Dear Esther

 PC
User Score
6.5

Mixed or average reviews- based on 736 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 368 out of 736
  2. Mixed: 182 out of 736
  3. Negative: 186 out of 736

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  1. NektarN
    Oct 2, 2012
    8
    Even though it's questionable if you can call Dear Esther a game since it's more of an interactive story telling. If you're going in to it expecting it to be a game, you're gonna have a bad time. But if you're going in to it with the expectation of seeing exceptionally beautiful landscapes and and a great narrative, chances are you'll end up loving the game. 8/10
  2. Kongopete
    Jul 26, 2012
    8
    It is truly difficult to rate this as a game. But rather than viewing it as a game it should be viewed as an experience. Therefore, the elements need to so often be in sync, as there are fewer elements in this story than in most. Most often the visuals, narration, and sound combine as perfect elements. The sprawling landscape of the tattered, seemingly once inhabited island is beautiful,It is truly difficult to rate this as a game. But rather than viewing it as a game it should be viewed as an experience. Therefore, the elements need to so often be in sync, as there are fewer elements in this story than in most. Most often the visuals, narration, and sound combine as perfect elements. The sprawling landscape of the tattered, seemingly once inhabited island is beautiful, as are the caves and water. Its stunning to walk through and be able to observe, much like a stroll in a place you will forever want to go to but never be able to go. The landscape is only outdone by the caves, which are dewy and wet and feel as such. Truly though the mastery of the game is in the audio. Jessica Curry's soundtrack is sublime and brimming with melancholy. Each piano strike feels somewhat forlorn, but remains beautiful and reminds one of the nature of the adventure. To accompany the music is a wonderful narration, which is the basis of the game. The narration guides the player through and allows the player to try and piece together the broken pieces of the past of the main character. Multiple play throughs will allow for more narration to be opened, as it becomes further evident that the character is deeply troubled and that he is not coping well with the past. The game is not without flaw as the play time is very short. Its unfortunate as the story being more fleshed out would have been welcome. But game is fantastic regardless and deserves reflection and discussion about its narrative. A true rarity in games.… Expand
  3. StaticSpine
    Dec 22, 2012
    8
    I won't be discoursing if this IS a game or not, I'll just try to describe my impression. All the thing is about exploring an abandoned island and listening to The Narrators monologues, uncovering pieces of story. You don't need to fight, you don't even need to pick up/collect items. All you can do is go and watch around. The story is pretty abstract and most of it you should think out byI won't be discoursing if this IS a game or not, I'll just try to describe my impression. All the thing is about exploring an abandoned island and listening to The Narrators monologues, uncovering pieces of story. You don't need to fight, you don't even need to pick up/collect items. All you can do is go and watch around. The story is pretty abstract and most of it you should think out by yourself (to be honest, I'm not a fan of this kind of stories), so you can get more details by replays (some of the monologue parts are selected randomly) and also you can explore different routes across the island to get some extra ins and food for your thought. So the main things here are the storyline and the atmosphere. The atmosphere is fantastic, the depressive loneliness, feeling loss and unwilling to live. The visuals and locations design are great. And so is the perfect soundtrack (violins, cellos, piano) + The Narrator's voice fits nice. Overall, trying this was an awesome and unique experience and I'll be looking forward to check thechineseroom's new products!… Expand
  4. ravenoushunger
    Oct 8, 2012
    8
    Most people wont be able to appreciate this game. Ignore the majority of bad reviews here because most of them are from people who did not understand this game. This is a beautiful game. The visuals are fantastic and the story is very interesting. More or less you make up the story yourself based on details in the game and the narration. This is not a game that has actual gameplay in it.Most people wont be able to appreciate this game. Ignore the majority of bad reviews here because most of them are from people who did not understand this game. This is a beautiful game. The visuals are fantastic and the story is very interesting. More or less you make up the story yourself based on details in the game and the narration. This is not a game that has actual gameplay in it. If you don't want a story based game where you basically go through a visual story, don't buy this game and definitely do not review it. The narration can be difficult to piece together and will require a few playthroughs to figure things out. This is a fantastic game and I would recommend it to anyone with the sophistication to appreciate it. It is not meant to be an action filled game, its meant to be a walk through kind of game and it does what it does very well.… Expand
  5. Nerung
    Nov 22, 2012
    8
    This is a game that solely concentrates on storytelling and beautiful graphics. At first I felt like playing a tech-demo but the story is a puzzle in itself and unfolds as slowly as the pacing of the game is. It is a melancholic and isolated world and the player has to unravel its mystery. Although the publishers state that there is not one story here as the triggered story pieces areThis is a game that solely concentrates on storytelling and beautiful graphics. At first I felt like playing a tech-demo but the story is a puzzle in itself and unfolds as slowly as the pacing of the game is. It is a melancholic and isolated world and the player has to unravel its mystery. Although the publishers state that there is not one story here as the triggered story pieces are randomised, I have figured out a back-story that fits all pieces generated in the game. Still, the narration is not exactly reliable and the confusing bits you learn by and by will keep you thinking, long after your first play-through and the ones that will (probably) follow. I really enjoyed the ambiance of the island and the story becomes quite dramatic towards the end. For me, the experience is definitely worth the price and you should take a look at a trailer or the beginning of a let's play and see if it might be interesting to you. If you like good story-telling, you will not regret buying Dear Esther.… Expand
  6. Abion47
    Jan 1, 2013
    8
    First and foremost, Dear Esther is a game that will cater to a very specific type of gamer, so if you aren't the kind of person that likes walking along a fairly linear path for no reason other than to progress the story (i.e. Final Fantasy without the battle sequences) then chances are you won't like Dear Esther enough to justify the $10 required.

