My Outer Wilds Journey#

We start embarking on our journey with an empty jigsaw board.

As I opened my eyes, the sky stretched above, adorned with stars and planets, observed through our three eyes. It seems to be a tradition among our species, the Hearthians, to sleep beneath the star-filled sky before launching ourselves into the vast cosmos aboard our rockets.

“There’s our pilot! Back from your pre-launch campout under the stars, I see. So it’s Launch Day, eh? Seems like only yesterday you joined the space program, and suddenly here you are, leaving on your first solo voyage. What do you say - ready to get this beauty off the ground? It’s all fueled up and ready to go!”

Slate, who sat beside me by the campfire, greeted me for the first time, just before my first space voyage. In front of us stood an elevator leading to the launch pad where my spaceship awaited.

Our current location was Timber Hearth, one of six explorable planets within our star system. We were moments away from launch, only requiring a launch code, obtainable at the observatory. As we ascended the hill toward the observatory, our friends greeted us, expressing a mix of excitement, concern, and admiration for us – the soon-to-be spacefaring astronauts.

As we held conversations with them, we occasionally gazed up at the sky, filling my heart with a mixture of excitement and perhaps, a touch of anxiety, unsure of what lay beyond.

The sky from Timber Hearth

The observatory served a dual purpose as a museum, housing various relics from nature and those left behind by the “Nomai,” an extinct alien species believed to have inhabited our star system thousands of years ago.

Among these relics were the gravity crystal, quantum shard, and most importantly, the Nomai Inscriptions. These inscriptions are dialogues of communication among the Nomai, and were etched onto stones scattered throughout the star system.

My launch will be a very vital moment of our space program. I am the first Hearthian equipped with a Nomai translator. Among all the astronauts, or as we call them, “Outer Wilds Ventures,” I am the first to comprehend the Nomai language and delve into the history of this ancient alien civilization that once occupied our star system.

Upon our arrival at the observatory, we encountered a new relic – a statue bearing the presumed appearance of the Nomai, including their distinctive three eyes, one on their forehead. Fascinatingly, the statue’s eyes were closed, prompting our friends to ponder their significance and any possible way of opening them.

As we explored the museum, captivated by the histories and the artifacts it held, we grasped that we needed to meet someone for our launch code. This individual resided on the observatory’s second floor, near the enormous telescope we had seen on our ascent towards this observatory.

We ascend the spiral stairs to meet Hornfels, serving as both ground control, museum curator and is the founding member of Outer Wilds Ventures. He posed questions to prepare us for the launch before provided the launch code for our rocket.

Readied with launch code, I hastened back to the launch pad. Yet, as I left the museum, an unusual event unfolded.

The Nomai statue, previously with closed eyes, suddenly turned its gaze toward us. It opened its eyes, emitting a blinding blueish light. We stood frozen, shocked, while the statue appeared to absorb our recent memories since I had awakened beneath the stars moments earlier.

We had found the first piece of the jigsaw puzzle, marking the commencement of our Outer Wilds adventure.

We entered the launch code, and our rocketship roared to life. Finally, liftoff into the vast expanse of space!

This was the beginning of our exploration, and as a first-time voyager, it was natural to feel overwhelmed by the vastness of space. But we were explorers, and taking it one step at a time is always the way to go.

This our first glimpse of the star system. We had six planets orbiting our sun:

The planetary chart of the Outer Wilds

• Ember Twin, Ash Twin’s sibling, a red and arid planet reminiscent of Mars or the American Southwest deserts.
• Ash Twin, a desolate desert planet, blanketed in shifting sands and seemingly endless dunes. From a glance, it may look like there is nothing on the planet.
• Timber Hearth, the Hearthian homeworld, characterized by a rocky terrain interspersed with forests, ridges, and waterfalls. It was also home to a moon known as “The Attlerock,” drawing parallels to Earth and its moon.
• Brittle Hollow, marked by a fragile, rocky crust encircling a hollow interior housing a colossal Black Hole at its core. It featured a volcanic moon responsible for bombarding the planet and fracturing its surface.
• Giant’s Deep, initially appearing as a gas giant from the outside, concealed a world with a thick atmosphere housing stormy seas and floating islands.
• Dark Bramble, an enigmatic labyrinth of thorny vines and twisting passages, once a fifth planet that had succumbed to space-bending plant growth.

Our first lift off started by exploring several planets, including Brittle Hollow and Ember Twins, discovering Nomai Inscriptions similar to those in the museum. However, it felt perplexing. We had accumulated a lots of information, yet it also felt like we’ve gained nothing useful at the same time.

…I guess, this was not entirely true. The information was indeed valuable and significant, but we struggled to comprehend without the necessary context. To bridge this gap, we needed to explore further, read more Nomai inscriptions, and piece together the narrative.

We had started collecting fragments of the puzzle, but it remained unclear where and how they fit.

As we continued our exploration, delving deeper into Nomai culture and acquiring more information, something unusual occurred. We had noticed it intermittently during our journey but only subconsciously. The sun was changing – growing redder and larger.

A memory from the museum exhibition resurfaced:

“Stars like our sun generate light and heat by fusing hydrogen into helium. As it grows older, the star runs out of hydrogen and starts to contract. As the star’s core contracts, it gets hotter, causing the outer layers to expand. The star has become a red giant. When the core is hot enough, it starts to fuse helium into carbon. If a star is massive enough, it will continue to fuse carbon into even heavier elements like iron. Ultimately, the star will collapse under its own gravity and then explode in a violent event called a supernova.”

