thanks to everyone who watched, and those who left kind words below! the next couple essays i have planned are on Apex Legends and Omori - both very different to the last two, i know. stick around if that sounds like your thing (or, even if they don't, stick around anyway, they may surprise you).
Got my sub. I’m very impressed with how your quality stands up to those who’ve been doing analysis videos for years. I’m looking forward to everything else you put out in the future.
This may sound childish, and I'm sorry if this is too personal. I lost my dad shortly before playing Outer Wilds. It was a very hard time for me. Most of my family is deeply religious, but I consider myself an atheist. I didn't have those spiritual comforts that the rest of my family did. Outer Wilds helped me to process my grief in a way that I was not expecting or really prepared for. It will remain omong my favorite games for this reason. To this day I can't hear the travelers theme without sobbing.
I hope I'm not bothering you but I wanted to share that I can relate to that despite not having a religious family at all. I played Outer Wilds and it's DLC about a year after my mother's sudden death, facing the inevitable death of my terminally ill father who has since passed away. Outer Wilds and the perspectives it offers certainly helped me coming to terms. I hope you are doing well.
this is gonna sound fucked, but we are literally twinsies, like i played outer wilds right after losing my dad, and the game me so much closure that I didnt think i needed, my family is also very religious so me being an atheist grieving was very hard
I went through multiple stages of grief after beating both, but the DLC in particular. I sobbed and sobbed at first. I don't know how to describe why without spoilers, but let's say I've lost some friends and my step-dad to various causes. there was just... so much more that i wanted to say. I would say that both the base game and the DLC do an amazing job at their own differing approaches of tackling the concept of coming to peace with impermanence, in captivating ways. The memory of the psychological imprint which the game had on me at the time is, to me, almost as good as the dream of having a second and equally blind playthrough of the game would be to many other people. It wasn't until a week or two after I'd beaten both games that I'd really had a chance to sit back and think about what they meant to me. Whether I scaled it up to the universe or down to a single lifespan, it applied.
Outerwilds has literally changed my outlook on life and death. At my funeral I want the service to start with end times, and finish with travelers. I love the line that our owlk friend says before the end. "Whatever happens next, I do not think it is to be feared."
i wouldn't say it really changed my outlook, but it certainly nudged it a bit. I've always been pretty Nihilistic, always having that voice in the back of my mind telling me that nothing i did would be worth anything in time, be it days or years or centuries. But ever since playing outer wilds the tone of that voice has changed, it's now saying those things still, but with an additional "but that's okay, so long as you care and feel content." Life isn't about leaving your ripples in history, it's about creating ripples in the now and not caring about where they end up so long as those ripples are created with joy and excitement and curiosity.
@@bronumero7334 I mean while I agree with what you're saying, for this person it's changed their nihilistic outlook and that's a worthwhile thing that should be appreciated instead of saying oh you didn't understand the game.
When the prisoner left me in the prison by myself, I had the fear that he just pulled an infinity blade on me and locked me down there in place of him. I was freaking out, but coming out and seeing him decide to end his “life” or memory, I sat there wishing I could have sat around a fire with him for just a while longer
I always interpreted it more as he is set free, since the other owlks died presumably from the same ghost matter explosion that killed the nomi, he shouldve been safe since his prison was underwater. thats what i hope at least :(
", he shouldve been safe since his prison was underwater. thats what i hope at least" "since the other owlks died presumably from the same ghost matter explosion that killed the nomi, he shouldve been safe since his prison was underwater. thats what i hope at least :(" no. all theyr bodies died including the stranger ( hes been there for over 200k years). Likely they were dead before the Nomi died. Theyr conciousness were "uploaded" into theyr simulation and they can stay there indeffinitly, even if theyr bodies died, aslong as the fire glowed both in the simulation and in reality. if one went out, then they wake up but if theyr bodies dead then theres nothing to wake up to, just oblivion.
@@captianshredderpeople really underestimate the time difference between the nomai and owlks. The owlks were long dead by the time the interloper exploded.
@@captianshredder they have all presumably been in the simulation for millions of years, they are all dead, and you can actually see the prisoners body if you open the door and leave the simulation.
I'm writing this comment as I sit by a slowly dying campfire, and I can't help but get teary-eyed listening to you articulate among other things how we just need to appreciate life in all of it's small comforts and that we are a way for the universe to know itself, even if all we do is look to the night sky in wonder.
honestly, death never got less tense throughout the run of the playthrough. at some points it was necessary and I embraced it, but each time I wanted to live for as long as possible because every second mattered. Outer Wilds forces you to embrace the death of the universe and your own impending death but it still does a great job of making you want to live, not only for the knowledge but also just the fear. Ember twin was one of the last planets i explored, and each time I realized I couldn't escape the crushing sand, I still panicked. Maybe it's because I wanted knowledge, maybe it was my monkey brain instinct. either way, BEAUTIFUL VIDEO!! these kinds of videos really keep me connected to this game and what i learned from it
...and then you have myself, who eventually started 'taking breaks' from the investigative work in the game by flinging myself into the sun as quick as I could for several loops in a row. I think that I was proving to myself that I couldn't actually die, albeit in a very visceral manner. It brought me some comfort to see that no matter how self-destructive I was, I would still return just the same as before. It messed me up a bit when I discovered that only my memories were being sent back in time, and that my whole self had, in truth, died a lot.
@@icthyology how close to the end do you think the memories cut off? Do you remember the flesh melting off your bones each time you flew into the sun? Do you remember the ship burning up and dissolving around you as you plunged into a sea of pure energy?
@@TartarusHimself Considering that the player has different waking sounds depending on how they end the loop (one of my favourite sounds is the gasp you have after suffocating), I would argue that you get memories down to the very last moment of consciousness.
You know, I used to think looking at sun station "I reallyyyyyy wanna go there, but I just can't land my ship on it, it must be hard to get on it" And by the end game, when I finally learned that there's a tp for sun, I went there, got through the cactus, and got to sun station, and when the hatch opened, it was the first time in a long time i feared death, only one thought was going in my mind "I have made it this far, please do not die" I knew that even if I die, getting to the station isn't that hard, yet the shear scale of the sun and the setting just made it so tense
Finally an Outer Wilds video that doesn't just summarize the game's story and events, but an actual analysis, and such a deep and well-thought-out one! Loved every second of it, great job!
