Posted on: September 12, 2014

CrookedCraft2011

Games: 34 Reviews: 1

Interesting story but over too quickly

I had some pretty high expectations for this game. The rain and thunder gives the game a creepy atmosphere and the fact that every now and then the floorboards creak and lights flicker giving one the impression of somebody sneaking about is quite awesome (and scary). However, upon completing the game in 2 - 3 hours, I have quickly realised that this game is misleading. The fact that before you even walk through the door and there is a note from your sister claiming she has left home gives you the feeling of loneliness. But that fizzles out when you discover why she left. You also discover your parents aren't home either. Again, this is not due to some dramatic reason. This game is great at making you believe there is crazy stuff going to happen, and, for some reason, sets up a suspenseful atmosphere. But none of this was intentional. The thunderstorm outside is purely for auditory purposes. The creaky floorboards don't mean a thing and when you find out that your sister is in search of ghostly activity, it fakes a sense of being watched and turns out to not accommodate the story at all. The delivery of the story is actually rather good; whenever you find a clue as to the whereabouts of your family, you are played a snippet from your sister's diary. This is the key aspect of the game. You are revealed how your sister was feeling. The voice acting is brilliant and the quality of it is consistent. There were one or two cliche "rebel American teenager" moments, but overall it's what pushes you to find out more. There are some good graphical options like "Ambient Occlusion" and "Anti-Aliasing", but I don't see the point for a game that literally needs to render a house. Just a house. For a game that thrives in the little details (literally soda cans have ingredients stamped on the back) and its success in setting an atmosphere, albeit pointlessly, it could do well to have a sequel. But for £12.29, it is not worth this price by any means. Pick it up at a sale. 5/10

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Posted on: August 13, 2014

fahbs

Games: 354 Reviews: 90

Cheap social justice disguised as horror

Gone Home is another entry into the unfortunate modern trend of critics praising awful indie "art" games. There is ONE puzzle in the game. The rest is walking around reading notes. The game is built entirely on false dread. There is no sign of your family in the house. You find a cryptic note on the door. A cryptic, distressing message on the answering machine. There is a thunderstorm. And...that's it. One-third the way through the game you find out the horror is a smokescreen for a very special episode "twist". Take away the thunderstorm and nobody would have even bothered playing more than 5 minutes. The end is one big "LOL just kidding!" *spoiler* Your sister is a lesbian with an unhealthy relationship and ran off with her highschool girlfriend of 8 months, ruining both their futures by going AWOL from the army and throwing away a scholarship. But since this game was made by social justice warrior hipsters from Portland, it's presented as a BEAUTIFUL LIFE EXPERIENCE where lesbians are perfect magical pixies. The lesbian angle doesn't even factor into the story. The girls face no prejudice or social exclusion. Would have been the exact same story with a straight couple, then people would rightfully call the kids out for being idiots. The one and ONLY thing the game does well is recreate a 1990s household. $5 and 2 hours of your time is still stretching it. $20 is insane.

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Posted on: November 13, 2014

Songsrock

Verified owner

Games: 27 Reviews: 1

A game to remember

This game was brilliant. Not a single moment went by without me wanting to know to more. This game is full of emotion. Sure it may be 2 hours long, and yes it's just opening doors and listening to the recording's of different tapes. However, those doors that you open, you're constantly on the edge of your seat hoping that there isn't a jump scare. The audio tapes that you collect, they get better by each tape. Towards the end of the game, when everything reveals itself you will be hoping that the game doesn't end. Sure this may not be for everyone, but it's definitely one of my top 3 games of all time. In the end, I will never forget Gone Home.

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Posted on: May 27, 2015

Morturius

Games: 174 Reviews: 4

Well...

Made me cry/5.

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Posted on: November 2, 2015

zqt43

Games: 35 Reviews: 5

Engrossingly ordinary.

You'll love this or loathe it. There is negligible challenge here; beating the game is not the point. This is a "journey, not destination" kind of deal. If you're introspective, progressive and able to feel empathy for people you have no relation to simply because they're people (or you're good at roleplaying someone who does have a direct relation to them, which is very nearly the exact same thought process anyway), there's a good chance you'll connect with this game; you'll especially connect with it if you know anyone who has experienced, or have experienced yourself, some of the still all-too-common issues raised therein. Sure it's cliché, but life is cliché. Countless people all over the world go through the exact same experiences, over and over. The game's very ordinariness is its entire point. One does not have to pick an extraordinary subject to produce extraordinary art. If you're looking for fantastical escapism, look elsewhere. If you're the sort of person to dismiss the ordinary and commonplace as inherently disinteresting, DEFINITELY look elsewhere. If you're the sort to find interest in a heartfelt rendition of just the everyday, ordinary human experience, give it a try.

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