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. Kraxlord
    Jun 18, 2023
    10
    Maybe one of the best games I have ever played! It's an intense story-driven experience for roughly 2 hours!
  2. hekoh
    Feb 19, 2023
    8
    pretty good walking simulator, i loved the immersion and the story. One of the first walking simulator
  3. succhini
    Jun 2, 2022
    8
    I am a person that really enjoys atmospheric games, where the setting and details are rich in detail.
    From the little tapes that you find, and put in the radio, to the little items you can interact with to enrich the story telling it was really enjoyable.
    There weren't that many "puzzles" at all, and made it for a very good game to unwind and get the feels for. The narrator had a    I am a person that really enjoys atmospheric games, where the setting and details are rich in detail.
    From the little tapes that you find, and put in the radio, to the little items you can interact with to enrich the story telling it was really enjoyable.

    There weren't that many "puzzles" at all, and made it for a very good game to unwind and get the feels for. The narrator had a really good voice, and really good voice acting skills.

    It was fun exploring the whole place. Those that have rated this game low might not be those kinds of gamers that enjoy a laid back story telling sort of approach. But I enjoyed it.    … Expand
  4. navik8
    Feb 28, 2022
    8
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. As someone new to games, and who enjoyed Edith Finch, overall I enjoyed this game and the ability to walk around the house to gather the pieces at a more self-directed pace. My only disappointment was that the ending was a bit of a letdown. I felt like I was going to solve a deeper mystery when it was just *SPOILER ALERT* the sister just ended up running away to be her love interest. I am all for happy endings, I guess I was just hoping for more. I played part on an xbox and a switch, and found both versions enjoyable.… Expand
  5. Perfect_Smith
    Dec 29, 2021
    10
    норм игра. вполне приятная история и бродилка по дому, симулятор клептомана.
  6. PublicNuisance
    May 29, 2021
    8
    Gone Home has come a long way since it was released. When it first came out it ran horribly on Linux and happily I can say that is no longer the case. It will be tough to talk a lot about the plot of Gone Home without spoiling it so I will simply say I enjoyed the story and liked how it was presented. You arrive home after catching a late flight to an empty house and trying to figure outGone Home has come a long way since it was released. When it first came out it ran horribly on Linux and happily I can say that is no longer the case. It will be tough to talk a lot about the plot of Gone Home without spoiling it so I will simply say I enjoyed the story and liked how it was presented. You arrive home after catching a late flight to an empty house and trying to figure out where your sister is. Your parents are also not home but that is more of a side story. You have to explore the house trying to find clues. When you find certain ones it triggers a audio journal from your sister. You can also learn a lot about your parents lives and that of your late uncle if you dig around enough. I liked the form of many of the clues such as crumpled pieces of paper; diaries; letters; etc. You will have to find combinations to many locks as well as keys. It is a little convoluted at times as you will have to start finding wall panels to tear off and secret passages, I can’t imagine the cleanup after I was done searching. The game really nails the nostalgia of the 90’s well. It takes place in 1995 and I can say they hit on many things I remember doing back then. The music is also great for the time period. One thing I will also mention is that, while the game is not a horror game, it did a great job having some creepy horror vibes at times. There are times where between the rain storm going on outside; the creaky floor boards; and the music that I expected things to take a grim turn. The graphics are mediocre to decent. The object detail such as furniture; appliances; etc were decent to good. The shadows and lighting were a little sub par but not terrible.

    I played Gone Home on Linux. It never crashed on me and I didn’t notice any bugs or glitches. There is an AF toggle; an AA toggle; an AO toggle; a Vsync toggle; an FOV slider that went from 60-90 and 3 other graphics options. The games save system is to save on exit and there is just the one save slot. Alt-tab didn’t work. I did find the mouse movement to be a little funky where it felt slow and unresponsive at times but normal at others. This didn’t seem to correspond to a frame rate issue as that was always 60+ FPS. The game seemed to use 100% of my GPU for much of my play through, which given the detail level seemed odd, but the performance was great.

    Game Engine: Unity
    Graphics API: OpenGL
    Save System: Save on Exit
    Disk Space Used: 3.03 GB
    Input Used: Keyboard and Mouse

    Settings Used: AO; AF; AA; Bloom on; Motion Blur off; Shadow Distance at Max; 90 FOV @ 1080P
    GPU Usage: 1-100 %
    VRAM Usage: 1667-1876 MB
    CPU Usage: 16-33 %
    RAM Usage: 3.1-3.5 GB
    Frame Rate: 72-121 FPS

    Overall if you enjoy walking sims you should give Gone Home a try. It has a great atmosphere and story as well as really nails it’s time period. I finished my play through in 110 minutes although I didn’t find all possible clues; journal logs and secrets. It is easily worth it’s current price of $16.99 CAD.

    My Score: 8/10

    My System:

    AMD Ryzen 5 2600X | 16GB DDR4-3000 CL15 | MSI RX 580 8GB Gaming X | Mesa 21.0.3 | Samsung 970 Evo Plus 500GB | Manjaro 21.0.5 | Mate 1.24.1 | Kernel 5.12.2-1-MANJARO | AOC G2460P 1920*1080 @ 144hz    … Expand
  7. FirstSpawn
    May 26, 2021
    8
    Очень уютная и ламповая игра, и исходя из этого зайдёт всем любителям чая с печениями =)
  8. UnGamedesigner
    Apr 22, 2021
    8
    Very nice game and quick to complete. A very simple graphic adventure in which you have to collect diary pages in order to complete the story they tell. History is truly a swing of emotions. Other than the wonderful storyline, the game doesn't offer much high, but it's still a very enjoyable experience.
  9. UncleEd
    Feb 14, 2021
    8
    This is an example of a good walking simulator. It gives the impression of a horror game, but in reality, it is a very well written young adult story. Voice acting is top notch. It takes about two hours to beat the entire game, but it will keep you engaged the whole time.

    8/10
  10. MusicScoresDK
    Dec 10, 2020
    10
    For the purpose that this game tries to achieve, it's perfect.
    For me, Gone Home was the game of 2013, and I would love for this story to be continued, to find out what happens with the family.
    What mostly stands out to me, is the voiceacting, the musicscore, the interaction with the environment and the level of detail found around the house. This is a story-based first-person game,    For the purpose that this game tries to achieve, it's perfect.
    For me, Gone Home was the game of 2013, and I would love for this story to be continued, to find out what happens with the family.
    What mostly stands out to me, is the voiceacting, the musicscore, the interaction with the environment and the level of detail found around the house.

    This is a story-based first-person game, where you must uncover the story as the game progresses. Curiosity carries the game, and you are like a detective trying to find out what has happen.

    I respect that this game is not loved by anyone, but for me it ticks all the boxes for what I love in a game like this. It has funny, sad, serious and lovely moments, and the dynamic of the game changes as you learn more about the story. And I like this story, and I would like to know what happens next.    … Expand
  11. Ternunda
    Apr 7, 2020
    8
    I've played this game just now -- April 8, 2020. It took me 105 minutes to complete it where I left just one stone unturned. Here are some points.

