Gone Home

 PC
User Score
5.5

Mixed or average reviews- based on 2245 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 939 out of 2245
  2. Mixed: 433 out of 2245
  3. Negative: 873 out of 2245

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  1. Alecrast
    Sep 5, 2013
    4
    This game was EXTREMELY disappointing, the story is just dumb, and this type of game is all about story. I don't care for gameplay, i don't care for enemies or puzzles, i LOVE a good -story only- game (To the Moon being one of my favorite games of all time) But the story of "Gone Home" is flat, the ending is terrible and inconsequential. You don't care what happens to this stupid sister ofThis game was EXTREMELY disappointing, the story is just dumb, and this type of game is all about story. I don't care for gameplay, i don't care for enemies or puzzles, i LOVE a good -story only- game (To the Moon being one of my favorite games of all time) But the story of "Gone Home" is flat, the ending is terrible and inconsequential. You don't care what happens to this stupid sister of yours, I was expecting a great shocking revelation or something and what we got at the end is just DUMB. DON'T BUY THIS.… Expand
  2. bden19
    Aug 25, 2013
    4
    This visual novel gets this score from me because of 2 things: the price and the length (also probably because they don't state its a visual novel, which it is.) $20 for 20 minutes of audio clips and the screaming female punk music of the 90's scattered across an hour of walking around a house. The story is probably the only thing that gives this any points in my book, and you can see whyThis visual novel gets this score from me because of 2 things: the price and the length (also probably because they don't state its a visual novel, which it is.) $20 for 20 minutes of audio clips and the screaming female punk music of the 90's scattered across an hour of walking around a house. The story is probably the only thing that gives this any points in my book, and you can see why there are some very positive and very negative reviews. But even with what the story is about, the length to price is unforgivable.… Expand
  3. ComicBookGuy
    Sep 13, 2013
    4
    Story-telling games are met with hesitation by many, personally I found it a tad contrived. As a game it should be judged in the usual video-game manner; things like game-play, re-playablitly and difficulty are non-existent.

    It has some good thoughts put into it, yet the over hyped media leap really misses the point of video-games as a storytelling medium. Testing the waters with the    Story-telling games are met with hesitation by many, personally I found it a tad contrived. As a game it should be judged in the usual video-game manner; things like game-play, re-playablitly and difficulty are non-existent.

    It has some good thoughts put into it, yet the over hyped media leap really misses the point of video-games as a storytelling medium.

    Testing the waters with the avant-garde is always a difficult task, sadly, Gone Home misses the mark and becomes quickly unmemorable. Many points could have been rethought and delivered to the audience in another manner, rather than shoving it down their throats. Video-games give the creators the option to make wonder and subtle story telling. Where what is told is only a small part, and only upon digging deeper into the world, characters, protagonists is is told.

    Gome Home just reads you a story, and whether you like it or not, it's going to tell it AT you.

    4/10 -
    +Something new
    o Focus on writing
    - Contrived
    - Lack of re-playability
    - Lack of game-play    … Expand
  4. gumpei
    Nov 12, 2016
    4
    boring, boring, boring, boring, boring, boring, boring, boring, boring, boring, boring, boring, boring, boring, boring, boring, boring, boring, boring, boring, boring, boring, boring, boring, boring, boring, boring, boring, short, short, short, short, short, short, short, short, short, short, short, short, short, short, short, short, short, short, short.........
  5. begoodness
    Sep 1, 2013
    4
    don't buy or play this game. Watch Pewdiepie or Macaulay Culkin playing it. The game maybe could look funny if they dont realize that they are playing a game
  6. metalmat
    Aug 21, 2013
    4
    It's a good idea that does not pan out. They could have done so much more with this story and blew it on a sappy plot that still leaves a bunch of guess work. You can analyze every 3d detail of every 3d object in the game but you will end up pretty disappointed.
  7. Erazor
    Aug 17, 2013
    4
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Negatives points: extremely slow paced (give sprint for revisiting rooms!). Unneeded/useless crouch function. Unneeded right-click and object rotate function. Besides Sam's notes, all other notes added nothing but bore. No puzzle solving or anything, game is about reading paper notes. Denying access to the most interesting (dirty) note was NOT a good idea. 99% of objects were useless and did not need a pickup function, they were not even interesting (pens, magazines, toilet papers). Game was promising a twisted ending but delivered nothing at all (yes... you are so smart and unique!). 2 hours later, conclusion was my sis has gone gay and has fled, but not a single foke was given by me, at least if it was Terry I could have laughed about it.

    Positive points: Game keeps you interested from start to finish, because it promises you with lies! Sam's story unfolds well and her voice journals are good, pretty shame it's rather basic. The bit in the first secret room, I picked up the cross and as i was reading it, and the light bulb went out, that bit sh!t me up real good, if only there was a lot more of that in the game.

    /Overhyped, basic game at best...    … Expand
  8. Atr0s
    Jun 19, 2015
    4
    At first sight, it's a decent-looking game and you can interact with a lot of what you can see, and it's something you are supposed to do to get some insight in your character and everyone else involved. Unfortunately the game is about it, exploring an empty house and piecing together minor facts from the characters that advances the story toward the ending (with a few plot twists). TheAt first sight, it's a decent-looking game and you can interact with a lot of what you can see, and it's something you are supposed to do to get some insight in your character and everyone else involved. Unfortunately the game is about it, exploring an empty house and piecing together minor facts from the characters that advances the story toward the ending (with a few plot twists). The challenge is non-existent, there are no puzzles or any other sort of minigame, so this is more like an interactive book than a conventional game. A very short book, I must add.… Expand
  9. WireRage
    Mar 13, 2014
    4
    I walked in expecting a psychological horror and what I got was a 3-hour lesbian love story. I'm pro-gay rights, but this was advertised as a horror game. The highlight of the game was steggy.
  10. Falcondor
    Aug 24, 2013
    4
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Wow. Game.

    Your sister is a lesbian and your mother is cheating on your father...whoopdeedoo.

    I do like how it played with my expectations but besides that it was very bland. I think people are really getting onboard with this game because of the sister-is-a-lesbian-who-runs-off-with-her-military-lover story-arc. This may be enlightening, endearing, or perhaps even shocking to some people. However as a person who is already comfortable with same-sex relationships this game loses its impetus. It merely becomes a rather ordinary (and ultimately boring) experience.

    I do believe that there is a need for games like this to be played, especially by the ignorant. But for someone that lives in a place like, oh, PORTLAND OREGON, this game is a hideous waste of time. I felt like it was trying to teach me something that I already knew, to impart some piece of its marvelous 'wisdom' upon me and help me be a better person. Too late. That's ultimately what this game is, it's late to the party. Not just hours late, but decades.    … Expand
  11. thanatopsis
    Jan 3, 2016
    4
    This is a true walking simulator. If you like that sort of thing, you might like Gone Home.
    It might be worth $5, but no more. It takes no more than 2 hours to complete.
    I actually liked the way the story unfolds and how the locked rooms become unlocked little by little, but the story is not that compelling. What really annoyed me is that is has a sense of foreboding that just doesn't    This is a true walking simulator. If you like that sort of thing, you might like Gone Home.
    It might be worth $5, but no more. It takes no more than 2 hours to complete.
    I actually liked the way the story unfolds and how the locked rooms become unlocked little by little, but the story is not that compelling.
    What really annoyed me is that is has a sense of foreboding that just doesn't go anywhere. The dark rooms and thunder exist for no reason but to make you think something sinister might happen. And does it? Well yes: I spent $6 and two hours of my life on a walking simulator that went nowhere. It is pretty frightening to think people actually spent $20 on this and liked it.    … Expand
  12. Drekassn
    Dec 26, 2013
    4
    I'm not going to say this "isn't a game" like lots of other people here. Art/mood/atmospheric stories are just as worthy as "games" as the shooter kill-em-all games they churn out near endlessly. In fact, most of my favourite gaming experiences are games with a similar emotional and atmospheric tone to them. But this game in particular, in my opinion, was poorly executed.

    Let me    I'm not going to say this "isn't a game" like lots of other people here. Art/mood/atmospheric stories are just as worthy as "games" as the shooter kill-em-all games they churn out near endlessly. In fact, most of my favourite gaming experiences are games with a similar emotional and atmospheric tone to them. But this game in particular, in my opinion, was poorly executed.

    Let me explain. The game begins in a foreboding way, entering an empty old house in the middle of a storm, one of the first clues involving a young girl crying over an answering machine. As you go on, the mood continues its intriguing pull, taking you through a father obsessed with conspiracy theories, the brief story of the "ghost" of the house, and other dark family secrets that could really go anywhere. As you follow the clues you gradually discover the sister's lesbian relationship and the trials they go through until you reach the very end, an attic surrounded by red lights with a note saying "Do not enter when lights are on". What horrible thing awaits you here? With all the buildup it's bound to be something intriguing.

    Nope. All that you find in the attic is a saccharine "twist" ending where the sister's girlfriend realizes she wants to be together more than any of her other life aspirations and they run away together. None of the foreboding atmosphere, the unsettling clues, any of it, pays off whatsoever. All of the families problems are resolved in a sugary sweet success and everyone goes home (yuk yuk) happy.

    Now, I feel I should clarify that I am very much pro-gay relationships. But basically, I felt betrayed by this game. It's like following an engaging abduction mystery only to find out that the victim wasn't kidnapped at all and was simply off visiting her mum in the next town. You shouldn't have to hijack another genre and pretend your game is one thing and then shift towards something else at the last minute in order to make it seem more compelling a story than it actually is. All of the red herrings just really made the ending feel cheap and essentially made all of the buildup and excitement I'd been feeling disappear in a disappointing huff. The story was not deep or profound. It relied on faking an atmosphere in order to get a point across that, these days, I don't really think needs to be snuck in under the radar anymore.

    The disappointment alone means I cannot in good faith recommend this to anyone else.    … Expand
  13. kckkryptonite
    Aug 17, 2013
    4
    Walkin' around a house, lookin' at scraps of papers. Openin' drawers, turnin' lights on, the end. Not quite my cup of tea for a video game. Sure, it's an interesting way to deliver a story, but that's all it is, I didn't find it to be the masterpiece the critic's seem to be praising, perhaps they're just far too jaded by conventional games.

    I found the story itself and ending really    Walkin' around a house, lookin' at scraps of papers. Openin' drawers, turnin' lights on, the end. Not quite my cup of tea for a video game. Sure, it's an interesting way to deliver a story, but that's all it is, I didn't find it to be the masterpiece the critic's seem to be praising, perhaps they're just far too jaded by conventional games.

    I found the story itself and ending really underwhelming considering that was the focal point of the game; it just felt like a playable, albeit forgettable and predictable, Lifetime movie. So I just can't get on board this hype train. By the end of it, I felt like having no gameplay was more a gimmick than anything else. What happens when more "games" likes this with similarly decent stories come out? Are we still praising it with perfect 10's? It's different, I get it, but that doesn't make it a good game.    … Expand
  14. Morgenstern72
    Aug 25, 2013
    4
    Well, i played this game because of the wild over-the-top reviews and because I like good stories. And yes, this "game" has a good story. But that's all there is at the positive side. All the high reviews seem to be just based on the "special" story. I can't tell you the big secret (you stumble upon about 10.15 minutes in the game) without spoiler but it's a sad fact that this is theWell, i played this game because of the wild over-the-top reviews and because I like good stories. And yes, this "game" has a good story. But that's all there is at the positive side. All the high reviews seem to be just based on the "special" story. I can't tell you the big secret (you stumble upon about 10.15 minutes in the game) without spoiler but it's a sad fact that this is the reason why this "game" is so hyped.

    The length if the game, with each and every stone turned, everything read, every cassette heard was exact 2 hours. The graphics are bearable, but not very good. The atmosphere is a little bit spooky, but otherwise it's just an old house with tons of cups, pens and rooms. While every review tells you it is not a puzzle game, it is: search for the next key to unlock the next door. A key might be a special year as a lock combination or just a key.

    So: nice story, super short, old graphics, absolut not replayable (except hearing the message machine again). For 5$ I would have said: yes, it's an interactive (very) short story. Let's give it 7/10. But for 20$ on Steam this is a joke. Compare it to true storytelling treasures like the Walking Dead episode game. And then PLEASE tell me why you would rate this game more than 4.    … Expand
  15. Zime
    Nov 9, 2013
    4
    I'm so happy I bought this at a steam sale with 50 percent off because this was quite frankly, very boring. A video game should always focus on what sets video games apart from other mediums, which is solid gameplay. This is the strong foundation of a good game, so it doesn't matter how good the story is or how many spot on 90's references there are if the game is not engrossing to play.I'm so happy I bought this at a steam sale with 50 percent off because this was quite frankly, very boring. A video game should always focus on what sets video games apart from other mediums, which is solid gameplay. This is the strong foundation of a good game, so it doesn't matter how good the story is or how many spot on 90's references there are if the game is not engrossing to play. It is NOT engrossing to go around and read notes for two hours.… Expand
  16. Skeeter206
    Feb 11, 2021
    4
    Honestly, the game was fine. I rated it a 4 because the game relies upon the story to elevate it, but the story has little to no depth.

    The story of the sister was a roller coaster, but ultimately you learn everything you need to in a matter of an hour and a half. I don't know about other people but for me to really gain emotional attachment to characters and stories, I need more than    Honestly, the game was fine. I rated it a 4 because the game relies upon the story to elevate it, but the story has little to no depth.

