helped every discovery feel impactful and relevant. Andrew Prahlow knocked it out of the park with the soundtrack.
The story of this dlc weaves it's way into the base game in such a clever and beautiful way. Watching the Hatchling share the story of the Nomai and Hearthians with the Prisoner brought me to tears.
My only complaint about this game is the stealth segments. They were frustrating and seemed a little out of place.
The story of this dlc weaves it's way into the base game in such a clever and beautiful way. Watching the Hatchling share the story of the Nomai and Hearthians with the Prisoner brought me to tears.
My only complaint about this game is the stealth segments. They were frustrating and seemed a little out of place.
they just wanna give you a lil hug <3
Not quite as genius as the base game, but it's still magical in a way that is difficult to explain.
Love the elements of fear here, although I think the anglerfish are still scarier.
It was really cool visiting one locale consistently as opposed to bouncing from planet to planet, as progression felt more linear and a bit more satisfying the whole way. But the mind blowing discoveries like were present in the base game are minimized due to this.
Love the elements of fear here, although I think the anglerfish are still scarier.
It was really cool visiting one locale consistently as opposed to bouncing from planet to planet, as progression felt more linear and a bit more satisfying the whole way. But the mind blowing discoveries like were present in the base game are minimized due to this.
Gameplay - 10
Story - 10
Graphics - 10
Soundtrack - 10
Level Design - 10
World Building - 10
Character Development - 8
Immersion - 10
Longevity - 7
Innovation - 10
Overall - 9.5
Muito difícil dar uma nota para essa DLC.
Outer Wilds é um dos jogos da minha vida. A sensação de quietude proporcionada pela exploração dos planetas me passou um sentimento que nunca senti antes e não devo sentir novamente. E tudo bem.
E a nova proposta da DLC me impressionou. Achei ótima a disposição da nova área, achei INCRÍVEL a ambientação. A sensação de medo, especialmente nas primeiras horas de exploração, é digna dos melhores survivor horrors dos videogames.
É majestoso também a forma como escolheram contar a história neste novo capítulo. Ao invés de textos, como foram antes deixados pelos Nomai, agora assistimos gravações de slides dos estranhos, uma forma mais interessante, interativa e que te deixa o tempo todo intrigado sobre o que está acontecendo. E essa história, a forma como ela complementa e FECHA o universo de Outer Wilds é gratificante. É nesse ponto que a Mobius Digital sabe que fechou sua obra-prima.
E essa história tão bem desenvolvida merecia uma estrutura própria e um final próprio. A dinâmica do loop é vital para a trama, mas aqui não funciona tão bem como no jogo base. Os puzzles, por serem muito mais difíceis e escondidos, podem te deixar empacado por horas até conseguir avançar. Não que isso seja necessariamente um problema, mas é frustrante que, quando você pode ter avançado minimamente no progresso, sua exploração é cortada. Fora isso, há um segundo loop, próprio da DLC, quando a barragem se rompe, e que também pode interromper a sua exploração. Diversas vezes eu precisei meditar para reiniciar o loop porque não tinha mais como avançar no que estava fazendo, situação frustrante e que quase não enfrentamos no jogo base.
A ambientação de terror, sim, é maravilhosa. Mas, a partir de certo ponto, senti que o jogador precisa contar mais com a sorte do que qualquer outra coisa para não "ser pego", devido principalmente ao quanto escuro fica a sua tela em momentos específicos. E se você erra muito, o loop pode reiniciar, e lá se vai mais alguns minutos de sua gameplay voltando ao estado onde estava. Passado o terror, esse formato pode ser mais tedioso do que qualquer outra coisa.
E, apesar de eu achar o final real com as adições da DLC totalmente condizente com a narrativa, acredito também que Echoes of the Eye merecia um fim próprio, com créditos e tudo o que há de ser dela. Uma história grandiosa demais para não ter o seu fim único.
Vejo Echoes of The Eye como indispensável para quem jogou, gostou e terminou Outer Wilds. Aqui o universo costura as suas pontas soltas e se fecha de forma maravilhosa. Suas particularidades vão bater mais e menos em diferentes tipos de jogadores, imperfeições que não apagam o brilho desse domínio.
Outer Wilds é um dos jogos da minha vida. A sensação de quietude proporcionada pela exploração dos planetas me passou um sentimento que nunca senti antes e não devo sentir novamente. E tudo bem.