Im a little late to the party, but i want to give you the respect you deserve for making probably the most forthright and understanding arguments, not for faith or science, but from a place of understanding. Where logic can too fall place to fallacy, every understanding we have of the world around us, a perspective of our own little universe we hope to weave a part of ourselves into. I am not a religious man, but thank you for helping me see things from another angle, that we all may better understand ourselves, and the truth of our beings. May your experience hold naught but peace and goodness, and to any other happenstance reader; a good day on every horizon.
Games like these remind me of why I'm working to be a scientist. Sometimes when I'm taking classes that seem to have no relevance to my eventual study, or that are just incredibly, unreasonably hard, it's easy to forget what it's all for. But games like Outer Wilds make me remember that absolute joy of learning about and just existing in a world as fantastical as this. This is a game that makes me want to touch grass, in the best way possible.
A year later, I hope you still remember that joy! I'm on a similar path as you, and I consider myself lucky to still wake up every day and explore such an amazing world
@@linkypete Another reason to love Skyward Sword then :D It's really a shame that they were so heavy handed with the hand-holding, because the game has some of the best level-design and puzzles in any Zelda title. Incredible visuals (for the wii at least), music, story and characters. The motion control really clicked with me as well and made for some really tight and innovative gameplay (the wiimote+nunchunk was such a brillant controler overall). Remove Fay coming out automatically to tell you exactly what to do (which was so pointless since there was a button dedicated to asking her for help) and it would probably be my favorite Zelda title by far.
@@Gwynplain Absolutely agree. I was 12 when Skyward Sword came out, and my best friend got it for Christmas that year. Up until then, I had never played anything beyond Wii sports or Lego star wars. When my friend got it, I became obsessed. I saved up for it and bought it, then twilight princess, then a 3ds, and now, over a decade later, I'm at least $10,000 deep in gaming stuff and I don't regret it at all. This is all because of Skyward Sword.
your channel has two videos, they're both about my two favourite games, and they're both the best videos i've seen about them. absolutely phenomenal work, please keep going.
I am just now internalizing how mind-bogglingly skilled Mobius was to name your probe in the game the Little Scout. In one instance of the true ending, 14 billion years after the events where your choices as the player character matter, you see the new universe awakening after the end of your everything. Suddenly, in this ocean of unfamiliarity and new life, there is a sound you recognize: your Little Scout, beeping away, searching for you so it may inform you of its position. Of course, it will find nothing. And yet it still searches. It seeks the only home it knows, nestled into your launcher, eager to return the information it found by being sent ahead of you. It has so much to tell, so many images to show! This is what it was built for, after all. It went ahead 14 billion years to ensure that it was safe, to ensure that you, the player character, could survive! And it took a long time, orbiting space dust and then heat and then crushing gravity and then emptiness and then rock, but it found a place for you! It fulfilled its task - followed its namesake. It said, "I'll scout up ahead. You wait here." And then it did. And then everything, save for the trusty Little Scout, ended.
you will not make me cry for the little machine >:'•( theres something sad about little machines that barely have sentience faithfully doing its job even when theres no one left to do it for. or even if there is left, like in walle, its the loneliness of the little metal worker that keeps going on just for you to do its task i cried for walle every time i watched i think. i wanna replay outer wilds
@@bocolicboulevard8386 Reminds me of the Futurama episode "Jurassic Bark" where Fry's dog at the pizza place waits for him to come home for years, and at the end of the episode this is all shown in a montage with the dog sitting there, so pitifully and heartbreakingly hopeful and worried. I have NEVER cried so hysterically at a piece of media in my entire life. You sit down with your college buddies to watch an episode of a zany absurdist scifi comedy and BAM it just blindsides you with this absolute emotional evisceration. Anyway yeah, I'll probably never shoot my scout into the Eye ever again lol, it can die gloriously with me from now on
I pray this blows up. It's impressive how new perspectives are still constantly being brought in about a game that has already been this heavily analyzed.
this is so good 😭😭😭😭😭😭 the point about the poetic nature of the interloper being a literal dead end in your ship log, and the point about the hatchling being the final echo of the eye... as well as the many other profound points you made in this video... fucking awesome
Cried at the end a bit, beautiful ending to an amazing video - Im not usually a hour long video essay type of person but this video was just everything ive felt in my head about this game and you covered it all so well Seriously cant overstate how good this video was, you did really well
You know, it amazes me to no end that this game will never cease to draw reflection and how countless essays have been written in post. This is easily the first and only game I’ve seen to incite such a response across countless people, demonstrated by the seemingly endless flood of these types of videos. In some eerie understanding, though, I can almost say I’m not surprised, and I’m glad for it. What a unique, touching experience to have in a video game. I’ll never forget about The Outer Wilds.
Before finding the Meditate option, I reset my runs by... saving and quitting to menu. Whoops. If you don't want to de slowly in space, you can also always use your jets to try to get to a planet. Assuming, of course, you haven't been flung away from the system at high speed. No, the worst deaths are crushing deaths in the caves of Ember Twin. That wet crunch is horrifying.
The more I watch videos about this game, the more I realise I will never stop thinking about it. Fantastic video, and with so few views! Looking forward to your next upload
13:35 fun fact! they even considered making the game have that perma-death fail-state. They inevitabley chose not to; I believe they said it was bc it *did* feel too harsh--even if it would be totally justified. Besides...it's not like they can delete your knowledge of what to do. All that would happen is you suddenly lose all of your ship logs. A bitter sting of a punishment...but it would only work once if the player jumped right back into it and some might even say that was enough for them to rage quit anyway.
Just bawled my soul out. God this game is so perfect and you capture all of its intricacy so eloquently that, much like the game itself, I'm left not quite sure whether I'm crying from happiness or sadness, or some profound mixture of both. Every video I watch on this game reminds me that, while the universe is uncaring, and that our place in the gaping maw of this uncertain void might forever be lost to the sands of time, we still played our music. We will continue to play our music even if our chords will forever drift unfettered among the cold sea of blackness outside our home, because we play this music for ourselves, and therefore we must listen. Great video, great game. Please continue to make this kind of content because man, more people need to know about these kinds of games which extend beyond just gathering profit but rather into crafting art.