    Dear Esther is quite a change of pace    First and foremost, Dear Esther is a game that will cater to a very specific type of gamer, so if you aren't the kind of person that likes walking along a fairly linear path for no reason other than to progress the story (i.e. Final Fantasy without the battle sequences) then chances are you won't like Dear Esther enough to justify the $10 required.

    Dear Esther is quite a change of pace in the video game industry, moving the emphasis away from action and twitch gameplay and toward passive narrative and storytelling. Right off the bat you are dropped in a world in which nothing is readily apparent except to just keep exploring, and all the while you hear snippets of dialogue from an unknown source. Throughout the game, these snippets come together to explain the setting and story as well as the significance of the world you are in.

    As far as what makes Dear Esther a good game, I feel like I should point out that it isn't a game as much as it is a narrated benchmark. Interactivity in the game is next to nothing as the only things you as the player are allowed to do is to go from area to linearly-arranged area at a single set speed. The controls are limited to walk (emphasis on "walk") and a slight zoom, and the only real motivation to proceed further into the game is to find the next scripted point in which you are gifted another chunk of dialogue.

    That said, Dear Esther is a remarkable narrative experience. The game is presented in a very poetic and artistic style. The graphics are beautifully presented and the dialogue is well delivered. There's a bunch of places in which cryptic spots of graffiti are splattered onto the wall, adding to the mystery of the world that you are placed into. Also, if you play the game multiple times through, you are given new secrets that explain the story further.

    In conclusion, Dear Esther is a beautiful example of narrative-driven gameplay, although the term "gameplay" is used here very loosely. The lack of any real forms of interaction would seriously challenge anyone's definition of the term "game", and as such it would be a specific demographic of gamer that would appreciate what this game is. At the end of the day, if you were one of the people who only played Diablo III or Mass Effect for the visuals and the storyline, then you wouldn't be amiss giving Dear Esther a go.    … Expand
  7. ericcoutinho
    Mar 8, 2014
    8
    This is an amazing and surprising game, forgetting the endless discussion about definitions on what a game is. It's not conventional, it have few gameplay elements, it's story-driven - an intriguing, mysterious and very beautiful story, by the way.

    It starts very boring and confusing. You have to spend some time, wandering around the island - with beautiful graphics - to catch fragments    This is an amazing and surprising game, forgetting the endless discussion about definitions on what a game is. It's not conventional, it have few gameplay elements, it's story-driven - an intriguing, mysterious and very beautiful story, by the way.

