Mobius Digital has once again proven that they are masters of their craft. Echoes of the Eye carries on the legacy of Outer Wilds by delivering a riveting narrative told in a beautiful new world, paired with an excellent use of the main game's mechanics to deliver its story. While some parts of the DLC are frustrating in their implentation of horror elements, the option to make these parts easier, as well as the other parts of the game, make them worth going through.
Everything you wanted from an Outer Wilds DLC in a package you never thought to expect. Echoes of the Eye puts its own twists on the base game’s formula without a single misstep.
another masterpiece at the level of the base game, The atmosphere is incredible, although there are people who complain about a certain section of the game, I personally liked it and there is an option that makes it much easier, just play it
That's what makes Echoes of the Eye unmissable if you couldn't get enough of Outer Wilds. It manages to push you in new, challenging directions with puzzles that scratch the same part of your brain that the original did while not relying on the same tricks. It's a feat that shows the depth of design prowess Mobius Digital first flexed in its debut title, but stumbles slightly when it tries to redefine its means of progression in the final third. These are the weakest moments in all Outer Wilds, but they aren't enough to sully what this fantastic expansion adds to an adventure that still stands as captivating and engrossing.
Despite a few flaws, Echoes of the Eye brilliantly replicates what made the magic of Outer Wilds, with a new area that is both puzzling and awe-inspiring, both sumptuous and mysterious. It's simple, the first few hours of the adventure are absolutely thrilling, when the player slowly takes ownership of the workings and secrets of an environment that seems to be there from the start. An excellent start, however, a little spoiled by new horror-oriented phases, where you will pace in the dark if you do not have the right information, at the risk of being spotted by frightening creatures and having to go back and forth. frustrating returns to try your luck again. As usual, you may also be frustrated if a crucial clue passes you by, Echoes of the Eye calling more than ever to be an observer. Otherwise, it's a complete success. A goodbye worthy of the name to the great Outer Wilds.
Echoes of the Eye is a wonderful return to the clockwork solar system of Outer Wilds, even if its occasional horror game sections aren’t quite as interesting as what came before.
This DLC simply isn’t as good as the base game - unless you really like horror and really hate reading old texts in which case the reverse might be true. At any rate, this is a very good pretext for returning to one of the best games of the decade.
If you like Outer Wilds, you'll still likely have fun with this. It has a lot of good qualities, and I'd say it's worth the small price tag.
However, while I enjoyed it, it wasn't close to my love for the original game. The content of this DLC contains two notable changes which I personally didn't like as much.
The first change is that there is basically no notable text, with hints instead given in image form. Some players make like this change, but personally I found it harder to follow, especially since it's difficult for the developers to assume you've noticed details in the images, so the "Rumors" screen is far less useful. This also leads to some backtracking as you scour the map to re-check information you've seen to make sure you haven't missed anything.
[Minor spoilers below, but trying not to say anything of note]
The second issue I had is in the second area of the game, where the game takes on a more horror-esque vibe. While the implementation of this area is done well, it feels like a very different game to the earlier DLC area and the original game. There are far more restrictions placed on the player, especially with regards to movement. The area retains the puzzle vibe, but loses a lot of what made the original game so great, with interesting physics and motion. Even the time element of this area, while present, is far more minor than in the rest of the game.
Still, there is a lot of value to be gained from this DLC. If you adored the base game as much as I did, I still recommend picking up this DLC. It doesn't quite live up to the base game in my opinion, but it's still an enjoyable experience, even in later areas.
I loved this DLC at first. The new world was amazing and I had a lot of fun exploring.
Then I learned about the artifact and THAT part happened.
I have no idea who greenlit changing the genre **** this much but they should feel bad for themselves.
I didn't sign up for this and worse of all the fright-less option does absolutely nothing.
I rate it 9/10 for the first part, 3/10 for where I'm stuck now so 6/10.
If you want to start totally clean and be (potentially negatively) surprised by its themes, skip this.
I really wanted to like this but instead feels like an annoying emo phase of the base game.
Reasons I consider this inferior:
- several gameplay aspects of the base game I loved are no longer prevalent
- way easier to confuse yourself into getting stuck by progressing out of order
- while the story is excellently weaved into the lore, I'm not happier for uncovering all the details
- much more forced aesthetic than the base game
Craftsmanship is excellent, but I can't justify saying I liked it, if it just didn't feel fun:
- I didn't feel the same wonder as before, sans a couple brief jaw-dropping occasions
- the theme is not what I signed up for, even though I anticipated feeling some extra eeriness
- original game's ending fell flat for me, that was my only gripe with an otherwise masterpiece, but this felt even less rewarding
- half my game time was permeated by frustration
It detracted from how fondly I remember the base game due to repetitively playing a subset of the mechanics, half spent in an aesthetic that I did not enjoy, for too long.
Spent half the length of the base game doing 20% of what I liked about it.
I'd love another DLC that has more of the original mechanics, the capacity for greatness is 100% here.
I don't think the people who praise it are delusional, I just don't think as many people who loved the base game will feel that way as the amount of high scores suggest.
[minor thematic spoiler below, regarding the "emo phase" comment]
The theme was just really damn nihilistic, I don't see why it had to be to this extent, and I'm simply not into it
SummaryA strange satellite photo that can’t be explained. A new museum exhibit that marks the trailhead for one last journey into the wilds. Should you pull at the thread and unravel the solar system’s deepest secret, or is some knowledge better left in the dark? Welcome to the Space Program! You're the newest recruit of Outer Wilds Ventures, a...