It's wonderful to have watched this, you have a very clear and concise way of writing without losing any emotion. Loved how you included and acknowledged other videos on outer wilds but still managed to make a video of your own. I cannot get over "You are passengers of the same river, stargazers, looking into the sky with the same wonder. You are both parts of the universe, witnessing itself".
Went through like eight "analysis" videos of this wonderful fucking game which all turned out to be step by step explanations of the story and nothing more. Yours is the only one I've seen that actually unpacks and talks about what themes are on display bravo
Simply CRIMINAL that this doesn't have more views, it's got to be my favorite outer wilds video essay. The commentary was amazing stunning show-stopping but the editing and flow/structure?? I love how much thought was clearly put into breaking down and organizing the main points and I got *chills* when into shadow started playing and I knew things were about to shift gears.
years of training TH-cam to recommend every Outer Wilds video to me have paid off. an incredible analysis of the game in most of its aspects and probably my favorite video on Outer Wilds overall. i especially love how you incorporate other peoples own takes on this game which gives this video an iterative quality that I can't imagine would fit anywhere better than here. Excited to check out what you had to say on Disco Elysium later, and even more so on what's still to come.
When I was eight or so I had a friend who's older brother met an astronaut, can't remember the name of the astronaut sadly since this was nearly 10 years ago. My friends bro asked questions, "how'd takeoff feel?" "You think theres aliens out there?" And "how'd going to the bathroom work?" One of the questions was how'd being out there feel? The answer was pretty simple "It felt lonely, everything is so big and we're so small." That answer just kinda stuck with me.
Love the aggregate approach of discussing the essays and reviews already made of the game. Feels very fitting along with being an engaging way to interact with more ideas.
the section about echoes of the eye may or may not have brought a tear to my eye ..... when people compliment you on your video essay about Outer Wilds of all things, you know you've done well, because only the eye knows how many of those there are
Ahhh! Finally, someone else refers to them as the Strangers! I've always referred to them as that and always saw others refer to them differently. My friend thought calling them that was strange (ironic), yet like you I've always found that it fits them for our character's perspective. Fantastic video and thank you for doing such a great job talking about this games'... Well for lack of a better word, message. The experience of this game is something I'll cherish forever and to see others talk about it in such well thought our detail, always makes me happy. Cheers
Whelp no point in me making a video essay about this game, you’ve already nailed. Side note, err question really. Why does this game make me cry every time I come across it? It’s not even a sad cry, it’s a happy cry, and I’m not that kind of person. Yes I will sometimes cry at the end of something, but then when I come back across it, i won’t, but with this game, the simple playing of the banjo for the main theme will fuck me up. God damn this game was beautiful.
As always, goosebumps with your work. Please keep going, hearing your work in the bast internet we live is lovely and I hope that more people eventually find your work.
Thank you for making this beautiful video essay about my favorite game ever. Really well edited out, smartly structured, masterfully written and man it even managed to really tug at my heartstrings at the end there (well with this game that seems to be the rule rather than the exception with me tbh but still). I really loved the quotes and references to not only classic literature but other video essays of this game, it feels like an iterative and ongoing conversation that help explain why this game is so good, and no one person can do it entirely, but instead a collective continuous effort is needed to do so (like the Prisoner causing the Nomai to inspire the Hatchling in the game).
this might be one of the best video essays i've ever seen. it's really hard to make meaningful commentary on something like outer wilds, because it's already said everything it wants to say. but there's always a little more, and you found a piece of that. i love it. thank you 💛
I could echo any of the praises of the other comments here, but I haven't seen anybody else mention the supernova at the 22 minute mark and I just wanted to say that it was a nice touch.
"They'll rejoice at having a new project to work on for the next 6 months..." 38:29 except, sadly, you know for a fact there is nowhere near that much time left...
This is the most beautiful video ever made. I think you should know that. I was not a man of faith; of ANY faith. But your video gave me a little something to believe in. You and your ideology has become my faith. You gave me the greatest part of myself, something I was missing for years. You gave me faith, even if it's only a little bit. And all we need is a little.
I have death anxiety. I have panic attacks almost every day thinking about it. And anxious rumination the rest of the time. This game was a STRUGGLE and put me in front of my worst fear when I wasn't ready for it sometimes. I knew it had lessons to teach so I kept going and it will for sure make me think a lot in the future
I like to think that the signal emitted by the eye of the universe is the melody of creation played by the beings of the previous universe. It would fit the ending’s theme of how your actions affect the world even after your death
As someone who's made the full journey, and relived the game to the best of my ability via watching other playthroughs and video essays... I think this is my favorite. You are a maestro at this and have a real knack for it. Editing was absolutely perfect to the last detail. It's coming up on a year since I beat the game, actually. Thank you for helping me to remember just why I hold this game so close to my heart.
Anyone doing a video on Outer Wilds is doing good work. I feel like there’s a stigma where nobody wants to talk about it due to spoilers which is sad, it truly is a once in a lifetime experience
I imagine being born at the end of the universe is (would be) an absolutely amazing and honorable position to be in, being able to determine the end a lifeform takes in the face of it all.
You write eloquently, beautifully, dabbing lightness and humor when necessary, yet always forward and thoughtful and unique. I'm impressed by the earnestness you place into your work. I look forward to what you create in the future.
This is like the tenth channel I’ve seen where they’re a small channel, as soon as they make an Outer Wilds video they become popular. Thousands of subs incoming! lol
this might just be my favorite video I have ever seen. no youtube video has ever made me this emotional. outer wilds really is the best game ever made. amazing video essay im gonna check out your other works.
I have a vivid memory of finishing Outer Wilds for the first time. I remember this odd, yet beautiful feeling of witnessing pure beauty. I remember just sitting back while the credits rolled, listening to the music, letting my mind run wild, letting all the emotions flow until there were none left and I was just sitting there, at 2AM, quiet, emotionless, peaceful and aware I will always cherish this memory. ...This channel has 1.4 thousand subs... this video has barely 2.6 thousand views but that simply makes me even more grateful I've seen it. It shows that beauty can hide anywhere, just waiting to be found.