    The story of the sister was a roller coaster, but ultimately you learn everything you need to in a matter of an hour and a half. I don't know about other people but for me to really gain emotional attachment to characters and stories, I need more than an hour or so of 15 minutes of setting the stage, an hour of build up, and 15 minutes of payoff.

    Nothing about the game is dumb, but nothing about the game really warrants you actually experiencing it either. For the most part, the parts of the story that I felt were supposed to hit hardest, felt like things I've read, watched, and personally experienced a dozen times before.

    Who would I suggest this game to? Someone who can relate to growing up in a two child family, with parent issues, who moved to a new house in the middle of nowhere and one of the two siblings has difficulty connecting to others like most.

    Also, you shouldn't spend more than $5 on this game.    … Expand
  17. jacquelineferre
    Aug 16, 2013
    4
    Gone Home is the perfect example of a game that shouldn't be game. It has a really good story and some interesting characters but that alone won't make a good game.
    Normally I would appreciate a game with a good narrative, I believe that the industry needs this kind of game, but a game is not a mere narrative it has to be the combination of sounds, images, story and interaction and Gone    Gone Home is the perfect example of a game that shouldn't be game. It has a really good story and some interesting characters but that alone won't make a good game.
    Normally I would appreciate a game with a good narrative, I believe that the industry needs this kind of game, but a game is not a mere narrative it has to be the combination of sounds, images, story and interaction and Gone Home manages to fail in every aspect except for the story.
    Poor graphics combined with very bad textures and a terrible light effect makes the environment a lousy place to navigate through and that is a pretty important thing here since walking around the scenario 50% the game mechanic.
    The sound is average there really isn't much to complain but there is nothing to praise either.
    The gameplay, if you can call it that way, consists basically on walking around reading messages and notes.
    Gone Home is a pretty good narrative born in the wrong medium it would be a much better choice to release it as short film.    … Expand
  18. carusoII
    Aug 17, 2013
    4
    Don't know why the reviewers loved this so. Interesting "game" while it lasted, which was all of 90 minutes. Definitely not worth the price of admission.
  19. iamymr
    Aug 18, 2013
    4
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Warning: This review also spoils Iron Man 3 if you haven't seen it. This review is also long.

    I am feeling mixed emotions at the moment. I literally just finished the game about twenty minutes ago. I downloaded it about five hours ago, but my Steam in-game timer says I have only played it for three hours.

    First things first: I barely read any reviews at all. I think I skimmed either Joystiq's or IGN's or something, I cannot recall. I saw some of the screenshots, and then I checked the game out on Steam.

    Missing family members? Check.
    Resident Evil-like mansion? Check.
    1995 spooky period setting? Check.
    Detective emphasis where you pick up items and look for clues? Check.

    So this game is obviously about either a murder, a haunted house, or some sort of missing family detective game, judging by the screen shots and Steam profile, right?

    I boot the game up. Title screen is pretty spooky and ominous. I bet my family's bodies are in that second floor left window because it's illuminated on the title screen!

    The game opens with a "Hey don't mind me, I'll find my own way home" phone call. I have an inventory system and a map. I'm digging it. It's dark, stormy, the lightning and creaking noises are scary and ominous. This giant Resident Evil house is deserted and abandoned. I decide that I'm going to hug the left wall the entire game, and check every nook and cranny. And I do.

    I learn about my "father's" failed book sales, I learn about the creepy voice message on the phone, read about my great uncle's will. I enjoyed the X-Files references, and the Street Fighter stuff was great. All right, every thing is pretty cool for now. I bet my family is dead upstairs or something. The atmosphere is awesome. I get genuinely creeped out the dark hallways and the thundering and lightning. I keep thinking there is going to be a dead body or a zombie or something every time I enter a new room.

    After a great first hour or two of scary lightning and ominous noises, things start to get a little weird once you get to the second floor. The first girl punk rock cassette was okay I guess, but now these other ones are annoying me. Oh, here's a story about a pirate captain uh cool? I'm not really feeling it, though.

    And then "it" happens. The moment that makes me say "Uh what just happened?" Remember the trailers for Iron Man 3? Remember how it seemed so dark and ominous? How Tony was all alone? How the Mandarin was such a powerful and evil guy? And you see it and like it at first, but then the Mandarin reveal happens? And following that scene, the movie just loses all appeal. You are no longer invested. What you thought and expected is completely replaced with confusion. That moment happened to me in this game.

    "Dear diary I like Lonnie." Uh okay. That's cool, I guess? Seems a little unrelated to the dark and ominous feel of the game. My family is still totally dead and murdered, right?

    Nope, all the ominous darkness and set-up is basically for naught. After that reveal, it turns into a high schooler's interactive "Dear Diary, me and Lonnie let's be pirate punks blah blah blah." The game attempts to return to the "dark and ominous" setting with cryptic clues about your deceased great uncle and stuff.

    A little further, I get a little more hope when I find out there's a pagan ritual going on and some Ouija board talk. I thought to myself, "Awesome. She's totally killed herself in the attic, right?"

    Nope. Your parents are away at a couple's retreat because your mom is probably cheating on your dad, and your sister at the ripe age of 17 with all of her wisdom runs off with a now AWOL Lonnie and the game ends.

    I'm terribly confused as to why they marketed it the way they did if the main story line (your sister is gay and ran off) has nothing to do with the dark and ominous setting.

    Did I enjoy it? That first hour or so going about the house was great. Scouring corners for clues, attempting to find out what happened to my family, old creaky noises, Resident Evil flashbacks, etc. But then after the "Dear diary" event, I just stop caring. It got to the point where the game mentions a Kate/Kaitlin, and I honestly forgot that it was my character's name. Other than a few postcards, I am just a boring uninteresting protagonist going on a easter egg hunt for my sister who is apparently a master at setting up cryptic notes and secret passages.

    Does it matter if Sam was gay or not? Not at all. Even if Lonnie became Lenny, I don't care for a high school girl's 3 hour version of Dear Diary.

    The game is misleading in its tone and advertising. Do I regret my purchase? I don't know. $18 is a bit much for a 3 hour game I will never play again. All the hype and great reviews are a little misleading. This game could have been a great spooky detective murder mystery. You could have been a protagonist that mattered. But nope. You are just a boring older sister that no one cares about it seems.    … Expand
  20. Instinctive
    Aug 19, 2013
    4
    The game is quite decent if you look at it from a "proof of concept" kind of standpoint. It shows you that games with a huge focus on story can be made and that they have potential.
    Is this game worth $20, though? Absolutely not.
    The graphics are alright for this type of game. Nothing spectacular to be sure, but adequate. More attention given to the lighting would have really helped    The game is quite decent if you look at it from a "proof of concept" kind of standpoint. It shows you that games with a huge focus on story can be made and that they have potential.
    Is this game worth $20, though? Absolutely not.

    The graphics are alright for this type of game. Nothing spectacular to be sure, but adequate. More attention given to the lighting would have really helped the atmosphere, though.
    The sound design is passable as well. Sound and music are used sparingly but appropriately. Nothing that will wow you, but fitting for the game.

    The two major problems, then, are the story and the "gameplay".
    I applaud their effort to completely focus on the exploration and ditch enemies and puzzles altogether. It's just a shame that the exploration really isn't all that fun. You can walk around, pick up objects and examine them. That's it. A bit of variety would have really helped. How about a flashlight to let you explore dark, long abandoned rooms inside the house? How about some semblance of interactivity between items? ANYTHING to break the monotony of slowly walking from room to room.
    I realize that the exclusion of typical gameplay elements was a conscious choice, but it wasn't a good one in my opinion. A game focused completely on exploration should make exploration fun.
    Then we have the story. I have to admit it's well written and indeed somewhat interesting, but it's just out of place and not fitting.
    The tried and true (but nevertheless interesting) setting of the old, spooky mansion at night with a storm blowing outside would have lent itself much better to a real mystery story. I'm not going to spoil anything, but in my opinion they should have stuck with a tried and true (but interestingly told) story to go along with their tried and true setting instead for going with a story that simply feels out of place.
    The fact that the "big reveal" is obvious 20 minutes into the game doesn't help, either.    … Expand
  21. gabrieldevue
    Aug 22, 2013
    4
    In short: get this game if its less than 5 bucks or part of a bundle. It feels like a longer demo. The setting and sound are nice, but characters, story (in a story centered game) are very bland and way too short. The only interaction is the pacing. You can influence nothing else.

    Gone home... does not really do anything wrong. It does not anger me as many games did in the last time...    In short: get this game if its less than 5 bucks or part of a bundle. It feels like a longer demo. The setting and sound are nice, but characters, story (in a story centered game) are very bland and way too short. The only interaction is the pacing. You can influence nothing else.

    Gone home... does not really do anything wrong. It does not anger me as many games did in the last time... And I do enjoy games that tend to be very calm and with a minimum of interaction (Myst) or narrated movies (Walking Dead). I also identified with the main character (who has such few characteristics that this is not hard.) and enjoyed the fact that 2 girls are the center of attention here.
    Myst has a compelling world and culture, the Walking Dead tells a gripping story of multi-faceted characters (yeah, stereotypical some). Gone home is also story centered and the story in my view is utterly standard and told in a very boring way. So does this just boil down to my taste?
    In the beginning i was very intrigued: I had not read anything and expected suspense, maybe horror (x-file tapes lying around, the name "Steven King" popping up). I hoped that this was the way the story would go. Or if not, that i would be cleverly cheated out of my sheepish reasoning.
    The 90 points on meta critic also did their fair share. I have to think carefully if I can afford buying a game the screenshots, trailer, soundtrack and meta critic score convinced me. Also I love supporting a genre that really needs more good publishers.
    Now i really, really regret having spent 20 Euro on this game. I still would have liked to play it but not for 20 Euro. I would recommend it to people who like interactive stories (not really interactive... the story does not react to you you cannot influence anything but the pacing), the sound is nice, the voice acting as well. I especially liked the effort put into the handwriting. But this is simply... not enough for a game. Where Journey captures you with mood and also some essential game-play and difficulty here, there is absolutely no difficulty at all. I could have picked up the (well written) diary of a 15 year old girl instead. I have no reason of "playing" this a second time or watching somebody else playing it. I could not even talk about the game with friends. I actually feel cheated... There does not have to be a shocking twist or compelling tragedy in every story, but the whole set up, the premise is so intriguing, that the very banal 1000times heard many times told better story with 0 interaction disappointed me a lot. Maybe I would have liked that story more, if i was 14 or 15. But then the time period the game is set in might not have been so interesting to me.    … Expand
  22. Drowkin
    Aug 23, 2013
    4
    As a storytelling experimentation, Gone Home hits the spot and hits it hard. The game feels interesting enough to drive you to go forward and learn what's been going on in your new house while you left. And every piece fits right into place. The 90's atmosphere is incredibly well rendered, and anybody who grew up in these times will smile at the VHS, audio tapes, old TVs, and overall looksAs a storytelling experimentation, Gone Home hits the spot and hits it hard. The game feels interesting enough to drive you to go forward and learn what's been going on in your new house while you left. And every piece fits right into place. The 90's atmosphere is incredibly well rendered, and anybody who grew up in these times will smile at the VHS, audio tapes, old TVs, and overall looks of the house. The attention to detail is there, and is part of what compels the player to hear the whole story.

    But let's face it As a game in the strict sense of the term... Well, Gone Home is simply not a game. It's a VERY SHORT interactive story, that might be of interest to 15 years old girls.

    Video games are at a turning point, the indie market has grown, huge and mature, and I am the first one to rejoice at that fact. But Gone Home falls flat on his face when it comes to telling an interesting story. The ending is nothing more than pure disappointment, leaving me behind my screen, thinking "What That is all Am I supposed to feel something right now I had absolutely no sense of accomplishment when I got to the end of the story. No last minute twist, nothing sad, nothing happy. Just a big nothing.

    This game represents everything that is both good and bad about experimental storytelling. Its puzzle-driven narrative and great atmosphere makes you want to go deeper into the story... But it's shortcomings and lack of interactivity makes you wonder why is this a game and not an audio book. As part of a bigger game, it would have been incredible. Imagine that instead of having a cutscene that just unfoils the story to you, you would have to explore, read, listen, solve (easy) puzzles and just be attentive to what's going on around you.

    What I don't understand is how can a serious reviewer give this "game" a 9/10 or 10/10 The 7th Guest, the 11th Hour, Beneath a Steel Sky, Day of the Tentacle, Sam & Max... There are so many great adventure/puzzle games that manage to deliver a good story, and that actually make you feel like you accomplished something at the end, that I don't understand why Gone Home is apparently deserving of such high scores from the "professional" critics. Ironically, all these games are from... The 90's.

