Gone Home

1. ALgendaryKiwi

   Aug 16, 2013

   10

   I don't usually give games a 10. In fact, there are only 2 other games that I would consider to be perfect 10s: the original portal andI don't usually give games a 10. In fact, there are only 2 other games that I would consider to be perfect 10s: the original portal and pacman ce dx. Those aren't necessarily the best games I've played, but they are the most perfect, if that makes sense. And that is a word that I would use to describe Gone Home: perfect. It is a game purely comprised of exploration and discovery, with virtually no other gameplay components with the exception of some very simplistic puzzles. And yet, Gone Home manages to make seemingly mundane exploration into some of the most engaging and emotional storytelling I have ever seen. Gone Home will be remembered for its brilliant design and execution, but also as a game that bravely led the charge in addressing contemporary social issues that have not as of yet found much representation in the medium.
   This game is not for everyone. If all you play are shooters and fast paced action games, then Gone Home will bore you. However, if you like slower games or games with interesting ways of telling stories, such as Journey, Heavy Rain, Dear Esther, or even mods like The Stanley Parable, than Gone home is certain to grab you and not let go for its 3 hour duration.… Expand

   • 100 of 366 users found this helpful
2. CLUTCH

   Dec 28, 2013

   10

   This is less of a game than it is an interactive story, but it is a very compelling and intriguing one and very well constructed.
   I'm notThis is less of a game than it is an interactive story, but it is a very compelling and intriguing one and very well constructed.
   I'm not sure where all of the hate is coming from. Perhaps from gamers that have been conditioned to have a very narrow view of what games are, or can be. Perhaps from religious fundamentalists that can't deal with the context of the story, or perhaps just people that are so unused to character empathy and well constructed story in a video game medium that they simply can't comprehend it.
   
   As someone that grew up and reached adulthood in the time period where the story is set (1995), I found all of the references very nostalgic. I went in not knowing what to expect, just that it was highly recommended, and I don't regret spending the money on it.
   
   If you are a more mature gamer in your late 20s or 30s, you will likely really enjoy this experience. If you have no attention span, imagination, or ability to empathise or be thoughtful and take things in, this will most likely not be the game for you.… Expand

   • 0 of 9 users found this helpful
4. matthew14555

   Dec 17, 2013

   9

   Gone Home is a game unlike any other, exploring the personal lives of a family in an intimate way. Katie has just arrived home after havingGone Home is a game unlike any other, exploring the personal lives of a family in an intimate way. Katie has just arrived home after having traveled Europe. She arrives at a new house where she discovers no one is home to greet her. Katie is then set on a path of discovery all throughout the house with a goal of finding out what is happening with her family. Katie achieves this by uncovering cryptic messages left by her sister in the form of journal entries and letters.
   The house is explored through the narrative of Samantha Greenbriar, Katie’s sister. Sam has left letters, maps, and journal entries scattered throughout the house that help Katie understand the events that have played out over the past year. The maps are quite often related to ghosts said to be roaming through the house, as a result Katie is lead into scary hidden rooms. The letters and journal entries are normally associated with Sam’s personal life, they help Katie understand the events that occurred in the house while she was gone, as well as adding a creepy effect to the game.
   Gone Home’s sound and graphics are used in an incredible way to help enhance the gamer’s experience. The sound in Gone Home is creepy to say the least; there is a constant loop of scary noises like creaks in wood and thunder, which make you feel as though someone is following you throughout the entire game. The graphics are created not to blow the gamers mind but to help the player focus on the more important aspects of the game, specifically the story. The poor graphics set the game apart from today’s popular games because of the minimalistic detail used. Gone Home use of a first person adventure is unlike any other because no one is killed and there are no requirements that must be met, which results in the player having complete control of their experience in the game
   Gone Home was a breath of fresh air in comparison to the popular games of today. Unlike the games of today, which tend to be based on killing or sports this game explores a story of love and relationships. Although the game is short, it is very meaningful, and I believe if people took the time to really analyze each room within the house they would enjoy not just the game but the story as well.… Expand

   • 0 of 4 users found this helpful
5. ShalashaskaJC

   Sep 9, 2013

   6

   It's just not my adventure. The love story was nice, and it looked fairly good, but it's lacking substance for the price. This should be aIt's just not my adventure. The love story was nice, and it looked fairly good, but it's lacking substance for the price. This should be a $10.00 USD game for the two hours it took to complete it. I liked it, yet it needs another year of making it into a full game.… Expand

   • 1 of 2 users found this helpful
6. TheNapier

   Dec 23, 2013

   4

   This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. The year 1995 was a very special year in my life, one that I, as a teenager, remember quite fondly. Among my memories of that time, I spent several days at my uncle's large house during the final week of October. His house has always been a place that has stimulated my imagination due to its size, design, and atmosphere a house not unlike the one featured in "Gone Home". From the moment I first heard of the nostalgic setting and period for "Gone Home," I knew I just had to have it.
   