I haven't watched this yet, but I instantly clicked based on the title. Outer Wilds came at a time in my life when I was about to go through something very hard, and I didn't know it yet, and the game taught me something about grief. Andrew Prahlow and the rest of the Outer Wilds team unwittingly helped change my life, and unwittingly were part of an orchestra of small events that brought me to religious faith, despite thousands of hours in church as a kid which could not. Truly a special game. I can't wait to watch this.
it's always lovely to have such wonderfully constructed analysis on outer wilds! i think this really sums up all my own thoughts on the game; that a story so scientific can and should be incredibly spiritual.
I just found your video by TH-cam recommendation, I just realized that I am about to witness surely one of the greatest experiences in a video. I just discovered Outer Wilds and there is no doubt that it has been the most fantastic and unique experience that I have had the pleasure of having in my short life and just looking at the title of your video and the few seconds I saw of it as I write this. I'm about to experience (again) Outer Wilds.
Outer Wilds as a scientific adventure fueled by curiosity is probably the best short description that prevents spoilers yet articulates the essence of its goal as well as the most appealing feature. This helps me share it with others; almost any spoiler is so crucial.
Thank you so much, this is honestly my favorite outer wilds essay. You formulated ideas and references so well, you tell the story of outer wilds in a satisfying way! The theme you chose for this brought tears to my eyes. Wonderful job, I hope to see your next essay videos. May the universe smile upon you and knowledge always be interesting. This was an hour so worth my time I could watch it over again 22 times. I hope our great community brings more essays like yours.
phenomenal writing, great editing, beautiful video. keep up the amazing job, im definitely staying and waiting for more "The universe is a beautiful place and I'm no longer afraid of dying"
absolutely incredible work, and you provided topics I've thought about and wanted to hear other people's views upon them. The entire essay felt thought provoking, and kept the lingering curiosity from finishing the game growing further within me, and I thank you for crafting such a wonderful essay. Really wants me to sit down by a campfire and just share all the theories and thoughts I have on this game with my friends who have also played it. Thank you for this.
I've absolutely loved this game in the year or so since I first played it, and it's amazing seeing someone actually capture the feeling of the game in words. This is probably the best outer wilds video, and I have never wished I could subscribe twice more
This video is incredible. Creating a video on this complex game is a feat in and of its self, but the way you contextualize parts of this experience is unbelievable. The background footage used combined with your calm, storytelling voice works super well and had my eyes and ears glued to the screen. And, this, as a second video? wow... Super impressive. I'm moved by your critique of this wonderful game and can't wait to see what else you create next!
I believe its reverse. Its finding release. Finding true freedom in accepting that everything will end. That sometimes chasing "gods" might doom you. Sure - lore ending is finding the EYE but what does that accomplish? It releases you from the endless death loop. It rewards your ultimate effort and sacrifice. It tells you to explore life. Let yourself be intrigued by the world and the people, no matter how boring they can be. Because all of us have a limit. Our 22 minutes in the universe.
I saw this video on my front page and was sure I wouldn't want to watch it, after all it's yet another hour long video essay about a video game. Decided I'd give it a shot and watch a few minutes through the preview player you get when you mouse over. It is now an hour later and I barely noticed. Good pacing, good perspective, and damn good work overall. I'm not usually one for video essays but I'm gonna drop a subscribe for when I get in the mood to watch a good one.
amazing video, you put a lot of my thoughts about outer wilds into words! outer wilds is my favorite video game ever and i am so happy whenever a new video essay comes across my feed ^_^ thank you so much for making this video
beautiful video for a beautiful game. as a very spiritual person who loves space, seeing your video helping me understand outer wilds more, means a lot. :)
genuinely such a fantastic video, this game means the world to me and its amazing seeing people pass a critical eye to it. i always find it so intriguing what different people pull out if this game. I've watched so many videos on it and not a single person draws the game conclusion or explains the same feelings. outwer wilds is a truly unique experience, and thankyou for sharing yours
thanks to everyone who watched, and those who left kind words below!
the next couple essays i have planned are on Apex Legends and Omori - both very different to the last two, i know. stick around if that sounds like your thing (or, even if they don't, stick around anyway, they may surprise you).
thank you for this amazing video, i will stick around!
Got my sub. I’m very impressed with how your quality stands up to those who’ve been doing analysis videos for years.
I’m looking forward to everything else you put out in the future.
ew Apex Legends
how goes the Omori one? I'm genuinely interested in all your work.
As a famous philosopher bricky once said “fuck dark bramble”
This may sound childish, and I'm sorry if this is too personal. I lost my dad shortly before playing Outer Wilds. It was a very hard time for me. Most of my family is deeply religious, but I consider myself an atheist. I didn't have those spiritual comforts that the rest of my family did. Outer Wilds helped me to process my grief in a way that I was not expecting or really prepared for. It will remain omong my favorite games for this reason. To this day I can't hear the travelers theme without sobbing.
I hope I'm not bothering you but I wanted to share that I can relate to that despite not having a religious family at all. I played Outer Wilds and it's DLC about a year after my mother's sudden death, facing the inevitable death of my terminally ill father who has since passed away. Outer Wilds and the perspectives it offers certainly helped me coming to terms. I hope you are doing well.
@@rostbot2885 I hope the same for you.
this is gonna sound fucked, but we are literally twinsies, like i played outer wilds right after losing my dad, and the game me so much closure that I didnt think i needed, my family is also very religious so me being an atheist grieving was very hard
I went through multiple stages of grief after beating both, but the DLC in particular. I sobbed and sobbed at first. I don't know how to describe why without spoilers, but let's say I've lost some friends and my step-dad to various causes. there was just... so much more that i wanted to say. I would say that both the base game and the DLC do an amazing job at their own differing approaches of tackling the concept of coming to peace with impermanence, in captivating ways. The memory of the psychological imprint which the game had on me at the time is, to me, almost as good as the dream of having a second and equally blind playthrough of the game would be to many other people. It wasn't until a week or two after I'd beaten both games that I'd really had a chance to sit back and think about what they meant to me. Whether I scaled it up to the universe or down to a single lifespan, it applied.
I was in the middle of playing when I lost my grandma. I am also an atheist. This game helped me process that.