    Gone Home is simply an experiment in storytelling. Like many games are trying to do nowadays: Convincing people that the video game can be a great media to tell a good story. But Gone Home is very far from being the most interesting one.    … Expand
  23. Restaalin
    Aug 26, 2013
    4
    I went into this game completely blind, having no idea what it is. When I started, I immediately recognized the similarities between this and Dear Esther. As I progressed through the story, I realized that there's no real puzzles. All the items you need to find are hidden, which makes it similar to Dear Esther in that it shouldn't really be classified as a game as It's more of anI went into this game completely blind, having no idea what it is. When I started, I immediately recognized the similarities between this and Dear Esther. As I progressed through the story, I realized that there's no real puzzles. All the items you need to find are hidden, which makes it similar to Dear Esther in that it shouldn't really be classified as a game as It's more of an interactive story, which I'd be okay with if it wasn't so simple. The length is another thing I find an issue. Upon completing the game for the first time, I went back and beat it again in literally 30 seconds, which is a problem. Games should never allow me to beat them in less than a minute if they're supposedly based on an emotional narrative. Overall, I enjoyed Gone Home. Those who watch it being played get the exact same effect as those who play it themselves, and I would not recommend it unless you're some civil rights person who's all about sexual equality.… Expand
  24. Bimbleton
    Sep 16, 2013
    4
    It's an interesting improvement on the "Dear Esther" Formula, you walk through very linear path without any challenge or exact goal set, other than getting the game over with. The game has a sort of mediocre plot, all the characters are extremely flat except the pink haired (who I've already forgotten the name of due to the game barely keeping my attention) I'm actually pretty sure allIt's an interesting improvement on the "Dear Esther" Formula, you walk through very linear path without any challenge or exact goal set, other than getting the game over with. The game has a sort of mediocre plot, all the characters are extremely flat except the pink haired (who I've already forgotten the name of due to the game barely keeping my attention) I'm actually pretty sure all the hype around this 2 hour piece of that feels more like a tech demo, is because the game thinks it's being controversial with the lesbian but honestly it isn't. The biggest drawback is there isn't a sprint button so I had to drag myself slowly around this mansion house listening to drawn out monologues about a teenager experiencing hormone changes. I kept on thinking I might encounter another character or something throughout the game with the lightning and empty house building up suspense, but no the entire game is you walking around a dumb house for 2 hours. The Shrek Gameboy game tops this … Expand
  25. Philler
    Sep 20, 2013
    4
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Gave it a four but only after looking around on the internet and finding and explanation to the story regarding the Dad and the Uncle. Look it up for a detailed explanation but essentially the gist is that the Dad was abused by the Uncle and his book about a time traveler going back in time to save JFK was a cover for his own personal tragedy as both events happen in 1963.

    I thought this a very intriguing story but only found out about it because I read about it on the internet. Why didn't I work this out when playing? Because the game doesn't seem to care much about it. All the focus is on the sister's story and the rest of the family's stories don't get resolved. What happened with the Mom's affair? What was the deal with the Uncle haunting the place? Was Kathryn at all interesting? (I guess no)... so an unresolved story around the Dad and Uncle was not surprising and I had no incentive to work the abuse story out on my own. That and I'm from Australia so had no idea what year JFK was assassinated so couldn't piece the events together.

    I echo the complaints that others had: the main story just wasn't that interesting, the ending was disappointing, 2 hours of rifling through drawers and reading notes is boring, and $20 for a game you only play once is a joke.

    Get it for free or don't bother.    … Expand
  26. Uzumakitony
    Oct 8, 2013
    4
    I tried. I genuinely tried to find meaning in this game but it just isn't there. A girl at home with a dot on her forehead...or her eyes? bad graphics, they should have at least shown her body. In a gaming world where everyone is trying something new it isn't unheard of to make a game like this. but the graphics and the boring aura of the game made it BAD
  27. Pineconeshaman
    Oct 7, 2013
    4
    While this game excels in storytelling and is in general a very interesting experience it lacks any real gameplay, it's more an interactive story with a little exploration and puzzle solving.
    I must give it a low score due to the price point being so high for few hours of slow entertainment with absolutely no replayability.
    I would pay no more than 5 bucks for this game.
  28. Cashloog
    Oct 10, 2013
    4
    I am very disappointed with the critics on this one. Gone Home was misrepresented every step of the way. All of the advertizing implied this was a horror game. It's not. You will find yourself liking this game at the start but that's about it. The story is well done and well executed "until the end" but nothing we haven't seen before "in movies not video games anyway". Anyone who hasI am very disappointed with the critics on this one. Gone Home was misrepresented every step of the way. All of the advertizing implied this was a horror game. It's not. You will find yourself liking this game at the start but that's about it. The story is well done and well executed "until the end" but nothing we haven't seen before "in movies not video games anyway". Anyone who has played this game knows full well its fatal flaws and I don't want to spoil anything about the story. Critic have given this game overwhelmingly positive reviews and that's just scary. The New York Times "people who probably have never played a video game" called this the greatest love story in a video game...SIGH. All I will say is that if this game was made in the mid 90s "when this game was set" the love story would have been edgy but this is 2013! Just setting the game in the 90s doesn't make you "edgy" or "progressive" just boring yes BORING the main problem with this game is just how dull it is. Please don"t wast $20 on this 4 hour long movie with no payoff at the end.… Expand
  29. J4MESOX4D
    Oct 28, 2013
    4
    I picked up Gone Home cheap after seeing rave reviews of the game and despite such a respectable price; it is apparent that such write-ups are inflated. The game is incredibly bland despite an intriguing and engrossing story. The atmosphere is tense and the setting superb but the overlay gameplay is extremely linear and most exploration is meaningless or pointless. The lack of depthI picked up Gone Home cheap after seeing rave reviews of the game and despite such a respectable price; it is apparent that such write-ups are inflated. The game is incredibly bland despite an intriguing and engrossing story. The atmosphere is tense and the setting superb but the overlay gameplay is extremely linear and most exploration is meaningless or pointless. The lack of depth really shows as you steadily progress to the finish in just a couple of hours. The latter part of the game feels extremely rushed as the intrigue declines and the narrative speeds up to a mediocre conclusion.

    It's a real shame as the potential here could've lead to a very broad and gripping story but many gamers will be disappointed that the final product is lacklustre at best. It's still a cheap indie game at best but I think the critics have been extremely generous in their scoring as Gone Home lacks in so many areas which could've been developed more in-depth to give a longer and more absorbing game. It's worth a fiver for a rainy weekend but don't expect too much in longevity or drama. A wasted opportunity of what was a promising concept.    … Expand
  30. PtolemyAFX
    Dec 26, 2013
    4
    Gone Home is a disappointing experience. While the throwbacks to the 90s are nice, and the house itself is nice to look round, the game's core is its story, and it's here where it fails to impress. Without revealing too much, the story is very pedestrian, and you'll find yourself becoming quite bored; you'll either stop playing about two thirds in or just get it over with as quickly asGone Home is a disappointing experience. While the throwbacks to the 90s are nice, and the house itself is nice to look round, the game's core is its story, and it's here where it fails to impress. Without revealing too much, the story is very pedestrian, and you'll find yourself becoming quite bored; you'll either stop playing about two thirds in or just get it over with as quickly as possible. Not to mention the whole thing takes a few hours to get through and has no replay value whatsoever.

    For a game that has nothing else going for it other than its plot, this is a fatal flaw. There's nothing to really recommend here. Avoid.    … Expand
  31. Xerxes72
    Nov 27, 2013
    4
    Slow-paced, exploration-heavy adventure games are among my absolute favorite, so I was positively thrilled during the first half or so of Gone Home. It sports decent graphics, terrific atmosphere, great voice acting, and a sleek, totally immersive interface that lets you examine almost every object. Add a deserted old house that you're free to explore at your leisure, a creepy subplotSlow-paced, exploration-heavy adventure games are among my absolute favorite, so I was positively thrilled during the first half or so of Gone Home. It sports decent graphics, terrific atmosphere, great voice acting, and a sleek, totally immersive interface that lets you examine almost every object. Add a deserted old house that you're free to explore at your leisure, a creepy subplot involving the previous owner, and we're all set for great adventure!

    If only. After an hour or so, I noticed that not much had happened in the way of actual gameplay. Reading notes and documents had been so entertaining, I didn't mind much. But then I started getting the sinking feeling that the game had no intention of delivering on its promises. It wasn't developing into a fully fledged adventure (the inclusion of a limited inventory with completely useless "items" notwithstanding) as I had hoped. Instead, it was morphing into something else.

    In a nutshell, the game is an ambush. It is arguably not a game at all. It is, shockingly, a political piece, as carefully and deliberately conceived as it is blatant and ultimately inept. I cannot offer more details without spoiling things, so let's just say that the game's "story" starts veering into "young adult" fantasy territory and it just doesn't let up, right up to the laughable and cringe-worthy finale. Look for no twist, redemption or arc here this is as stereotypical as it gets. In spite of the short length and the overused "lost journal" device, the game even finds the time to take a couple of potshots against a few organizations and institutions; I'll let you guess what its predictable targets are. It's simply hard to believe. Frustratingly, the aspects that COULD have worked beautifully are quickly tossed aside so as not to distract from the main payload.

    This is the game's death knell: I'm all for sacrificing gameplay in favor of a compelling story. But Gone Home has neither. You keep waiting for the game to start, and by the time you realize where this is going you've long grown tired of checking every item and opening every panel in search of the next scrap of paper.

    As for the story, the designers' agenda permeates the proceedings so thoroughly that you'll likely to be pinned as something or other if you find any fault with it. I may applaud the designers for trying, and for having their heart in the right place, but this is clearly not the way to go. The proof is in the pudding: replace the (non) novelty aspect of the story (i.e., its main gimmick, the one that keeps hitting you over the head) by a more "classical" take, and I have little doubt that you'd be seeing very different ratings from most critics. The last image after the credits is actually enlightening; it tells you that the designers really believe all the trite pap their characters are forced to spout, write and do, with nary a hint of humor or self awareness.

    Bottom line: Gone Home feels like a prototype of an adventure/horror game, temporarily populated with a token teenage story and little more. It is, in fact, a very nice prototype. I enjoyed its best bits, but the overall package is a huge disappointment, and in many ways an outright cheat.    … Expand
  32. arandomguy
    Nov 28, 2013
    4
    First of all, this is not a game. Just a beautiful love story about blah-blah-blah... There are some things that make a game playable. Not a single one in that story, i prefer to call it "a story". If you're looking for something to spend a few hours without any challenges for your brain, this is a perfect choice. They told us there are many mysteries and things to investigate and explore.First of all, this is not a game. Just a beautiful love story about blah-blah-blah... There are some things that make a game playable. Not a single one in that story, i prefer to call it "a story". If you're looking for something to spend a few hours without any challenges for your brain, this is a perfect choice. They told us there are many mysteries and things to investigate and explore. Well, the only one secret still remains unsolved, why did i buy that?… Expand
  33. JCee
    Dec 5, 2013
    4
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I've been looking for a game to play in-between my regular Sims/Skyrim sessions, and this looked like a decent one. I'm a 90's kid (born late 80's actually) and a sucker for "exploration/mystery" type games, plus the 50% Cyber Monday sale didn't hurt either. I played for 2 or so hours first day, and finally got the chance to get back in on Thursday, only to realize I was literally 10 minutes away from completing the whole thing. What a bummer! Seriously, if this game cost 2£ then great. But it was a whopping 8£ with a 50% sale. I have never paid that much for any game that is completable in under 3 hours.. The story was ridiculously predictable as well, I could already predict what was going to the main narrator and her secret friend 20 minutes into playing. I also don't know if it's just me and my machine, but in most rooms I'd get annoying neon-coloured glitchy flashing patches on objects and walls. 4/10… Expand
  34. Lucathegreat
    Dec 22, 2013
    4
    Story is not that bad and the (only) voice is good, but it's hard to even consider this as a "game". You do nothing else apart from picking up letters and books, and hear what happened. No puzzles, an empty house full of useless stuff that you can pick up for no reason. That's it. It lasts 1,5-2 hours max, so no-one should pay it more than $2-3.

    The only reason this game is getting    Story is not that bad and the (only) voice is good, but it's hard to even consider this as a "game". You do nothing else apart from picking up letters and books, and hear what happened. No puzzles, an empty house full of useless stuff that you can pick up for no reason. That's it. It lasts 1,5-2 hours max, so no-one should pay it more than $2-3.

    The only reason this game is getting awarded is because of the "politically correct" theme of the story (that I won't spoil, but will be clear pretty soon), so the entire game it's just a slimy operation to gain easy consensus, thing proven by the fact that developers themselves tend to delete any thread on the Steam forum and ban users that dares to move even the slightiest complaint about their perfect game and don't treat it like a GOTY.    … Expand
  35. 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
  36. killeryams
    Dec 27, 2013
    4
    This game makes for mixed feelings. From an artistic standpoint and the way the game goes about telling the story I may be hard pressed to not give it a 9 or 10. That being said from a video game standpoint, I settled on a 4. It's short, expensive, and at the end of the day is better suited as a youtube video than a game by itself. Interesting story, not what I expected but at the endThis game makes for mixed feelings. From an artistic standpoint and the way the game goes about telling the story I may be hard pressed to not give it a 9 or 10. That being said from a video game standpoint, I settled on a 4. It's short, expensive, and at the end of the day is better suited as a youtube video than a game by itself. Interesting story, not what I expected but at the end of the day, this is worth it for $5 or so. $20 and you'll be left feeling robbed.… Expand
  37. mmmMatto
    May 5, 2014
    4
    After all the rave reviews praising the story, voice acting, etc, I was hoping for something special. Gone Home turned out to be a big disappointment. I'm a big supporter of the LGBT community, and I'm glad someone tried to make a story that incorporates that, but this game feels like it was hastily written to placate Anita Sarkeesian so she'll shut up for a few minutes.

    I was hoping    After all the rave reviews praising the story, voice acting, etc, I was hoping for something special. Gone Home turned out to be a big disappointment. I'm a big supporter of the LGBT community, and I'm glad someone tried to make a story that incorporates that, but this game feels like it was hastily written to placate Anita Sarkeesian so she'll shut up for a few minutes.