A sudden realization dawned upon us – this could be the fate of our sun. We wanted to share this revelation with someone, perhaps one of the Outer Wilds Ventures like Chert. However, it was too late. As we buckled up and set the autopilot for Ember Twin, the sun suddenly underwent a dramatic transformation – a supernova had occurred. The sun exploded with such intensity that its blast enveloped the entire star system within a matter of moments.

The shockwave raced towards us, leaving no time to comprehend the event, let alone contemplating an escape.

…it takes it absolutely no time until the blast completely devoured us.

…

..

.

Our eyes reopened, and we found ourselves beneath a sky filled with stars and planets, viewed through our three eyes. The scene was eerily familiar. But what just happened?

“Did… did I just… die?”

…

“Whoa, bad dream or something? You still look half asleep, but that’s a negative on being deceased. I know it’s tradition to sleep out under the stars the night before a launch, but if you ask me it makes you all a bit jumpy.” said Slate.

Was it a dream? If so, why could we remember it so vividly, as if we had just lived through it? If we did, how?

“Esker, what’s the blue?”

After the explosion, we had seen nothing but darkness, and we thought it was the end. However, a mask-like image appeared, followed by a series of frames – fragments of our memories replayed in reverse, leading us back to the moment we first woke up.

Several supernovas later, we confirmed a theory – we were trapped in a time loop. The mask and backward memory frames that we had encountered earlier were components of a device that reset us to a specific point, that we had yet to identify.

This marked the most substantial piece of the puzzle, revealing the main mystery of our journey: the supernova and the time loop.

As I continued my exploration of the star system, I experienced countless deaths – some due to foolish mistakes, others by the supernova that marked the end of each loop. In every restart, I found myself lying under the open sky, gazing at the stars - again and again. With each loop, I made it my mission to absorb as much knowledge as possible, even though it was an exhausting and time-consuming endeavor.

However, one thing remained clear in my mind: all of this was somehow connected to the Nomai, the ancient alien species that once inhabited our star system.

My journey into understanding the Nomai began on Brittle Hollow. Their story unfolded before me: a nomadic species, living in clans within peculiar acorn-shaped ships called “The Vessel.” These ships possessed a feature: warp technology. They could instantly teleport across the galaxy by predetermined coordinates.

One day, a Nomai clan received a mysterious signal known as “The Eye of The Universe,” believed to be older than the universe itself. Their curiosity was insatiable, and they wasted no time extracting its coordinates and teleporting towards it, unaware of other Nomai clans. But their destination was not the Eye; it was the perilous planet of Dark Bramble, a thorny labyrinth that trapped them.

They were forced to launch escape pods out of the Vessel. Three pods in total: one landed safely on Ember Twin, another on Brittle Hollow, and tragically, the third remained trapped in Dark Bramble.

Despite their misfortune, the Nomai persevered, settling on their respective planets and building “The Hanging City of Dark Bramble” and “The Sunless City of Ember Twin.” Their determination stemmed from their unyielding fascination with the Eye of The Universe.

This fascination led to the construction of the “Eye Shrine,” dedicated to the study of this enigmatic entity. It was a testament to their unwavering curiosity.

Some pieces of the puzzle finally fits. However, we’re still not getting a clear picture of the entire board.

Through the first phase of my explorations, I’ve came to understand the history of Nomai. However, the bigger picture remained elusive. How did the Nomai’s history tie into the supernova and the perpetual time loop we experienced? How did they meet their demise? Our exploration yet continues.

Countless loops passed, and I gathered more insights:

First, the hidden ruins within Ash Twins. I uncovered hidden ruins on Ash Twins, one half of the “Hourglass Twins.” Their shifting sands cycle exposed these ruins beneath Ember Twins, but timing was crucial, making exploration a waiting game.

Second, the recreation of the warp technology. The Nomai had recreated their warp technology. By using black holes and white holes placed on different planets, they could teleport instantly between them. Brittle Hollow’s core, a black hole, played a key role in this advancement.

Third, their relentless search for the Eye. The Nomai never abandoned their quest for the Eye of The Universe. They even tried a brute-force method by creating an “Orbital Probe Cannon” on Giant’s Deep to launch probes in all directions, hoping to stumble upon the Eye in the vastness of space.

Fourth, Dark Bramble, the planet that trapped the Nomai, was home to the hostile creature of Anglerfish. I learned a method to avoid them – they were blind and sensitive only to sound. Silence was the key to slipping past them.

Fifth, the wandering “Quantum Moon.” A particularly fascinating puzzle piece. It defied conventional physics by exhibiting quantum properties on a macroscopic scale. It constantly changed orbits around the star system and could vanish if not observed.

The Nomai studied the moon diligently, believing it was linked to the Eye of The Universe. Sometimes, the moon vanished from the star system altogether. The Nomai suggested that the moon might have just wandered into its sixth and most secret location, that is the Eye itself.

Over the years, they convinced the newer Nomai generations to embark on a pilgrimage towards the Quantum Moon’s sixth location.

Following those footsteps, My journey culminated in a pilgrimage to the Quantum Moon’s mysterious sixth location. For this pilgrimage, we must understood the moon three rules which governed its existence:

1. Quantum Imaging: Observing or photographing the moon allowed me to land on it.
2. Quantum Entanglement: Turning off all lights and making it dark enabled me to switch locations on the moon.
3. The Rule of the Sixth Location: To reach the Eye, the shrine on the moon had to be at its north pole.