Outerwilds has literally changed my outlook on life and death. At my funeral I want the service to start with end times, and finish with travelers. I love the line that our owlk friend says before the end. "Whatever happens next, I do not think it is to be feared."
i wouldn't say it really changed my outlook, but it certainly nudged it a bit. I've always been pretty Nihilistic, always having that voice in the back of my mind telling me that nothing i did would be worth anything in time, be it days or years or centuries. But ever since playing outer wilds the tone of that voice has changed, it's now saying those things still, but with an additional "but that's okay, so long as you care and feel content."
Life isn't about leaving your ripples in history, it's about creating ripples in the now and not caring about where they end up so long as those ripples are created with joy and excitement and curiosity.
Outer wilds is a rejection of nihilism, not an ideologue for it.
@@bronumero7334 I mean while I agree with what you're saying, for this person it's changed their nihilistic outlook and that's a worthwhile thing that should be appreciated instead of saying oh you didn't understand the game.
@@bronumero7334 I think you guys have 180 misunderstood nihilism.
@@kricku nothing to misunderstand about that useless ideology
When the prisoner left me in the prison by myself, I had the fear that he just pulled an infinity blade on me and locked me down there in place of him. I was freaking out, but coming out and seeing him decide to end his “life” or memory, I sat there wishing I could have sat around a fire with him for just a while longer
I always interpreted it more as he is set free, since the other owlks died presumably from the same ghost matter explosion that killed the nomi, he shouldve been safe since his prison was underwater. thats what i hope at least :(
", he shouldve been safe since his prison was underwater. thats what i hope at least" "since the other owlks died presumably from the same ghost matter explosion that killed the nomi, he shouldve been safe since his prison was underwater. thats what i hope at least :(" no. all theyr bodies died including the stranger ( hes been there for over 200k years). Likely they were dead before the Nomi died. Theyr conciousness were "uploaded" into theyr simulation and they can stay there indeffinitly, even if theyr bodies died, aslong as the fire glowed both in the simulation and in reality. if one went out, then they wake up but if theyr bodies dead then theres nothing to wake up to, just oblivion.
@@captianshredderThey didn't, they died of old age from being in the simulation for too long
@@captianshredderpeople really underestimate the time difference between the nomai and owlks. The owlks were long dead by the time the interloper exploded.
@@captianshredder they have all presumably been in the simulation for millions of years, they are all dead, and you can actually see the prisoners body if you open the door and leave the simulation.
“It's the kind of thing that makes you glad you stopped and smelled the pine trees along the way, you know?”
I love the detail that the chapter "End Times / Death" ends at minute 22
Stars beyond count, worlds beyond measure, stories beyond imagining. Yet I share my star, my world, my story with you and for that I'm thankful.
Where does this quote come from? Who says it?
I'm writing this comment as I sit by a slowly dying campfire, and I can't help but get teary-eyed listening to you articulate among other things how we just need to appreciate life in all of it's small comforts and that we are a way for the universe to know itself, even if all we do is look to the night sky in wonder.
honestly, death never got less tense throughout the run of the playthrough. at some points it was necessary and I embraced it, but each time I wanted to live for as long as possible because every second mattered. Outer Wilds forces you to embrace the death of the universe and your own impending death but it still does a great job of making you want to live, not only for the knowledge but also just the fear. Ember twin was one of the last planets i explored, and each time I realized I couldn't escape the crushing sand, I still panicked. Maybe it's because I wanted knowledge, maybe it was my monkey brain instinct. either way, BEAUTIFUL VIDEO!! these kinds of videos really keep me connected to this game and what i learned from it
...and then you have myself, who eventually started 'taking breaks' from the investigative work in the game by flinging myself into the sun as quick as I could for several loops in a row. I think that I was proving to myself that I couldn't actually die, albeit in a very visceral manner. It brought me some comfort to see that no matter how self-destructive I was, I would still return just the same as before. It messed me up a bit when I discovered that only my memories were being sent back in time, and that my whole self had, in truth, died a lot.
@@icthyology how close to the end do you think the memories cut off? Do you remember the flesh melting off your bones each time you flew into the sun? Do you remember the ship burning up and dissolving around you as you plunged into a sea of pure energy?
@@TartarusHimself Considering that the player has different waking sounds depending on how they end the loop (one of my favourite sounds is the gasp you have after suffocating), I would argue that you get memories down to the very last moment of consciousness.
You know, I used to think looking at sun station "I reallyyyyyy wanna go there, but I just can't land my ship on it, it must be hard to get on it"
And by the end game, when I finally learned that there's a tp for sun, I went there, got through the cactus, and got to sun station, and when the hatch opened, it was the first time in a long time i feared death, only one thought was going in my mind "I have made it this far, please do not die"
I knew that even if I die, getting to the station isn't that hard, yet the shear scale of the sun and the setting just made it so tense
Finally an Outer Wilds video that doesn't just summarize the game's story and events, but an actual analysis, and such a deep and well-thought-out one! Loved every second of it, great job!
Im a little late to the party, but i want to give you the respect you deserve for making probably the most forthright and understanding arguments, not for faith or science, but from a place of understanding. Where logic can too fall place to fallacy, every understanding we have of the world around us, a perspective of our own little universe we hope to weave a part of ourselves into.
I am not a religious man, but thank you for helping me see things from another angle, that we all may better understand ourselves, and the truth of our beings.
May your experience hold naught but peace and goodness, and to any other happenstance reader; a good day on every horizon.
Games like these remind me of why I'm working to be a scientist. Sometimes when I'm taking classes that seem to have no relevance to my eventual study, or that are just incredibly, unreasonably hard, it's easy to forget what it's all for. But games like Outer Wilds make me remember that absolute joy of learning about and just existing in a world as fantastical as this. This is a game that makes me want to touch grass, in the best way possible.
A year later, I hope you still remember that joy! I'm on a similar path as you, and I consider myself lucky to still wake up every day and explore such an amazing world
Yeah, didnt think an essay about my favourite game would make me cry, yet here we are.
41:00 The Prisoner is code named kaepora gaebora in the game files, the Devs REALLY liked their Zelda titles.