    I was hoping for some big mystery--a story that keeps you guessing what happened to your younger sister, with a big reveal at the end--but the story lacks any real depth. I figured out how the story was going to end about 10 minutes in: nothing more than the melodramatic actions of an angsty teenage girl. The quasi-creepy atmosphere was meant to instill a sense of unease and mystery (old creaky house, flickering lights, a nice thunderstorm outside), but with such a predictable story it was just silly. The ancillary family members are given almost no development and are completely irrelevant to the story, making the game horribly one-dimensional. They might as well have handed you Samantha's diary and told you to read it.

    I gave the game points for a little 90's nostalgia and a few tracks from some riot-grrrl indie bands. Other than that the game is just a 90-minute Lifetime movie.    … Expand
  38. thepedrovital
    Jun 28, 2014
    4
    Beautiful story and nice references, but it fails on what is the most important in games: Being fun to play. Gone Home is boring, it could have puzzles or something to make it fun, but it doesn't.
  39. bcbarnesrsgc
    Jan 10, 2015
    4
    The game Gone Home by the Fulbright company is as much of a story as it is video game. It is the story of a girl, who has been traveling for a year who then returns home. Upon her return, her family has bought a new house. When she goes to the new house, it is abandoned with a note on the door. The concept of the story is to try and uncover what happened to her family and where they are.The game Gone Home by the Fulbright company is as much of a story as it is video game. It is the story of a girl, who has been traveling for a year who then returns home. Upon her return, her family has bought a new house. When she goes to the new house, it is abandoned with a note on the door. The concept of the story is to try and uncover what happened to her family and where they are. Throughout the gameplay, you can find clues and snoop through their family home to uncover the story.

    Gone Home I thought would be a very interesting game to follow. My hypothesis was that the game was going to be very exciting and then would lead up to a bang, such as death. I personally thought the game was well written. The story play was fluent throughout and it really kept the player engaged. The graphics when on high do not run too good with low quality processes such as the Macbook Pro I was running on. As you decrease the graphic quality the speed improves and it is quite an enjoyable game to play. The amount of detail that was put into creating the little details of the house was clearly immense and the designer team should be applauded. The sound was also nicely integrated. As you clicked on some journals that would link to a voice over of somebody. I found that once you went and re-played the game, you got to notice many more of the technological aspects of the game.

    On the flip side, there were also quite a few noticeable problems with the game. The first major problem lies in the plot. Without spoiling it, overall it is an anti-climatical storyline. This is very dis-satisfying for the player and therefore it is less likely to be recommended among fellow plot enthusiasts. The other noticeable negative is the first hour of the game are not exciting. The last two hours keep the gamer on their toes and excited but the first hour is boring. The problem with this is that if someone is not dedicated to finishing the game, they may quit before ending the game.

    Overall I thought it was a mediocre game. The code for the game seemed well written and it had very little technological errors. The errors lied in the story. It is clear that who ever wrote this game originated with a more tech background and not as much a story telling background. I would recommend it to those gamers that are into completing stories and uncovering mysteries. Defiantly would not recommend it for gamers that are into action.    … Expand
  40. reavor
    Nov 16, 2015
    4
    Severely overpriced for just about 1-2 hours. Not really a "game" since you can't loose. It's just an interactive story, although severely limited in it's interactivity. There was a lot of thought put into the story I guess, but not much more than that.
  41. MaxDV
    Dec 16, 2015
    4
    Gone Home, a first person exploratory adventure game that allows the player to go through the family mansion. By family, I mean the Greenbriars. You play as Kaitlin who comes home from vacation to find her families house empty. The task of the game is to go through the story of tracing clues and ideas as to what has occurred to have no family there. The Game is created by the FullbrightGone Home, a first person exploratory adventure game that allows the player to go through the family mansion. By family, I mean the Greenbriars. You play as Kaitlin who comes home from vacation to find her families house empty. The task of the game is to go through the story of tracing clues and ideas as to what has occurred to have no family there. The Game is created by the Fullbright Company also famous for Minerva’s Den in BioShock 2.

    So, Gone Home allows you to go through your family mansion, which has many hidden secrets. The story of your family unfolds as you play the role of a detective figuring out different aspects of your family members lives. Oh and by family, I mean Terrence Greenbriar (your father), Janice Greenbriar (your mother), and your sister Samantha. All 3 of whom are not in your house and have left various pieces of their lives to be picked up and figured out by you. It’s a seriously cool twist of mystery and adventure.

    At many points in Gone Home, voices will speak to you. Usually it will be Samanthas or your own. After examining items or objects sometimes they will activate a voice recording that will normally tell you more information about whatever you’re on about. Walking through the house also gives a mysterious vibe as some lights are left on and off, and you have the power to turn on most lights open all doors and basically walk through the story. Without giving too much away you are taken through various past experiences that lead to future parts of the story and allow you to understand and appreciate the gameplay much more.

    In all honesty I myself did not enjoy playing Gone Home. I am not one for storyline exploratory games as they attract some for an exciting tale, they bore me. Gone Home had a lot I think that could’ve made the experience more fulfilling. A lot of what I found was boring useless achievements to figure out a story that didn’t reward you with anything at the end of the game. This is where the FullBright Company could have made a difference. Adding extra and bonus content and special unlocks to altar gameplay just makes everything more enjoyable. It allows the player to take exciting new approaches to games whilst enhancing the game itself for pure enjoyment.

    Overall Gone Home presented a fulfilling task of mystery and exploration. It created an environment of examination and thought rather then action and destruction. Gone Home gained much success but also much criticism from the gaming community. It is a fun slow paced game for those who look for more detail in a story mode, and will leave you wanting more!

    Thanks for reading!
    Max    … Expand
  42. Teo_Lien
    Jan 28, 2016
    4
    The story in the game is about a girl named Katie who is 20 years old. She has been traveling for about a year. When she comes home, her family isn’t there. Katie starts exploring the house to maybe find out where her family is right now. Katie finds a lot of information, and from that information she starts thinking about that they have moved. But moved without their stuff?
    The games key    The story in the game is about a girl named Katie who is 20 years old. She has been traveling for about a year. When she comes home, her family isn’t there. Katie starts exploring the house to maybe find out where her family is right now. Katie finds a lot of information, and from that information she starts thinking about that they have moved. But moved without their stuff?
    The games key message is about lesbians. How lesbians were respected in 1995 is not the same as in 2016. The game is trying to tell us about how hard it is to be a lesbian back in 1995. And according to the game that was not an easy thing.
    When you are playing the game you will play as a carracter called Katie. You cannot see your own bodyparts but you have a little dot in the middle of the screen which shows what you are pointing at. The game has good graphics but not the best. Some things just looks like a plastic bocks, like the sink. The sink looks like its’ plastic with white paint on it.
    The main character is Sam (Samantha), but we can not see her, we can only read stuff she left behind. You can hear it when Katie (the person you are) is reading the Journals. I think especially that makes the game a lot better.
    The game has a really realistic tone. You can hear the thunder when you are in the basement. The soundeffects is better than I expected. The ¨mood¨ in the house makes you feel a bit freaked out. All off the sounds makes the game a lot better.
    The gameplay is good. It has something that is good, but a lot is not very good. In my opinion the game could have been better. But in total the game was ok too play.
    For me I think this game should get a 4 out of 10.    … Expand
  43. zyzzbrahjesper
    Jan 28, 2016
    4
    Gone Home is a short story game about a girl named Katie Greenbriar coming home from school in Europe to an empty house. She finds notes and clues throughout the game to find out what happened to her family and why they moved.

    The game is built in a way that makes you have to think and remember stuff like codes, clues and names etc. You really have to be on top and watch out for notes    Gone Home is a short story game about a girl named Katie Greenbriar coming home from school in Europe to an empty house. She finds notes and clues throughout the game to find out what happened to her family and why they moved.

    The game is built in a way that makes you have to think and remember stuff like codes, clues and names etc. You really have to be on top and watch out for notes and clues wherever you go in the house.

    There are some symbols throughout the game that plays a huge role in not only the story itself but also for the feeling of the game. There is placed a lot of Bibles around the house to show that the family is a pretty religious family. In a place in the map there is also pentagram to give that grimey/dark feeling to the game.

    There are a lot of people in the story but its only 3 people that really stand out from the rest, these can be called major characters in the story. These are Kaitlin Greenbriar (Katie), Samantha Greenbriar (Sam) and Yolanda DeSoto (Lonnie). Katie is Sam's big sister. Sam thinks that Katie is very cool but mentions several times that she misses her. Lonnie is Sam's friend and later turns into something more.

    The setting of the game is a dark romantic type setting. I think that the dark/grimey setting comes from the uncle which lived in the house before the family. The uncle, Oscar Masan, died in 1993 and willed the house to the Greenbriar family. Oscar was looked on as a creep by the town. Oscar Masan left many things in the house which is both creepy and dark. He left and pentagram and a note about him that he might have eaten another human being, just to mention a few.
    I think the romantic tone of the games comes from the relationship Sam and Lonnie had/have together.

    The music plays a huge role in the game. It helps to make some clips in the game very creepy and scary. Every time you found a vital thing in the story, you will get a piece of Sam's journal that will start to play automatic. In these journals you get to hear everything from Sam having no friends to Sam falling in love with her friend. I personally think that the journals play a huge part in the game.

    The gameplay in the game is that it is an easy game to get "used to". It is not a very long game, I wished that it would be even longer. But you always have to be alert on finding clues, notes, codes and keys.
    My experience with the game is that it wasn’t very long and that it was unclear sometimes. There were a few characters that they could have explained more, like Oscar Masan. I also think that they could have stretched the storyline a little more. It felt very short and they could have made it longer in my opinion.
    All in all I think this wasn’t a great game. For a game that costs $20 it wouldn’t be worth it, in my opinion. On steam most of the reviews doesn’t recommend it, and I wouldn’t nether. I would rate this game 4/10. I give the game this rating because even through it was very short I still enjoyed some of it. It would of course be a lot better if it was longer. I think that the storyline of the game wasn’t that interesting and exciting. It wasn’t very variety in the game and the storyline was pretty much the same throughout the game. You found out a few things throughout the game. But all in all I wouldn’t recommend this game.    … Expand
  44. FilipWiik
    Jan 28, 2016
    4
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Gone home

    Game review:

    Gone home was a game about a girl called Kaitlyn Greenbriar. She had been to Europe for a year. While she had been gone, her family had moved to this new house. But when she came home, there was no one there. The rain was pouring down and the wind was blowing.

    I think the main message in this game was to tell a short story about Kaitlyn’s little sister Samantha Greenbriar, and to show how to tell a short story in a game setting.

    The story is told in a chronologic order. With letters from Samantha every few months while Kaitlyn had been gone.

    It was quite a few important relationships in this game. Of course one of the relationships in the game was the family, but it wasn’t really the most important relationship in the game. In my opinion Samantha’s relationship to Loney was by far the most important in the game. But it also looked like Samantha had a pretty special relationship to her bigger sister Kaitlyn because of all the letters she wrote for her.

    Even though Kaitlyn is the controllable character in this game, I think that Samantha was the main person in this story. The reason I think Samantha was the main person is because the story told in this game was mainly about Samantha, and the whole point of the game was to find out about the story.

    I think the tone and setting in this game was quite creepy. With the empty house, the weather, all of the dark rooms in the house, and that the game was set in night-time made the whole setting both creepy and pretty mysterious.

    The gameplay in this game was at least in my opinion a bit boring. Without any action really happening and you just going around in a dark house all by yourself wasn’t the most exciting I’ve ever played. And I don’t know if it was the game or if it was just the computer I was playing on, but the frames per second rate seemed really slow and because of that the game had a lot of lag. And by doing nothing else than looking for letters and reading them made the game really bad in my opinion. But even though I wasn’t a fan of this kind of game, I could really see why some people would like it.

    If I were to rate this game I unfortunately wouldn’t be able to give it more than a 4/10.    … Expand
  45. siljeH
    Jan 29, 2016
    4
    Katie returned home after a year in Europe. When she realize that the house is left empty. Neither her little sister, mother nor father is at home in the new house. As Katie wants you to find out what has happened and must lift and examine all kinds of things around the house. Perhaps there is a letter from the mother Greenbriar his job in a drawer, or half of a code to a cupboard underKatie returned home after a year in Europe. When she realize that the house is left empty. Neither her little sister, mother nor father is at home in the new house. As Katie wants you to find out what has happened and must lift and examine all kinds of things around the house. Perhaps there is a letter from the mother Greenbriar his job in a drawer, or half of a code to a cupboard under the pizza box.

    The entire plot of gone home takes place in the family Greenbriars home. They have recently moved in, and around the house are evidence of this. Halfway unpacked moving boxes and things that are positioned exactly where it should be located everywhere.