    It starts very boring and confusing. You have to spend some time, wandering around the island - with beautiful graphics - to catch fragments of this story, which are randomly narrated, and may reveal something to you through the journey. But this story will finish with some gaps, leading you to want to play again to catch more fragments and then, possibly understand the full story of Esther and the protagonist, although that story have a lot of metaphoric interpretations too. The journey is full of small well placed elements you can see and add to your interpretation.

    It lasts three hours to me, and after two more hours i'm still thinking about Dear Esther story, my head full of the images, the thoughts, and the music of this really wonderful game.    … Expand
  8. Maverick2013
    Apr 2, 2013
    8
    Nope. It's not a game. Perhaps it should be listed under movies?

    And yet.... haunting. Strangely disturbing. The music and the ambience create an atmosphere that will immerse your psy and make you wonder. Some of the places you "find" are stunning and at least one scene became my desktop for months. The soundtrack sits as a folder on my desktop and occasionally I play it and relive the    Nope. It's not a game. Perhaps it should be listed under movies?

    And yet.... haunting. Strangely disturbing. The music and the ambience create an atmosphere that will immerse your psy and make you wonder. Some of the places you "find" are stunning and at least one scene became my desktop for months. The soundtrack sits as a folder on my desktop and occasionally I play it and relive the tale.

    It was cheap. I finished it and I bothered to write this review.