Not skyward sword tho, since outer wilds was initially conceptualized as a response to how disappointingly hand-holdy and linear skyward sword was
@@linkypete Another reason to love Skyward Sword then :D It's really a shame that they were so heavy handed with the hand-holding, because the game has some of the best level-design and puzzles in any Zelda title. Incredible visuals (for the wii at least), music, story and characters. The motion control really clicked with me as well and made for some really tight and innovative gameplay (the wiimote+nunchunk was such a brillant controler overall). Remove Fay coming out automatically to tell you exactly what to do (which was so pointless since there was a button dedicated to asking her for help) and it would probably be my favorite Zelda title by far.
@@Gwynplain Absolutely agree. I was 12 when Skyward Sword came out, and my best friend got it for Christmas that year. Up until then, I had never played anything beyond Wii sports or Lego star wars. When my friend got it, I became obsessed. I saved up for it and bought it, then twilight princess, then a 3ds, and now, over a decade later, I'm at least $10,000 deep in gaming stuff and I don't regret it at all. This is all because of Skyward Sword.
chert's response about mentioning how beautiful the stars were before they exploded almost made me cry, you delivered his line perfectly
your channel has two videos, they're both about my two favourite games, and they're both the best videos i've seen about them. absolutely phenomenal work, please keep going.
2019 was an absolute banger
Rhe best game ever made
I am just now internalizing how mind-bogglingly skilled Mobius was to name your probe in the game the Little Scout.
In one instance of the true ending, 14 billion years after the events where your choices as the player character matter, you see the new universe awakening after the end of your everything. Suddenly, in this ocean of unfamiliarity and new life, there is a sound you recognize: your Little Scout, beeping away, searching for you so it may inform you of its position. Of course, it will find nothing.
And yet it still searches. It seeks the only home it knows, nestled into your launcher, eager to return the information it found by being sent ahead of you. It has so much to tell, so many images to show! This is what it was built for, after all. It went ahead 14 billion years to ensure that it was safe, to ensure that you, the player character, could survive! And it took a long time, orbiting space dust and then heat and then crushing gravity and then emptiness and then rock, but it found a place for you! It fulfilled its task - followed its namesake. It said, "I'll scout up ahead. You wait here."
And then it did.
And then everything, save for the trusty Little Scout, ended.
you will not make me cry for the little machine >:'•(
theres something sad about little machines that barely have sentience faithfully doing its job even when theres no one left to do it for. or even if there is left, like in walle, its the loneliness of the little metal worker that keeps going on just for you to do its task
i cried for walle every time i watched i think.
i wanna replay outer wilds
@@fool4343 God yeah the pet/machine dutifully carrying out orders "just for you!" Even though their master is long gone trope slays me every time 😢😢😢
@@bocolicboulevard8386 Reminds me of the Futurama episode "Jurassic Bark" where Fry's dog at the pizza place waits for him to come home for years, and at the end of the episode this is all shown in a montage with the dog sitting there, so pitifully and heartbreakingly hopeful and worried. I have NEVER cried so hysterically at a piece of media in my entire life. You sit down with your college buddies to watch an episode of a zany absurdist scifi comedy and BAM it just blindsides you with this absolute emotional evisceration. Anyway yeah, I'll probably never shoot my scout into the Eye ever again lol, it can die gloriously with me from now on
Oh god, staph. I dont want to start viewing the little scout as a dutiful pet. You monster..... what a beautiful thought.
That's ridiculous
I pray this blows up. It's impressive how new perspectives are still constantly being brought in about a game that has already been this heavily analyzed.
this is so good 😭😭😭😭😭😭
the point about the poetic nature of the interloper being a literal dead end in your ship log, and the point about the hatchling being the final echo of the eye... as well as the many other profound points you made in this video... fucking awesome
I heard the music at 21:00 and thought, “hold on…” and checked the time. I love that detail you put in!
Cried at the end a bit, beautiful ending to an amazing video - Im not usually a hour long video essay type of person but this video was just everything ive felt in my head about this game and you covered it all so well
Seriously cant overstate how good this video was, you did really well
those words mean a lot to me, thank you.
You know, it amazes me to no end that this game will never cease to draw reflection and how countless essays have been written in post. This is easily the first and only game I’ve seen to incite such a response across countless people, demonstrated by the seemingly endless flood of these types of videos.
In some eerie understanding, though, I can almost say I’m not surprised, and I’m glad for it. What a unique, touching experience to have in a video game. I’ll never forget about The Outer Wilds.
2:56 You are breaking the ship Samir!
Before finding the Meditate option, I reset my runs by... saving and quitting to menu. Whoops.
If you don't want to de slowly in space, you can also always use your jets to try to get to a planet. Assuming, of course, you haven't been flung away from the system at high speed.
No, the worst deaths are crushing deaths in the caves of Ember Twin. That wet crunch is horrifying.
*Anglerfish enters the chat
The more I watch videos about this game, the more I realise I will never stop thinking about it. Fantastic video, and with so few views! Looking forward to your next upload
Holy crap dude this video is the best Outer Wilds video i've seen!! The only issue i have is that you KEEP BURNING THE DARN MARCHMALLOWS!
Made my cry as if I just experienced Outer Wilds again. Thank you for your essay, friend.
It's very very rare that I see such high quality work with such little interaction. Your video had a beautiful thesis and I hope more people see it.
Damn, I've watched outer wilds content for 3 years now and this vid was as good as any. Thank you. This game still hits me with the feels
13:35 fun fact! they even considered making the game have that perma-death fail-state. They inevitabley chose not to; I believe they said it was bc it *did* feel too harsh--even if it would be totally justified.
Besides...it's not like they can delete your knowledge of what to do. All that would happen is you suddenly lose all of your ship logs. A bitter sting of a punishment...but it would only work once if the player jumped right back into it and some might even say that was enough for them to rage quit anyway.
That, and there were some issues with the console versions and deleting saves.
Just bawled my soul out. God this game is so perfect and you capture all of its intricacy so eloquently that, much like the game itself, I'm left not quite sure whether I'm crying from happiness or sadness, or some profound mixture of both. Every video I watch on this game reminds me that, while the universe is uncaring, and that our place in the gaping maw of this uncertain void might forever be lost to the sands of time, we still played our music. We will continue to play our music even if our chords will forever drift unfettered among the cold sea of blackness outside our home, because we play this music for ourselves, and therefore we must listen.
Great video, great game. Please continue to make this kind of content because man, more people need to know about these kinds of games which extend beyond just gathering profit but rather into crafting art.