    Pros: - The game has a great personality and is very effective at building a strong, impactful atmosphere. - The character stories are generally likable and enjoyable to uncover. - Graphics are pleasantly surprising. - You can interact    I've played this game just now -- April 8, 2020. It took me 105 minutes to complete it where I left just one stone unturned. Here are some points.

    Pros:
    - The game has a great personality and is very effective at building a strong, impactful atmosphere.
    - The character stories are generally likable and enjoyable to uncover.
    - Graphics are pleasantly surprising.
    - You can interact with a large portion of the environment.
    - There is a level of eerieness that never really leaves.

    Mixed:
    - It isn't very difficult to navigate through the game to move the storyline forward which means playtime is short.

    Cons:
    - Incomplete lore. There are some lines of the story which I believe would be better explored than left up for interpretation. It's disappointing to uncover some of the potentially interesting parts only to be left without a resolution.
    - The story is incredibly easy to piece together quite early on which damages the impactfulness at the end.

    Extra Notes:
    The problem with this game is that the content is easy to navigate while not leaving the consumer with much reason to come back for more. Being so linear, someone who pays for the product might be left wanting and disappointed because it does take less than 2 hours to finish the game... But you can tell how much time and effort went into making this game. It is *very* well crafted and I do believe that many of the negative reviews come from an audience that is not receptive to the story. User ratings must be taken with a grain of salt (and so should critic ratings) because we have to understand that not all people will appreciate the content.

    TL;DR

    If you can get it on the cheap, this is a great game to spend 2 hours on. The story is charming and the world is wonderfully interesting to navigate. Just understand that this is an investment for 2 hours of your life, not a massively mastered and developed game that will give you 60 hours of gameplay. I would recommend this game to anyone looking for nice, niche storylines with no pressure on the player. Play at your pace. Enjoy the environment.    … Expand
  12. Kekoto
    Apr 6, 2020
    9
    I got this for free and for the 2-3 hour gameplay I got I feel like 20 bucks aren't worth, wait for a sale. However, the atmosphere is dripping and there were times where I felt unease with the storm in the background and the occasional voices in the basement. The story is bittersweet and so heartfelt, I really enjoyed this game. It starts off with a creepy sort of feel but slowly revealsI got this for free and for the 2-3 hour gameplay I got I feel like 20 bucks aren't worth, wait for a sale. However, the atmosphere is dripping and there were times where I felt unease with the storm in the background and the occasional voices in the basement. The story is bittersweet and so heartfelt, I really enjoyed this game. It starts off with a creepy sort of feel but slowly reveals a love story along with many little secrets hidden in the nooks and crannys.… Expand
  13. Philosophical
    Jul 9, 2019
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. This is a difficult game to review, not because it's bad, but because it's such an experience that it's hard to describe. But, I'm going to attempt to. First off, this is one of the best first person narrative games I've ever played, and there are a lot of reasons for it. Let's begin with the graphics. The graphics aren't anything to go insane about, but they're not horrible to the point that it looks like someone took a crap on a copy machine. One of the only issues I had with the game was that the default brightness was, in my opinion, too dark. It could just be because I can't see well, but I had to turn the brightness up, though it didn't hinder my experience. With the graphics being just good, the audio is a whole other story. There isn't much background music, only a bit of very atmospheric tracks that helped add to the immersion. The sound effects were used well, and at times made me jump because of how engrossed I was in this game. There isn't a lot of voice acting, but when it's used, the performances are great. The journal entries by Sam were read so well, it truly at times made me feel for this character we only saw in photos. This leads me into the next part of this review, the story. The story is very emotional, and I was tearing up every five minutes playing this game. This is one of, if not the best game to tackle the themes of sexual orientation acceptance, and does it very well. The emotional turmoil described through the journal entries truly struck a chord with me. This is definitely one of my favorite plots throughout the game, and I think that the length was just right, not too short to be unable to justify my purchase, but not too long that I'd fallen out of the immersion. The gameplay is probably the least impressive part of the game, though it's still good. The simple key placement makes it easy to manage. Other than that, the controls are very basic. Overall, this is one of the few games I would give a 10/10. Though I do believe that you should go through this game in one sitting, and go into the game blindly. This is how I did it, and I believe it enhanced my experience. Other than that, this is a fantastic game that you should grab for only 20 bucks. Now, I'm sure there are many people who were disappointed with this game, but you should realize, this isn't meant to be a 40-hour game, it's meant to be a short and sweet experience. It shouldn't matter how long a game is, but the actual quality of the game.… Expand
  14. Gelaos
    Sep 20, 2018
    9
    If you're allergic to feminism, homosexuality or walking simulators, then you will hate this game. Actually it's not a game, it's just interactive visit of someone's house. But I loved it. All subplots of the main story (sister's sexuality, father's middle age crisis, problematic marriage, ...) are something that was explored in literature, movies or other media hundreds of times. Yet itIf you're allergic to feminism, homosexuality or walking simulators, then you will hate this game. Actually it's not a game, it's just interactive visit of someone's house. But I loved it. All subplots of the main story (sister's sexuality, father's middle age crisis, problematic marriage, ...) are something that was explored in literature, movies or other media hundreds of times. Yet it still grabbed me and didn't let go until credits started rolling.

    But for a game that takes 1-3 hours to finish (depending on how much of a completionist you are) the price of (currently) $15 is way to high.    … Expand
  15. Dead_Reckon
    May 21, 2018
    8
    The farther I get away from my playtime in this game the less favorable I find it. I originally scored it a 10, but now I would say it's an 8. I did enjoy it, and it does what it does well but I don't think the act of playing it is actually all that enjoyable, IE I don't want to play it again.
  16. El_Manco
    May 20, 2018
    8
    Cuando inicias tu paseo por la casa de los Greenbriar, sin idea de que va la historia, cualquier detalle acaba por parecerte una evidencia de algo. Según transcurre el juego, acabas descubriendo una historia repleta de personajes con conflictos y problemas, con los que acabas por empatizar por simple humanidad.
  17. Jucarock
    Apr 28, 2018
    9
    This game it will give you thriller moments but in the course of history you will get what is happening. Don't get baited by the many low reviews, this game is good. You have to respect the gameplay that is slower than usual and try to understand the history.
  18. RagingPoet
    Feb 2, 2018
    8
    Gone Home is 'walking simulator' with simple but highly detailed story about ordinary family. It has as few gameplay as this genre can maintain while still being called 'game'. But the storytelling through items is really nice.
  19. OatniAaA
    Oct 27, 2017
    8
    Game Review:

    Gone Home takes place on June 7th, 1995 and you play as Kaitlyn who returns from a one year long trip abroad in Europe to a completely empty house. Through a series of notes and letters Kaitlyn discovers what has been taking place in the lives of her family members in the year she has been gone. You as the player has to search around in an enormous house to find clues to    Game Review:

    Gone Home takes place on June 7th, 1995 and you play as Kaitlyn who returns from a one year long trip abroad in Europe to a completely empty house. Through a series of notes and letters Kaitlyn discovers what has been taking place in the lives of her family members in the year she has been gone. You as the player has to search around in an enormous house to find clues to what has happened to your family. The game itself has a little creepy undertone, even though the game is not made to be scary.