After following this rule step by step, I’ve arrived to the sixth location. The moon’s surface resembled obsidian in texture, featuring a peculiar color palette primarily dominated by shades of purple, intermingled with darker purples, browns, and blues in an unusual pattern. The moon’s sky remained obscured by thick gray clouds, tinted with hues of purple. Consequently, visibility of the stars and planets beyond was hindered, leaving us only able to wonder about what lay beyond this celestial object.

This means that even though we are in a literal orbit around the Eye, the Eye itself remains obscured from our view. However, it’s highly likely that the moon’s surface provides a glimpse of the Eye’s own surface. In addition to its quantum properties, the moon exhibits characteristics mirroring the entity it orbits. For instance, if the quantum moon is orbiting Timber Hearth, characterized by grass, trees, rivers, and mountains, then the moon’s surface would also display these features. Therefore, in our case, orbiting the Eye suggests that the Eye’s surface is similarly composed of rocky terrain with a predominantly purple color palette.

Upon reaching the moon’s sixth location, I encountered an unexpected sight – a living Nomai named Solanum, the latest generation of her clan. Communicating with her was a revelation, but it raised even more questions. How could she still be alive when all the other Nomai in the star system had perished, leaving only their skeletons as a haunting reminder? She said…

“You may think I’m strange, but I have a hypothesis that I may not be entirely alive. Perhaps my journey has reached its end.” It was a startiling hypothesis.

Further interactions with her revealed the nature of the moon. While on the Quantum Moon, our consciousness existed simultaneously in multiple locations. When I traveled to another location, my awareness shifted to that body. This phenomenon explained why I encountered the remains of the Nomai, none other than Solanum, on other planets – they were empty vessels, devoid of a soul. Confirming her theories.

Alright, let’s review the informations we’ve gotten so far:

• The Nomai visited our star system in pursuit of a signal known as the “Eye of the Universe.” However, this signal vanished shortly after their arrival in the star system.
• Their deep fascination with the Eye compelled them to settle in the star system for generations, persistently attempting to locate it by any means necessary.
• One of their efforts involved the creation of the “Orbital Probe Cannon.” Essentially, they launched probes in various directions, hoping to use brute force to pinpoint the Eye’s location.
• Additionally, they successfully replicated their warping technology, allowing them to craft miniature black holes and white holes. These devices served as a means of instantaneous transportation between two locations, such as different planets.
• The Nomai also encountered a peculiar phenomenon: the “quantum moon.” Through extensive study and experimentation, they discovered that this moon also orbited the Eye. However, they couldn’t directly visit or observe the Eye itself; they could only perceive its reflections.
• “Solanum,” the most recent generation of the Nomai clan, embarked on a pilgrimage to the quantum moon’s sixth location. During our own pilgrimage, we encountered her presence at that location. However, due to the effects of quantum, we came to realize that she was not actually alive.

Moving on from the quantum moon, the biggest revelation came when I delved into the Nomai’s discussions. A project named the “Ash Twin Project” appeared frequently. It turned out to be a vital piece, holding the key to many mysteries.

The project originated from a peculiar warp phenomenon when objects exiting a white hole slightly before entering a black hole.

“Ramie and I reviewed the records you sent, Poke, and they appear to show Nomai are arriving at the warp receiver on Brittle Hollow slightly before departing from the White Hole Station. The interval is incredibly miniscule (roughly one hundred-thousandth of a second).”

The Nomai discussed this and one of them guessed that it is inaccurate and must’ve been a simple system error. But the Nomai being Nomai, is fascinated by the potential phenomenon that happened. Therefore, they’ve decided to investigate.

“Poke, as Pye is confident the reading is inaccurate, she’s kindly helping me attempt to recreate this phenomenon at the “High Energy Lab.” We’re designing an experiment to take more data.”

What they’ve discovered made their eye wide open.

“Hypothesis confirmed! Hypothesis confirmed! I saw it! Pye saw it! Hypothesis confirmed! This is beyond extraordinary! This changes everything! What a beautiful day for the intersection of abstract theory and practical application!”

They conducted experiments and confirmed the phenomenon, discovering that the time sent back was proportional to the energy used. This realization led to the creation of the “Advanced Warp Core.” This warp core differs from the normal warp core. The normal warp core allows you to travel from a black hole to a white hole, whereas an advanced warp core enables you to warp to unfamiliar locations.

They devised a plan for the Ash Twin Project.

First, locate the Eye of The Universe. To achieve this, the Nomai devised the Orbital Probe Cannon to launch probes and locate the Eye’s coordinates. However, because the probe cannon sends probes in random directions, their chances of finding the Eye depend on luck. It could take hundreds of generations, millions of attempts, and thousands of years, yet even then, there’s no guarantee they will find it due to the vast expanse of the universe.

Second, Extend Their Lifetimes. The Nomai wanted to find the Eye within their lifetimes, and for this, they needed to send themselves back in time. This was the purpose of the Ash Twin Project.

I may have oversimplified things by saying they send themselves back in time. A more accurate description would be that they send information back in time—into their past selves. This is a complex process. To achieve it, they need to store their memories and then send them back in time using the advanced warp core.

However, there was a significant challenge. Sending information back 22 minutes in time required an astronomical amount of energy. To generate this power, the Nomai constructed the controversial “Sun Station,” designed to detonate the sun, creating a supernova that would fuel the Ash Twin Project.