In first versions of the game the coordinates for The Eye were not prompted on the screen, you had to write them down or remember them.
It's wonderful to have watched this, you have a very clear and concise way of writing without losing any emotion. Loved how you included and acknowledged other videos on outer wilds but still managed to make a video of your own. I cannot get over "You are passengers of the same river, stargazers, looking into the sky with the same wonder. You are both parts of the universe, witnessing itself".
Went through like eight "analysis" videos of this wonderful fucking game which all turned out to be step by step explanations of the story and nothing more. Yours is the only one I've seen that actually unpacks and talks about what themes are on display bravo
Simply CRIMINAL that this doesn't have more views, it's got to be my favorite outer wilds video essay. The commentary was amazing stunning show-stopping but the editing and flow/structure?? I love how much thought was clearly put into breaking down and organizing the main points and I got *chills* when into shadow started playing and I knew things were about to shift gears.
Great video ! Glad people are still making videos about this game.
years of training TH-cam to recommend every Outer Wilds video to me have paid off.
an incredible analysis of the game in most of its aspects and probably my favorite video on Outer Wilds overall.
i especially love how you incorporate other peoples own takes on this game which gives this video an iterative quality that I can't imagine would fit anywhere better than here.
Excited to check out what you had to say on Disco Elysium later, and even more so on what's still to come.
When I was eight or so I had a friend who's older brother met an astronaut, can't remember the name of the astronaut sadly since this was nearly 10 years ago. My friends bro asked questions, "how'd takeoff feel?" "You think theres aliens out there?" And "how'd going to the bathroom work?"
One of the questions was how'd being out there feel? The answer was pretty simple "It felt lonely, everything is so big and we're so small." That answer just kinda stuck with me.
Love the aggregate approach of discussing the essays and reviews already made of the game. Feels very fitting along with being an engaging way to interact with more ideas.
the section about echoes of the eye may or may not have brought a tear to my eye ..... when people compliment you on your video essay about Outer Wilds of all things, you know you've done well, because only the eye knows how many of those there are
Ahhh! Finally, someone else refers to them as the Strangers! I've always referred to them as that and always saw others refer to them differently. My friend thought calling them that was strange (ironic), yet like you I've always found that it fits them for our character's perspective. Fantastic video and thank you for doing such a great job talking about this games'... Well for lack of a better word, message. The experience of this game is something I'll cherish forever and to see others talk about it in such well thought our detail, always makes me happy.
Cheers
Man this is one of the best essays I've heard in a long time. Keep it up.
Whelp no point in me making a video essay about this game, you’ve already nailed.
Side note, err question really. Why does this game make me cry every time I come across it? It’s not even a sad cry, it’s a happy cry, and I’m not that kind of person. Yes I will sometimes cry at the end of something, but then when I come back across it, i won’t, but with this game, the simple playing of the banjo for the main theme will fuck me up. God damn this game was beautiful.
As always, goosebumps with your work. Please keep going, hearing your work in the bast internet we live is lovely and I hope that more people eventually find your work.
Thank you for making this beautiful video essay about my favorite game ever. Really well edited out, smartly structured, masterfully written and man it even managed to really tug at my heartstrings at the end there (well with this game that seems to be the rule rather than the exception with me tbh but still).
I really loved the quotes and references to not only classic literature but other video essays of this game, it feels like an iterative and ongoing conversation that help explain why this game is so good, and no one person can do it entirely, but instead a collective continuous effort is needed to do so (like the Prisoner causing the Nomai to inspire the Hatchling in the game).
Glad this popped up in my recommended. Lovely stuff
This is a wonderful video, but I can't help but be intensely disturbed that you burn every single one of your marshmallows.
it is (regrettably) how i like them in real life
mmmm carcinogens!
Amazing video! I honestly didn't even notice it was 2.4 loops long until the end, the time just flew by but I loved every second of it
this might be one of the best video essays i've ever seen. it's really hard to make meaningful commentary on something like outer wilds, because it's already said everything it wants to say. but there's always a little more, and you found a piece of that. i love it. thank you 💛
I could echo any of the praises of the other comments here, but I haven't seen anybody else mention the supernova at the 22 minute mark and I just wanted to say that it was a nice touch.
"They'll rejoice at having a new project to work on for the next 6 months..." 38:29
except, sadly, you know for a fact there is nowhere near that much time left...
ah, when I clicked this video, i wasn't expected to be blown away by your stellar commentary! Brilliant stuff!
Outrageously high quality content for such a small sub count. You're gonna pop off soon. Can't wait to see what you do next.
This is the most beautiful video ever made. I think you should know that.
I was not a man of faith; of ANY faith. But your video gave me a little something to believe in. You and your ideology has become my faith. You gave me the greatest part of myself, something I was missing for years.
You gave me faith, even if it's only a little bit. And all we need is a little.
I have death anxiety. I have panic attacks almost every day thinking about it. And anxious rumination the rest of the time. This game was a STRUGGLE and put me in front of my worst fear when I wasn't ready for it sometimes. I knew it had lessons to teach so I kept going and it will for sure make me think a lot in the future
I really loved this, and the Disco Elysium one too! Easiest subscription in a while! Keep it up!
I like to think that the signal emitted by the eye of the universe is the melody of creation played by the beings of the previous universe. It would fit the ending’s theme of how your actions affect the world even after your death
As someone who's made the full journey, and relived the game to the best of my ability via watching other playthroughs and video essays... I think this is my favorite. You are a maestro at this and have a real knack for it. Editing was absolutely perfect to the last detail.
It's coming up on a year since I beat the game, actually. Thank you for helping me to remember just why I hold this game so close to my heart.
Anyone doing a video on Outer Wilds is doing good work. I feel like there’s a stigma where nobody wants to talk about it due to spoilers which is sad, it truly is a once in a lifetime experience
Really great video! One of the best outer wilds essays i've seen
This is by far my new favourite Outer Wilds essay, you touched on every damn aspect I absolutely adore about this game. Incredible work!
I imagine being born at the end of the universe is (would be) an absolutely amazing and honorable position to be in, being able to determine the end a lifeform takes in the face of it all.
You write eloquently, beautifully, dabbing lightness and humor when necessary, yet always forward and thoughtful and unique.