    The action was set to 1995. How things were at that time was old, I think then. Cassettes with recordings, Nintendo games and postcards with stamps are some of the things you will recognize. The house is like a time machine where you traveled back to the 90s. Not all the things I found had useful information.    … Expand
  46. MarianneWB
    Jan 29, 2016
    4
    Gone Home
    Gone home was about a girl named Kaitlin Greenbriar that returns home in June, 1995 to a mansion in Arbor Hill, Oregon. When Kaitlin enters the house she realizes that nobody is home. Kaitlin investigates the house and try to find out where the family is. Her mum Janice, her dad Terry and her sister Samantha (Sam) Greenbriar. The player, Kaitlin, find objects which open other    Gone Home
    Gone home was about a girl named Kaitlin Greenbriar that returns home in June, 1995 to a mansion in Arbor Hill, Oregon. When Kaitlin enters the house she realizes that nobody is home. Kaitlin investigates the house and try to find out where the family is. Her mum Janice, her dad Terry and her sister Samantha (Sam) Greenbriar. The player, Kaitlin, find objects which open other area in the house. She found a lot of letters in drawers and secret rooms. It was most letters about her sister Samantha, and her journal. You have to search for information and keys while you exploring. You have to find a key to the attic.
    Kaitlin didn’t find her family when she came home, and then I think this is the message. That it is not funny to don’t find her family. She didn’t understand what have happened whit them.
    The game was a bit fun, but it was difficult to find out what I search for, but it was easier when I find more and more information. You have to use the map and the information you have found a lot to find secret rooms.
    The photography was very good. The game was more realistic when the photography and pictures was good. It looks like you was in the game. It was also good music and sound effects, for an example thunderstorm. So that was a plus. It was also cassettes that was very fun to play.
    I didn’t like the game so much, because it was very much information to find. It took a lot of time to find all information’s and keys to open the attic. I was very excited for the end, but the end was very bad and boring. In the end I didn’t get a result on what have happened with the family, special Sam. I expected to find a dead body of Sam or something, but the only thing I found was a book. Just one little book. When I opened it, the game was over.
    Because of that I think I will give the game a 4/10.    … Expand
  47. kake11
    Jan 29, 2016
    4
    The game is about a girl name Katie who been in Europe, and when she came home the house was empty. And she had no idea where her parents and sister could have been. She started to look after information on where they are. She found out that her parents had moved to new house and her sister Samantha was gone. And she found a lot of information about her sister that she don’t know before.The game is about a girl name Katie who been in Europe, and when she came home the house was empty. And she had no idea where her parents and sister could have been. She started to look after information on where they are. She found out that her parents had moved to new house and her sister Samantha was gone. And she found a lot of information about her sister that she don’t know before.
    The game is a typical mysterious game, and the house was fully with a lot of secrets. The house was huge, and we had to go everywhere to find out what we was looking for. The graphic was really good, and it was like we are there in real life. The narrator tell in chronological time, but you can find a lot of information that are in past time.
    I think the key message is when you are gone for a while, and when you came back everything could have been changed. You have to accept that not everything was as before, because everything can changes.    … Expand
  48. Lunarwolf
    Nov 24, 2016
    4
    Although I myself is not much of a game-person, I am a big fan of puzzle-solving, adventure genre games, such as ‘The Walking Dead’ by Telltale Games, or ‘The Room’ by Fireproof Games, which are not only beautifully designed, but also come with great stories and some serious topics. I had high expectation about this game, ‘Gone Home’, as I loved games of this genre, and critics also gaveAlthough I myself is not much of a game-person, I am a big fan of puzzle-solving, adventure genre games, such as ‘The Walking Dead’ by Telltale Games, or ‘The Room’ by Fireproof Games, which are not only beautifully designed, but also come with great stories and some serious topics. I had high expectation about this game, ‘Gone Home’, as I loved games of this genre, and critics also gave great scores on it. After playing this game however, I was bit disappointed.
    To talk about story first, the plot itself has bit interesting parts, but is boring overall. There aren’t many twists and the story is too simple, which also makes the game itself boring. Another problem with the story is that it has too much unnecessary characters and stories related to them, while main story related to the key characters in this game is way too short. Stories of those minor characters, where most of them are members of Greenbriar family, represents typical American family, which brings extra reality to game. However, most of them are quite irrelevant to the main story, and make players get easily distracted. I think the developers should have get rid of these unnecessary stories, and should have invested more time in making main story more sophisticated.
    Second, let’s talk about actual gameplay. To talk about good things first, I really liked the user interface. It was really easy to use, and it didn’t take more than a minute to get used to controls. Also, the maps and journals helped me understand the general story and gameplay in depth. There were some minor bugs. Some objects disappeared when they were thrown away, but it didn’t affect gameplay much. Some disappointing aspects were limited map size, small number of in-game problems, and unnecessary clues. The map, which is the Greenbriar family’s house, is too small. Most of the areas in the house, including the hidden ones, are accessible within an hour or two, and they make players get bored quickly. Small number of problems that you actually have to solve in game also made gameplay boring. Most of them were quite easy; merely finding hints to get passwords for lockers, or finding keys and maps for hidden places. There weren’t much problems to solve by using objects in the game. There were a lot of stuff from 90s, but most of them were just left as a background, which had almost no effect in the main gameplay. Game graphics and sound effects were great, but I think they can still be improved.
    To sum up, ‘Gone Home’ is more of an interactive visual novel, rather than exciting puzzle-solving, adventure genre game, and can be disappointing. Although it features nice graphics and sound effects, it lacks in depth and length of main story, and contains some unnecessary details that can be distracting. While I don’t think this game worth anywhere near $ 20, it is still a game where you can sit back, relax, and enjoy.    … Expand
  49. aplusstudent
    Nov 27, 2016
    4
    I found gone home a very enjoyable game and I was the first person to finish the game on the very day I downloaded it. The game really drew my attention because the characters in the game were very realistic and the scary mood of the game made it very interesting. Also being an inquisitive person, I had to figure out what was happening around the house.
    Gone home is played inside the huge    I found gone home a very enjoyable game and I was the first person to finish the game on the very day I downloaded it. The game really drew my attention because the characters in the game were very realistic and the scary mood of the game made it very interesting. Also being an inquisitive person, I had to figure out what was happening around the house.
    Gone home is played inside the huge mansion Katie, the main character we control and her family owns. Katie comes back from a long trip to find her home abandoned by her younger sister Sam and both of her parents. She has to go around the house and figure out what has happened in the house when she was gone away. Through the game as the user finds more clues about the whereabouts of the family members and especially Sam, Sam’s journals randomly play. These journals give critical information to what happened when Sam was not in the house. Overall the house is very detailed with many postcards Katie sent to the family and grade reports Sam got from School. The ending also has a twist plot which I will not spoil. The ending for me was unexpected.
    However the parts that I thought needed more work was amorphous details that does not conclude in the game. There are many clues to other characters in the game like Oscar, Katie’s grandfather’s brother and Rick, a new ranger assigned where Katie’s mother works.
    These cliff hangers and many unnecessary and amorphous details really draws the user out of the game when the game is finished. I hope the developers will develop these endings. That will make the game way more enjoyable.
    I actually got this game for free from a “source I cannot tell” but if I had to pay for this game, it would not have been worth the money. I think I will rather buy candies or another game than to play this game. Also since the game has no online material, after you finish the game, there is practically nothing you can do more.
    This is why I did not like the cliff hangers since even though you search everything in the house there are too many questioned unanswered and there is no way to figure them out. Therefore I give Gone Home a four.    … Expand
  50. Lexington50
    Nov 1, 2019
    4
    Even allowing that the game is now 6 years old I have to agree with the person who said the high critics' scores are a indictment of gaming journalism.

    If you want to see this gaming concept fully realized and executed to a very high standard play Life Is Strange (trust me, you won't be disappointed). Gone Home is like a short, low rent version of that game - or to be fair, Gone Home is    Even allowing that the game is now 6 years old I have to agree with the person who said the high critics' scores are a indictment of gaming journalism.

    If you want to see this gaming concept fully realized and executed to a very high standard play Life Is Strange (trust me, you won't be disappointed). Gone Home is like a short, low rent version of that game - or to be fair, Gone Home is more like the creative progenitor for LiS and similar games.

    If you've read other reviews you already know the basic premise: on Wednesday June 7 1995 the player returns home on short notice after a year in Europe and finds neither her parents or younger sister are home. She then has to wander around the big, old house to piece together the events that transpired during her absence, essentially by searching the house for clues. The game uses sound effects of the "It was a dark and stormy night..." type and lighting to create mood in the big old house, not without effect. But literally the whole game can be completed in about 2 hours and involves nothing more than finding various documents that piece together the story, supplemented by voice overs of your younger sister narrating key passages from her journal at key points. The voice acting is good and the story - as far as it goes - isn't terrible, though it revolved around a theme that in 2019 is a bit of a cliche (and wasn't exactly fresh even six years ago). I strongly suspect that the story draws heavily on the personal experiences of one or more of the developers, and that it was likewise well received by people who can relate to it at a personal level. As for the rest of us - well, it's just ok. There are legitimate "feels" here, as the kids say, but only of a superficial and transitory kind. The story just isn't long or deep enough to be really engaging.

    You can also see the developers toying with additional story elements that could have been fleshed out to make a more substantial game, notably including "Uncle Oscar", the house's former occupant, who went crazy or something (this is never clearly explained), some backstory to the marital problems of the player's parents (which are very conventional but nevertheless could have been exploited for dramatic effect), and the teasing of potential supernatural elements. Unfortunately none of these possibilities are developed. Oscar has no backstory and the "haunted house" teases go nowhere, while the subplot about the player's parents is only developed insofar as it is required to explain their absence. Did the developers run out of time and money before they could realize the game they really wanted to make, which is so often the case, or did they just aim low and never intend these elements to be more that cheap atmosphere enhancers? Don't know, and upon further reflection I probably don't care.

    I can only reiterate what so many before me have already said: the ending is abrupt, brief, and provides no real sense of closure. Frankly it feels like a "we're out of money so we need to get this thing out the door" moment.

    This could have been a very good game with another year or two of development and a commitment to a more fully realized story and a somewhat more interactive environment incorporating things like simple puzzles. As it is the interaction in this game is with doors, light switches, picking up objects to examine / read them, and the one time you needed to enter a combination (there are actually at least 2 other locked containers in the game but I never found a combination for them and obviously didn't need them to complete it).

    If you enjoy this sort of game and are perhaps interested in the evolution of the genre it might be worth a playthrough at the current price of about $5 (I would certainly not pay more than that). Otherwise you're better off moving on as this is niche product that has nothing to offer beyond a short, simple, passably well told story.    … Expand
  51. bergcamp101
    Aug 17, 2020
    4
    I don't like these kind of games. In fact, It's not a game. There are no mechanics, there is no plot. We should call it an interactive story and put it on some new shelf, and don't compare it with actual gaming.
  52. Heaviermetal
    Aug 17, 2013
    3
    It just wasn't for me. For a game that is $20, its far to short (2 hours); the design/architecture of the house is oddly in-normal and amateur, and the story just didn't do anything for me. I guess this one just fly's over my head as I cannot understand the critics answers for a 100%. I give it a 3 for its creepy atmosphere.
  53. WomZombie
    Dec 1, 2013
    3
    What a mystery! I don't mean the story, I mean why some reviewers have given this game a high score.

    It's too basic, lacking action, not scary at all, very short, and the story will likely only strike a chord with teenage girls going through sexual identity issues. Perhaps this is the reason why some reviewers have been kind, because it gives you a kind of "creepy house game" with some    What a mystery! I don't mean the story, I mean why some reviewers have given this game a high score.

    It's too basic, lacking action, not scary at all, very short, and the story will likely only strike a chord with teenage girls going through sexual identity issues. Perhaps this is the reason why some reviewers have been kind, because it gives you a kind of "creepy house game" with some "notes on young lesbian lovers". It's a strange mix, seemingly forced together, but is awkward as a result.

    There's some enjoyment to be had with exploring, but soon it becomes apparent that there's nothing much happening with this "game" and that it's basically just a boring story told via a simple "pick up this key"... "walk upstairs"...."open door"... the end.

