The Horrors of the Outer Wilds
- Maia Labbe
- Nov 25, 2023
- 2 min read
When I was first thinking about playing Outer Wilds, I decided to do a bit of research. I wasn’t spoiling the game for myself. Like many others, I wanted to go in blind. But I also didn’t want to start something I couldn’t finish.
I can’t handle video games that cause anxiety. There have been a few exceptions to this rule, of course.
I managed to play through Stray multiple times. The Zurks were my worst nightmare, though, and nearly made me quit. I’m not really a fan of being chased down by little creatures that want to eat me alive.
So, I had to make sure that I would be able to handle Outer Wilds. The results were not comforting.
“Outer Wilds is the scariest and most anxiety inducing game I have ever played,” said u/JimmyRecard on Reddit.
Realistically, statements like this should’ve driven me away, but, instead, I decided to give the game a chance. How scary could space exploration be?
The base game of Outer Wilds isn’t technically considered horror. It is more so an action adventure game.
There only is one location that, to me, would qualify as horror. The Dark Bramble is my worst nightmare. It is filled with Angler Fish that will chase you down and eat you. Once they sense you, there really is no escaping them.
Other than this, Outer Wilds is primarily psychological horror. There is a certain level of unease. Your character is on their own stuck in this never ending cycle. It can feel very isolating and unsettling.
Only one NPC, Gabbro, is also aware of the time loop. They say, “I think I might have just, like, died?” Of course, no one except the main character believes them.
There are other NPCs who notice that something is wrong but, because they were not paired with a statue, they are not part of the time loop.
Chert, on the Ember Twin, for example, notices an increased number of supernovae, to the point where it has gotten concerning.
The later into the loop you speak with them, the more worried they get. At the end of the loop they say, “The stars! They’re all dying! There’ve been too many supernovae for it to be anything else! We’re next, do you understand?! Our sun! By Hearth’s name, we’re next!”
"The stars! They’re all dying! There’ve been too many supernovae for it to be anything else! We’re next, do you understand?! Our sun! By Hearth’s name, we’re next!”
This statement in itself is terrifying. Chert is the only one who realizes what is going on. Everyone else will be gone in an instant. In every loop, Chert is faced with the absolute horror of this knowledge.
The knowledge of impending doom is what makes Outer Wilds so horrifying. Each loop will end exactly the same until you find a way to break the cycle.
Comments