Amanda's Outlier: Outer Wilds
- This game's status as an 'outlier' means it was only ranked by Amanda.
- Amanda ranked the game #1.
Amanda writes:
This was my perfect game.
Honestly, it might not have been if I’d played it solo. But it was my perfect game because we played it together. I think about Outer Wilds a surprising amount still, considering how long ago we played it. Certain things will bring it up…the song will pop back into my head, or I’ll see a picture of a group around a campfire…or a picture of an anglerfish.
Outer Wilds felt like a true adventure. The non-linear storytelling and slow-burn reveals were wonderful. I loved unraveling the lore, exploring ancient ruins, and gradually piecing together a story that stretched across millennia. The worldbuilding was so rich and thoughtful that by the time the ending arrived, it felt both surprising and inevitable…like the best stories do.
The puzzles were complex, but never frustrating. There was always more to discover, so it was easy to step away from a challenge and wander off to find something else. The puzzles were why I loved playing with our group. Everyone brought a different way of thinking to the table, and this game encouraged creative solutions. Sometimes I’m not even sure we had the ‘correct’ solution, but we had one that worked. That joy of discovery and the gasps of amazement when something came together in just the right way really stayed with me.
If I had played it myself, I think I would have found the final sequence too challenging. I’m grateful I was able to just watch Casey navigate, and I appreciate that the high-stakes nature made it feel like an absolute triumph when we made it through.
But what really sets Outer Wilds apart for me is the ending. There’s no traditional ‘win.’ You spend the game hoping you can stop the sun from going supernova… and you can’t. Death is inevitable. But the game doesn’t dwell in that grief. It shows that our choices matter. What we do, who we spend time with matters. The scene where they find each other in the woods and their songs join together and they reflect on their lives…that moment still makes me emotional. It’s such a beautiful reflection on life and connections. And in the end, it leaves you with hope too, that maybe during the course of our journey we left something good behind for whoever comes next.