Outer wilds has become a sort of comfort game for me and I feel that I should share my experience and thoughts on it.
While it has been a while since I have beat the game I still revisit it many times outside of figuring out the DLC.
Often times, I play the game when I feel overwhelmed. For me personally, I feel that it is very comforting not only in the game atmosphere but the very idea that as the player, there isn't much you are actually changing.
Hatchling is a small little creature who in reality has no actual impact on the universe. In fact, the story of the game has already happened, they are just discovering the past.
The discoveries don't change the outcome, there's no "saving the whole solar system" or anything like that. It's simply discovery.
Another thing is that death isn't a big of a deal either. Like sure, it's scary that they get thrown into the sun or crushed by sand, but they will just wake up in the next loop.
Really I guess in summery its finding comfort in no high responsibility. The Nomia are already in the past, the sun will explode, the loop will keep happening.
Even after discovering the eye, we simply learn that there are many solar systems being created and many destroyed.
I am not here to change it, I am here to exist in it.