    Must have meant something. Not sure what though...... Still.    … Expand
  9. gameface
    May 14, 2013
    8
    There's not a huge amount to Dear Esther but what there is genuinely touching and positively intriguing. It tells a slow and confusing story and I enjoye trying to piece together the elements as I made my ascent to an equally obscure climax. It's not going to be something for everyone as it lacks what most would consider gameplay elements but it was a game that I enjoyed my time with andThere's not a huge amount to Dear Esther but what there is genuinely touching and positively intriguing. It tells a slow and confusing story and I enjoye trying to piece together the elements as I made my ascent to an equally obscure climax. It's not going to be something for everyone as it lacks what most would consider gameplay elements but it was a game that I enjoyed my time with and that's all I was looking for.… Expand
  10. SickBow
    Jul 15, 2013
    8
    Dear Esther certainly has a different way of telling story in a video game, which is probably the cause of the many mixed reviews, but for someone who is ready to experience something different and truly immersive, it's an indie game that is well worth the money. The main draw to the game is the beautifully crafted levels and mountain vistas that were all somehow achieved in Source; a gameDear Esther certainly has a different way of telling story in a video game, which is probably the cause of the many mixed reviews, but for someone who is ready to experience something different and truly immersive, it's an indie game that is well worth the money. The main draw to the game is the beautifully crafted levels and mountain vistas that were all somehow achieved in Source; a game engine that is quickly becoming dated and doesn't handle open environments very well. Despite the technical limitations, the art assets are nothing less than spectacular at a great performance rate and compliment the many mysteries and often eerie situations that the narrative invokes. Many times I found myself stopping to admire the environments and many details that make up the whole game experience. It would also be a shame not to commend the game for its soundtrack, as it has a very mesmerizing quality to it and adds to the overall atmosphere of the game beautifully.… Expand
  11. MrShark1669
    Aug 10, 2013
    8
    I have to agree that this is not a game, and I was frustrated at first because I was expecting something more along the lines of a horror adventure game. When I started playing I was waiting for something to happen, but nothing ever did, the main character kept telling the story, it was until halfway through the second chapter that I realized that I was not playing a game. I wasI have to agree that this is not a game, and I was frustrated at first because I was expecting something more along the lines of a horror adventure game. When I started playing I was waiting for something to happen, but nothing ever did, the main character kept telling the story, it was until halfway through the second chapter that I realized that I was not playing a game. I was experiencing a retold tale, everything was symbolic in some way to the story your character was telling. At first I was gonna quit, but the graphics, were stunningly beautiful and the story was intriguing. I kept traveling through, taking plenty of screen shots, it was pretty incredible. Unfortunately there is not much replay value in this game, I was not surprised though on most of the reviews found here, I can see where people would be frustrated, as I was discovering I paid for something that should free or next to free.… Expand
  12. lightyears
    Aug 6, 2016
    8
    It is not a game. It is the middle between a novel and a 3D tech demo. But it delivers a beautiful audio visual experience. It is thanks to the beautiful environment that it is worth it. If the enivonment wouldnt have been as stunning as here, a simple walk through a virtual world wouldnt be worth it. It succeeds because of one of the most beautiful virtual environments ever created .It is not a game. It is the middle between a novel and a 3D tech demo. But it delivers a beautiful audio visual experience. It is thanks to the beautiful environment that it is worth it. If the enivonment wouldnt have been as stunning as here, a simple walk through a virtual world wouldnt be worth it. It succeeds because of one of the most beautiful virtual environments ever created . Altough the story is somewhat short. I think it is just 90 minutes or so. But the price tag is also pretty low with 10 euros. Therefore I consider time and price still in balance. I reward it with a 7.5.… Expand
  13. SuperkenGaming
    Sep 20, 2016
    8
    Dear Esther
    A chilling Mystery
    Dear Esther is a walking simulator, or what I prefer to call a first person exploration game You play as. I’m not even sure... But its someone walking around a beautiful island that strangely feels so real… The sounds, the wind… The environment of Dear Esther is near perfect and so easily draws you in… As you explore the world you’ll Hear a narrator    Dear Esther
    A chilling Mystery
    Dear Esther is a walking simulator, or what I prefer to call a first person exploration game
    You play as. I’m not even sure...
    But its someone walking around a beautiful island that strangely feels so real…
    The sounds, the wind…
    The environment of Dear Esther is near perfect and so easily draws you in…
    As you explore the world you’ll Hear a narrator talking To Esther…
    There’s speculation of who Esther is, who this Narrator is and all of this is up for you to decide.. To draw your own conclusions of…
