#i would say memento mori is the main theme of outer wilds

[itistimetodisappear]

SPOILERS for outer wilds. Don't read unless you've played it.

Outer Wilds is really a memento Mori like no other. Many narratives describe death, show grief, sometimes in beautiful ways. And you may feel it empathetically, you may ever cry. But there's still a barrier between you and it. It is not actually happening to you. Outer wilds induces the 8 stages of grief in you, completely naturally. You don't even realise that's what's happening.

Of course the game understands what's happening, and it respect you so much. It's not tragic or morbid. In fact it never frames what's happening as 'sad' per say. It's just happening. It's so gentle with the subject matter and you don't understand why until the end. Outer wilds put a lot of the chaos of real life grief into perspective in such a kind way. Invaluable for my personal development honestly.