    Most of the story revolves around her younger sister Sam and her budding friendship with a girl named Lonnie. Journal entries are shared with the player whenever they discover a relevant item in-game. The storytelling and voice acting in the game are absolutely superb and the gameplay has a really easy flow that makes each move seem organic. As you unlock more and more of Samantha's journals you will want to find out even more what has happened to the Sam and her parents.

    I think that Sams confusion, bliss, excitement, and frustration was portrayed brilliantly. I think that the story is quite good but I am not sure if the two-hour long experience is worth the 20 dollar price tag. This is not because the game is bad in any way, it is just because the game has no game replayability value since you will find out everything on your first completion of the game. If I was to rate this game, I would give it an 8 out of 10. This is because the game is well made and exciting, but it is not my own personal type of game. But I would recommend everyone to pick the game up and give it a try.    … Expand
  20. Xghostx
    Oct 27, 2017
    8
    The game gone home is a mind and story game. In the game you will have to think a lot to get all the stuff and journeys that you must have, to complete the game. To complete this game, you have to be smart and think logical. If you do not like story games, this is not a game for you. This story is about a girl and her personal journeys. Throughout the game you get to know some of herThe game gone home is a mind and story game. In the game you will have to think a lot to get all the stuff and journeys that you must have, to complete the game. To complete this game, you have to be smart and think logical. If you do not like story games, this is not a game for you. This story is about a girl and her personal journeys. Throughout the game you get to know some of her stories, because you are picking up things that make her speak.

    After spending a year gallivanting around Europe, you've come to your family's new home one rainy night in June of 1995, and although you expected your family to be there, you find the house empty. As you explore the house and find out what the Greenbriars have been going through, there are no puzzles to solve, no enemies to defeat. There's nothing to take you out of your journey of discover. The main character is Samantha greenbriar.

    Gone Home is a remarkable first-person adventure. The player takes the role of Katie in the first- person view, who can view objects in the game using the mouse and move using the keyboard. There are no set goals in the game; however, the game encourages and rewards the player when they explore new areas of the house and search for new messages.

    This game is an amazing game because of the huge map you have to search to find all the information you need and all the journeys. I really think that this game should be used as learning game for people. This game challenges you to think and that is a very good thing for students who does not really like school. I recommend this game for people over 15 years, because you’re thinking skills has to be on point.    … Expand
  21. cmykeith
    Jul 31, 2017
    10
    This game is powerful, intricately crafted, and emotional. Though the gameplay is simple and it's much shorter than traditional games (I finished my first playthrough in about 2 hours), this game is complete without any unnecessary details. The sounds, music, and voice acting are all orchestrated beautifully.

    At it's heart is a story of joy and sorrow, distress and euphoria. It takes    This game is powerful, intricately crafted, and emotional. Though the gameplay is simple and it's much shorter than traditional games (I finished my first playthrough in about 2 hours), this game is complete without any unnecessary details. The sounds, music, and voice acting are all orchestrated beautifully.

    At it's heart is a story of joy and sorrow, distress and euphoria. It takes you on a journey of discovery.

    Gone Home is a piece of art. As all art, one's experience of it will be filtered through our expectations, personal interests, and biases. Those that expect a traditional game may be disappointed, but those that can appreciate a heart-felt experience will be delighted.    … Expand
  22. Dr_Zaroff
    Mar 30, 2017
    10
    A game that evokes fear, sadness, happiness, and memory. Such a simple game but so well executed. Much like a well-written novel, this game is able to set the dreary mood and atmosphere with so little action! That proves just how well put together this game is. The details, the sound, the lighting, all come together to create something special.

    Another great thing about this game is    A game that evokes fear, sadness, happiness, and memory. Such a simple game but so well executed. Much like a well-written novel, this game is able to set the dreary mood and atmosphere with so little action! That proves just how well put together this game is. The details, the sound, the lighting, all come together to create something special.

    Another great thing about this game is that anyone can play it! You don't have to be a gamer to enjoy it, you just have to be someone that enjoys a good story.

    I will continue to recommend this game to everyone I know.    … Expand
  23. TeenGirlGamer
    Mar 19, 2017
    10
    Oh My God! I started this game 2 hours ago and i just finished it.Now it's my favorite game.I loved everything in it.It just made me cry so much because it ended..♥
  24. amcvfx
    Feb 16, 2017
    9
    Beautiful and inspiring. A powerful case for games as interactive storytelling. The sensation of immersion in someone else's life was immediate and the revelations were perfectly paced.
  25. minukim
    Nov 27, 2016
    8
    To be honest, this is not that kind of game that I actually like. I am more of a FPS game person so having a "gone home" experience wasn't really attractive to me. However, I had to give it 8 out of 10 and here are the reasons:

    First of all, the story behind this whole setup was so interesting and detailed. At first, the game feels like one of those typical "room escape" but then as you    To be honest, this is not that kind of game that I actually like. I am more of a FPS game person so having a "gone home" experience wasn't really attractive to me. However, I had to give it 8 out of 10 and here are the reasons:

    First of all, the story behind this whole setup was so interesting and detailed. At first, the game feels like one of those typical "room escape" but then as you explore the game, players are made to find out about the story and get deeper into it. Also, the graphics and details in the game are extremely amazing, and this is one of the biggest reason that made me give this game an 8 out of 10 — I love to look at such details(even in FPS games, I look for details, since they create the atmosphere so that players could be "absorbed" in the game). For instance, when you pick up an item and throw it back, you can find out that the items and the objects around them follow physics law, which helps give you a surprisingly real-like experience. Maybe they mounted physics and math engine?
    I admit that story telling games definitely do have limitations, that is, once the story is fully discovered, the players won't go back to the game to start over again, making the game a one-time experience. Though, it could have been better if they had the story to be more various, like having variety of endings, insert hidden missions, etc. This was one of the few factors that made me disappointed; once you clear the game and collect all the objectives in the game(which is not even a lot) you will quickly lose interest in the game.
    Now, the other disappointing factor — and probably the greatest negative factor for most other players who bought this game — is the price. The game, for me, is more likely a masterpiece worth keeping, not that kind of game that I frequently open and play for fun(like civilization or overwatch). This is why my rating doesn't take price into consideration that much(otherwise it would have been less than 6). If you are not one of those people who are interested in collecting good masterpiece games —which means that you are more likely a person who is more interested in games that are not one-time enjoy only — I strongly suggest you not to buy the game.    … Expand
  26. yourmhdtfriend
    Nov 27, 2016
    9
    A giant home. Creaky doors. Roaring thunder. A sullen atmosphere. A glimpse of dismal silence struggling with fright and panic. What would you feel when you happen to be in this kind of environment? Rather, what would you do? Well fortunately, I happened to witness this horror-ish, vehement kind of setting. But sorry to burst your bubble, it didn’t happen in real life. (How I wish it wereA giant home. Creaky doors. Roaring thunder. A sullen atmosphere. A glimpse of dismal silence struggling with fright and panic. What would you feel when you happen to be in this kind of environment? Rather, what would you do? Well fortunately, I happened to witness this horror-ish, vehement kind of setting. But sorry to burst your bubble, it didn’t happen in real life. (How I wish it were in real life, but no.) It’s a game. Surprised? Well, this seemingly infinite darkness and apprehensive game lives up to its name Gone Home.