    And to prevent spoilers I will leave my speculation out of this review, as speculation I believe is where the most enjoyment of this experience is at…
    There are no puzzles here, hardly any hazards other than drowning or falling…
    you’re simply placed into a world to explore and feel…
    My only complaint of this experience is that the environment is not fully interactive…
    You’ll hear footsteps on the ground as you walk, but when you walk in water its feels like you are floating on top of it.. there is no sound which is all too noticeable and broke the immersion for me multiple times…
    I’m not sure how this was overlooked… but it definitely hurts the overall experience…
    Dear Esther is an enjoyable 1 and a half hours, you can even replay with directors commentary or fresh to see if you’ve noticed any subtle changes, which I definitely did as the game was designed to be slightly different each time you play…
    Will Dear Esther blow you away with its story, design, and visuals?
    Probably not. But if you’re a fan of mystery, or just want a calming environment to visit you owe it to yourself to pick this one up…
    I give Dear Esther an
    8.0/10    … Expand
  14. PaleMimic
    Aug 20, 2017
    8
    It's somewhat a rarity that I say this, when it comes down to walking simulator type games, but Dear Esther was quite a joy to play. With a fairly good story that has a sad but slightly uplifting ending, but I'd rather not spoil it. The island you explore throughout the game, although I use that term loosely, is somewhat beautiful and enchanting. There are mysterious caves to explore andIt's somewhat a rarity that I say this, when it comes down to walking simulator type games, but Dear Esther was quite a joy to play. With a fairly good story that has a sad but slightly uplifting ending, but I'd rather not spoil it. The island you explore throughout the game, although I use that term loosely, is somewhat beautiful and enchanting. There are mysterious caves to explore and quite breathtaking coastlines adorned with shipwrecks. As you explore the island you also quickly realize you are not quite alone. Strange figures stand watching you from a distance giving you a slight sense of unease. The game itself isn't all that long, taking just over half an hour to complete, that is of course if you don't go off exploring. There are several landmarks dotted around the island which serve little purpose other than to take screenshots of. But really it's best to stick to the main trail.
    Overall the game follows a fairly interesting narrative and combines it with a quite beautiful setting. It is of course a walking simulator and so there is very little to do other than explore the island, but if walking sims are your cup of tea then go ahead and give Dear Esther a go. But I only recommend it for those who enjoy narratives and exploration. Good day!    … Expand
  15. Gaming_Bear
    Jun 26, 2023
    8
    Finally got around to playing this game. it plays like you are in a short novel. The narration, visuals and music bring you into a sad tale that paint a tale of a man lost on an island.
  16. Relkad
    Jun 25, 2020
    8
    If you're gonna make a walking simulator and be sure people will call that "a good game", make sure it feels like Dear Esther as much as possible.
  17. bancandrei
    May 15, 2020
    8
    One of the first and still one of the best walking simulators. It helps that it is short and has some nice locations. The story is quite simple and effective
  18. agradecemais
    Feb 7, 2023
    8
    Dear Esther é mais um daqueles Walking Simulators que focam na história e exploração, sem mecânicas, puzzles ou inimigos, o jogo foca apenas em andar de uma forma muito próxima da vida real.
    É difícil saber se o que está experienciando é real ou algum tipo de sonho e o jogo não faz questão de deixar isso claro.
    Começamos sabendo que o personagem se dirige a sua querida esposa Esther e    Dear Esther é mais um daqueles Walking Simulators que focam na história e exploração, sem mecânicas, puzzles ou inimigos, o jogo foca apenas em andar de uma forma muito próxima da vida real.
    É difícil saber se o que está experienciando é real ou algum tipo de sonho e o jogo não faz questão de deixar isso claro.
    Começamos sabendo que o personagem se dirige a sua querida esposa Esther e através de seus monólogos ele vai explicando um pouco da história da ilha que está explorando assim como o trágico destino de Esther.
    O brilho do jogo é a experiência e sentimentos que experienciamos enquanto tentamos juntas as peças da história que não é apresentada de forma clara, e para entender melhor, o jogo força ser jogado novamente para que pedaços da história que acontecem randomicamente a cada gameplay vão se revelando e explicando o que está acontecendo.
    O grande personagem dessa história é a ilha e o monólogo do personagem que faz você se sentir a todo momento sozinho (apesar da presença de fantasmas que observam de longe), introspectivo e bucólico.
    E para isso a trilha sonora que em minha opinião é o ponto alto faz um ótimo trabalho.
    Essa versão com os cortes dos diretores em um formato de podcast torna a experiência divertida e ajuda a entender o que está por trás, afinal entrar dentro da cabeças e do processo criativo dos criadores te faz estar mais próximo de sua arte.
    Como todo Walking Simulator esse jogo não é para todos os públicos mas sua experiência é valida, interessante e profunda!    … Expand
  19. VonCarlsson
    Feb 17, 2012
    7
    An incredibly beautiful 'game'. The art style and aesthetics are, perhaps, the best that I've seen so far. Dear Esther really manage to capture the subtleties of nature in their graphical style. Are rare feet indeed.

