My platonic ideal of a video game; an astounding achievement of design and artistry. Every facet of the game is handled with mastodontic reverence and consideration of the game's experiential goals for the player. Unlike any game I've ever experienced, Outer Wilds weaponizes hindsight so strongly that it feels personal, as if completion equates to the denial of pleasures in life you cannot revert to living without; you will evangelize of your own volition to anyone who will listen, just to taste again the sweet condensation of the first-time-playthrough experience vicariously through those you convert. I pity those who have not yet played this game, but I grieve for those of us who have, and won't be able to play it the same way ever again. Outer Wilds is more than just a video game; it's a revelation.

Reviewed on Jan 22, 2023


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