    I’m just going to make this straight to the point. Before I started typing, I asked myself “What was the best thing in the game Gone Home?” Well, it’s not a question that I can answer with confidence. To say, at the very least, “it’s perfect” is beyond imagination. But truth be told, I’m more than willing to say all the good compliments in this world. But I don’t have the entire time to enumerate all of them, let alone give explanations and reasonable arguments as to why I chose them. Let’s just start with, what I can say, the most important things that make up a game like Gone Home.

    To start off, well the story itself, I must say, is the absolute epitome of what’s been happening throughout these days. It’s not your-kind-of-perfect game where it tries to put you to another dimension, let alone impede you from seeing the harshness of reality. It, actually, was a good taste of both precision and deformity. Precision because its undeviating storyline completely goes in a straight route. No side roads. No fillers. No humps. It’s just there. You just need to observe. On the other hand, deformity because the game was brave enough to tackle such beliefs beyond our entire acceptance in the world. It spans depths beyond beliefs, seriously. But nevertheless, the story fills the game with vibrant moods ready to propagate forth into flawed life.

    Next one, the characters that make up the story. If you happened to play the game, you might have noticed that everything mentioned had the prevalent theme ‘change’. Indeed, change is inevitable, a process we cannot surely avoid. In the game, you thought everything was placed in its rightful places, but no. Because after some time, everything was disorderly messed up. One character’s term of change completely went out of control. One character’s metamorphosis made him/her become much of a better person. One character’s transformation remained neutral. You see, what the characters did with ‘change’ was their choice. Some characters chose to accept change, make best use of it, and use it to grow as better persons. Some characters became indifferent to change, or maybe even resentful to it. (How I wish all changes turned out beautiful. But that would definitely deprive some characters of their freedom to choose.)

    These are not so vague examples, but take note that there are so much more I can credit this game for. You see, you cannot compare this game to another game because you cannot make them compete on their own, both masters of their respective raised area. But what makes the game Gone Home more stunning to me is the combined efforts, commitments, and sacrifices of the people behind the game. Of course, if it weren’t for them, I wouldn’t have played Gone Home. I wouldn’t have the chance to know the secrets that lie within this gigantic house. I wouldn’t have the chance to grasp the powerful storyline.

    Honestly, it is marvelous to witness how people can nurture their idea and mold it into something that is devastatingly amazing. So before I end this review of mine, I just would like to take this opportunity to commend the people who were behind the production of the game. With their sets of skills and knowledge, they crafted the game with more beauty than I could muster. Without any thinking of wordplay or vacillating between dullness or panic, I can say the game managed to get my attention through the ‘story telling’ in a confounding performance.

    Well, it’s up to you if you will have the courage to play this one hell of a crazy game. It might not be a bad idea for you to try this, what do you think?    … Expand
  27. jymplm17
    Nov 26, 2016
    8
    I believe that observing the belongings of a person and how these things are placed gives you a bigger picture of who that person is rather than talking to them for a few minutes. This is precisely the experience that Gone Home has given to its players.
    Gone home was a unique and interesting experience for me. I love playing mystery games, and this was no exception. The difference between    I believe that observing the belongings of a person and how these things are placed gives you a bigger picture of who that person is rather than talking to them for a few minutes. This is precisely the experience that Gone Home has given to its players.
    Gone home was a unique and interesting experience for me. I love playing mystery games, and this was no exception. The difference between this game and others I’ve played before is the amazingly realistic experience of getting to know the characters by exploring their living space. There was no linear progression required to complete the game; it is up to the player to explore and take his/her time in piecing together the information given by all the things strewn all around the house. Added to this is being given a role in the game: One plays the game as Kaitlin, the eldest daughter of the Greenbriar family who just came home from a yearlong trip abroad. In her absence, a lot of things have changed. Exactly what these are, you’ll have to discover for yourself as you walk through the mansion.
    The mood of the game was very tension-filled and dark, because of the rain, the constant lightning and thunder and the creaking sounds all throughout the house. The game was set in the 90’s, and it is evident in the artifacts present in the house. It makes you feel as though you’re really there, walking and touching these items. As you walk through every room, you’ll find more and more evidence of just exactly what happened to the family. You can pick up various household items and papers where you’ll find information. The focus of the story revolves around the youngest daughter, Sam, and her struggles as she trudges through puberty. The relationship of her parents is also outlined in the story. All the items: books, technology, music, papers and more give a much deeper meaning than their superficial appearance. They fit in into these characters lives, giving you the feeling that the house is buzzing with their presence even though they aren’t around physically.
    Gone Home is a journey of discovery. I especially liked the writing style
    of the story and the clues around the house. It is interesting how so many small details can come together and build a realistic and intricate story. Most of the things the characters are going through are very relatable and real. The game is exciting not in a way that you are actively solving puzzles or fighting monsters, but as you passively observe everything, you realize that this is the story of a family with real problems and real connections. The good thing about this is that there’s nothing to distract you from the journey of discovering by yourself. The game never gave any hints or clues; it seems like the makers left it up to the players to piece together and even interpret what they have seen.
    It can be a bit disorienting at times because the house is very big and the way of controlling the game sometimes made me dizzy. However, once you get used to it, you’ll get sucked into the emotion and twists that this game has to offer. The story was very compelling while I was playing it, but somehow, it didn’t stick with me for as long as I thought it would have. But it still has a lot of merits. This game is important in a sense that it gives focus on issues of the time period and it is very rooted in the real world, and it gives each character a three-dimensional personality: strengths, flaws and all. You’ll surely enjoy stripping the shrouds of mystery that hang over the Greenbriar family and reveling in the picture that you’ll paint of who exactly these characters are.    … Expand
  28. jelikey
    Jul 16, 2016
    8
    I'm rating this game a five in protest to rave scores from professional critics. Oh, I'm perfectly fine with indie games, as well as 'experience' 'games' in general, but giving this short collection of interactive notes (that's what this really is) anything over 60 or 70 is ridiculous.
  29. Awsla
    Jun 28, 2016
    8
    Much of the conflict this game produces is between the price and its ambitious intent. If we could suppress grumblings over price of a game, whatever it may be, and presuppose that people who are interested in exploring video games as an evolving, branching genre, being rapidly redefined by technological platforms and with unique pressures to innovate exerted by the redundancy ofMuch of the conflict this game produces is between the price and its ambitious intent. If we could suppress grumblings over price of a game, whatever it may be, and presuppose that people who are interested in exploring video games as an evolving, branching genre, being rapidly redefined by technological platforms and with unique pressures to innovate exerted by the redundancy of mainstream games, then maybe some could adopt the mindset that we are paying to preview separate attempts to test the medium.