   First, the positives. Although some have taken issue with the graphics, I actually thought they greatly contributed to the game's overall sense of isolation and eeriness. I almost believed I was back in my uncle's house. The game's sound effects are equally beneficial to setting the mood. Playing the game with headphones on, I found myself wondering "What was that?" when I thought I heard someone in another room. And the control, though very basic, is pretty much all you need for a game like this, though I would've liked a "run" feature to help me get around faster.
   
   Now, the negatives. The game is incredibly short. Three hours, done. Once you beat the game, you could replay it, but probably only once. Really, I don't see any point to replaying it even one time. The game's storyline was also very disappointing. I went into this game spoiler-free, so I was really let down that what seemed to be a thriller-mystery quickly revealed itself as a sappy love story that I had zero interest in. At first, I was thinking that maybe Samantha and Lonnie, two outcasts in their school, were going to form a suicide pact and were already dead, but revelations from Sam's diary gradually reveal that the two are lesbians who want to run away together. It's obvious that the game's makers are making a social commentary on homosexual relationships, but it just seems really weird to have that subject matter in a setting that feels more like "Resident Evil" than an after-school special. I also had a major problem with the inclusion of an actual Ouija board in the game. Though you never actually use it, it's there, hidden behind a wall panel. For those who, like me, are very sensitive about such things, this factor alone prevents me from recommending the game to anyone.
   
   For over twenty years, "Battletoads," for NES, was the most overrated game I ever played. Within a few short hours, a new dubious champion was crowned. I really, really wanted to like this game. But, due to its length, story, and mediocre gameplay, I cannot agree with the critics who are singing its praises. In a year full of great independent games, "Gone Home" is not even in the same league as "The Stanley Parable" or "Papers, Please," two games that are not only worthy of their acclaim, but are already modern classics in my eyes. Is this the worst game I've ever played? No, not even close. I wouldn't say it's a bad game, but it's not even good enough for me to call it "just good". It's average. That's all "Gone Home" is, a critically acclaimed, average game. Way to kill my 1995 nostalgia trip, Fullbright.… Expand

   • 4 of 5 users found this helpful
7. Gollygeeanelite

   Dec 5, 2013

   2

   This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. First, let me start this review off by focusing on the general pricing/length of this game. For 20 dollars (or $5 if you purchased it during a Steam sale), you are getting a video game experience that will last no longer than two hours. That's right. 2 hours. The actual interaction with the story last no more than 10 minutes. I could have gotten the same value from interesting stories from browsing forums on the internet.
   
   There isn't much that makes this story unique [SPOILERS START HERE]. A girl gets adjusted to a new life after moving. She meets a fellow classmate. She falls in love with her. They are both lesbian. They date for a year. They run away from home. The end. There is nothing special here. I'm a HUGE reader. I've read visual novels, manga, and over 500 normal novels. This story is truly MEH. Books that are comparable with this game cost a lot less and will have you engaged for 6-8 hours.
   
   But comparing a reading game to other reading forms of entertainment can wait. The most frustrating part about this game is the desperation clicking. I literally went through the mansion clicking everything 2-3 times. I didn't want to miss parts of the story because I got to the end game in 50 minutes. I wasn't even sure if the game was truly complete! I didn't want the money I spent to cheat me even more. The mechanics of the game are just clicking to get a scrap of any mediocre letter or note left by your family. It leaves you in disappointment because a fleshed out story wouldn't leave such a broken trail behind.
   
   There are many experiences that would surpass this gaming experience. Watch an anime (FMA, Steins;Gate, Deathnote), read a book, or check out a visual novel like Clannad. These are all good uses of mediums to tell a great story. Walking through an empty house picking up torn up letters is not. Back to the drawing board guys.… Expand

   • 4 of 6 users found this helpful
8. Hezekiah16

   Jan 11, 2018

   0

   This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. This game does a good job of making you feel like you're in 1995. I watched a no-commentary gameplay of this game on YouTube and I have to say that the devs did a good job of making you feel immersed in the game in a sense that you're walking around a big, creepy, empty house. The only reason I was interested in this game was because I was born in 1995.
   
   Putting all that aside, the story was stupid and your little sister Sam is an annoying brat along with her rebellious/foolish girlfriend Lonnie. It's a dumb drama story of the so-called "love" between Sam and Lonnie which is expressed in Sam's diary and her notes from school. This game is a waste of time and a waste of money. This game should be free or not exist at all. It's also another story that expresses hate towards Jesus Christ and Christianity, which is aggravatingly cliché. This game is of an antichrist spirit and you will find yourself bored watching Kaitlin walk around the house basically doing nothing. Gone home deserves a fat 0/10. The ending of this game is super anticlimactic. Don't even bother playing or watching it.
   
   Gone Home had so much potential to be a thrilling story of Kaitlin finding out what happened to all her family members and searching for them or something like that. Could've been SO much better.… Expand

   • 1 of 2 users found this helpful

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