Recent reviews by sweetcuppincakes

This is one of those games that sticks with you. I finished it months before writing this review and I still think about it. I still listen to the OST. Unfortunately, because it sticks with you, you can't go back and experience it again. It's one of those kinds of games though. The ones where you say "I wish I could forget everything and play this game for the first time again." The less you know about the story of this game, the better. As great as I think this game is, I recognize that it's not for everyone. Here are some reasons why:

Piloting a lander
One of the things you do a lot in this game is pilot a small lander from planet to planet. You do this with thrusters for the main cardinal directions, and can rotate 360 for more precise movement. If you can't make a gentle landing or match the trajectory of another moving object, this game will probably frustrate you. You get better at piloting the more you play, but it takes some getting used to.

There's no direction
Everything in this game is for you to discover on your own. You get something like two explicit objectives in the entire game. The rest is for you to figure out. You have a computer that tracks your discoveries and gaps in your knowledge. Through that you can figure out your next steps. So you aren't entirely rudderless, but you don't get way-points on your map or objectives to check off. You also don't have to use the computer at all if you don't want to.

There are time gates and skill gates
This game will test your mastery of its skills at times. You will need to be able to do things within a certain amount of time, like reach a room before it fills up with sand. You will need to be able to navigate obstacles where one wrong move means failure. Along with the above point about there being no clear objectives, this game also involves some trial and error. You will need to figure out the solution to a puzzle by trying and failing.

If one or more of those things sounds like a deal-breaker, maybe you wouldn't be able to look past them to experience what is so great about Outer Wilds. There is something special here though. I really loved this game, even when I got stuck or lost. It's challenging, but there is a zen-like quality to it as well. I still marvel at the one-of-a-kind experiences and incredible story I got to witness. Play this game.

There are 8 different mechs you can transform into that each has a unique ability that allow you to access new parts of the map. There is a good variety in the mechs, enemies, and bosses. Nothing frustrating about the way it plays. Overall, I enjoyed this game. It took me 3.5 hours to 100% it with very little grinding or backtracking.

This is a fun little game that doesn't overstay its welcome. The puzzles are interesting and there are a good number of secrets to find.

There was enough to this game in version 1.0 for an definite recommendation. The 1.4 update just came out and it is crazy to think of all that has been added in the past few years. This is a game with broad appeal as you can play however you would like. Focus on your farm, focus on the quests, focus on the relationships, or try to do it all.

Refunded. Seemed fun, but the game would freeze every few minutes and I had to force quit each time.

I really enjoyed most of this game. The atmosphere, the audio, the voice acting, and the concept are fantastic. The actual game play is less so, but I feel that in light of the experience I was having, that can be forgiven. I was engrossed in who Senua was as a character and I felt for her through her struggles. Some of the things said in this game gave me chills and made me uncomfortable enough at times that I had to take a break from playing. On the other hand, however, the combat is rather dull. The puzzle sections sometimes overstay their welcome. Towards the end it started to feel like a grind. I wish the game had gripped me as tightly at the end as it did in the beginning.

My biggest complaint is that the discoverable audio, which features stories about the Viking gods or encounters with Senua's mother, can be missed. Not a problem in itself, but there is no chapter select (even when the game is over). If you miss any of these encounters, you would have to replay the entire game again. There is important context in these sections. For a game which focuses so heavily on story, why would you want your audience to possibly miss out on what you've created?

Overall, this game offers a unique experience and I am glad I played it. It has some of the best voice acting I've ever heard in a game. I might revisit it again in a few years. I do think people should be aware of what they are getting: an amazing and heart wrenching story, superb audio (acting and atmospheric), and average game play.

This is a fantastic and unique experience. So much is done with the minimalist style. Lucas Pope is certainly gifted at pushing gaming boundaries. I wish I could experience it again for the first time.

As I play more Metroidvanias, I keep coming back to ESA as a benchmark. Most games in the genre fail to live up to it. This is a love letter to the genre's namesakes. This game was made by a dev who really gets it. It's a shame that it is so criminally ignored. I've explored so much and still never uncovered all the secrets, but I still think about what they could mean. I'm certain I will come back to this game someday, which is something I rarely do. The bosses are challenging. The movement is fun. There's a great story behind it all. There is so much packed into each pixel of this game. Highly recommended!

After enjoying the first game, my friend and I played this one. All around, this one is a disappointment in comparison. While none of the puzzles are too difficult to figure out, you will die on many of them several times before you can successfully complete them. Each time you die, the game takes a long time to reload, or fails to load entirely. As a result, we had to quit and restart in order to try again. Most disappointing, is that in order to get the best ending, you have to flip a number of switches throughout the game. If you quit the game at any time, your progress with these switches is not saved. This means, if you want the best ending, you have to complete the game in one sitting. The devs could have easily addressed this, but didn't. That seems to be the main failing in my opinion. With more care and attention this could have been a much better game. I would definitely recommend the first game, which is free, instead of this one.

If you liked painting all the surfaces in Portal 2, this game is for you. It's rather short and simple, but it's a unique experience.