half a year after playing and this game seriously hasn’t left my head. i havent thought about cyberpunk for a second since i put it down just over i think a week ago and i think about outer wilds at least once every other day. in hindsight, i was really, really salty that i spoiled myself on the biggest puzzles, and still am, but the overall unique and impactful experience this game gave me was next level. in hindsight Outer Wilds is an exceptionally well designed game where the gameplay and narrative are so tightly woven that they are inseparable. it uses it’s mechanics to slowly, subtly, and deeply sit its themes into your your experience, making it all the more immersive and thought provoking. it’s so well designed that it’s honestly mind-blowing. it utilizes its medium to its maximum potential, giving me similar feelings to undertale, hollow knight, and omori. think if i wasnt spoiled on the base game’s reveals it may be a possible 10

Why is no one playing this?

The visual art is the first thing that got my attention, with super stylish character artwork and very neat use of color (very trans pride flag environments). The somewhat minimalistic backgrounds draw the players' attention where it's wanted, with perspective and dramatic shading that don't lack in eeriness, and evoke feelings of discomfort. The atmosphere is thick! The music also sets the mood well, although it's mostly lacking in melody and so is not memorable.
The English translation is plenty good. There are typos and missing words here and there (which were generally just amusing), but nothing is unclear, and the writing has personality. While there isn't anything very profound or emotional to be experienced here, the story is suspenseful and curious, unraveling at a steady pace that never bored me. The horror level is just right for me — it's there and relevant, but not overwhelming, so it didn't detract from my enjoyment.
This is my first exposure to Lovecraftian fiction, so the degree to which Lunatic Whispers is derivative isn't something I can really judge.

The gameplay isn't really difficult, especially after one has played through it once and knows what the goals are.
It's somewhat on the short side, but well worth the price for me. There are seven endings, which are easy to get with a guide, but I recommend going through your first playthrough without a guide and rolling with your mostly inevitable failures (failing can be fun). There is something you can interact with toward the end of a playthrough that makes subsequent playthroughs a total cinch, and it is miss-able, so either be thorough in your examination of the environments, or perhaps check out a guide for the very ending.
I do wish that the endings (at least the "best" one) were longer, or that there were some bonus short stories, as I like the characters and wish I could see them more! The endings are fun but quite short.
There is also a button for speeding through text, which is a boon when going for all endings, but must be used with caution, as it skips through not only previously read text, but all text. There is a text log though, so one can check what one might have missed.

Lunatic Whispers getting so little attention honestly made me hesitate to play it, so I'm very glad I gave it a go!

Disclaimer: I played with good company, so my experience did benefit from that!
(Functions well on Steam Deck. Played docked with a controller.)

Possum Springs is one of the most bittersweet locations I’ve seen in gaming. The industrial small town look and autumn sunset makes for a strangely cozy place. But it’s falling apart, you get the impression that it’s hardly holding itself together. Corporate America is really the only thing that seems to be doing fine.

On paper, Night In The Woods is like a 2/10. You walk and you talk to people. Sometimes there is incredibly basic platforming. And yet the vibe is incredibly immaculate. Visual design, music, and most importantly the interactions with characters. In the vain of games like Firewatch, it's more about 'experiencing' the atmosphere and narrative rather than exciting gameplay. Even with a sort of mystery thriller to create the illusion of a central narrative, I found myself craving the comfort of the daily routine, with every development in the mystery threatening to upheave the nostalgic wandering around town.

While the artstyle is unique and well done, and the music is great, the characters are what far and over make this game. Gregg is perhaps the best hypeman in written history, although I spent most of my time hanging out with Bea because I really wanted to repair the relationship. All the other characters are well done with some pretty realistic conversations, especially with your parents.
As Mae, you are presented with a few dialogue choices that sometimes change what information you get in a conversation, or more impactfully, decide what activity you will be doing. Despite the choices, Mae is really more of a character you control rather than a blank slate for the player. The ending is the same no matter what, however you can find optional side stories with characters around town, and who you hang out with the most gets extra dialogue in the final leg of the game. Threads of her past are teased but you never feel a need to know everything. The most significant thematically is the “shapes” monologue near the end of the game. Less so because of what it tells us about Mae but how it begs us to reflect on the experience of Night In The Woods as a whole. Trying not to spoil it but if you get to the part of the game you’ll probably understand what I mean.

The sad thing about Night In The Woods, is change. As I mentioned earlier, Possum Springs feels on the brink, which ties directly into the narrative in some places, but also serves as thematic backing. Your parents are struggling to pay mortgage. Gregg and Angus are planning to move one day. You don’t have enough time to hang out with everyone equally in a single playthrough. You can almost feel the time slipping away with every day that passes, as you can’t load previous saves. After a while I ended up really taking my time because I knew that the game would just end eventually. Sure I could start another playthrough, but that doesn't really feel like what the game wants me to do. Night In The Woods is really, literally, a slice-of-life, someone else’s life. I interpret the games themes as the fear of change, trying to hold on the what you have, and learning what you need to let go of.

Oh yeah, and there's a Guitar Hero minigame that I suck at