    Combine that with a fantastic voice acting and music, and you've got a emotionally moving story, which brilliance is that it doesn't tell you much. That is the very genius of    An incredibly beautiful 'game'. The art style and aesthetics are, perhaps, the best that I've seen so far. Dear Esther really manage to capture the subtleties of nature in their graphical style. Are rare feet indeed.

    Combine that with a fantastic voice acting and music, and you've got a emotionally moving story, which brilliance is that it doesn't tell you much. That is the very genius of this game.

    A word of warning though. This is not your ordinary game, there is no interaction other than controlling the camera and movement. There are no objectives and nothing of the sort. It's a story.    … Expand
  20. Dethstar
    Feb 20, 2012
    7
    It is very hard to review this. In reality. It is not a game but more like a short story told through a game engine. I dont regret buying it as it was an interest hour diversion.
  21. vahn
    Jul 28, 2012
    7
    This...story has surely some good points, but also some bad ones. I said "thing" because I can't really talk about game because it has almost no game elements in it except, maybe, for the menus, but I can see why people are both discouraged and impressed by this: the first thing that actually disappointed me is that the story itself is very slow and sometimes very confusing...but that isThis...story has surely some good points, but also some bad ones. I said "thing" because I can't really talk about game because it has almost no game elements in it except, maybe, for the menus, but I can see why people are both discouraged and impressed by this: the first thing that actually disappointed me is that the story itself is very slow and sometimes very confusing...but that is actually one of the main points of the story, and at each playthrough the lines change among them, making the story more or less clear; however I can see people having issues with the story and even I had some issues to understand, at least in the beginning. Also, the fact that there is no exploration can be a little frustrating, because there's isn't much else to see and, unfortunely, you can't even run. Another flaw maybe is the length: it lasts only 1-2 hours tops and I can see why people are discouraged to pay (not a lot at least), for a game that don't even last like a movie. But with that said, this story is actually a good one, even if it's confusing: even if the lines and the descriptions takes a little to understand, once you get it you see that it's extremely touching and very deep, because it's basically a travel in the mind of a man and his thoughts about things around him and his past, and all of this has a reasonable but also a more confusing ending, after you have seen all of the places... and about these places, I must say this: even though I'm not a graphic lover, the scenery in this game are simply beautiful. I honestly never seen such beautiful scenery put in games: it looked like I was in a real place! And even though graphics alone are never worth the price in ANY game, this game showed that graphics can create a great scenery and beautiful places, and not only make a game more realistic. I can't say to give it a try mainly because, as I said, it's short and there is almost no gaming elements, but if you are interested in something different, in a different story, and in a different yet beautiful scenery, this is a ticket for a graphical museum that will accompany you together with a good, but also confusing, story.… Expand
  22. Pomornik
    Mar 11, 2013
    7
    As a 1 hour long "game", it's hard to recommend it at any price, even at a steam sale. You might aswell just watch a playthrough on youtube and you'll get a identical experience (since the only thing you can do is walk... slowly). That being said, i kind of enjoyed it, music and graphics were on a really high level (except 2d sprites of foliage). It's definitely unusual, but as i said,As a 1 hour long "game", it's hard to recommend it at any price, even at a steam sale. You might aswell just watch a playthrough on youtube and you'll get a identical experience (since the only thing you can do is walk... slowly). That being said, i kind of enjoyed it, music and graphics were on a really high level (except 2d sprites of foliage). It's definitely unusual, but as i said, it's hard to recommend.… Expand
  23. cunningmunki
    Jul 16, 2012
    7
    Dear Esther is not a game, so it should not be reviewed as a game. It uses a game graphics engine, and game controls, but games require at least a basic level of skill or interaction, and Dear Esther requires nothing more than movement (as do 'maze' games, but they require skill).
    What you do have is graphics, a story, music and atmosphere; things which most modern games require and are    Dear Esther is not a game, so it should not be reviewed as a game. It uses a game graphics engine, and game controls, but games require at least a basic level of skill or interaction, and Dear Esther requires nothing more than movement (as do 'maze' games, but they require skill).
    What you do have is graphics, a story, music and atmosphere; things which most modern games require and are critiqued upon in games reviews, so it's these things that should be evaluated. Dear Esther excels in all of these areas, putting most games which try to be 'atmospheric' to shame.
    The problem is, because it looks and feels like a game, you want to do game things, at the very least, jump, crouch, open doors and pick things up. Once you get over this lack of freedom and settle into the narrative you start to enjoy the experience a little bit more.
    It should probably come with a 'this is not a game' sticker, but if you keep an open mind, and offer Dear Esther your time and patience, you'll enjoy a visually enchanting, and occasionally creepy story.
    I would still have liked the ability to jump and crouch!    … Expand
  24. BasilZero
    Feb 18, 2017
    7
    Game: Dear Esther
    Genre: Adventure
    Publisher/Developer: The Chinese Room System: Steam (PC) Total Score: 67/100 Value Score: 6.7/10 • Story: 7/10 • Characters: 5/10 • GamePlay: 6/10 • Graphics: 9/10 • Sound: 10/10 • Music: 8/10 • Length: 2/10 • Replay Value: 3/10 • Player Value: 7/10 Pros +Amazing atmosphere and environment design +Great OST that goes well with the    Game: Dear Esther
    Genre: Adventure
    Publisher/Developer: The Chinese Room
    System: Steam (PC)
    Total Score: 67/100
    Value Score: 6.7/10

    • Story: 7/10
    • Characters: 5/10
    • GamePlay: 6/10
    • Graphics: 9/10
    • Sound: 10/10
    • Music: 8/10
    • Length: 2/10
    • Replay Value: 3/10
    • Player Value: 7/10