E a nova proposta da DLC me impressionou. Achei ótima a disposição da nova área, achei INCRÍVEL a ambientação. A sensação de medo, especialmente nas primeiras horas de exploração, é digna dos melhores survivor horrors dos videogames.
É majestoso também a forma como escolheram contar a história neste novo capítulo. Ao invés de textos, como foram antes deixados pelos Nomai, agora assistimos gravações de slides dos estranhos, uma forma mais interessante, interativa e que te deixa o tempo todo intrigado sobre o que está acontecendo. E essa história, a forma como ela complementa e FECHA o universo de Outer Wilds é gratificante. É nesse ponto que a Mobius Digital sabe que fechou sua obra-prima.
E essa história tão bem desenvolvida merecia uma estrutura própria e um final próprio. A dinâmica do loop é vital para a trama, mas aqui não funciona tão bem como no jogo base. Os puzzles, por serem muito mais difíceis e escondidos, podem te deixar empacado por horas até conseguir avançar. Não que isso seja necessariamente um problema, mas é frustrante que, quando você pode ter avançado minimamente no progresso, sua exploração é cortada. Fora isso, há um segundo loop, próprio da DLC, quando a barragem se rompe, e que também pode interromper a sua exploração. Diversas vezes eu precisei meditar para reiniciar o loop porque não tinha mais como avançar no que estava fazendo, situação frustrante e que quase não enfrentamos no jogo base.
A ambientação de terror, sim, é maravilhosa. Mas, a partir de certo ponto, senti que o jogador precisa contar mais com a sorte do que qualquer outra coisa para não "ser pego", devido principalmente ao quanto escuro fica a sua tela em momentos específicos. E se você erra muito, o loop pode reiniciar, e lá se vai mais alguns minutos de sua gameplay voltando ao estado onde estava. Passado o terror, esse formato pode ser mais tedioso do que qualquer outra coisa.
E, apesar de eu achar o final real com as adições da DLC totalmente condizente com a narrativa, acredito também que Echoes of the Eye merecia um fim próprio, com créditos e tudo o que há de ser dela. Uma história grandiosa demais para não ter o seu fim único.
Vejo Echoes of The Eye como indispensável para quem jogou, gostou e terminou Outer Wilds. Aqui o universo costura as suas pontas soltas e se fecha de forma maravilhosa. Suas particularidades vão bater mais e menos em diferentes tipos de jogadores, imperfeições que não apagam o brilho desse domínio.
Great DLC for the base game. Less exploration and leans a bit more into horror elements. Ties into overall story very nicely.
Puzzles are great but the horror part is not fun at all, it's just stressful
dá muuito medo mas a dlc é muuito boa, valeu cada centavo e cada susto meu!
very good dlc
Si el juego base tiene una buena atmosfera este DLC lo lleva al proximo nivel. Intentaré no spoilear nada pero recomendaria no leer el review si aun no has empezado siquiera el DLC
Si algo es inmediatamente aparente de Echoes of the Eye es que el tema central es el miedo. Desde el momento en el que lo instalas el juego lo hace bastante claro, dandote un aviso de que puede ser muy intenso, e incluso dandote la opcion de reducir los sustos. Esto me parece una medida de los devs bastante interesante oara crear expectativas. Desde el momento en el que te acercas a esa imposibilidad que bloquea el Sol estas en alerta: sabes que puede haber peligro, y no sabes como ni donde. Es gracioso en retrospectiva realmente, pero las primeras entradas al Stranger me ponian tan nervioso que no podia hacer mas de 3 loops sin tomar un descanso, o dejarlo para otro dia.
La música, los efectos de sonido y los escenarios hacen un excelente trabajo en incrementar esa ansiedad, y mas de una vez tuve que mentalizarme para cruzar una esquina oscura o entrar a un lugar nuevo (o incluso conocido). El mapa es un espectáculo visual, eso si, y de los mas creativos que he visto, incluso para Outer Wilds mismo
Tambien tiene uno de los puzzles mas creativos e interesantes del juego en general, y me hizo sentir una ultima vez esa satisfacción al conectar los puntos y resolver un nuevo misterio.
Hay mucho mas que se puede decir, pero de nuevo, no quiero entrar en spoilers. Si terminaste el DLC sabes a que me refiero.
