Gone Home

This a game about a girl who walks really really really really slowly. The poor thing has artritis in both knees, so don't ask her to crouch, the transition animation will take solid five seconds each way. It's like reading the Lord of the Rings, but with one sentence per page. And after reading that sentence, you have to flip through ten or twenty empty pages to reach the next one. In the game, I explored one wing of the house and gathered some intriguing information about hero's father and sister, even though it took me over an hour to do so. But then I had to go back to the entrance hall and that was just too much effort. The hero was obviously in need of rest and forcing her on this 25-meter hike would be plain cruel. If that sounds like your cup of tea, you can recreate the experience by yourself. In a library, borrow an LGBT-themed book for teenagers. Then read it while doing five pushups after each paragraph. It will be healthy, energising and totally free.

What I appreciate: - Environment (the house) is interactive and atmospheric. - Gone Home is/ was probably important for raising the popularity of games with more mature plots. - Nice UI and menu design And why I can't really recommend it: - Some say art shouldn't be judged by numeric standards, but still wanting 18$ for such a short game is a joke to me. It's a 1 or 2 hours experience from 2013. - The spooky, empty house, the suggestion of family secrets... just wasted potential because nothing of that really gets deeper. Very disappointing, as that aspect is way more interesting than the actual main plot. - My biggest gripe: The story is super generic in my book. For a story-focused game, that's a dealbreaker. You expect something interesting and it turns out to be a bare-bones version of one of the oldest dramatic tropes, just spiced up in a way you've seen it a hundred times in other media. The only difference: It's told mostly through audio logs, in a video game. Doesn't stop the boredom.

This is the gaming equivalent of an afternoon special, not saying it is bad, per say, or that it isn't nice to look at. It's just that it doesn't come close to something like The Vanishing of Ethan Carter. If you love walking simulators, this one will sort of keep you entertained for a couple hours. If you have never played a walking simulator, I wouldn't start with this one. In other words, if this is your genre of game, get it on sale.

This game is really not much more than a walking sim. Its really short and basic. The only thing it really has going for it, is its story and its a good story. I really like the story, but the way its delivered is kinda "meh". Its definitely not a bad game, but its certainly not amazing. Its really just so-so. I mean, if you're into walking sims and you like coming out stories, its definitely an enjoyable experience. I was fortunate enough to get it for free, but if you do wanna buy it, get it on sale and only on sale.

As someone who is very passionate about game design, I really despised Gone Home. Don't tell me "it's not a game." Here it is on GOG, a site that sells games. It's only ever talked about by gaming journalists, and it was awarded for being a game. The whole game is played in a big house and can be finished in one 2 hour sitting. That's not even the bad part. Why gamers are put off from Gone Home isn't its storytelling or its plot, but just how very little "game" there is. "Walking Simulator" is not far from the truth when describing Gone Home. The gameplay is basically just walking. If you came to this review section expecting to find a review detailing the gameplay, there it is in a nutshell. It's sad when ET has more gameplay depth than Gone Home. You can interact with items, but the interaction is few and far between, and 99% of the time it's unrewarding to do so. There are 2 or 3 "puzzles" which involve exploring to find what you need to progress. Games don't have to be challenging to be good, but I would have liked some more involvement in this world -- ie, any at all. Compare it to something like Myst or 7th Guest. The difference is those games require thought to complete. Bottom line: If I wanted to walk around for two hours, I'd go outside. I'd get some exercise and there are more interesting things to see. I can think about *my* life rather than some dumb teenager's.