“I almost can’t comprehend this is being suggested seriously. The purpose of the Sun Station goes against every standard we hold ourselves to and everything we believe in as a species!” “If we fail (and the probability of this is not insignificant), we will without question destroy ourselves, all life here, and the rest of this star system. I wish to protect these species.” “I understand this proposal is unsettling, but the Sun Station must be built if we hope to complete the Ash Twin Project.”

Does this sound familiar? Yes, the Ash Twin Project is the cause of the time loop we’ve been experiencing. The statue we’ve encountered in the observatory is apparently called a “memory statue,” designed to store our memories. When encountered, the statue attempts to pair itself with the living being in closest proximity, which happens to be us. This is confirmed by the statue workshop located on Giant’s Deep.

Also, say hello to our buddy, Gabbro; he’s also paired with a statue and caught in the time loop! But unlike us, he chooses to lie in his hammock forever and not help at all…

Anyway, the decision to build the Sun Station was not without moral conflict among the Nomai. They recognized the immense risk involved, including the potential destruction of the entire star system. But their determination to find the Eye drove them forward.

It finally feels like the puzzle coming together, and a clear picture has appeared. There are still some parts which still unsolved but at the very least, we’ve solved our biggest question… right?

My quest continued, determined to uncover the project’s location and confirm my theory.

My determination to unveil the secrets of the Ash Twin Project led me on a relentless search of Ash Twin itself. A lot of loops were spent scanning every inch of the planet’s surface, examining every nook and cranny, yet I found no visible signs of the project. It was a vexing puzzle.

So, I temporarily shifted my focus to the Sun Station, eager to witness its workings with my own eyes. I had decided to visit it. There were two methods to reach the station. The first was to attempt a spaceship landing, which proved exceedingly challenging due to its orbital path. The second method was far more convenient that’s by warping to the station. The warp portal, as mentioned earlier, lay hidden beneath the desolate desert sands of Ash Twin. Several towers marked the location, each representing the shape of the destination: Timber Hearth, Giant’s Deep, Brittle Hollow, Sun Station, and Hourglass Twins.

Choosing to warp, I found myself on the Sun Station. Upon arrival, the intensity of the sun’s atmosphere immediately became apparent. The air emitted a reddish hue, the heat was palpable, and the sounds of waves, loops, and eruptions within the sun resonated around me. It was an entirely unique experience. The station appeared to consist of two parts: one with a pointed base (likely the Nomai weapon used to trigger the sun’s explosion) and the other housing the white hole. These parts were interconnected by a bridge.

Exiting the white hole on the Sun Station, I found myself on a gravity platform constructed by the Nomai. At the far end of the station, I noticed a peculiar gateway that likely led to the main station. Walking towards it on the gravity platform, as I opened the gate, I was unexpectedly drawn towards the sun. I saw that the bridge had been severed. To access the main station, I had to manually navigate by my suit through space. This proved challenging and required both patience and precision with my rocket thrusters, all the more so with the menacing sun looming below me. However, I eventually succeeded in reaching the Sun Station.

The main station had a circular shape. In its center, there was a hole descending downward, offering a wide window that gazed directly into the ever-growing sun. Alongside this window, I discovered some Nomai inscriptions. Within them lay a revelation—a piece of writing that refuted our previous theories.

“What happened? Did the Sun Station not fire?” “It fired, Yarrow. But it failed. The sun barely responded; there were infintestimally small surface-level changes, but they were barely visible, even to the third eye. The Sun Station is useless. It will never, and could never, cause the sun to explode. I don’t know what comes next, my friends. I suppose we must start over, but I’m unsure how to start over.”

The Sun Station’s whole purpose is to blow up the sun and harness its power… but it failed. The Sun Station is useless. Then, how come the sun blow up? We have to visit the Ash Twin Project to find out the answer.

I finally unraveled the mystery of accessing the Ash Twin Project. It resides deep within the core of Ash Twin and can be reached through the towering structures concealed beneath its surface. As previously mentioned, these towers house various destinations, including the Hourglass Twins tower. As we know, the Hourglass Twins consist of two planets: Ember Twin and Ash Twin. Similarly, their tower comprises two sections, symbolizing Ember Twin and Ash Twin respectively.

I successfully warped through the Ember Twin tower. However, the Ash Twin tower proved to be more challenging. This tower lacked a ceiling, and the swirling sands encircling the planet threatened to drag us into the vacuum of space. In essence, we needed to pinpoint the precise moment to enter the black hole.

Finally, I managed to enter the Ash Twin Project.

The initial sight that greeted me was a gathering of masks, the exact I had encountered every time our journey looped back in time. These masks appeared to be memory storage devices, preserving memories before sending them back in time. Further ahead, I found an array of Nomai inscriptions that chronicled the formation of the Ash Twin Project. This inscription shed light on everything.

“The Nomai are working on a mission to explode the sun for scientific progress. Some members are concerned about the morality and ethics of this mission. They are planning to build a new locator, possibly on Brittle Hollow’s southern observatory, to study the Eye of the Universe. They discuss mining sites, native life, and the safety of various locations for their projects. They are calibrating a device on the Attlerock to resume their search. The Ash Twin Project is a significant part of their plans, involving sending information back in time and connecting different locations. The warp cores for the towers are being delivered, and they are excited about the progress they’ve made. They mention the completion of the Sun Station, which is intended to trigger a supernova to power their projects. There are some doubts about the Sun Station’s effectiveness and ultimately it doesn’t work, but they are determined to find a way to create a supernova. They discuss exploring a newly arrived comet and the excitement of gaining new knowledge. However, little did they know that the comet - which carried poisonous substance - would be the demise of their entire clan.”