    No, its not gaming in the typical sense, with objectives and enemies and points and what not. Finding the items that further unlock chapters of the story isn't even challenging- and would be annoying if it were. The game play encourages a type of player participation which some may not be willing to engage with because that just isn't what they have been conditioned to expect when they boot up their computer or turn on their console after a begrudging day's work. Perhaps the negativity stems from video games being used and abused as an unambiguous, private 'system of rewards and punishments' where the user can manipulate a simulation representing their metric worth through predictable, rational choices. Very unlike the external systems in daily life people use to feel reward and fulfillment which tend to be impersonal, ambiguous and transitory such as relationships and careers.
    Gone Home then has subtleties which can be crushed or completely overlooked by a mind prickling and hastening for achievements or to get to the end. To such a player, this game may well seem empty and tedious.
    Gone Home presents a sense of 'place' that you can carry with you when you are not playing the game, similar to the way a book's characters and story lines can continue to resonate while you are away. The story is psychological- the father's various manuscript titles seem to reflect his subconscious grappling with his role as father, author, and son. They are a side story in themselves if the player cares to care. The central growth of the relationship which objects and audio reveals is clever and has characteristics of actual relationships where two people search for compatibility through imitation, worship, showboating, etc.
    It is interesting to watch how the family 'hangs together' as depicted by their material lives and sparse usage of various spaces. The scarcity of directives paired with sandbox like freedom to remove items from the dishwasher, put things back as they were or toss them anywhere, close the trash lid on scandalous notes or leave them in view for the family to discover later, creates a unique feeling of participation, but only to those who care to place their actions within the narrative context.
    That said, I wouldn't read this story if it were a book. But can appreciate it as a laudable exercise in experimenting with less overt ways of attaching meaning to action in a game instead of downgrading it as not worth your money because it defied (or rather attempted to broaden) an expectation. Rather than using metrics that reduce value to a numeric scale, the significance of things are bounded only by the player's imagination and interpretations, and the conflicts within a nuclear family is a rife universal theme.    … Expand
  30. PixelPigeon
    Jun 28, 2016
    10
    Gone Home, in my eye's is an amazing game, but not many people will agree with me. The game does lack a lot in gameplay, but totally makes up for it in story, not everyone likes the story but if you do you will fall in love with the main characters. This game let's you explore in anyway you desire and this game is 100% player driven, you control the pace not the game, your hand is neverGone Home, in my eye's is an amazing game, but not many people will agree with me. The game does lack a lot in gameplay, but totally makes up for it in story, not everyone likes the story but if you do you will fall in love with the main characters. This game let's you explore in anyway you desire and this game is 100% player driven, you control the pace not the game, your hand is never held but you still know where to go through great game design. The story is the crowning jewel of this game, telling a rich and realistic story that will get you invested for the couple of hours that you play this game. Also this game is really short, about 1-3 hours but I feel like 3 hours is perfect for a game like this it give you quality over quantity. As said not everyone will like this game, there's basically no gameplay, the story isn't for everyone, and I can imagine for some people the pacing is quiet slow. But if you like games like Life is Strange then you will absolutely love Gone Home.… Expand
  31. natyacero
    Jun 1, 2016
    10
    Gone Home is a narrative videogame where the player must discover details of the story to understand what is going on and what to do next. The story is about a Katie (you as a player), a girl who just came back from a year abroad, to discover that her dysfunctional family is gone and her sister (Sam) has left a note for her at the door warning her not to look into it and saying herGone Home is a narrative videogame where the player must discover details of the story to understand what is going on and what to do next. The story is about a Katie (you as a player), a girl who just came back from a year abroad, to discover that her dysfunctional family is gone and her sister (Sam) has left a note for her at the door warning her not to look into it and saying her goodbyes. The house was left to them by their uncle, who will also be an important part of the search. As Katie walks into the house, she sees the mess that they left behind and it’s the purpose of the game to go through it and draw conclusions from whatever it is you find.

    Apart from the storyline, this game has something very unique: Sam’s journals. As you find key objects to the investigation, you get pieces of audio talking about what you just found. For example, there is one that talks about how hard it was for Sam to move to the new school. These tapes create a sense of completion, where you are not missing a part of the story, but you are getting all the information because in a way, it is a reward for finding what you just did. They also add a lot of details to the narration and by being able to know what Sam was really thinking, not what her stuff wanted to let us know, it also became relatable. There are many feelings and many situations that, although keys for this occasion, might be everyday for us or might be something we see at school or at home. In this sense, the videogame managed to capture my favorite characteristic of the novels I read. No matter what it is about, there are feelings or situations that you can always make connections with. This is normally different with games. For example, Grand Theft Auto is not really that relatable… unless you enjoy stealing cars and randomly killing people.

    Additionally, Gone Home has a lot of details that don’t really matter at the end, but during the run, they seem crucial. This is because the game has parallel stories, one being the disappearance of Sam and the other one being the backstory of the house. While the player gets to discover little details of Katie’s parents and sister, he/she can also find items such as obituaries, game boards, books, and letters, that reveal details of Uncle Mason, who left the house to Katie’s dad when he died. Through Sam’s diaries, you also get to know about his reputation and that only feeds the environment set by the appearance of the house. This same appearance is the one that allows the player to imagine multiple different outcomes, many of them cynical, a mere fantasy, or even a supernatural event. These two parallel stories combine perfectly together to create an expectation or a hypothesis on what happened to Sam or at least, the reason why she left. This also allows for the hooking of the player with the game. Creating expectations on the players causes the plot twists to be even more shocking and leave the player impatient to know what will happen, just like in a novel.

    Gone Home is the best integration of literature into a videogame that I have ever seen. It is true that it can be solved in two seconds, but that is only when you know where to look. The fun part of this game is not to win, but to follow the story and try to connect all the creepy things you might find in your search for your virtual sister.    … Expand
  32. llizarralde
    Jun 1, 2016
    8
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Sometimes objects speak more than words. A house for instance can tell a story even better than its inhabitants. The game Gone Home does precisely this. In this game you don’t see people, you are alone in a house. Despite not having people inside the house the game involves extremely complex and well developed characters. One gets to know the people that lived in the house as if one had actually met them. The setting of the game is very important to the development of it. It is set in 1995 in a house. The family living in it got it as inheritance and are just moving in. As one plays the game he is emerged into a story about a dysfunctional family. The player becomes Katie, the older sister who has been living in Europe for a month and comes back home only to find a letter from her sister Sam stating that she won't be home, and instructing her sister to not snoop around to try and find out where she is.

    Clearly we, the gamers, do the opposite than what we are told and we start looking around to find out what happened. In the game the only thing that the player experiences is the house itself. There is nothing outside of the house, and nothing outside of it matters. The purpose of the game is to explore the house to find clues as to what happened to the sister and why no one is in the house. As the player finds objects he starts learning about the lives of the family, like what the father did, who owned the house, and mainly about the love life and teenage years of the younger sister Sam.

