In the original game, every new bit of information is tied into a central narrative. This gives Echoes of the Eye an outsized influence compared with any of the other planets or subplots in the game, and that threatens to throw off Outer Wilds’ delicate interconnectedness. But by my estimation, it’s at least as long as the base game by itself. It’s hard to tell exactly how long, because it will depend on how quickly any given player figures out the puzzles and the order in which they explore. For one thing, Echoes of the Eye is long. But I have my reservations about that, too. Players who are getting into Outer Wilds for the first time with Echoes of the Eye included may not experience these problems, since they’ll be able to explore the universe in a more flexible order again. Some of the frustration remained, and there was at least one major scripted jumpscare regardless. Ultimately, though, I couldn’t entirely tell what had changed. And at points where the scary parts merged with mechanical challenges (if you’ve played the main game, think Dark Bramble), they became so frustrating that I ended up turning on the low-scares mode in an attempt just to make things easier. Over time, though, this tension completely wore off. It’s hung over me for hours upon hours playing this game, but I was so highly strung by the previous few minutes that it still managed to catch me off guard. Not the supernova, even! Just the bright redthing that is quite literally central to the game and its world. After a particularly intense moment, I caught sight of the sky out of the corner of my eye and, somehow, was jumpscared by the sun. And there are long sections that do deliver near-constant high tension. It’s intended to be a scarier experience, even coming with a warning and option to reduce the worst of it. The samey-ness of being in one place also undermines Echoes of the Eye’s sense of mood. If a player has already completed the base game, there’s no way to jumpstart that feeling again once the location becomes familiar. Echoes of the Eye, on the other hand, is trapped by its need to be self-contained. If you’re stuck, or just in the mood for something different, jetting off to a totally new planet is not only possible but encouraged. Though revisiting Outer Wilds’ celestial bodies over and over again is a key component of the game, it usually relies on its complete open-endedness to sustain its sense of marvel. Careful study and navigation lead to moments of gasp-out-loud awe. Almost the entirety of the expansion plays out there, and finding and first exploring the area has all the joy of a fresh Outer Wilds playthrough. This thread will unravel into the discovery of a whole new location. The only clue that something has slightly changed in this otherwise endlessly preserved solar system is a new museum exhibit. In 22 minutes, the sun will explode, but for now, you’re at home. Waking up at the campfire, a blanket of stars overhead, a rickety ship ready to take you to them. Unfortunately, more Outer Wilds is not the uncomplicated premise that it might first appear. If I was reading this review rather than writing it, that might have been where I closed the tab, satisfied that that was all I wanted. It’s more of the compelling mystery more of the moments of wide-eyed wonder and more of the thematic exploration of connectedness, curiosity, and mortality. Echoes of the Eye is an expansion that fits right into the base game, playable at any point within the narrative’s open-ended structure.
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