At the end of the platform, two switches adorned with distinct signs caught my attention.

The first sign indicated, “Artificial Gravity Control.”

The second sign, however, bore a more ominous message: “Caution: You are about to access the core while the Ash Twin Project is active. WARNING: Removing the core will disable the Ash Twin Project.”

It was the trigger, the means to deactivate the Ash Twin Project.

…

This is big.

If our understanding was correct, deactivating the Ash Twin Project would spell the end of the time loop. In that event, the impending supernova and any unforeseen deaths would become permanent, sealing our ultimate fate.

Do we truly want to proceed?

The puzzle pieces had finally fallen into place. We comprehended the origins of the time loop and the impending supernova. We had insight into the Nomai’s motivations, their purpose in coming here, and their actions.

Is that true?

I had found the answers to my questions regarding the supernova and the time loop. Yet, I couldn’t shake the feeling that I hadn’t inched any closer to unraveling the overarching mystery… What is my next move?

Glancing at my ship logs, I realized there were still several unexplored places in our star system. Numerous pieces remained scattered, waiting to be discovered. That became our new goal.

Perhaps, among these uncharted locations, an essential one remained—the origin of it all: the Vessel. This was the ship where the Nomai once roamed, the vessel that had brought them to our star system in their quest for the Eye of the Universe. Instead, it had become ensnared within the treacherous tendrils of the enigmatic planet, Dark Bramble. My course was now set towards the Vessel.

To reach this destination, one must be prepared for a formidable challenge. The initial step involves locating Escape Pod 3. This necessitates the use of our trusty signalscope to pinpoint the beacon signal of the pod and then diligently follow its path. The primary obstacle here is the Dark Bramble planet itself. The space dynamics within it defy conventional understanding, resembling an endless labyrinth where the deeper one ventures, they return to their starting point. Compounding the challenge are the hostile Anglerfish. As I previously mentioned, the key to evading these creatures lies in minimizing any noise, as they rely solely on their sense of hearing.

Upon reaching Escape Pod 3, a grim scene unfolds. This group faced a dire fate, being the sole pod unable to escape the thorns of Dark Bramble among the three pods. They found themselves ensnared by the planet’s thorny tendrils, with the distress beacon still emitting a plea for help years later. However, within the pod, no trace of the Nomai themselves could be found (for reference, Nomai are roughly the size of humans). The question of their whereabouts lingered until I stumbled upon a set of logs that recounted their attempt to return to the Vessel. Along their journey, they left behind a trail illuminated by some sort of purple torches. I diligently followed this trail, which eventually led to its conclusion—a very peculiar “Bramble Seed.” This seed was encased in thorns and featured a minuscule glowing hole at its center, too small to accommodate even a single Nomai. Surrounding this seed were the lifeless bodies of the Nomai from Escape Pod 3.

The minuscule hole in the seed couldn’t accommodate a Nomai, but it was just large enough for my scout. Employing my trusty scout launcher, I dispatched it into the aperture and peered through its camera feed. What I witnessed defied logic—an immense spaceship, none other than The Vessel.

You might wonder how a small seed incapable of housing a single Nomai could contain a colossal spaceship. This peculiar aspect of Dark Bramble’s spatial properties can be succinctly explained. In a nutshell, launching a scout into the seed “teleported” it to a location within Dark Bramble itself. In my case, the scout had arrived at the location of The Vessel somewhere within the planet.

The scout emitted a signal that would serve as my navigational reference point. All that remained was to follow the signal, surmounting the bizarre spatial distortions and the ever-present threat of the hostile Anglerfish.

After a bit of exploration, I finally laid eyes upon The Vessel. It appeared just as depicted on Brittle Hollow—trapped amidst the thorns, immobile. Its vastness dwarfed my own spaceship, easily ten times its size. The entry point wasn’t immediately clear, but I spotted a breach, likely the result of an impact, which offered a viable access point. I skillfully matched the velocity of my ship with the planet’s rotation and parked it nearby. Equipped with my spacesuit to navigate the vessel’s interiors and ensure a supply of oxygen, I exited my spacecraft and ventured into The Vessel.

The internal architecture of The Vessel struck me as distinctly modern compared to our own Heartian designs. The surfaces and walls appeared to be constructed from some form of ceramic or concrete. Many of the chambers within The Vessel remained locked, leaving only a single room accessible—the control room.

What awaited me inside prompted the I utter the following word: “Eureka!”

On the center of the room stood a core container, essentially serving as the engine powering The Vessel. Activating it required an advanced warp core, but it became evident that the original core within was damaged. Hence, my quest led me to find a replacement, and I knew exactly where to obtain it.

Furthermore, a switch revealed an input board when pulled upwards. This board accepted certain glyphs as inputs. My initial encounter with these glyphs left me stumped, but it didn’t take long for my recollection to kick in. The Nomai had utilized coordinates for their warp into our star system. This input board was meant to receive coordinates, our intended destination.