Al final, tanto narrativamente como literalmente, Echoes of the Eye es sobre superar tus miedos, o moverte a pesar de ellos, y saltar a la oscuridad y lo desconocido.
Si algo es inmediatamente aparente de Echoes of the Eye es que el tema central es el miedo. Desde el momento en el que lo instalas el juego lo hace bastante claro, dandote un aviso de que puede ser muy intenso, e incluso dandote la opcion de reducir los sustos. Esto me parece una medida de los devs bastante interesante oara crear expectativas. Desde el momento en el que te acercas a esa imposibilidad que bloquea el Sol estas en alerta: sabes que puede haber peligro, y no sabes como ni donde. Es gracioso en retrospectiva realmente, pero las primeras entradas al Stranger me ponian tan nervioso que no podia hacer mas de 3 loops sin tomar un descanso, o dejarlo para otro dia.
La música, los efectos de sonido y los escenarios hacen un excelente trabajo en incrementar esa ansiedad, y mas de una vez tuve que mentalizarme para cruzar una esquina oscura o entrar a un lugar nuevo (o incluso conocido). El mapa es un espectáculo visual, eso si, y de los mas creativos que he visto, incluso para Outer Wilds mismo
Tambien tiene uno de los puzzles mas creativos e interesantes del juego en general, y me hizo sentir una ultima vez esa satisfacción al conectar los puntos y resolver un nuevo misterio.
Hay mucho mas que se puede decir, pero de nuevo, no quiero entrar en spoilers. Si terminaste el DLC sabes a que me refiero.
Al final, tanto narrativamente como literalmente, Echoes of the Eye es sobre superar tus miedos, o moverte a pesar de ellos, y saltar a la oscuridad y lo desconocido.
This was a whole lot more content than I thought, and while I don't think it was quite as incredible as the main game, it's well worth playing for those itching for more Outer Wilds.
This review contains spoilers
imagine getting locked up just cause you pushed one button
not as good, thought the way the narrative was weaved in was awkward and most of the themes of the story felt like a retread of the base game. its still outer wilds tho so its good i just thought it could've pushed itself to be more unique with its horror aspects
sympa mais bien en dessous de la main story
Où est-ce que je peux acheter le stylo qui brille des Men In Black????
This review contains spoilers
Base game review
In my most recent review of the base game, I mentioned that discovery is the ethos of Outer Wilds. That ethos is successfully carried over to the Echoes of the Eye DLC, but not in a way that I expected. A key aspect of discovery is the ability to bravely face the unknown, and it’s that very aspect that Echoes of the Eye tests its players on. The farther you progress throughout the DLC, the more the game tests you in this regard, as you gradually learn more and more about the fate of the species that occupies The Stranger, and you eventually trespass through a world that’s hostile, oppressive, and foreboding in order to learn the truth about this mysterious and unheard-of alien race, as well as how they tie into the mystery regarding the Eye of the Universe.
The DLC feels very segmented from the core game, while at the same time managing to integrate itself naturally with the rest of Outer Wilds’ galaxy. Its explanation for why you wouldn’t have discovered it over the course of your original playthrough makes sense. The Stranger uses cloaking technology to make itself invisible so you likely would never find it over the course of your original journey. I like how they made getting to The Stranger a puzzle itself, further justifying why you wouldn’t have discovered it during your original run.
The Stranger is a very cool environment to explore. Making it a ring world like Halo was a great idea, and I love how its environment is more or less an extension to that of Timber Hearth’s, with its woodlands-based climate. Navigating The Stranger is quite fun. Regardless of your overall feelings towards the DLC, I feel like almost everyone can agree that water rafting to the different areas throughout the ship is really fun, especially with the accompanying music track that plays when the raft picks up speed.
The storytelling is done differently in the DLC. Since your translator doesn’t understand the language of the alien race aboard The Stranger, the story is told via the different projector reels that you find all throughout various abandoned and rotting buildings in the ship, and eventually, the dream world as well. Once you start to discover the various projection reels, the DLC gradually becomes more and more ominous as you learn additional details regarding the race that’s aboard the Stranger. I can’t tell you how uneasy I felt when I discovered the corpses of this race hidden away in one of their dream rooms. It was extremely unnerving the first time.
