Gone Home

I honestly absolutely adored this game; it gave me a huge roller coaster of emotions in a good way, from suspense to adoration to concern to absolute joy. I enjoyed the love story and how it was both a sort of teenage crisis (especially given it takes place in the 90's) and a coming out story. I also loved the 90's vibe and references; I had a lot of my childhood rush back to me while playing, and that was definitely something that I enjoyed, plus the music in game was AMAZING. I really hope it's available elsewhere as well, I'd love to listen to it again when I can. The only major critique I have is the story of the main character and her sister's uncle; while I understand it was supposed to show how it was harder for Sam to meet people in their new home, I felt that was the only part of the game that fell flat; I believe if that was either pursued a little more (perhaps given more of an explanation on why he was thought to be crazy and more about him as well) or completely dropped for the most part, I think this game would have elevated itself to a hit LGBTQ+ game. Overall, very enjoyable, and I highly recommend it to people who want a sweet, touching story and to fellow LGBTQ+ community members!

This game was an interesting experience for me as I went in expecting a horror. The game does cultivate a bit of a horror element, so I kept waiting for the jump scares. After a while though, I began to realise the game was more about unfolding a larger story. If you're the kind of person who skips through dialogue in games, this probably isn't the one for you. But if you like the idea of being a detective, and piecing together random elements to create a bigger whole, then this game is for you.

Gone Home is a walking simulator, so it's going to be a short, narrative-based experience. Reading through the reviews left here, there are several that are akin to a "Don't like music. 2 stars for the beer" critique of a concert. Those feel like terribly unfair reviews to leave. For anyone who lived through the 90's, particularly the Riot Grrrl movement, this is a gem. Parts will remind you of your own childhood and teens, and Gone Home is almost worth it for nostalgia's sake alone. It has a creepy feel to it too, though I'm still uncertain whether that's down to the isolated, eerie atmosphere or because it's like visiting a forgotten memory, twisted and resurrected. There's a peculiar coming of age story to be found in it too. People may not enjoy it, and that's fine, though I found it ruffled me plenty. It's not a blockbuster of a story, it's simply a about some people and the struggles they endured in their ordinary lives. As many people share the same struggle, it deserves to be told whatever some of the reviews here believe. And for those who feel free of this struggle - we did this for you.

I don't really understand all of the negative reviews for this game, I thought it was pretty cool. As of this writing the game is only 5 dollars, so it's a great time to pick it up. Just like the game says, its an interactive exploration simulator. You're not a space marine, a special forces operative with robot limbs, an ex-cop security specialist with robot limbs, or a drugged-out Italian maintenance worker (with robot limbs). You're a girl home from college, and when you arrive you can tell something is wrong in your house. Interact and explore your simulated environment to find out what the hell is going on. Approach it like a book. What you see may not be reality. Like I said, its 5 bucks. buy it and enjoy the story.

As a twenty-something coming home for the first time after a eurotrip, you have to basically snoop around and play detective in your own house, unearthing again the meaning of "uncanny" ("unheimlich" in german - when your house in not your own anymore). Between being a voyeur and honestly wanting to know what your family's been up to and if they're in danger, you're made to feel guilt, curiosity and wonder. You're like a small child again, rediscovering a house where too much has changed. The game is really clever about this. The way it tells its story through contextual clues - a crumpled piece of paper, a book shamefully hidden inside a cupboard near a bottle of whiskey - is something I wish more games would do, and it's not only about picking up and reading everything - I feel that the gamers who did this and complained about the monotony of the action missed this point - but also about observing WHERE you found the objects, and what they tell about what happened in the house. Of course, there are drawbacks. I think I've never seen a house with so many GODDMAN PENCILS AND ERASERS AND CUPS and being a conscencious gamer, you just have to pick up everything, is case there's a clue plastered somewhere. Making every cup and pencil an interactive object but not, say, plants, furniture or rugs is a strange choice and I can't really see the design decision behind it. Similarly, as in any "apocalyptic log" story (like the recordings found in Bioshock, etc) expect to roll your eyes once or twice at the convenience of finding deeply personal letters and documents just lying around for you to be able to read them. Anyway, it was, at the time, a groundbreaking game in terms of environmental storytelling and handling some difficult themes. I feel that gamers going into it thinking it's some sort of detective story with a super clever "twist" will probably be disappointed. As Sam says in one of her logs, and as it goes in most families - "I think you've always known".