The space exploration/time loop game Outer Wilds, which was released to the Epic Games Store and to Xbox One in May, will get a release onto Playstation 4 on October 15, according to the Official U.S. Playstation blog.
The game involves unraveling a web of mysteries as you travel around a strangely-small solar system filled with unusual vistas, creatures, and horrors that all tie together in ways that help players figure out their universe's secrets as they move their ship throughout the world.
Space exploration is only part one part of the game, as players also find themselves trapped in an infinite time loop, and have to use their ever-growing knowledge to find ways into inaccessible areas as they retry their journey through the clockwork universe over and over again, Majora's Mask-style.
The universe is constantly changing throughout the loop, meaning that some areas are only accessible at certain times, making each run a race against the clock as you puzzle out how everything is connected.
"Each environment is handcrafted to fit the design of its unique narrative and game systems," developer Kelsey Rice said in the blog post announcing the upcoming release. "The 22-minute time loop allows each location in the game to change dramatically and irrevocably as time progresses."
The end result is a universe that, despite its smaller size, feels utterly indifferent to the player's presence. Characters and nature go about their regular course regardless of whether the players are ready for them — and many times, they won't be, forcing them to try again until they get things right.
The game's unusual cosmos and Groundhog Day-style narrative earned it a lot of attention when it was first released, gaining accolades from many critics. However, it was criticized for its choice to abandon Steam for the Epic Games Store, which many dislike for its tendency to hoard exclusives on PC.
The dense story and imaginative design will likely find plenty of fans among PS4 players who have had to wait five long months for this release. Mobius Digital will hopefully have even more imaginative ideas for us to experience in future games for all systems.
Source: IGN