    Anyone who describes this game as "art", either doesn't get out enough, or doesn't know what games are capable of, or has an agenda to push this game for whatever reason. This game could have been a lot more. It feels like level one. Now, where's the rest?    … Expand
  54. chero666
    Aug 19, 2013
    3
    I'm someone who defends The Last of Us as a "game." I'm someone who defends "Little Inferno, The Walking Dead, and Thirty Flights of Lovin." There is no defending "Gone Home." There is no gameplay. There is no game.
    The much lauded story (the ONLY thing this game is dependent upon) is nothing more than someone's Live Journal or probably a Fictionpress short-story that I read 10-15 years    I'm someone who defends The Last of Us as a "game." I'm someone who defends "Little Inferno, The Walking Dead, and Thirty Flights of Lovin." There is no defending "Gone Home." There is no gameplay. There is no game.
    The much lauded story (the ONLY thing this game is dependent upon) is nothing more than someone's Live Journal or probably a Fictionpress short-story that I read 10-15 years ago. Story has nothing to do with the gameplay. You aren't even part of the story that's being told. You are told someone else's linear and melodramatic story while you pick up a random object and spin it around just so you can trigger the next voice over.
    Voice Acting is good and I did like the creepy ambiance (even though its a complete lie), but nothing in this "game" is worth the $20 price tag. I bought "The Graveyard" and I didn't feel as ripped off about it than I am right now.    … Expand
  55. ultika
    Aug 22, 2013
    3
    This game is a big disappointment, it starts out mysteriously and gets exciting and creepy sometimes and gets your hope up for a mindblowing ending but it's just not what you expect. I only give 3 score because the voice acting is good, but this story, i can't tell how disappointed i am.
  56. Hufff
    Jun 22, 2016
    3
    Gone Home is quite possibly one of the most boring games I've ever played. It's a stretch to even call it a video game, as most of what you do it uncover narrative clues in order to find out the story. As the twist becomes more and more apparent, rather than becomes intrigued, like the game wants you to, I found myself collectively losing more and more interest in a world which failed toGone Home is quite possibly one of the most boring games I've ever played. It's a stretch to even call it a video game, as most of what you do it uncover narrative clues in order to find out the story. As the twist becomes more and more apparent, rather than becomes intrigued, like the game wants you to, I found myself collectively losing more and more interest in a world which failed to ever grab me. There's no real gameplay to be had, but the story itself, being all that the game has to hold on to, never comes to be anything interesting or gripping, instead making me go "ok, so that's why critics liked this game" instead of actually offering me anything worth liking myself. It doesn't help that the game hinges so much of its setup on 90's nostalgia either. This period is perfect for targeting the primary demographic of games reviewers, who have been the ones singing praise of Gone Home, but if, like me, you didn't grow up in the 90's and therefore have no connection to period, the references only become irritating rather than endearing as they are meant to be. If you're really inclined to know what this game's all about, do yourself a favor and look up a YouTube playthough rather than shelling out money on an actual copy. The level of interactivity here is so low that you'll lose nothing by seeing someone else click on the long list of "interactable" objects rather than doing it yourself.… Expand
  57. Backdatassup
    Aug 17, 2013
    3
    It has extremely simplistic gameplay and a narrative that is entirely forgettable because of the lack of any people to interact with. Who ever thought trying to experience someone else's memories by rummaging through their stuff would be a good idea clearly doesn't understand simple psychology, let alone what makes a good video game.
  58. Joebing
    Aug 17, 2013
    3
    Whatever the critics are smoking, let me have some. With all the X-Files references and ghost stuff, I was expecting a ghost story or something interesting. Visually very interesting looking, but just walking around reading gets boring really fast. I couldnt get into the story of it, the thing, meh. Save your money and your time, unless your like these critics and find like this deep orWhatever the critics are smoking, let me have some. With all the X-Files references and ghost stuff, I was expecting a ghost story or something interesting. Visually very interesting looking, but just walking around reading gets boring really fast. I couldnt get into the story of it, the thing, meh. Save your money and your time, unless your like these critics and find like this deep or something.… Expand
  59. UnfoldingCatus
    Aug 17, 2013
    3
    Gone Home isn't really a game, but a rather interesting yet unorganized story. You will spend at least 2 hours digging through drawers and cabinets to find mostly useless scraps of paper, most not even relevant to the main plot of the story line. While this game does have a good story it is simply not worth the twenty bucks, or the time it takes you to dig through the game.
  60. Ananas4
    Aug 18, 2013
    3
    I'll tell what good in this game. Sound designs along with nice house makes the game very atmospheric. Unfolding the story by reading hand-written notes and letters is a nice feature, and many objects in the house is detailed.
    But this "game" doesn't have anything else than walking through a house, listening to your sister and finding your way to the end of the house. This takes maybe 1-2    I'll tell what good in this game. Sound designs along with nice house makes the game very atmospheric. Unfolding the story by reading hand-written notes and letters is a nice feature, and many objects in the house is detailed.
    But this "game" doesn't have anything else than walking through a house, listening to your sister and finding your way to the end of the house. This takes maybe 1-2 hours and in the end story is nothing special. $20 for a short walking simulator is too much. I don't recommend this to anyone.    … Expand
  61. GadgetMutt
    Aug 18, 2013
    3
    Excellent graphics and attention to detail but finished, if you could call it that, in about 2 hours. The story line is blah and the ending was a giant yawn. Would not recommend unless the price is around $5.
  62. Elysion
    Aug 19, 2013
    3
    This is not really a game, you don't play it so much as sit through it. Its comparable to a lot of flash games, or short duration creative things you can find on the internet such as last rose in a desert garden or those scp games. The difference here is those games don't try to pretend to be serious games, but little things to mess around with, and they are free.

    There is no game-play    This is not really a game, you don't play it so much as sit through it. Its comparable to a lot of flash games, or short duration creative things you can find on the internet such as last rose in a desert garden or those scp games. The difference here is those games don't try to pretend to be serious games, but little things to mess around with, and they are free.

    There is no game-play really, you just explore around. Exploration is not bad but comparing it to old point and click adventure games they have puzzles as well thrown in. There is no re-playability, once you uncover the story that's it. The 'game', if you try to stretch it out, will last maybe an hour or two, and if you try to rush through it, is beatable in literally 2 minutes(look for it on youtube).

    This is the sort of thing that should have been embedded in a web page, given an appropriate url, and virald itself around the internet. Not something claiming to be a game that people are tricked into paying for. As a sort of artistic thing like that it would have been quite good. But as a game, the only positive thing about it is its atmosphere, which is why i gave it a 3.    … Expand
  63. trajan_iv
    Aug 20, 2013
    3
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I gave this 3 stars instead of zero, because it was an innovative way to tell a story and I love stories. I was tempted to give this a zero for the same reason I love stories. And this one sucked.

    Gone Home is a literary bait and switch that promises a spooky mystery, a haunted mansion with secret passageways, misguided teens who dabble in the occult, and a family gone missing. It has a dark and stormy night, creaky floorboards, and mysterious pentagrams and candles. And while all of this sounds good, it's not what this game delivers.

    *major spoilers*
    And where are the missing parents? They went away for the weekend presumably to add a little spark to their marriage. And where is my lost little sister? She ran off with her girlfriend. That's it. No ghosts. No mystery. No plot twists. Nothing.

    Yawn.

    Those are two hours I'll never get back.    … Expand
  64. MayorofGaming
    Aug 20, 2013
    3
    "If something is different does not automatically make it good." This is a phrase that game makers and game creators need to get rammed into their head. Yes, this game is "different" but in the end, is it really even a game? It's an interactive experience, no doubt, but calling it a game is just wrong.

    Presentation: Everything looks well enough and you can interact with almost    "If something is different does not automatically make it good." This is a phrase that game makers and game creators need to get rammed into their head. Yes, this game is "different" but in the end, is it really even a game? It's an interactive experience, no doubt, but calling it a game is just wrong.

    Presentation: Everything looks well enough and you can interact with almost everything. Rummaging through your house and searching for clues. However this is also one of the biggest detractors from Gone Home. Just because you can mess with everything, doesn't add depth to the game. It clutters everything up. And on top of that, everything you find, only a select number of things have any use, making it a tedious task to go through everything to find the random key or mcguffin to continue on... but I'll get to that in the gameplay section.

    Sound: Sound is nice, nothing too special though. The music isn't bad, but it's a bit bland. I ended up listening to the songs a few times before I decided to turn it off.

    Theme: This is probably the main drawling point of this game, and damn if it doesn't screw that up in some way. I love the idea of "Gone Home". The idea that a home is never without secrets. The idea that a familiar place is no longer familiar to you and even has a sinister tone. That everything is off and nothing is as it seems even though it's only your paranoia... and that's the problem. While nothing is as it seems, and everything "might" be a bit off, nothing really is. The tension that builds up, the teasing the trailers give you, showing that "something is up in this house" all in all, is an empty promise within an empty house. All you are doing is going through the old house finding out about the main character and her family and how everything just feels off to her.

    However that is also a big flaw. It does feel off to her, but at no point do I feel like I am in her shoes. Sure, the protagonist feels odd in this place that was once her home, but what's the point? I can't get drawn in. I distinctively felt like it was her life, not mine that I was looking at. This negated almost all of the tension created. "I" wasn't going home. She was going home and I was just watching her do it.

    Gameplay: This is the final nail in the coffin for me. Gameplay is virtually nonexistent. The game prides itself on it's story, but that doesn't give an excuse for making the gameplay poor. I can respect what they are doing though, trying to make an interactive experience. However this feels more like an experiment than an experience. It's not polished, it doesn't draw in the player. It just shows them things and expects them to react as if they were the protagonist. And even then, there is no way to lose, no way to fail your goal. You just keep plugging away until you find the secrets of the house... which in the end is a huge anticlimax. It also has zero replayability, considering you can beat the game in less than 2 minutes if you know what you are doing.

    Summary: While the game as a lot of good ideas, very few of them are executed well. A majority of them fall flat on their face. I can't feel connected to the protagonist, the gameplay is nonexistant and short, the experience doesn't draw me in, and it's an expensive game for what it is. Right now it's going for around $20. Don't waste your money. Wait for a humble indie bundle and try it for yourself. It might be worth a playthrough if you get it for 2 bucks, but not 20.    … Expand
  65. BradBrad
    Aug 25, 2013
    3
    Could have been a 4/10 movie but ended up getting a 9/10 videogame by critics.
    Bad writing, bad "gameplay" bad bad bad bad

    Not worth the time to watch it on youtube much less buy it like I did.
  66. dclowd9901
    Aug 25, 2013
    3
    I literally created an account just now so I could warn against dropping $20 on this game. And I'm going to leave it spoiler-less so people won't be inclined to skip it.

    I'm seeing a lot of hemming and hawing in this review thread about why "professional" reviewers were going nutso over this game. I think I can boil it down to two things: Nostalgia and Originality. These are great    I literally created an account just now so I could warn against dropping $20 on this game. And I'm going to leave it spoiler-less so people won't be inclined to skip it.

    I'm seeing a lot of hemming and hawing in this review thread about why "professional" reviewers were going nutso over this game. I think I can boil it down to two things: Nostalgia and Originality. These are great qualities in a game, but this game relies almost entirely on them.

    I'm also seeing a lot of talk on here about the gameplay being "non-gameplay". It's an adventure game they don't traditionally rely greatly on twitch or other tired game types. And it clearly doesn't want to be a game like that. In fact, the game does a pretty good job at being simply an adventure game, in that it unfolds in front of you and gives you plenty to interact with.

    Where that falls short is that there are no interesting puzzles in the game at all. No head scratchers, nothing you even have to figure out on your own. It's not Myst, not even close. It had plenty of opportunity to be that kind of game, but I think the developers were more interested in telling their story.

    Of course, I'd even be fine with that (a la Heavy Rain), but it fails miserably at being an interesting story. It's true that it's not a story you often see depicted in video games, but it's been done to in Hollywood and literature for decades. The climax itself is so trite and overdone it's almost laughable. The game tries to look at you with this wry smile like, "Aren't we bold and interesting? Look how progressive we are!" to which I just shake my head in confusion.

    And the length? When I finished the game, Steam smirkingly showed that I had done so in 99 minutes. By my math, that's about $0.20/min. Parking in San Francisco is cheaper than that, and at least I'd see more interesting things wandering around the city for an hour and a half than I did wandering around this game.

    I promise you're not missing anything here. Wait for a Steam sale if you must, but I promise your money is better spent on just about anything else.    … Expand
  67. PenelopeIrving
    Aug 27, 2013
    3
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I was super-excited for this game, after seeing the many rapturous reviews and being intrigued by the concept. I've always been a fan of adventure games, right back to when that meant walls of text and N, S, E. I don't think there's any doubt that Gone Home's web site presents it as a mystery adventure, and the game's opening certainly sets up that atmosphere and expectation.

    So I was somewhat disappointed when there turned out to be no puzzles in the course of gameplay, other than a couple of very obvious 'find the combination lock' obstacles, and I was bitterly disappointed when I was trammelled into an ending after about two hours. By that point, I'd realised that the 'game' was on rails anyway. Despite the illusion of being able to explore the house sand-box style, all you're really doing is triggering Sam's journal entries in linear sequence. And though you can pick up any object, it doesn't take long to realise that if it's not a piece of paper, you may as well not bother.

    The graphics aren't even that great. They serve to establish an atmosphere, but there are just too many reused textures and objects for an environment that sells itself on realism and interesting mundanity.

    The story unfolds interestingly enough, with some appealing voice acting. But nothing happens that you couldn't see coming a mile off, really. If Lonnie had turned psycho and buried Sam in the back garden (not that you have access to the back garden), that would have been cheesy but at least it would have been unexpected. In the end the end which comes so abruptly it feels like we're being asked to cheer for a 17 year old schoolgirl abandoning a college programme, and running off with an AWOL troublemaker. I can't help feeling that if the said troublemaker were male, this is not something an audience would be asked to feel warm and fuzzy about. We'd share Sam's parents quite reasonable concerns.

    That aside, my overriding reaction was to feel soundly cheated out of £14.99. My entertainment budget is not huge and I have to think carefully before spending money on video games. Usually, they're a cost effective form of entertainment. This 'game' certainly is not. There's no way I would have spent that money if I'd known how short it was, I would go as far as to say that the promotion of the game is actually misleading and false advertising, and like many commentators, I'm baffled by the professional critics' idolatry of it. People should be warned.    … Expand
  68. pacoda
    Aug 30, 2013
    3
    This is a short game firstly. At most 3 hours of gameplay. Its barely a game considiring it has no mechanics. Its simply a story that you have to navigate through and that is not a game to me. It looks good though and introductary its interesting. The story is ok but that is all. 18 bucks is a very steep price for this "arty tale". BUT! As a shortfilm/interactive book whatever it is quiteThis is a short game firstly. At most 3 hours of gameplay. Its barely a game considiring it has no mechanics. Its simply a story that you have to navigate through and that is not a game to me. It looks good though and introductary its interesting. The story is ok but that is all. 18 bucks is a very steep price for this "arty tale". BUT! As a shortfilm/interactive book whatever it is quite good. Its just not a game.… Expand
  69. drjones254
    Aug 30, 2013
    3
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Let me save you $20.