The contrast between dark and light is a key theme of the DLC, and like the base game, the DLC ties its key narrative theme with its gameplay very well. From the moment you board The Stranger, you discover how the ship’s systems generally operate via sources of light, making your flashlight a key tool throughout the entire DLC. This contrast is explored even further when you explore the dream world, which is enshrouded in pitch black darkness. Going from the bright and serene environment of The Stranger to the dark and oppressive atmosphere of the dream world is such an intense transition. The devs went above and beyond in making you feel like the dream world is a place you are not supposed to be in. Thanks to the incredible sound design as well as the usage of darkness to make it difficult to get a grasp on your surroundings, it feels like anything can come out of the dark to surprise and attack you at any moment. This is how Echoes of the Eye tests your ability to face the unknown in order to reach the truth.
I truly admire the lengths gone to in order to tie this narrative theme with the gameplay. The devs definitely accomplished what they set out to do with it, but at the same time, part of me feels like they did a little too good of a job. The dream world is so dark that it’s actually a bit of a nuisance trying to explore it. That in addition to its overwhelming atmosphere and the inability to fight back against enemies is the primary reason why unlike the base game, I wasn’t enthusiastic about exploring the dream world, and there were times where I actually had to sit down and force myself through it. I don’t know why I had such a reaction to the dream world when I’m normally an enjoyer and advocate for horror. It might be because of how much the environment is obfuscated in the dream world. In other horror games, I feel like I can at the very least prepare for threats by being aware of my surroundings, and I’m generally able to fight back against enemies, even in a limited capacity. In the dream world, my inability to always have a firm grasp of my surroundings due to the darkness or fight back at all against the patrolling enemies, as well as the oppressive soundscape, kept me constantly uncomfortable and on edge at all times. Even if the enemies are telegraphed by the lanterns they carry in the dark, they could still be hard to spot, and I would occasionally just turn around a corner and run into one of them with no way of knowing beforehand.
I definitely understand what the devs were trying to do by making the dream world dark and difficult to navigate. At the same time though, it made the dream world a pain to explore at times, as well as figure out what to do and where to go. When you discover the Forbidden Archives in each of the three key locations and you get the clues you need to figure out how to make navigating the dream world easier, it gets a lot better. You also learn additional details of the alien race that occupies The Stranger, including the contents of the projector reels that you discover on The Stranger that have burnt out slides, making them a particularly strong reward.
The conclusion of the DLC, which you reach by freeing the Prisoner after utilizing the techniques you learn in the Forbidden Archives, was rather satisfying. I really enjoyed the scene with the Prisoner where you exchange information with one another via his projection staff. I can’t imagine the complex emotions the Prisoner must’ve felt when he realized that his actions weren’t in vain, and in-fact, lead to core events that kick off the base game’s narrative. You can really grasp those feelings by listening to his pained, yet vindicated howl after the vision exchange. It’s a very tender and beautiful moment that only Outer Wilds is capable of. I was told to redo the base game’s ending again once I finished the DLC, and I’m glad I did, I’m actually a little ashamed that I didn’t think to do so after initially completing Echoes of the Eye. The addition of The Prisoner to the finale sequence was a welcome one, and it was very nice seeing him join up with the rest of the crew, introducing an additional race to the new universe that we birth together.
Echoes of the Eye is a different, yet excellent addition to Outer Wilds. However, I feel like I’d be lying if I said I completely enjoyed the experience. The dream world can be frustrating to navigate even when you do get used to the scary atmosphere and the enemies stop having that effect they once had on you, simply because of how difficult it is to see anything while you’re in it without leaving your artifact behind. Like most things in Outer Wilds though, it does become easier to navigate thanks to repetition. The DLC as a whole is still an excellent experience, and a worthwhile addition to the game. It’s not consistently fun, but at the same time it’s not trying to be. It challenges you to face the unknown, and I’m glad I braved that challenge.
In my most recent review of the base game, I mentioned that discovery is the ethos of Outer Wilds. That ethos is successfully carried over to the Echoes of the Eye DLC, but not in a way that I expected. A key aspect of discovery is the ability to bravely face the unknown, and it’s that very aspect that Echoes of the Eye tests its players on. The farther you progress throughout the DLC, the more the game tests you in this regard, as you gradually learn more and more about the fate of the species that occupies The Stranger, and you eventually trespass through a world that’s hostile, oppressive, and foreboding in order to learn the truth about this mysterious and unheard-of alien race, as well as how they tie into the mystery regarding the Eye of the Universe.