    The game is designed to capture the culture and daily lives of middle class american families in the 90’s. Each artefact in the house tells us something about the family members. The game is not designed to have the best graphics or to take the player into a fictional universe. It is designed to tell a story, a story about a family that could very likely resemble yours. The gamers walks into the character (Katie) and starts living her life.

    The purpose of this game does not revolve around action and violence. The creator focused on a new direction in gaming. The game has the narrative capacity of a novel. The setting is not some distant and fictional world it is an everyday house. The story is about all of us and it tells the truth about realities in our world. The story is told through letters and diary entries of the sister. Writing and artefacts move the game along. With this game The Fullbright Company is saying that our everyday lives can be just as entertaining and playable as fictional worlds. Despite the game being a story that is intended to come out at the end, each player has a unique experience while playing.

    The story deals with maturity, love, sexuality, and family live. It also has elements of horror. The game is as vivid and real as games get. It is extremely complete, and guaranties an experience unlike any other in the gaming community.    … Expand
  33. georgiorojas
    May 27, 2016
    8
    When I first saw the trailer for Gone Home I was a bit skeptical about the game, it isn’t the typical action game that you will have you playing it for hours. Gone Home is a game about the exploration and discovery of what has happened to your character’s family. It is set in 1995 a year that, in my opinion, is brilliant for the developers to discuss the topics they do in the game. TheWhen I first saw the trailer for Gone Home I was a bit skeptical about the game, it isn’t the typical action game that you will have you playing it for hours. Gone Home is a game about the exploration and discovery of what has happened to your character’s family. It is set in 1995 a year that, in my opinion, is brilliant for the developers to discuss the topics they do in the game. The combination of the exploration of a house and the thematics of the game suits very well since the thematics, which by the way are: the discovery of sexuality, marital issues, and the struggle of a Christian family with a daughter who acts un-christian like, are all about discovering oneself. For example as a player I noticed that the element of discovery in the game with the thematic of the exploration of Samantha’s (the main character’s sister) sexuality went very well together as the player would be forced to go through Sam’s process of finding her true sexuality.

    The thematics of the game and the year that it is set in go perfectly, primarily because 1995 isn’t a period of time where a person could be open about their sexuality, in fact as a player I saw many hints at this through the game as Samantha and Lonnie (Samantha’s love interest) get into trouble with other kids at schools that don't accept them. Player will also encounter the disapproval of the friendship between Sam and Lonnie, they disapprove of this because according to them it is a friendship that has affected Sam’s good behavior. After the friendship turn into relationship it is noticeable that Sam’s parents fully disapprove of her love, and further believe it to be a phase. The thematic of discovering sexuality is complemented by that of the Christian family since Sam is a lesbian she is considered un-christian like, this is also supported by the fact that Sam continued to summon spirits which is something many Christians don’t appreciate. The discovery element really immerses the player into what Sam can feel like though her discovery and acceptance of being lesbian. Since the game is set in 1995 the discovery element in the game can take players through what a homosexual person goes through when coming to terms with their sexuality.

    Another important theme that I noticed was the marital issues and this one is much more obscure and hard to discover, we again see a relationship between the main gaming element of discovery and the themes that developers wish to explore. With these issues players are led through a series of books, magazines, and catalogues which help many discover the current state of the relationship of the parents.

    Having addressed the main themes I would like to shift my focus into the actual game, and not its themes. I will disregard the themes for now since they are not very important to the common gamers. The first thing that I want to make note of is the fact that there is no action or puzzle gameplay (I was frequently scared with the constant sound of thunder during the game, but that is as much action you will get). This might turn lots of gamers off since as a gamer myself I look for action or puzzle or a mix of both in the games I play. It originally presented an issue for me as I got bored with the lack of these two elements in the game, but as I got accustomed to this lack of elements the discovery element of the game overtook me. Soon I wanted to keep on playing the game, it kept me at a constant state of a cliffhanger every time that I stopped playing it. This appealed to me as a person who has played lots of games since the storytelling element was heavily complimented by this. Speaking about storytelling, this game has a fantastic story, which partially complements its design as a non action/puzzle game. Despite having a good story there are lots of negatives to the game, the first thing that I find negative is the lack of action there no interaction with any being with life beings. Both of these lacking elements definitely downgrade this game for me as a game is supposed to make every aspect of the gameplay exciting. Don’t take this as if I am saying that the storyline is bad or anything of the sort, it is just that this game is not ideal in terms of gameplay, story wise it is brilliant.

    Gone Home presents an alternative for many gamers to switch up their current formula of action and puzzle games into a more artistic and literary way of gaming. Storywise it is one of the best games I have played, its setting, time, and themes show how developers not only wish for the gamer to have a good time playing, but also to feel intrigued about the characters, discover more, find secrets, and finally comprehend the struggles many people deal with on a daily basis. These issues presented in the game go hand in hand with the main and only gaming element the game has, which is discovery. The game does have negatives though, mainly being that there is a lack of action and interaction through the game.    … Expand
  34. Young_Nacho
    Apr 10, 2016
    9
    Gone Home is landmark game. A big step in the realm of interactive storytelling. This game completely captivates you if you let it. There's no real gameplay other than picking things up and walking around the house. The basic premise is that a girl comes home to find her house empty. She must explore the house to find out where everyone went. The atmosphere in this game is absolutelyGone Home is landmark game. A big step in the realm of interactive storytelling. This game completely captivates you if you let it. There's no real gameplay other than picking things up and walking around the house. The basic premise is that a girl comes home to find her house empty. She must explore the house to find out where everyone went. The atmosphere in this game is absolutely amazing. In the game, your character, Katie, hasn't been to this new house yet because she was out on a trip while her family moved in. This game really uses that and it makes you really feel like you are walking in on a strange old house for the first time. You feel the house creak as you walk through the dark halls. The noises of faint footsteps create an amazingly eerie atmosphere that makes you want to turn on all the lights as if you were actually exploring a dark house. It has a surprisingly haunting atmosphere that I wasn't expecting from this game but I absolutely loved it. I caught myself dropping an item to look around a corner to see if there was someone there several times. The creaks and cracks of the old house make it feel so much more real and life like. I Also felt the story was surprisingly captivating and emotional considering that if this were written as teen fiction, I wouldn't have read it. The fact that the story was told in a house that felt so real made it even more emotional. I felt connected to the game and it really felt like I was learning about someone else's life through the belongings left in their abandoned home. The struggles of the teenage life may seem kind of boring and a bit cliche, but this game made them feel so real. There was something about the way the story was presented that made me feel a lot more emotionally attached to it. It had so many small details that made this game seem so real, from recorded VHS tapes of The X-Files, to movie tickets to see Pulp Fiction, to the homework assignments on desks, this game felt alive. The best thing about the story is that the more you explore, the more you learn and the more pieces of the puzzle fit together in the end. While the main story is about your younger sister, there are several other stories about the other family member that can be discovered. Some of which are kind of dark (which I like). Some of these stories are really up to your interpretation based on the clues you've found around the house.

