Posted on: January 3, 2021

ISnoodBear

Games: 336 Reviews: 17

A mixed bag, but a lot below the surface

This game is a bit of a mixed bag, but there's more going on than is evident at first. High-level, set in the early 1990s, you arrive home after travel abroad (though your family moved while you were away and you've never actually lived in this house). A note on the front door from you sister tells you she can't be there to greet you, but don't go looking for her. You enter, no one home, begin to walk around and look at things, and the mystery of where everyone is begins. If you play this like a puzzle game/walking simulator to run through and beat as quick as possible and that's it, it may feel anti-climactic and stale. BUT...if you really start reading everything and thinking about the subtext of each note, how they fit on a timeline, and what's hidden between the lines, there is a lot more going on under the hood than is at first apparent. Each family member has a story unfolding, some of which is obvious, but a lot of which is very subtly handled and requires some inference. And that hidden story was the saving grace of the game for me. On the downside it was sometimes wonky to control and everything felt very big which meant a lot of walking (designers were used to making FPS games and admitted to making a the floor plan a smidge too spacious in hindsight). And there were a lot of repeated items and wasted opportunities for some form of character insight. But in the end, learning about the people that live there and their hidden secrets, traumas, and relationships was fulfilling. The whole thing can be played in a couple of hours. I think it took me 4 or 5 and I was picking up and examining EVERY thing (which was overkill). You can probably do it in 3 or so on a first play through if you are more focused. Just know you aren't investing in a particularly long experience. It is a good atmospheric game and fun to play in the dark or on a rainy afternoon with nothing else to do. Give it a go, think about the story elements, and I think you'll like it.

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Posted on: March 25, 2020

DogmasDomain

Verified owner

Games: 140 Reviews: 1

Not for everyone

Like every medium created, this will resonate with people differently. This game was crafted for people who enjoy interactive environments and walking simulators with a gradual narrative build up. If you don't like these games, skip this. The gameplay is solely walking around in an abandoned house. With that out of the way, on to the game. Personally I thorougly enjoyed the atmosphere, the 90s feel, themes the story touched, and just how intimate and relatable the story is. Even though we all won't empathize with the main character, the story and world have this pure geniune vibe that makes them feel lived in and very special. I know I'm being incredibly vague, but it's an hour and half to two hour long game. If anything I said intrigued you, pick it up... I mean, it's not like you're going to lose 30 hours of your life on this one. Thoroughly enjoyed and was engrossed from beginning to end. It's also not a horror game (read the game description). Thanks for reading, cheers.

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Posted on: August 13, 2014

Shagittarius

Games: 788 Reviews: 3

Horrible "Game"

Your personal views on social issues are unlikely to have a major effect in redeeming this dog turd. This is however a great game if you want to get into arguments over what the definition of a game is. Save your money; walk around your own house and open cabinets reading any old receipts or mail you come across.

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Posted on: January 8, 2018

SirJaxis

Verified owner

Games: 64 Reviews: 1

Suprisingly replayable and inspiring.

I know quite a few users have given this game some serious knocks, but I found this game to be quite wonderful. For starters, Gone Home does not focus on winning or losing, but rather telling a complex story. What starts as a straightforward beginning of an adult daughter returning home (gone home) from abroad becomes very complex. Where are her parents, and what happened to her younger sister? Without spoiling all the details, Gone Home implores the user to read, interact and investigate EVERYTHING in order to unfold the complex story of the Greenbriar family, and those who they interact with. While the game lasts a maximum of 1-2 hours, the game is surprisingly replayable, as the graphics, story, voice over FX and environment makes you feel you really are in Oregon and in 1995. If you are looking for a game to embrace your competitive spirit... this isn't it. But if you are looking for a game that seeks to tell a story, and to impact you profoundly from the first time you play it to the tenth and beyond... this game is worth a look, especially if it goes on sale. I may be the odd voice out... but I'm actually strongly craving a sequel to this story.

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Posted on: July 17, 2016

Logseman.861

Games: 248 Reviews: 3

A thrilling divertimento

Gone Home is neither as good nor as bad as the very divergent critical and user reception would have you believe. I give it 4 stars because I enjoyed it: I enjoyed the exploration (although it could be a bit more fluid) and the hidden depths of the house hide the hidden depths of its people, which are darker than you'd expect. The fact that it kept me gripped till the ending is what makes me give it the good rating. That said, this is not a game that should be costing any more than €5.

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