    Your mom cheated on your dad and they're at a couples retreat to improve their relationship. Your sister is gay and skipped town with her lover.

    Nothing special here folks.    … Expand
  70. Rambutan
    Sep 1, 2013
    3
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Meh,

    I don't have a problem with this being a "interactive story" instead of a game. But I do have a problem with the story creating lots of situations that doesn't solve.

    Why is the house called the psycho house? What happened with the morphine addict uncle, why was he in that situation? What about the Grandfather, why was his painting defaced? Is the father an alcoholic? Does the mother have an affair with a co-worker?

    The sister is lesbian, great, I already understood that before I entered the basement, but what about the rest of the family? The conclusion was sooo disapointing.     … Expand
  71. eccentriceclect
    Sep 3, 2013
    3
    My review in two words: Hipster ****

    I have no problem with games that are nothing more than interactive stories. The Walking Dead game by Telltale Games is phenomenal and does the genre the correct way. Gone Home falls flat because there is no reason to play the game more than once and it does an awful job of getting the player to care about the people that are NEVER seen in the    My review in two words: Hipster ****

    I have no problem with games that are nothing more than interactive stories. The Walking Dead game by Telltale Games is phenomenal and does the genre the correct way. Gone Home falls flat because there is no reason to play the game more than once and it does an awful job of getting the player to care about the people that are NEVER seen in the game. It's intriguing at first, but the story is hackneyed and presented poorly. Without posting any spoilers, I can say that the "build-up" in the story is completely wasted by the ending. It's a shame too, because with better writing, this game could have been terrific. As it is, there is no reason to care about the characters.

    My other beef with Gone Home is the $20 price tag: Massive ripoff. The Walking Dead games were $5 per episode and a single episode is longer than Gone Home. I explored the game carefully and still finished in 2 hours. I could go back and look for the hidden doors, but I have NO motivation to do so, as it doesn't change the story.

    Instead of wasting money on this story, try one of the better done interactive stories, such as The Walking Dead or Dear Ester. Even the point and click adventures of the late 90's (like King's Quest series) had better storytelling and re-playability than Gone Home.    … Expand
  72. xPocketRavex
    Sep 11, 2013
    3
    sorry i this is a short review but its really hard to give an in depth review without spoiling it

    Ok the game isn't a bad game, but can i really call it a game. it is really hard to talk about this game with spoiling it but in short words. this is an interactive story were you come home from a European holiday and no one is in the house and you try and find out were everyone is. that    sorry i this is a short review but its really hard to give an in depth review without spoiling it

    Ok the game isn't a bad game, but can i really call it a game. it is really hard to talk about this game with spoiling it but in short words. this is an interactive story were you come home from a European holiday and no one is in the house and you try and find out were everyone is. that is pretty much it .

    It tries to do something new by giving you a well written story, and a very good voice actor, and a house to explore. it tries to but you in to the players shoes,but the bad point its how many houses have letters hanging around the house because I know in my house we have none, Locked doors in wired places which try and drag out the game. and hidden passages how many houses have hidden passages.

    i see what its trying to do and it is a ok story but its no enough to make me play it over and over again. I know it was made be a Indie company but they had experience in gaming companies, i expect this kind of game from a student or free to play game but not something you pay for.

    ok to talk about the graphics this game was made in the unity Engine, models were poorly sized and textured for a game that is asking for a money. models take time to make and the look of things this looks very rushed.

    I really wish i could score this game higher I really do but i have to put a price on this game and this game shockingly game priced of 14.99 GBP. I give it 2 GPB, as much as its a great story and the voice actor is very good but and its a big but, I'v played better free indie games and all it is really is, is a atmospheric story. and that is also why I had to score it a 3    … Expand
  73. nemesisntdead
    Sep 16, 2013
    3
    I bought into the hype and got the game. Now I want my money back. Even the 90's references, which was said in the reviews were one of the good bits of the game, were underwhelming.
  74. W4nt
    Sep 23, 2013
    3
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Let me tell you my experience from start to finish, and why I gave the score I did.

    I bought this for $20, expecting an ambient psychological horror story, as the game presented itself in the trailers as eerie but not filled with jump-scares, so I obviously expected creepy rather than scary. The moment I went in, I got chills down my spine at the sound design. Every little sound and movement sounded fantastic.

    Ten minutes in, and I'm enjoying the references, I feel the build-up coming towards me and I wonder if I'll walk into a room of a ghost, maybe a hastily closed door. But as I drag on, I realize the new initiative of the game: a girl who, as she ages, begins to show sexual confusion and melodrama. It's become a girl's cryfest. Fun.

    An hour in, and the only thing roping me in now is the detail they put in everything and the side stories, hoping they will lead to new tunnels. Nope, it's like introducing side characters that get used once and are never talked about ever again. At this point I'm pretty sure I know what's going to happen.

    Two hours in, I'm staring at my screen, thinking, "That's it?" There was no twist, no increased conflict, no actual ending. The girl just up and went with her lover, there is no chase, there is no panic enunciating from HER OWN SISTER, who would rather keep rummaging through her missing sister's junk. Then I think, "Come to think, what the hell about her sister?" The sister doesn't do anything, other than being a reason to walk around the house. No input from her was disappointing, definitely a letdown.

    Three hours in, and I'm uninstalling the game. Uninteresting, scatterbrained story and the budget was put into all the wrong things. I don't care about the price of this pen, or how your lesbian lover is in the army.

    Verdict: The game had an interesting idea, top-notch voice acting and sound design, but these points are null when you poorly execute a story. It's like trying to immerse yourself in a multi-million roller coaster ride that goes 3 miles an hour. The way to pick up stuff and move them is interesting, but certainly nothing innovative. The only way you'll enjoy and relate to this story is if you are a teenage adolescent, have never picked up a book in 3 years, and enjoy generic, predictable outcome melodrama. I do not recommend thisgame.    … Expand
  75. sdi
    Sep 27, 2013
    3
    This finely crafted interactive movie can be hardly considered a game and definitely does not resemble what the deceptive marketing made it out to be.
  76. freedomgirl
    Sep 27, 2013
    3
    I like to think of myself as an adventure game aficionado, having played most games in the genre from Zork to Amnesia. This "game" is a supreme disappointment. Like a lot of indie titles, it has great promise at the start: interesting and novel storyline, realistic characters...that quickly dissolves into the player wishing that a larger game company would have come along and taken overI like to think of myself as an adventure game aficionado, having played most games in the genre from Zork to Amnesia. This "game" is a supreme disappointment. Like a lot of indie titles, it has great promise at the start: interesting and novel storyline, realistic characters...that quickly dissolves into the player wishing that a larger game company would have come along and taken over the game so it could live up to it's potential.

    Pros:
    - Great voice acting and interesting characters.
    - A big, empty house to explore with lots of attention paid to the design of the objects you can pick up
    ....
    Cons:
    - A storyline that starts out with promise and fizzles quickly into a dull, anticlimactic ending that seems rushed and devoid of any real tension.
    - Character stories that go nowhere and have zero closure.
    - No real scariness or tension, even though there was plenty of potential for it.
    - Overly simplistic gameplay. Actually, you can't call it gameplay. It's more like you are walking through a storyline picking up pieces of the narrative as you go. You can look at objects but rarely do they serve any additional purpose.
    - A VERY SHORT GAME THAT IS OVERPRICED FOR WHAT IT IS!

    You should buy this for $5 max. Seriously, you will be done with it in 2 hours and kick yourself for having paid any more for it.

    P.S. I loathed Dear Esther, and this is just a couple steps above.    … Expand
  77. krautinger
    Oct 3, 2013
    3
    This is a wonderful story, well-told in nice, quiet moments.
    BUT IT IS NO GAME AND HAS NO THRILL AT ALL!

    Having said that, I can recommend the game for everyone who has watched "Tree of Life" and actually enjoyed it.
  78. Metathronxyz
    Sep 29, 2019
    3
    Uninteresting, uninspired story. Forces you to perform repetitive tasks, such as opening doors and flicking on light switches. This is all the 'gameplay' you're going to get. Not deserving of anyone's time or money. Go for Firewatch if you're into walking simulators - that one's a masterpiece.
  79. louieshaw
    Oct 23, 2013
    3
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. DO NOT BOTHER SPENDING YOUR MONEY. This game may seem interesting and for the first five minutes it is.

    But then the realisation descends that it is some humdrum love story about a lesbian and her girlfriend. There is NO mystery, nothing going on whatsoever. Even a subplot about the house's past owner that is far more interesting is not developed.    … Expand
  80. ozzsoffy
    Oct 18, 2019
    3
    Very slow game, easy past , the narrative was interesting, but not that much, will not recommend it
  81. pinned110
    Dec 19, 2013
    3
    The only thing this game is actually selling is the story, and it is a highly predictable one. How could this be "the greatest video game love story"? Just because it has the homosexuality with a bit 90s nostalgia theme? Really? Maybe the story IS THAT GOOD and I simply couldn't understand, but the rest parts of the game is basically non-existent. There is minor exploration content,The only thing this game is actually selling is the story, and it is a highly predictable one. How could this be "the greatest video game love story"? Just because it has the homosexuality with a bit 90s nostalgia theme? Really? Maybe the story IS THAT GOOD and I simply couldn't understand, but the rest parts of the game is basically non-existent. There is minor exploration content, misleading atmosphere that doesn't fit the story properly and that's pretty much it. The voice acting is not bad, other than that, I can't see what makes the game great.

    How this game was able to beat BF4, Papers please, The Stanley Parable in VGX is a true mystery for me.    … Expand
  82. ChanTheMan36
    Dec 29, 2013
    3
    Do not play this game expecting a gripping story or a complex plot. The gameplay is the only thing that this game had going for it, and the gameplay consisted of walking, reading, and moving small objects. The best parts was the ability to pick up most objects, and the navigation of the map. On the other hand, the downsides dominated this small list of good things. The plot was ok, but notDo not play this game expecting a gripping story or a complex plot. The gameplay is the only thing that this game had going for it, and the gameplay consisted of walking, reading, and moving small objects. The best parts was the ability to pick up most objects, and the navigation of the map. On the other hand, the downsides dominated this small list of good things. The plot was ok, but not exciting, really. There was nothing surprising and it was stereotypical of the time and setting. Some of the mysteries are unsolved, and there is not a satisfying closure. The game is extremely short, which actually does it justice because if you paused playing, you might think there is something exciting to be seen next time you play. That is not the case. I finished this game in just under 2 hours. I do not recommend it and I am glad it was no more than 10 dollars.… Expand
  83. Sterlin
    Dec 29, 2013
    3
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. This game was horribly misrepresented by what I saw on steam. I expected a neat mystery with revelations and real discovery.. yet what i am met with is some stupid (albeit well told) little story about a lesbian girl and her aspirations or whatever. The exploration was somewhat cool and interesting until i found out what it was about. Then i just felt disgusted and betrayed.… Expand
  84. mrklowny
    Dec 31, 2013
    3
    This is the result of the Femnazi Movement and will go down in history as such. It serves only as an indie glorified walking simulator. The developers could have made something worthwhile, like a new "myst-esque" type game. But decided to go down the political hipster route. The game has been bolstered unjustly in the media and has been shunned by actual gamers. This is a shining exampleThis is the result of the Femnazi Movement and will go down in history as such. It serves only as an indie glorified walking simulator. The developers could have made something worthwhile, like a new "myst-esque" type game. But decided to go down the political hipster route. The game has been bolstered unjustly in the media and has been shunned by actual gamers. This is a shining example of what is wrong with gaming.… Expand
  85. Joeberto
    Jan 7, 2014
    3
    Joeberto's Short Review -

    If you want to watch a movie then rent a Dvd.

    Game's interaction very low.

    Duration of the entire game, 1 hour (a movie is longer).

    Graphic [mid-low].

    Don't buy it.
  86. all5gearz
    Jan 26, 2014
    3
    Ok graphics. Almost spooky. interesting. Open another drawer. Storyline shock. Offended. Bored. Still Bored. Offended Again. To Plot, or not to Plot..., Wait, that's the end? No, really that's it? Check for passing time... 2.5 hrs. Should have went bowling.
  87. splitforces
    Jun 1, 2014
    3
    A game with very little gameplay. Interaction is minimal and the length does not justify the 20 dollar price tag. The story was good but nothing deserving of a Pulitzer or any other award. If I want a good story I will always find better writing in literature.
  88. Virake
    Aug 1, 2014
    3
    15 minutes or less is enough to crack the mystery of the plot in this game. Remaining time is for getting a feeling of self satisfaction from each clue proving that you were right. Good job, Fullbright, if that's what you were aiming for.

    Some say it's not even a video game. I disagree. It is a game, and not one of the kind. Do you remember Scratches (2006) by Nucleosys? I see a lot of    15 minutes or less is enough to crack the mystery of the plot in this game. Remaining time is for getting a feeling of self satisfaction from each clue proving that you were right. Good job, Fullbright, if that's what you were aiming for.

    Some say it's not even a video game. I disagree. It is a game, and not one of the kind. Do you remember Scratches (2006) by Nucleosys? I see a lot of similarities, except that Scratches 'did it right', so to speak.

    You are alone in big and scary mansion, your objective is to get to know other inhabitants by digging through their things. However, in Scratches, the atmosphere is better, the story cannot be made obsolete in such ridiculously short time, and the overall setting is more interesting. You can't play with lights and grab all the garbage lying around in Scratches, but would you even want to? You can do that in other games (like Resident Evil or Skyrim).