    In the end Gone Home is a hauntingly beautiful game that really feels alive. This game wont be for everyone (as evident by the negative reviews) but for fans of great interactive story telling, this game is a must.    … Expand
  35. royksteam123
    Mar 28, 2016
    10
    Very well done game even if its short, since it has so much detail. Hope to see more from the fullbright company in the future, great experience and a journey back to the 90s when i grew up
  36. mentalundead83
    Mar 15, 2016
    10
    ♥love this game♥ because of the story.Really enjoy the soundtrack who wouldn't! bratmobile,and the messages stand up fight back ! smash patriarchy! great game ! love it ,support it,can't wait for more ♥
    cons: it is a short duration game ,wish it was more!and a bity pricey since its a short game.
    but overall loved it cause of the story plot .

    P.S Smash Patriaarchy!! ;)
  37. scottmland
    Feb 13, 2016
    9
    When people argue that videogames are not the future of storytelling, I would tell them to look here.

    While I concede that shallow yet entertaining video games such as the Call of Duty franchise, or any arena-type MMORPG, do not display the emotional trials of ourselves as human beings in any sort of groundbreakingly intelligent light, they also have their merits. In my opinion there    When people argue that videogames are not the future of storytelling, I would tell them to look here.

    While I concede that shallow yet entertaining video games such as the Call of Duty franchise, or any arena-type MMORPG, do not display the emotional trials of ourselves as human beings in any sort of groundbreakingly intelligent light, they also have their merits. In my opinion there are two types of videogames in most situations: interactive storytelling and pure entertainment. While I enjoy playing games like Black Ops 2, Planetary Annihilation, Castle Crashers, and Gang Beasts, I play those knowing that I won't take anything away, besides the fun of playing with friends or solo. I don't not expect any crushingly deep emotional story or mind breaking moral dilemma. I expect fun, and those games easily meet those expectations. Then there are games like Gone Home. This game, as well as Life is Strange, the upcoming Firewatch, and the Telltale Games series are meant to be played as you would read a book. You are meant to wholeheartedly invest yourself into these characters and plotlines, to empathize and sympathize, to develop one sided relationships with the protagonists and antagonists; wishing the best for the former, and maybe death to the latter. I’m not saying you can't invest yourself into the stories of entertainment orientated games like Tomb Raider, the Last of Us, or Uncharted. Or even Black Ops. If you really relate to and care about Alex Mason, his family and his plight, I can't fault you for that. I’m just saying in my opinion that isn't truly what those games are meant for.

    So, moving forward with the theme that games like Gone Home are meant to affect the player as a good novel would, emotionally, we can observe how the story of this game can be judged as such. Despite the rather snoopish feeling of going through a teenage girl's things for a few hours; if you manage to put that strange, uneasy feeling behind you, and put yourself in the shoes of the returning Katie, who has come home to an empty house and needs to investigate this oddity, the game really does come into its own. I, personally, felt all the emotions I would if my sister were to disappear. And the plot points revealed further through Sam's wonderfully voice acted journals each tore at my heartstrings, and occasionally I felt myself rushing to unlock the next entry, to reveal more of the mystery, one that is not scary or action-packed, but is still engaging and intriguing. If it was a novel, I would buy it. As a videogame, I found that the interactivity of the world; drawers, lights, drawers was well done, quite immersive. I found myself turning off lights as I left rooms (especially after finding a scolding note from the parents about the bad habit of leaving them on) and closing doors to respect the virtual privacy of the virtual non-rendered family members. And as for the secrets and simple puzzles like lock combinations and hidden areas, I felt they were fitting, without being forced.

    All in all, I enjoyed this game to the very end. I played it all the way through and felt the same emotional craving for more as if my favorite book or movie had just ended, and I have to tear myself away from these beautiful characters to embrace reality again. If you like to connect to characters, to feel with them, and follow a story that you can choose to flesh out completely or leave as bare as you feel suits you; if you enjoy games that make you feel human, that make you think about and connect your life to these digital people you cannot possibly know. If you enjoy good storytelling, buy this game.

    But don't expect action.

    Edit: I think the price of this game is a bit much. I wasn't aware of the pricing until recently because I got this in a humble bundle. Wait for it to go on sale. It's like paying for the hardcover version of a book when you can wait for the softcover.
    Im not Spoole, a good game doesnt have to work out to be a dollar an hour, but an hour and a half doesn't equal $20 in my opinion, unless its the greatest story ever told, or replayable like a ************.
    It is a great story though. And a good game.    … Expand
  38. RonjaPernille
    Jan 29, 2016
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Gone home
    The game gone home starts with a girl named Katie. She arrives home after a year of traveling in Europe and finds the house empty of people. Her sister, mother and father have all disappeared. The whole game involves on looking for items in the house and reading information that you find. When I played the game I found diaries that Sam, Katie’s sister left for Katie. The diaries told me a little bit about what happened to everyone, it was sort of like a little story. I also found notes and a lot of other things in the house.
    When you play the game you can sort of play it in the wrong order, but also in the correct order. Everyone starts at the porch when Katie comes home, but when you are in the house and when you are looking for clues, it is not necessarily in the right order you find them. You can for example find Sam’s diaries like that. In the game there was some symbols that I could find. One of them was a drawing of a heart with Sam’s and Lonnie’s initials together. Later I found the same kind of heart on a drawing but it was broken in two. I thought that was really fun for the story.
    One thing I liked about this game was the sounds and the design. I thought the Items you could find in the story was really well made. For example the music player that played the band’s music, the art that showed Katie’s family and other detailed things. The music fitted very well for the story and Sam’s voice was really soothing and relaxing. I also really liked the secret passage ways, they looked really old and they uncovered interesting secrets about the rest of the story.
    I think the key message of this story is that being gay is not easy and it is especially hard if your own family won’t support you. It may be easier now in 2015 for gay people, but this game takes place in the 1994. At that time people were maybe less accepting. Even today a lot of people are against gay people and this story shows what the consequences of not accepting a gay family member can lead to.
    Personally I liked this game very much. It was not exactly the kind of game I had hoped for. I expected a spooky game with ghosts and monsters. Based on the intro with the dark abandoned house, I really thought it was a haunted house. Regardless of that I thought it was fun and I think I learned very much about how it can be for people who does not have it that easy with their parents and themselves. I loved the game and I would give it an 9.    … Expand
  39. Fantorangen
    Jan 29, 2016
    8
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Gone Home Game Review

    The game is about a 20 year old young lady called Katie Greenbriar. She had been away for about year in Europe, but when she came home her family was not there. So she starts exploring the house to find out what had happened to them. When she was looking for clues she found a lot of notes from her younger sister Samantha or just Sam. On the notes there was all about what had happened to Sam. Katie looks threw the whole house just to find out what had happened to her sister Sam.

    The main message of the novel/game “Gone Home” is that it was not very easy to be lesbian or a least think that you are lesbian in 1995. Today in 2016 it is pretty easy and you will not have so many problems if you are gay/bisexual or lesbian. That is because we are a lot more open about how people feel for each other then people were in 1995. So it is mostly about the struggle of being lesbian because of all of the highly christian people and all of the homophobes. That luckily are a lot fewer of today.

