If I could erase my memory and enjoy any game for the first time again, it would 100% be this.
For fans of Valve's Portal games, the Talos Principle will scratch the same itch and then scratch it again - the first person perspective and in-game physics even provides an uncanny resemblance to the source engine. The game is beautifully crafted and simply a delight to explore at your own pace. This is further enhanced by the game's ambient soundtrack. The game slowly increases in difficulty as you progress and provides you with new 'tools' to solve the puzzles in a way that never feels too easy or hard for the most part. Of course, there are some very memorable puzzles that will feel impossible at first and when you eventually solve them it is very satisfying. There's also plenty of youtube videos that will help you if you get stuck. The game does have a philosophical storyline and the amount of effort you put into the is entirely up to you. However, to get the most out of it you do need to spend a lot of time reading texts found in terminals scattered throughout the levels. For what it's worth, I didn't put much effort into following the storyline but still felt satisfied with the ending. In terms of size, if you are a completionist you should get at least 25-30 hours out of the base game as there are 3 main zones to complete - each with multiple subzones. There's also heaps of hidden secrets and easter eggs which should appeal to those who like being rewarded for exploration. Despite this being fundamentally a puzzle game, I think it just has so much going for it that I wouldn't hesitate to call it a 'must play' for PC gamers.
If you're looking at this because you enjoyed the older 3D fallouts like me (i.e Fallout 3, New Vegas), then you will most likely be underwhelmed. Don't be fooled just because The Outer Worlds simply has a lot of the same RPG mechanics, it doesn't come close to recapturing the same magic. I would honestly rather replay Fallout 3 or new vegas for a 4th time than give The Outer Worlds a second playthrough. If you are curious about the game and want to play it for yourself - get it for dirt cheap on sale and maybe hold off on the DLC until you play the base game. Despite all of this, I'm glad Obsidian has had success with The Outer Worlds but I just hope they can step up and make something truly groundbreaking next time around for the RPG genre.