    Pros
    +Amazing atmosphere and environment design
    +Great OST that goes well with the atmosphere of the game
    +Great narration and Voice acting

    Cons
    -Very Short
    -Barely any replay value
    -When changing options for graphics, the preview does not work
    -No credits are shown at ending
    -Very simple gameplay
    -No characters shown    … Expand
  25. fartheststar
    Dec 4, 2012
    7
    This is worth playing/experiencing. When I first heard of the game I was interested, but I had heard mixed reviews so I waited for a Steam sale but am very glad I bought it and played through. Even after playing I kept thinking about the game and piecing together what it all meant. (I've heard the story pieces you see change with different playings - so I'll do it again after a while).This is worth playing/experiencing. When I first heard of the game I was interested, but I had heard mixed reviews so I waited for a Steam sale but am very glad I bought it and played through. Even after playing I kept thinking about the game and piecing together what it all meant. (I've heard the story pieces you see change with different playings - so I'll do it again after a while). It's short - I didn't keep time but probably 3 hours or so max(?) - and I took my time looking around, trying to get into places I couldn't get to, etc. Some of the visuals - especially in the cave were - were very memorable. It's a game that has a melancholy mood - but for some reason it didn't get me down. For me, even though it's short, the length of the game was about right. As you're playing through pay attention to the little details - they really do help you piece together what's going on if you pay attention.