A plan materialized in my mind, and a potential solution began to take shape:

1. First and foremost, secure a replacement for the advanced warp core. I could locate an advanced warp core within the Ash Twin Project.
2. Next one, I needed coordinates. Currently, I possessed no such information, but the logs hinted at the possibility of these coordinates being stored within the “Probe Tracking Module,” deep within the core of Giant’s Deep.
3. Lastly, the grand culmination of this plan involved reaching The Vessel, inserting the core, initiating its power, and inputting the coordinates. The path ahead appeared fairly straightforward, albeit a tricky one.

However, a critical question loomed—where would this journey ultimately lead? Would we make an escape from our star system, venture to an entirely new destination, or perhaps set our course for the enigmatic Eye of the Universe? The answer to these mysteries was tantalizingly close, and we stood on the brink of discovery.

Without hesitation, I embarked on the journey to Giant’s Deep’s core. Accessing the core wasn’t a straightforward task, for this oceanic world presented its own unique challenges. First and foremost, it’s important to note that Giant’s Deep is an oceanic planet, and reaching its core requires a descent into the ocean’s depths.

However, a barrier stood in our way—a powerful underwater current. This was our first obstacle, and it could only be surmounted with the assistance of a counterclockwise-rotating typhoon, a rarity in the usual clockwise patterns. This atypical typhoon’s pull would propel us into the depths, bypassing the current.

Yet, another hurdle remained. The core itself was shielded by an electrified container emitting ominous purple lightning. Any contact with this electrical barrier would result in dire consequences, potentially incapacitating our ship. Our salvation lay in the form of the Giant’s Deep jellyfish. These creatures possessed an insulating quality against electricity, and by taking shelter within their interior, we could safely navigate through the electrified barrier.

Having surmounted these challenges, I finally arrived at the core of Giant’s Deep, with the probe tracking module in plain view. Inside the module, I discovered precisely what I had sought.

The probe tracking module featured a switch with three distinct modes, each revealing valuable information. The first mode displayed the current trajectory of recently launched probes, while the second unveiled the paths of all launched probes. The final mode held the key, showcasing the coordinates to the Eye of the Universe.

With all the pieces in place, my path was clear.

The time loop began anew, and I executed my plan. Initiating the launch, I made my way to the first objective: acquiring a fresh advanced warp core from the Ash Twin Project. After reaching the planet, a brief wait of approximately six minutes was necessary to allow the sandstorm to subside. Following this, I accessed the Ash Twin Project, proceeded to the core, deactivated the artificial gravity control, and unlocked the core’s seal. The advanced warp core was within reach, and I carefully retrieved it. With the deactivation of the Ash Twin Project, the stakes were higher than ever; any mishap could result in permanent consequences.

Holding the advanced warp core, I returned to my ship and set a course for the Vessel. This loop was different, as I had only one opportunity to succeed. However, a hint of recklessness crept in as I accelerated into Dark Bramble at maximum speed, aiming to build momentum and slip past the anglerfish at breakneck pace. To my relief, this unorthodox maneuver succeeded, and I arrived at the Vessel with my heart racing.

Entering the Vessel with bated breath, I inserted the advanced warp core. In an instant, the once-absent artificial gravity activated, casting light upon the interior. The Vessel came to life.

The final step remained—inputting the coordinates. Three distinct glyphs awaited my attention. The first resembled an L, slightly tilted to the right. The second took on the form of a ribbon, a common sight in our world. The third bore a resemblance to a lowercase omega from the Greek alphabet. I entered each glyph in turn, pulling a switch to confirm.

Only one task remained—to engage the switch. Slowly, deliberately, I pulled the switch upward. In an instant, a black hole manifested, and the Vessel warped, transporting me to our destination.

The sight before me was shrouded in darkness. Only a few stars twinkled faintly in the distance, with our sun, a distant orange dot, and a moon in orbit. The moon circled a mysterious celestial object, cloaked in purple, shaped like a disc with a colossal sphere at its center. The surface was veiled beneath ominous dark-purple clouds, crackling with purple lightning, reminiscent of my experiences within the core of Giant’s Deep. The moon in orbit was none other than the quantum moon, and the enigmatic celestial entity it encircled could be none other than the Eye of the Universe itself.

I cautiously set foot on the Eye, compelled by the need to unveil the answers that had eluded the Nomai for generations within our star system. The surface of the Eye mirrored precisely what I had witnessed on the quantum moon’s mysterious sixth location, validating our theories. Despite the formidable gravitational pull and minimal lighting, I forged ahead, walking a direct path toward the Eye’s north pole. As I drew closer to the pole, the surreal and otherworldly nature of the journey intensified. Thunderstorms sporadically illuminated my path, casting eerie light before plunging everything back into obscurity. Familiar objects briefly materialized before vanishing, behaving as though they possessed quantum properties. To my surprise, my oxygen tank refilled. Uncertainty clouded my thoughts; was I hallucinating? But in this enigmatic place, such questions seemed inconsequential.

At the north pole, a vortex beckoned from the sky, compelling me to enter. Before taking that step, I attempted to launch my scout into the vortex. Yet, no image returned, only static, and the scout’s signal vanished. With no other option, I leaped into the vortex.