The DLC feels very segmented from the core game, while at the same time managing to integrate itself naturally with the rest of Outer Wilds’ galaxy. Its explanation for why you wouldn’t have discovered it over the course of your original playthrough makes sense. The Stranger uses cloaking technology to make itself invisible so you likely would never find it over the course of your original journey. I like how they made getting to The Stranger a puzzle itself, further justifying why you wouldn’t have discovered it during your original run.
The Stranger is a very cool environment to explore. Making it a ring world like Halo was a great idea, and I love how its environment is more or less an extension to that of Timber Hearth’s, with its woodlands-based climate. Navigating The Stranger is quite fun. Regardless of your overall feelings towards the DLC, I feel like almost everyone can agree that water rafting to the different areas throughout the ship is really fun, especially with the accompanying music track that plays when the raft picks up speed.
The storytelling is done differently in the DLC. Since your translator doesn’t understand the language of the alien race aboard The Stranger, the story is told via the different projector reels that you find all throughout various abandoned and rotting buildings in the ship, and eventually, the dream world as well. Once you start to discover the various projection reels, the DLC gradually becomes more and more ominous as you learn additional details regarding the race that’s aboard the Stranger. I can’t tell you how uneasy I felt when I discovered the corpses of this race hidden away in one of their dream rooms. It was extremely unnerving the first time.
The contrast between dark and light is a key theme of the DLC, and like the base game, the DLC ties its key narrative theme with its gameplay very well. From the moment you board The Stranger, you discover how the ship’s systems generally operate via sources of light, making your flashlight a key tool throughout the entire DLC. This contrast is explored even further when you explore the dream world, which is enshrouded in pitch black darkness. Going from the bright and serene environment of The Stranger to the dark and oppressive atmosphere of the dream world is such an intense transition. The devs went above and beyond in making you feel like the dream world is a place you are not supposed to be in. Thanks to the incredible sound design as well as the usage of darkness to make it difficult to get a grasp on your surroundings, it feels like anything can come out of the dark to surprise and attack you at any moment. This is how Echoes of the Eye tests your ability to face the unknown in order to reach the truth.
I truly admire the lengths gone to in order to tie this narrative theme with the gameplay. The devs definitely accomplished what they set out to do with it, but at the same time, part of me feels like they did a little too good of a job. The dream world is so dark that it’s actually a bit of a nuisance trying to explore it. That in addition to its overwhelming atmosphere and the inability to fight back against enemies is the primary reason why unlike the base game, I wasn’t enthusiastic about exploring the dream world, and there were times where I actually had to sit down and force myself through it. I don’t know why I had such a reaction to the dream world when I’m normally an enjoyer and advocate for horror. It might be because of how much the environment is obfuscated in the dream world. In other horror games, I feel like I can at the very least prepare for threats by being aware of my surroundings, and I’m generally able to fight back against enemies, even in a limited capacity. In the dream world, my inability to always have a firm grasp of my surroundings due to the darkness or fight back at all against the patrolling enemies, as well as the oppressive soundscape, kept me constantly uncomfortable and on edge at all times. Even if the enemies are telegraphed by the lanterns they carry in the dark, they could still be hard to spot, and I would occasionally just turn around a corner and run into one of them with no way of knowing beforehand.
I definitely understand what the devs were trying to do by making the dream world dark and difficult to navigate. At the same time though, it made the dream world a pain to explore at times, as well as figure out what to do and where to go. When you discover the Forbidden Archives in each of the three key locations and you get the clues you need to figure out how to make navigating the dream world easier, it gets a lot better. You also learn additional details of the alien race that occupies The Stranger, including the contents of the projector reels that you discover on The Stranger that have burnt out slides, making them a particularly strong reward.
The conclusion of the DLC, which you reach by freeing the Prisoner after utilizing the techniques you learn in the Forbidden Archives, was rather satisfying. I really enjoyed the scene with the Prisoner where you exchange information with one another via his projection staff. I can’t imagine the complex emotions the Prisoner must’ve felt when he realized that his actions weren’t in vain, and in-fact, lead to core events that kick off the base game’s narrative. You can really grasp those feelings by listening to his pained, yet vindicated howl after the vision exchange. It’s a very tender and beautiful moment that only Outer Wilds is capable of. I was told to redo the base game’s ending again once I finished the DLC, and I’m glad I did, I’m actually a little ashamed that I didn’t think to do so after initially completing Echoes of the Eye. The addition of The Prisoner to the finale sequence was a welcome one, and it was very nice seeing him join up with the rest of the crew, introducing an additional race to the new universe that we birth together.