    Bottom line on this one: Good game. Glad I played it.    … Expand
  26. Maven
    Apr 1, 2012
    7
    Stunning visuals, but not interactive. The only controls the player has access to are movement, and looking closer at things. I really would not consider this a game, so much as a visual narrative. That being said, I enjoyed the play-through and piecing together the bits that Dear Esther gives the user. It does a good job of making the player feel desolate through environment and qualityStunning visuals, but not interactive. The only controls the player has access to are movement, and looking closer at things. I really would not consider this a game, so much as a visual narrative. That being said, I enjoyed the play-through and piecing together the bits that Dear Esther gives the user. It does a good job of making the player feel desolate through environment and quality sound effects. If you are brand new to Dear Esther it's a nice change of pace from normal games, but if you've played the original source mod, I would not spend the $10 on it.… Expand
  27. Wazzles
    Jan 27, 2015
    7
    To call Dear Esther a game is pretty misleading. There is essentially no gameplay- no puzzles, interaction, fighting, etc. All you do is walk. It is also over in about 2 hours if you look at everything. So it fails as a game. A better classification for this would simply be to call it an art piece. The visuals are absolutely gorgeous, and the music and sound effects compliment theTo call Dear Esther a game is pretty misleading. There is essentially no gameplay- no puzzles, interaction, fighting, etc. All you do is walk. It is also over in about 2 hours if you look at everything. So it fails as a game. A better classification for this would simply be to call it an art piece. The visuals are absolutely gorgeous, and the music and sound effects compliment the melancholy nature of the visuals. If viewed purely as an art piece, as I think it should, Dear Esther is totally worth it. But if you want game play, look elsewhere.… Expand
  28. Muan142
    Mar 14, 2013
    7
    I got it for like 2 bucks and for that its an interesting experience. Worth more than the 2 coke cans I might have bought otherwise. I think I beat it in two hours and never picked it up again, but that's longer than the coke cans would have lasted.
  29. notyourbuddy
    Aug 19, 2012
    7
    Dear Esther was an unusual hate-love experience for me. For the first 45 minutes you will feel like a sucker duped into paying for nothing more than a tech demo. You will be walking around in a snail paced first person camera, unable to interact with even the most basic of objects, such as books or papers strewn about in a room. It would have been nice to be able to pick them up and readDear Esther was an unusual hate-love experience for me. For the first 45 minutes you will feel like a sucker duped into paying for nothing more than a tech demo. You will be walking around in a snail paced first person camera, unable to interact with even the most basic of objects, such as books or papers strewn about in a room. It would have been nice to be able to pick them up and read them as is common in adventure games, but apparently that was asking too much. In fact, the only controls in this title are move forward, back, left, right, and swim up (which is used sparingly if at all). Your purpose is to wander - wander aimlessly hoping beyond hope that you will stumble upon the imaginary trip wires placed around the world that trigger the narrator and bring some purpose to this dull experience. And I say dull not because of the pacing, or the lack of interactivity, or a graphically hideous engine (as in fact its quite beautiful when maxed out), but rather the lack of imagination that went into the world as the island is nothing but the same bland repeating rock, ground, and grass textures over and over. As for your lone companion, the narrator (whose voice is exceptionally well done), he rambles incoherently. Its as if he walked into a book store, picked up a random book, flipped through the pages, and just started reading obscure passages out loud. The whole experience is a disjointed mess. Oh and it got worse; the island which at first felt like a sandbox you could freely wander in is soon to be revealed as being a closed one-way track. When it does fork you are quickly led to a dead-end, with no narration, no purpose, only a few rocks that a newborn toddler could conquer, but yet you somehow are unable to step over. All that is left is to backtrack - backtrack with a slow moving camera only adding to the frustration. Troubles continued. As I approached the first interesting thing in this game, a half sunken ship submerged in shallow water, I like any normal person had the urge to swim to it. Well, I drowned in about 4 feet of water, "come back..." the narrator says, as I am transported back to land and free to continue on. Only I wasn't. I could look around, but I could not move. Nothing is blocking my way I'm just stuck. So this thing is bugged too? . In a blood boiling move I had no choice but to restart from the beginning and re-walk the whole bleh experience up to this point (interestingly however was the fact that some of the narration had changed). So, if you do decide to try Dear Esther do yourself a favour and quick-save before jumping off any cliffs or swimming in any water. I might have fallen victim to a rare bug, but no point in risking it yourself. Anyways, out of sheer stubbornness, I continued on from the start, mere inches away from bursting out in profanities condemning Dear Esther to the 9th levels of Hell. But, see... this is where the hate ends and the love begins. For the cave - the blue cave is where Dear Esther grabbed me and didn't let go. From here till the end I was captivated by the world. Long gone is the bland island and instead is a wondrous cave of waterfalls, streams, smoke-effects, creative lighting, and emotion inspiring environments ranging from psychosis to tranquillity. This was the experience I was hoping for when I bought Dear Esther. The story comes together, the narrator's incoherent ramblings start to actually make sense, and your purpose takes shape (which of course I won't spoil). I still don't know whether Dear Esther can be categorized as a game - and having only lasted 85 minutes in length (including my restart) I'm not sure its really worth the $9.99 price tag being sold for. However, if you wait and buy it on a Steam sale like I did for 75% off its hard to argue its not worth $2.50. Despite the slow starter it did come on strong and its unusual epistolary style of story telling will leave just enough holes to give you plenty to think about even after Dear Esther is long over.… Expand
  30. Aeryx
    Feb 14, 2016
    7
    It certainly lives up to its reputation of being a walking simulator that is short but memorable. This game reminds me of those times when I just walked and kept on thinking about things and the could-have-beens in life. It's certainly not for everyone, especially if all you want is action, but for those who enjoy quiet time and plain enjoying the sights, you might find this one interesting.
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Awards & Rankings

85
#85 Best PC Game of 2012
29
#29 Most Discussed PC Game of 2012
44
#44 Most Shared PC Game of 2012

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
75

Generally favorable reviews - based on 37 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 29 out of 37
  2. Mixed: 5 out of 37
  3. Negative: 3 out of 37
  1. Thunderbolt
    Jan 10, 2013
    30
    With no story or true narrative to latch onto, there's no reason for players to care about what's going on. And there's only one thing ever going on in Dear Esther: nothing. Broken up into individual pieces-the graphics, writing, and music clearly show talent and might have led to interesting stories or games-but together they form a dull, lifeless experience that's quickly forgotten.
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  2. LEVEL (Czech Republic)
    Apr 25, 2012
    50
    To call this piece "a game" and rate it as an ordinary game is not fair. You can find many flaws in the game's mechanics but if you just follow the story your experience will be unforgettable. [Apr 2012]
  3. CD-Action
    Mar 13, 2012
    55
    Thechineseroom studio managed to create something surprising and original, but Dear Esther is something you experience rather than play. [April 2012, p.79]
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