From that point forward, reality became an abstract concept, defying the laws of physics as I knew them. Upon entering the vortex, I descended into a seemingly endless chasm. Desperately, I flailed my limbs, seeking balance. The chasm, comprised of the same purple clouds, bore the semblance of a wormhole. It felt impossibly long, like an eternity of free fall, with no end in sight. Suddenly, I found myself within a cave-like structure composed of the same purple clouds. I continued to fall, yet the surroundings remained unchanged—pillars of purple clouds in every direction. An eerie, mysterious sound, akin to a haunting choir, echoed in my ears, sending shivers down my spine. As I descended further, a surface gradually materialized below. I braced for impact, but upon contact, I found myself back where it all began—the observatory.

The observatory felt different now, a desolate and solitary place, devoid of light and lifes. I stood alone amidst the exhibits, greeted by the nostalgia of Outer Wilds Ventures. As I read the captions beneath the images, memories of our star system’s history flooded back.

Outer Wilds Ventures, founded by Feldspar, Gossan, Slate, and Hornfels, embarked on a quest to explore a solar system at the universe’s edge. The observatory encapsulated our history, our home, our planets, our moon, the Nomai, and even our adversaries like the anglerfish. Ascending the stairs, I encountered a sight both familiar and extraordinary—a miniature representation of stars, planets, and galaxies, our entire universe in miniature.

As I interacted with this display, it vanished into darkness, and I felt myself floating in zero gravity. Then, points of light began to appear, galaxies in all their glory. But these were not the only lights; a series of blue lights emerged, each one erasing a source of light before it. One by one, stars went supernova, galaxies faded, and darkness reigned. We had reached the natural end of our universe.

However, our purpose extended beyond witnessing the culmination of our story; we were here to create anew. Before I could grasp the full extent, I found myself standing on a serene, Earth-like plain reminiscent of Timber Hearth. A campfire materialized, and I kindled it, casting light upon the surrounding trees and the familiar faces of friends who appeared one by one. Esker, the homesick soul residing on the moon Attlerock; Riebeck, the archeologist near the ominous black hole of Brittle Hollow; Gabbro, our time loop companion lounging on the Giant’s Deep island; Chert, the astronomer gazing at the stars from the Ember Twin’s north pole; Feldspar, the intrepid pilot who explored every corner of our star system, including the Dark Bramble; and finally, Solanum, the newest Nomai friend encountered on the quantum moon’s hidden sixth location.

We gathered around the campfire, playing our favorite tunes on our respective instruments, weaving a symphony of nostalgia and adventure. As the melody reached its conclusion, silence enveloped us, broken only by an eerie noise emanating from directly in front of us. The singularity had beckoned.

I leaped toward it, and in an instant, everything expanded. My friends and I were scattered across a vast expanse. A colossal explosion materialized before my eyes, its brilliance blinding, shattering my visor. I took one final, lingering look before closing my eyes, the culmination of my Outer Wilds journey.

…

And thus, a new universe was born, marking the end of my Outer Wilds Venture.

Analysis#

Wow, I certainly didn’t plan to write my (exaggerated) entire experience of Outer Wilds. It started from just a little story and escalated to… that. Please do ignore if some part of the story doesn’t feel right. It was a flowing and enjoyable story to write, but the purpose of it is anything but telling a compelling one.

The whole purpose of the story is actually simple. I want to give a little bit of visualization of the knowledge-based progression and the curiosity-driven explorations of the game. We started from a blank board of jigsaw puzzles, slowly acquiring pieces here and there, albeit still not getting the clear picture, until finally acquiring all of them and a picture starts to become clear. To acquire the pieces, we explore and investigate around the star system.

When I first lifted off our home planet, I really had no idea what was around. The inscriptions I’ve read all around the star system were unclear and hardly comprehensible. But slowly, as I read more, some inscriptions started to make sense with others, forming what the developer called the “web of knowledge.” At that point, things may still not make a lot of sense, but it’s just a gradual process which you can keep doing until eventually, you understand them. The whole learning experience in this game feels real in that sense.

Additionally, the funny fact about the knowledge-based nature of Outer Wilds is that with sufficient knowledge, anybody can literally beat the game at any time. That includes the first time playing and the first 20 minutes of the game. If somebody tells you what’s up, you can literally finish the game without exploring and spend more than 15 hours connecting pieces together. This is what I meant by the progression relying on the player themselves and not any fixed story.

The exploration is driven by us and our curiosity. The first planet I visited, Brittle Hollow, piqued my interest because of its volcanic moon. And then, upon landing on the planet, I found more interesting things, such as “the Eye of the Universe” that prompted me to explore more so that I can learn about it. Information is all around the star system. It may contain direct instructions, such as “go to Dark Bramble,” and some others would give you more vague clues, like stories.

Besides that, the main mystery, the supernova and time-loop, is what motivated me to keep exploring. If the game doesn’t have those, I probably would have lost interest since I don’t see any significance within the Nomai’s story. But with that big mystery in the back of my mind, I kept exploring, desperately yet patiently finding answers to solve the mystery.

All this is to say that I really admire the amount of effort the developers have put into Outer Wilds’ game design. As they’ve said themselves, the team did countless playtests over the years to understand how the players would behave and think in certain situations given the amount of information the players have. I don’t think there are many games in the mystery category that have done that.

Games like L.A. Noire and A Wolf Among Us are practically mystery games as well. But the distinction between them and Outer Wilds is the amount of freedom it gives. Both former games give you an explicit objective which you can simply follow along until you eventually finish the game. Outer Wilds doesn’t have explicit objectives and demands players to explore and investigate themselves, or in Alex Beachum’s own words: “we don’t want players to explore like mowing a lawn.”