Echoes of the Eye is a different, yet excellent addition to Outer Wilds. However, I feel like I’d be lying if I said I completely enjoyed the experience. The dream world can be frustrating to navigate even when you do get used to the scary atmosphere and the enemies stop having that effect they once had on you, simply because of how difficult it is to see anything while you’re in it without leaving your artifact behind. Like most things in Outer Wilds though, it does become easier to navigate thanks to repetition. The DLC as a whole is still an excellent experience, and a worthwhile addition to the game. It’s not consistently fun, but at the same time it’s not trying to be. It challenges you to face the unknown, and I’m glad I braved that challenge.
the intra-personal experience that Outer Wilds gave me isn't quite as present here (until doing the canon-ending of course) but there is still a lot to love about this DLC. as such, i'm not gonna be waxing poetic like i did with the base game
the new location in the Stranger is a really cool and awesome location that makes me wish there was more planets in the solar system - all a good thing! the length of this and the base game are literally perfect, but man i loved exploring and discovering all of these planets and lore and feeling those same feelings. back to Echoes!
i really, really love how the storytelling is told entirely through images and sounds, it adds a whole new dimension i think to the effectiveness of what the story is telling you and how you're exploring all the aspects of this new civilization. where the Nomai left their writing, these Strangers left their images. that with the lanterns and the darkness add a whole different sort of level to playing this that honestly scared the shit out of me cause i'm a big baby! but also just made it feel refreshing to play.
i won't really talk too much about where this story ends up, but that ending hits that same sort of familiar bittersweet, melancholy vibe that Outer Wilds has always been able to hit - the finality of time and the effect our actions have on everything around us. fucking hits me hard every time!
i will prooobably say my only real gripe is how much time it takes to get to the stranger every single time after the loop resets. i laughed at Slate being like "hey remember you can tag locations you visit in your ship log" upon waking up from that first loop, but man the constant 3 minutes it takes to get to the Stranger and end up doing the required bits for story elements (like the rafting, as much fun as it is) just gets a little grating? not like, a deal-breaker by any means, but definitely something that i noticed as i went along
all in all, a worthy successor to the Outer Wilds Ventures, and really keeps a lot of the same spirit, vibes, and themes that never really clash with what the game is about. i sincerely cannot wait for whatever Mobius hands us next, Outer Wilds or not, but it is safe to say this game and DLC are some of my favorites i've ever played.
the new location in the Stranger is a really cool and awesome location that makes me wish there was more planets in the solar system - all a good thing! the length of this and the base game are literally perfect, but man i loved exploring and discovering all of these planets and lore and feeling those same feelings. back to Echoes!
i really, really love how the storytelling is told entirely through images and sounds, it adds a whole new dimension i think to the effectiveness of what the story is telling you and how you're exploring all the aspects of this new civilization. where the Nomai left their writing, these Strangers left their images. that with the lanterns and the darkness add a whole different sort of level to playing this that honestly scared the shit out of me cause i'm a big baby! but also just made it feel refreshing to play.
i won't really talk too much about where this story ends up, but that ending hits that same sort of familiar bittersweet, melancholy vibe that Outer Wilds has always been able to hit - the finality of time and the effect our actions have on everything around us. fucking hits me hard every time!
i will prooobably say my only real gripe is how much time it takes to get to the stranger every single time after the loop resets. i laughed at Slate being like "hey remember you can tag locations you visit in your ship log" upon waking up from that first loop, but man the constant 3 minutes it takes to get to the Stranger and end up doing the required bits for story elements (like the rafting, as much fun as it is) just gets a little grating? not like, a deal-breaker by any means, but definitely something that i noticed as i went along
all in all, a worthy successor to the Outer Wilds Ventures, and really keeps a lot of the same spirit, vibes, and themes that never really clash with what the game is about. i sincerely cannot wait for whatever Mobius hands us next, Outer Wilds or not, but it is safe to say this game and DLC are some of my favorites i've ever played.