Outer Wilds review

Outer Wilds is the best-reviewed game on this list, with 95% of 53,824 English Steam reviews positive. Mobius Digital casts you as the newest recruit of a small space program in a solar system stuck in an endless time loop. Each planet hides locations that change as time passes: an underground city disappears under sand, and another planet crumbles beneath your feet. You use gadgets to track signals, probe the environment and translate ancient alien writing, and the only progress you keep between loops is knowledge. The game won Best Game at the 2020 BAFTA Games Awards and was named Game of the Year 2019 by Giant Bomb, Polygon, Eurogamer and The Guardian. At $24.99 it is cheap, and it runs on 6 GB of RAM and 8 GB of storage. It ranks second rather than first because it has no combat and no multiplayer, so it covers only the exploration half of this list's brief.

Who it is for

Players who want a story-driven space mystery

Price

$24.99 one-time purchase on Steam (US store).

solar system trapped in an endless time loop. $24.99 Buy on Steam
Quoted from the vendor pricing page on November 12, 2026.

Key features

• Handcrafted solar system trapped in an endless time loop
• Planets that change over time, such as a city swallowed by sand
• Gadgets to probe surroundings, track signals and translate alien writing
• Single-player campaign
• Winner of Best Game at the 2020 BAFTA Games Awards

Strengths and weaknesses

• Strength: 95% of 53,824 English Steam reviews are positive, the highest on this list
• Strength: $24.99 is the cheapest paid game here after Elite Dangerous
• Strength: Minimum spec needs only 6 GB of RAM and 8 GB of storage
• Weakness: No space combat, so it does not suit players who want dogfights
• Weakness: Single-player only
• Weakness: Steam lists Windows only

Key facts

• Developer: Mobius Digital
• Publisher: Annapurna Interactive
• Released on Steam: June 18, 2020
• Awards: Best Game, 2020 BAFTA Games Awards
• English Steam reviews: 95% positive of 53,824

Where it ranks

Outer Wilds is No. 2 in our Best Space Games verdict.