"It can't be that good."

Every technical aspect of this game was executed with perfection. The mechanics, the environment, the soundscape; they all come together to make an unforgettable experience. But, it was the metagame that brought me to my knees.

The game does not hold your hand. There are no indicators of the sort to dictate how you should play the game. Thus, it is your curiosity that drives your each and every action--much like the curiosity that drives the Hatchling's drive to explore. The concept of a protagonist who retains their memories and knowledge from past loop plays well into this dynamic in that you, the player, only know as much as what the Hatchling knows at any given time.

You, yourself, become the Hatchling both in action and mind. In a lot of games, the player pilots a character optimally, according to an envisioned role, or by what they would do. In the Outer Wilds, the player pilots themselves.

Yes, it was that good.