In mystery games, players pay attention to even the smallest of details. Every object that appears, every text that they read, would determine the kind of conclusions they were led into. That is why understanding players’ behavior itself is vital and why they did a lot of playtesting. Inevitably, players would come to the wrong conclusions initially, but when that happens, it is very important for the game to correct their wrong assumptions.

That said, they also had to be careful not to overwhelm the players with too much new information. Simplicity is the best approach in this case, focusing on just one particular new piece of information.

That brings us into the visuals and the world-building of Outer Wilds. You see, at one point I thought there’s still some unfulfilled potential within the planets. For example, planet Timber Hearth has 70% of wide and empty fields with only occasional trees while the rest 30% is the actual content. I thought that it could’ve been better if they filled the empty fields with towns or other villages to add liveliness to the planet. However, little did I know that the proportion is done on purpose, to avoid giving too much irrelevant information that could misdirect players. They kept every piece of information within the game relevant for finishing the game and not ‘just lore’ objects like in most open-world games. After all, Outer Wilds at its core is a mystery-heavy game.

It must also be said that the beautiful-looking planets and their vibes support the exploration aspects of the game. I often just wander around the planets, like walking on the wide fields of Timber Hearth without any actual intention other than pondering. The simple and easy-on-the-eyes visuals, accompanied by the relaxing acoustic guitar tunes and ambient noises, create a super cozy atmosphere that relaxes my nerves and often made me sleepy - in a good way, though.

How Others Played Outer Wilds#

My experience playing this game was a bliss. Exploring the star system, fitting the pieces together, leading to the one “eureka” moment in the game was one of my most satisfying gaming moments ever. I cherished every moment of it and I always want to share this feeling with people.

Others who played the game feel the same. The entire Outer Wilds community is very enthusiastic to watch others’ playthroughs, finding out the player’s reactions and watching them reach their own eureka moments. Personally, when I saw a new player reaching that moment, I have never ceased to smile.

Everybody has their own story. The long story I have written above only covers my own journey, and I’m pretty certain that each person has a completely unique story of their own.

I’ve watched a bunch of new players experiencing the game, like streamers, YouTubers, and friends. What I find quite interesting is how different our experiences are from one another, in spite of playing the exact same game. I understand that this is due to the free exploration nature of the game, but it’s fascinating to watch regardless.

An interesting comparison would be About Oliver, a Let’s Play YouTuber and astrophysicist; compared to Joseph Anderson, a streamer and somewhat infamous YouTube-based game critic. I feel like they couldn’t be more different from one another. More specifically, within their problem-solving methods, such as the steps they took to solve particular challenges. Oliver is much more methodical and thorough, while Joseph (call him Joe) is much more experimental and brute-force.

An example is very clear in their DLC playthrough. I know I haven’t explained the DLC at all, but I don’t want to get into too much of that right now. In a nutshell, the DLC is much more practical and rewards experimentation. Remember when I said before that you could literally finish the game within the first 20 minutes if you have sufficient knowledge? Well, in the DLC, you can gain that knowledge by simply experimenting yourself, ultimately leading to shortcuts you can find in the game.

Joe, who has the reputation of finding bugs and breaking games, felt appreciated when the DLC sections rewarded him for his silly little experiments. For example, he basically found a boundary-breaking shortcut by climbing up a particular hill in the game. It took him more than 30 minutes to find that shortcut, although it resulted in him skipping hours of gameplay. In other games he played, such as Star Wars Jedi Survivor and Bugsnax, it literally broke the game by skipping essential parts of the story and hardened the game progression since he hadn’t acquired important skills and items yet.

In Outer Wilds’ case, it pretty much ruined nothing for Joe; nothing was lost. Some people would argue that it ruined some of those “eureka” moments, but I’d say he got those feelings in his own way - by the results of the experiments. I can’t deny that he skipped some mysteries, but if there’s anything, these experiments only make him look a lot more clever than others.

I have the same amount of respect when watching Oliver’s and, additionally, Sovietwomble’s playthroughs. The way they connect information and build conclusions is really thorough and intelligent. They might not have the same mechanical ability as Joe, but their intelligence is one of the main joys of watching their playthroughs.

In contrast, some streamers like daph39 played Outer Wilds completely wrong. They approached it the way they approached hand-held games - like mowing a lawn. What they attempted is exploring aimlessly with little concentration, as if expecting the game would lead them somewhere (it’s not). They are distracted, barely gaining information from inscriptions, and ultimately, they went through various challenges and mysteries only by relying on their Twitch chats. I’m not sure if they found the joy of Outer Wilds at all.

Conclusion#

Outer Wilds was one of the best mystery and exploration games I’ve ever played, if not the best. The game design is what makes it so fascinating, and I can only hope that there will be another game that could match the level that Mobius Digital has reached.

Most people would echo that sentiment. I would say that Outer Wilds is a game that most people can enjoy, as long as you’re not against space, like having a phobia or something similar. I have friends to whom I’ve gifted the game, and they loved it. I’ve seen streamers who aren’t typically into let’s play categories state that the game is their favorite. I’ve even read threads by experts who said that it’s the only game they’ve ever played and didn’t regret any moment of it.

What a beautiful game this is, and I would love to keep sharing the joy. I initially planned to make a short post, but this has turned out to be undoubtedly the longest blog post I’ve ever written, and I may have exhausted everything I want to say about the game. Anyway, I’m happy that the longest blog post I’ve written is about Outer Wilds.