I'm impressed by the earnestness you place into your work. I look forward to what you create in the future.
This was an absolute joy to watch. The music, editing, narration. Job well done!
The quality to sub ratio on this channel is insane you deserve way more! Awesome vid
Me when a small channel yet again makes an incredible outer wilds video that gives me chills
This is like the tenth channel I’ve seen where they’re a small channel, as soon as they make an Outer Wilds video they become popular.
Thousands of subs incoming! lol
this might just be my favorite video I have ever seen. no youtube video has ever made me this emotional. outer wilds really is the best game ever made.
amazing video essay im gonna check out your other works.
I have a vivid memory of finishing Outer Wilds for the first time. I remember this odd, yet beautiful feeling of witnessing pure beauty. I remember just sitting back while the credits rolled, listening to the music, letting my mind run wild, letting all the emotions flow until there were none left and I was just sitting there, at 2AM, quiet, emotionless, peaceful and aware I will always cherish this memory.
...This channel has 1.4 thousand subs... this video has barely 2.6 thousand views but that simply makes me even more grateful I've seen it.
It shows that beauty can hide anywhere, just waiting to be found.
I haven't watched this yet, but I instantly clicked based on the title. Outer Wilds came at a time in my life when I was about to go through something very hard, and I didn't know it yet, and the game taught me something about grief. Andrew Prahlow and the rest of the Outer Wilds team unwittingly helped change my life, and unwittingly were part of an orchestra of small events that brought me to religious faith, despite thousands of hours in church as a kid which could not. Truly a special game. I can't wait to watch this.
What a nice video essay. Thank you for making this!
I'm a simple man. I see an Outer Wilds video essay, I click on it and watch. Thank you for this wonderful video, friend.
Bravo. Just bravo. Excellent insights. Making me cry again lol
Leaving this comment solely to encourage your new channel :)
This was wonderful, excellent work. Looking forward to your future stuff.
it's always lovely to have such wonderfully constructed analysis on outer wilds! i think this really sums up all my own thoughts on the game; that a story so scientific can and should be incredibly spiritual.
I just found your video by TH-cam recommendation, I just realized that I am about to witness surely one of the greatest experiences in a video. I just discovered Outer Wilds and there is no doubt that it has been the most fantastic and unique experience that I have had the pleasure of having in my short life and just looking at the title of your video and the few seconds I saw of it as I write this. I'm about to experience (again) Outer Wilds.
Outer Wilds as a scientific adventure fueled by curiosity is probably the best short description that prevents spoilers yet articulates the essence of its goal as well as the most appealing feature. This helps me share it with others; almost any spoiler is so crucial.
This video is easily one of the most jaw droppingly well made things on this platform, you have done such an amazing job. Thank you.
Thank you so much, this is honestly my favorite outer wilds essay. You formulated ideas and references so well, you tell the story of outer wilds in a satisfying way! The theme you chose for this brought tears to my eyes. Wonderful job, I hope to see your next essay videos. May the universe smile upon you and knowledge always be interesting. This was an hour so worth my time I could watch it over again 22 times. I hope our great community brings more essays like yours.
This video essay was perfect and probably My favorite on the game I've seen. Thank you for vocalizing so much of what makes this game so special.
phenomenal writing, great editing, beautiful video. keep up the amazing job, im definitely staying and waiting for more
"The universe is a beautiful place and I'm no longer afraid of dying"
This might be one of my favorite TH-cam videos of all time good work.
absolutely incredible work, and you provided topics I've thought about and wanted to hear other people's views upon them. The entire essay felt thought provoking, and kept the lingering curiosity from finishing the game growing further within me, and I thank you for crafting such a wonderful essay. Really wants me to sit down by a campfire and just share all the theories and thoughts I have on this game with my friends who have also played it. Thank you for this.
This is a very timely video essay!! I just finished this game a week ago. I can't stop thinking about it
Fantastic video.
I've absolutely loved this game in the year or so since I first played it, and it's amazing seeing someone actually capture the feeling of the game in words. This is probably the best outer wilds video, and I have never wished I could subscribe twice more
This video is incredible. Creating a video on this complex game is a feat in and of its self, but the way you contextualize parts of this experience is unbelievable. The background footage used combined with your calm, storytelling voice works super well and had my eyes and ears glued to the screen. And, this, as a second video? wow... Super impressive. I'm moved by your critique of this wonderful game and can't wait to see what else you create next!
I believe its reverse. Its finding release. Finding true freedom in accepting that everything will end. That sometimes chasing "gods" might doom you.
Sure - lore ending is finding the EYE but what does that accomplish? It releases you from the endless death loop. It rewards your ultimate effort and sacrifice.
It tells you to explore life. Let yourself be intrigued by the world and the people, no matter how boring they can be. Because all of us have a limit. Our 22 minutes in the universe.
I saw this video on my front page and was sure I wouldn't want to watch it, after all it's yet another hour long video essay about a video game. Decided I'd give it a shot and watch a few minutes through the preview player you get when you mouse over.
It is now an hour later and I barely noticed.
Good pacing, good perspective, and damn good work overall. I'm not usually one for video essays but I'm gonna drop a subscribe for when I get in the mood to watch a good one.
you’ve got a very relaxing voice! thank you for adding to my outer wilds essay collection
This was beautiful! What an amazing game, and I love how you gave it perspective on how to find meaning in the universe. Thanks for this video!
amazing video, you put a lot of my thoughts about outer wilds into words! outer wilds is my favorite video game ever and i am so happy whenever a new video essay comes across my feed ^_^ thank you so much for making this video
beautiful video for a beautiful game. as a very spiritual person who loves space, seeing your video helping me understand outer wilds more, means a lot. :)
this video made me cry about outer wilds AGAIN. great job.
Wow, thank you for making such a beautiful essay.
Beautiful essay and delivery, my friend. Nice to know this game had the same profound effect on others.
This is criminally high quality and profound content for such a small channel! Liked and subbed!
genuinely such a fantastic video, this game means the world to me and its amazing seeing people pass a critical eye to it. i always find it so intriguing what different people pull out if this game. I've watched so many videos on it and not a single person draws the game conclusion or explains the same feelings. outwer wilds is a truly unique experience, and thankyou for sharing yours