Through the use of interactivity, video games are able to have highly significant artistic

meaning. However, this remains nothing but theory unless there is actually a game that is able to

accomplish it. The 2019 exploration-adventure game Outer Wilds provides a perfect example of

how a video game can have this artistic value. Outer Wilds takes place in a foreign solar system

where the player controls an alien astronaut stuck in a time loop as they try to unravel the

mysteries of the cosmos. At the beginning of the game, the player is given a small amount of

instruction before launching into space with no specific objectives. While this may at first seem

reminiscent of open world survival games such as Minecraft, they strongly differ in that Outer

Wilds is story-driven and has many achievable objectives, they are just not directly given to the

player. Instead, the player must explore the solar system and define goals on their own. As they

make their way around the different planets, the main story slowly reveals itself, of a long extinct

civilization that lived in the same solar system millions of years ago. The story of the ancient

race, called the Nomai, unveils itself as the player retraces their long forgotten steps by

translating writings left behind. The open exploration consistently elicits a sense of wonder, with

many impactful moments of realization and discovery. By having the player uncover the mystery

entirely on their own, the game allows them to deeply connect with the compelling and

ultimately tragic story. If the storytelling was merely presented to the player, as it typically is in

many other types of media, it would not have nearly as much emotional, and therefore artistically

impactful. One of the central mechanics of the game is the twenty-two minute time loop that the

player finds themselves in. Throughout their twenty-two minutes of exploration, the solar

system’s sun slowly expands and eventually goes supernova, wiping out all existence in the

vicinity. Following the event, the player wakes up in the exact same spot they started the game

in, all progress reset, but their new knowledge still intact. This creates an interesting gameplay
loop where the only progression is in the form of information learned, tying progress directly to

the player instead of the game. As the player learns more about the repeatedly exploding solar

system and the influences of the ancient Nomai, the main goal of the game becomes more and

more clear. The actual ending of Outer Wilds is a fairly abstract sequence that does not provide a

clear narrative ending, but rather focuses on the themes and ideas presented in the game. While it

is very much up to interpretation, the meaning of the game revealed in the ending has in some

part to do with accepting change and being able to let go. In the case demonstrated in the game,

the player is accepting the death of the universe, but this message still translates to real life.

Personally, I played the game over a year ago and this message, along with the creative way it

was presented, still deeply resonates with me. Outer Wilds builds off of its base of an interesting

interactive system to create an incredibly immersive and impactful experience. The emotions that

the game evokes are a clear indication of artistic meaning, no matter the exact definition.