    Enough about the old, this review is about Gone Home. I give it 3 out of 10, because of it's good voice acting (+), because it made me feel very smart (+), and because it reminded me of better games (+) with same features. I DO NOT recommend this game to anyone, unless it's the only thing available.    … Expand
  89. raykaytwo
    Aug 6, 2014
    3
    I dont know, what is going on. I played this game and when I looked for the metacritic score I thought:, well this is going to have a 4 or 3 or whatever. But 86? 86 dammit???
    I dont get this. This game is an example for a good Story and good ideas, but horrible execution. I mean, you already probably know that this game ist only an hour Long, but also the gameplay is really boring. The    I dont know, what is going on. I played this game and when I looked for the metacritic score I thought:, well this is going to have a 4 or 3 or whatever. But 86? 86 dammit???
    I dont get this. This game is an example for a good Story and good ideas, but horrible execution. I mean, you already probably know that this game ist only an hour Long, but also the gameplay is really boring. The only good Thing going on, is the Story. I wont spoil anything, but it is very good. But for 15€ or $20 I dont get why this game gets that good of a score. There are more games out there worth buying for that Price.    … Expand
  90. LovingLife139
    Sep 4, 2014
    3
    Extraordinarily mediocre game that is priced about seven times too high for the content the gamer plays. This is a game that can be completed in three hours at most with an emphasis on story. Unfortunately, the story leaves a lot to be desired, full of cliches and guessable outcomes. There are about three different side stories within the game that are far more interesting than the storyExtraordinarily mediocre game that is priced about seven times too high for the content the gamer plays. This is a game that can be completed in three hours at most with an emphasis on story. Unfortunately, the story leaves a lot to be desired, full of cliches and guessable outcomes. There are about three different side stories within the game that are far more interesting than the story Fullbright decided to highlight, and that is a shame, because these stories are never followed to a resolution or any true outcome. While it can be interesting to follow along to the story and go through the most private possessions of your character's family's belongings, it ultimately leads to disappointment and does not justify any interest that the gamer ever held in the game at all.

    In summary, this overpriced and cliched game is interesting enough to stick with for its incredibly short play time, but any interest in the story falters when one gets to the disappointing and lackluster conclusion.    … Expand
  91. jah1138
    Dec 28, 2014
    3
    It's nice, but not overly compelling. There are no puzzles to solve, no mystery to uncover, and the player doesn't contribute at all, she's simply a consumer. There's really no game here, it's just pure exposition -- essentially, it's a short audio/visual story.

    The thing that really puts Gone Home into perspective is that the gameplay made me think of Myst, and in that context it    It's nice, but not overly compelling. There are no puzzles to solve, no mystery to uncover, and the player doesn't contribute at all, she's simply a consumer. There's really no game here, it's just pure exposition -- essentially, it's a short audio/visual story.

    The thing that really puts Gone Home into perspective is that the gameplay made me think of Myst, and in that context it becomes clear how much more Myst achieved with a similar format (and far more limited resources) 20 years ago. Myst was superior visually, had a far more compelling story, real interaction with the environment, and the player had an important role in the story. Myst required the player's participation, and the player had to think hard and make decisions to move the story forward.

    So while I appreciate what Fullbright has tried to do with Gone Home -- focusing on a human story -- it feels very limited, even incomplete. It's nice to check out, but with its limitations, and at a 2+ hour runtime and zero repeatability, it's not worth anywhere near the retail price.    … Expand
  92. filiphendrickx
    Jul 19, 2015
    3
    I only made a account on metacritic just to warn people of this game. Although it has a nice soundtrack and the intention of the game developers probably was in the right direction, the end results is an abomination. The gameplay is horrible (click on everything until you can proceed, even bad for a click and point), the story has a lot of red herrings and the game is just TWO hours long!I only made a account on metacritic just to warn people of this game. Although it has a nice soundtrack and the intention of the game developers probably was in the right direction, the end results is an abomination. The gameplay is horrible (click on everything until you can proceed, even bad for a click and point), the story has a lot of red herrings and the game is just TWO hours long! If this were a free game I would give it an okay score, but this isn't the case. This game gets a lot attention because of the 'deep message' it conveys to the player. But unless you're a homophobic red neck who still believes in male supremacy, you will find the story ( and especially the ending) not groundbreaking but boring as hell.… Expand
  93. Renovatia
    Dec 14, 2015
    3
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. This is graphically a lightweight (< 1.5 GByte) Adventure, but decently looking. One plays the character Kaitlin who returns home and is to explore why her sister Sam isn't there and why she left an awkward note.

    This game is about taking you through a story, and it's far less about challenging your intellect, trigger amazement or boost your adrenaline like many other adventure games do! Be prepared to read a lot, because that's how you learn about Sam.

    Fundamentally it's a typical 3d Adventure, but confined to a single house. You walk around and interact with items to learn more about Sam's story. As the story progresses, you'll find out Sam is a lesbian and she ran off to her lesbian friend to live with her.

    Gaming-wise I have only one beef: your efforts as a player are not very rewarding. You have to read a lot of text but not much leads to a anything. You only gained more knowledge. You have to pick up almost everything (there's a lot to pick up) in the hope to find a secret code or a hidden key. When you finally found something, you're happy for a few seconds but then eons of boredom starts again; picking up stuff endlessly and hoping you didn't miss a thing.

    The biggest beef I have is about what the game does and about what kind of persons are behind this game.

    First of all this game is clearly an effort to celebrate LGBT issues and the method used is the good old "feel pity for the person, and when the desired emotions have been set, one automatically likes that person for being gay". For example this has been done in the movie "The Imitation Game" as well. Both the events in the movie and the flow of the game is a preamble to promote the LGBT culture.

    And, as often the case, the people behind such undertakings find reasons to stir some drama and artificially create victimhood: they refused to showcase their game at "PAX Prime" because they didn't like the convention managers' opinions. They (managers) don't buy too much into the usual political correct propaganda and therefore they are, according to the makers of this game, homophobes, transphobes and you name it.

    All in all this game is a project by, and for Social Justice Warriors, but you are not to find out until you're halfway into the game. Better not pay for this. It only encourages SJW's. Stay away from their world and focus on achieving something in your life; like saving money to buy a non-political, more challenging and rewarding game.    … Expand
  94. ColaSponge
    Jan 28, 2016
    3
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I would not recommend to spend 20$ on this game. It is no gamplay in this game, the story is flat, and the ending is horrible. So i would not buy this to play in my spare time.
    Now, the game is original. It is different, and creative. To be honest, i am not a fan of story-games at all. I mostly enjoy more action packed games. So i thought this was a bad game.

    You play as a young woman named Katilin Greenbriar. You are the oldest sister of the family. Kate has just arrived home after spending one year in Europe. The family has moved to a new home during your time in Europe, and when you arrive to the mansion, you find a empty house. Both the parents, and the younger sister is gone. During the time you play, you can pick up examine objects. Some of these objects triggers journals. The journals is the younger sister, Sam, talking about the year without her sister, the new school, friends and problems.
    If you pay attention to these journals, you will find out why Sam left almost instanly. So the storytelling, which i consider a major key to success in a story-game, was very bad aswell. And i was also frusterated by all the secret alleys, near the end of the game i became irritated and just wanted to smack the laptop down and go play some football/soccer.
    The graphics is not a important part of the game, but i will note that it was like Minecraft. And the FPS (Frames per Second) was also bad, prolly as low as the rating i gave the game.
    And in the end, after all the secret alleys, the searching for items to get to that attic, you of course come to the ending. Which is bad, very dissapointing indeed. You don’t even find out what happened to the parents. I have heard that they went on a vacation, but who does that when they’re daughter which they have not seen in a year, finally returns to the new mansion. Very dissapointing indeed.    … Expand
  95. Sander_Brattoy
    Jan 28, 2016
    3
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. The story in the game were mostly about Kathie Greenbriar’s little sister, Samantha Greenbriar and the story about what happened before and after they moved. Because they had moved without saying it to Kathie. So we`re just going around in the house and found different clues about where and why they are gone.
    I think that the game’s main theme where that some peoples didn’t care about the rules that were in the 90ths, and continued to be gay or lesbian because they were in love, and that love do no not have any rules and ending.
    The music in this game is meant to make the gameplay a bit more exciting. Like it can come sounds of thunder, and sounds of squeaking.
    The game has a romantic, scary theme. It were scary because you want find some weird things in this game like a sacrifice board and it were romantic because Samantha and her friend were in love and they did not care about the rules and how the gay peoples were treated so bad in the early 90ths.. IT were romantic because and you listens to Sam’s journals you will find out.
    The symbols in the game gave us a clue about how this family is and how they are.
    In the start of this game I were excited about this game, and a little later in the game it began to get boring, because you just walked around with no clue about what you should do. But closer to the end it started to get intense, when you found every hidden things, and secret objects like keys and maps.
    Personally i didn't like the game, because i don't like this type of game's.
    I would rate this game a 3/10, because it was a bit boring and they could have added a few more secret objects that was a bit more easier to find. And they could have made the game a bit more scary. Like with some things they thought were real in the 50ths to the 90ths, like ghosts.    … Expand
  96. THE_HELPFUL_FOX
    Jan 28, 2016
    3
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. GONE HOME Review
    Story
    (The game is around 1995) the game is about Kaitlin Greenbear who came home to her parents but they have left and she is trying to find out why and where the family have moved, you walk around and explore a big mansion while discovering the secrets that lies within the house.
    The Message of the Game
    I think the games message is that they try to show you how it is to get home to an empty house without knowing where your family has left to without telling you.
    Symbols
    There`s symbols and books in the house that shows signs of exorcism in the house.
    Sound, graphics
    The background sounds gets very repetitive and boring, it`s supposed to make the house creepy but after a while it get very boring. The game has decent graphic cannot complain about that. But the game has performance issues that makes the game more disappointing
    Actual Review
    I think the game was actually boring because all you do is to explore and investigate the house until you finish it, and there is not as entertaining as you would think. You play for a couple minutes, decide the game is bad and quit playing it and waste of time and money but you decide yourself I am just a person who did not like the game. I give it 3/10    … Expand
  97. thecasualgaymer
    Dec 22, 2018
    3
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. This game is important to people, it's some people's 10 because of that, however the huge amount of critical acclaim for this game is astounding. Yeah, spoiler she's reading notes from her sister after coming home and through that series of notes her sister is revealed to be a lesbian. There's also a subplot of notes about her parents shaky marriage that they are working on fixing. It's a polished experience, but not a fun one. Honestly the reason I think it resonates with some people is that it's THEIR story, and that's fine but any game with this little gameplay needs to have some truly amazing writing backing it up and at the end of the day Gone Home doesn't do anything universally ground breaking. If you like LGBT stories and dont mind walking simulators then this game could work for you, but anyone else is going to find themselves wanting more. If you're looking for a creepy vibe, horror esque story heavy walking simulator I'd recommend Oxenfree as an alternative.… Expand
  98. ErayTellezi
    Nov 17, 2020
    3
    Eski internet tarayıcısı oyunları olurdu, nesnelere tıklayarak bir esrarı veya cinayeti çözmeye çalışırdık. Onlar gibi ama ne hikayesi ne de oynanışı ilgi çekici. Zaman kaybı. Neyse ki süresi kısa.
  99. StarkAgentos
    May 24, 2022
    3
    Игра нереально кривая. Чувствительности по оси y маленькая, а настроить её никак нельзя. При наведении на объекты мышка сама на них наводится, что очень неудобно.
  100. bluedevil907
    Jan 15, 2014
    2
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I'm usually VERY forgiving and interested in new game experiences. Reviews mention two key points: the interesting story, and the "freakiness" of exploring the house.

    First, the story. Over half of the things you'll find or read are totally extraneous and do nothing to further any sort of interesting plot (or sub-plot). I don't want to spoil anything in case you get this on sale (DO NOT PAY FULL PRICE), but the story is a massive letdown with each plot thread that it opens up.

    As for the the empty house situation, it could have been extremely freaky. Instead, they throw in some really obtuse references to some of the "creepy" things that happened and give you just the SLIGHTEST glimpse of problems in the house. A few diaries from the mom, or perhaps some really depressed letters from the dad would have made the experience A LOT freakier. I'd constantly have been worried that someone had gone nuts and done something horrible around the next corner.

    I can not believe this game got so many 8s, 9s, and 10s. Had the story of any of these characters been told in a traditional format (movie, book, even someone speaking over a campfire) you would be bored to tears.

    P.S. The contents of those locked containers were so bland. If I'm hunting for secrets, you better make it worth it.    … Expand
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Awards & Rankings

12
#12 Best PC Game of 2013
11
#11 Most Discussed PC Game of 2013
3
#3 Most Shared PC Game of 2013

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
86

Generally favorable reviews - based on 56 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 49 out of 56
  2. Mixed: 7 out of 56
  3. Negative: 0 out of 56
  1. JeuxActu
    Feb 10, 2015
    85
    Grow Home is an interesting surprise from a publisher who get used to mismanaging his own IP's. This platformer like no other has everything going for you and for a very low price tag. You can easily give it a try.
    Read full review
  2. IGN Italia
    Jan 5, 2014
    95
    A beautiful, emotionally engaging, artfully crafted game, completely centered around exploration and telling a mature story through interaction.
    Read full review
  3. RPG Fan
    Dec 2, 2013
    75
    A story that will move some and alienate others.
    Read full review
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