    The narrative style is chronological because she starts out on the porch when the door is locked. Then you have to find maps and secret passageways to find out what really happened with Sam. There are some things you need to find if you want to complete the game such as a map. After you have found everything you can come to the attic and that is where you find out what happened with Samantha.

    There are many symbols such as the Holy Bible you find in the parents room. The Holy Bible is a symbol for that Terrence and Janice were religious. That is maybe why Sam was scared of being a lesbian because of christians are against lesbian and gays and so on. Another symbol is the games in Samantha's room for that it was a long time ago. Not just yesterday.

    The gameplay in my opinion was quite bad. It lagged a bit but it could just be the school laptop. They are not the best sadly. The main point is that the game worked. We could play without a problem and the game in general was quite good. There were a few easter eggs that I liked which were cool. That was a big plus.

    I would give this game four stars out of five. That is because there were many cool items and easter eggs. The story was very good. I felt that I was surprised nearly every time I found out something new. I was also always curious about what was going to happen. The only bad thing was the gameplay. The graphics were not the best and the actual gameplay was a bit shaky.    … Expand
  40. Kroko1234
    Jan 29, 2016
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Gone Home

    Gone Home

    Katie comes home after a year in Europe. Voltage turned quickly into amazement when she realizes that the house stands empty . No little sister, mother or father is at home in the new , semi- stranger their house. What have happened. Where they are? Where they went from the new house? Your mission is to help to find out this. You will find secret passages and documents that will help you to find out of this mystery.

    Gone Home is the biggest gameplay I have had. Gone Home was so realistic. In the house you will find cartridges, recording box etc. All this is clearly helping to make the game more realistic. This is the best game I ever have played.

    In the house you will find cartridges, recording box etc. All this is clearly helping to make the game more realistic.

    I give it a big six-star rating. You must play it.    … Expand
  41. Rachelhestad
    Jan 28, 2016
    9
    Game review – Gone Home

    Gone Home is a game where you as the player takes place in Kaitlin Greenbriar, the first-person view. It’s June 6th 1995 and Kaitlin just got home from a year in Europe. In the year that has past her family has moved to a new house, but her sister wasn’t really excited about it. When Kaitlin arrives to the new house, it is empty. A storm is coming closer, and    Game review – Gone Home

    Gone Home is a game where you as the player takes place in Kaitlin Greenbriar, the first-person view.
    It’s June 6th 1995 and Kaitlin just got home from a year in Europe. In the year that has past her family has moved to a new house, but her sister wasn’t really excited about it. When Kaitlin arrives to the new house, it is empty. A storm is coming closer, and Kaitlin needs to find the house key which is hidden in the porch and comes in to a messy foyer. The house is gigantic, and there is a lot of doors and rooms to discover. The story is build up from the journals and notes from Sam, which Kaitlin finds around in the house.

    The game has a spooky touch caused by the lightning which is a little dark, you can hear the storm outside and there are somethings which is kind of strange and unexpected.

    I think this game was pretty fun, since it’s a short story made in to a game, you also get to hear the story. I think the story and the game graphics is pretty good too.
    In the beginning I thought it was kind of boring, but as soon as I really got in to it and understood what I was supposed to do, it became really fun and exciting
    The ability to move is good, but there is some adjustments in how you normally use a keyboard and touchpad if you don’t play often. But after a little while you get used to it and the game will appear even more fun and interesting, at least it did for me.    … Expand
  42. Sigridsmeby
    Jan 28, 2016
    8
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. The game takes place in the 90’s and it is all about Samantha Greenbriar. Her sister, Kaitlin, comes home from Europe and she finds all these diaries that Sam left for her to find. Before Kaitlin left they were living in another house, and she comes back to a new but empty house. Kaitlin has to find all the diaries, the hidden entries and all of the clues Sam left for her. The diaries are supposed to tell Kaitlin where Sam is and why she’s there. In the end Sam turns out to be gay, but her parents do not allow it. She ran away with her girlfriend, Lonnie, and that is what she want her sister to know. Sam does not tell her sister where their parents are. Maybe she doesn’t know where they are or she’s still hiding something from her.

    The way you play the game is by using the mouse and the arrows on the keypad. The player watches everything from Katie’s perspective. Once you get it, it’s pretty easy to play.

    I think that the game are supposed to tell us that “gay’s okay”! There’s nothing wrong with admitting that you’re different. Certainly, Sam did not have it very easy. She had a lot of difficulties. It must be so hard admitting to herself and her parents that she’s a lesbian. And her parents not approving, certainly doesn't make it any easier.

    The story isn’t just chronological. It starts when Kaitlin gets home from Europe, and then it goes on until we finally end up at Sam’s dark room. We also get to hear about things that has happened in the past. In that way it is also jumping in time.

    Sam’s diaries is kind of a symbol of her love for her sister. By leaving them for Kaitlin she shows her that she loves her and want her to know what happened.

    This is certainly a realistic story. This could happen. All the hidden doors and the cellar may not be as realistic, but the actual story could defiantly take place in real life. The story has a romantic view to it as well. Sam and Lonnie’s love story is both touching and shocking. What Sam had to do to be with her beloved was extreme. Run away from her home town, and who knows what or if she even did do something to her parents. By putting music and voices to it made the actual playing realistic.

    What I liked best about Gone Home was that it actually had a realistic story to tell. The only thing I didn’t like about the game was the ending. I was expecting a little bit more of a brutal ending. I was kind of disappointed when we finally got into Sam’s dark room and the thing that was waiting for us was just another journal. I really liked the journals and that it was Sam’s voice who read them to us. It made it all little bit more realistic. On the other hand, I would prefer more action. I’m still wondering where their parents are. I guess we’ll never know, but I wish the game told us that. The message of the game was great and defiantly important. Especially among young people these days, who may be struggling with this kind of stuff. The producer of Gone Home has defiantly managed to create a great game. He made a fun game and at the same time sent out a very important message. To sum up I’d say I really liked Gone Home.    … Expand
  43. QuietSpider317
    Jan 28, 2016
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Gone Home
    Game Review:

    Gone Home is a very good game, and I think that every school should have that game on their school computers. I like the game most because of the good history in it. And I like that you need to go thru the hole house the gather all the information you need to find out more about the family. Gone home is a remarkable first-person adventure that tells a very good story about how the family from the story. The game is good whit all its history, but I think the game is to short, they should have added more rooms and maybe something outside of the house, like you can go in the garden and find some information there to. Still this game is good even without the garden, I think that everyone should buy this game and play it because it is a very good game, that the developers must have used a long time to make all the room whit the texture. The best reason for that I like the game is because it is a first-person game, and I love to play first-person games. I like when you walk in the house sometimes it comes a story that you need to listen to get more information. The game has much good music when you walk around in the house, and it has many secret places you need to find to get more information. I like the ending because of that it does not say where Sam is, so you need to make up a story yourself about what happened to Sam.
    I hope that the game developers will make a new game like this one where you are in a house where the family has moved out from the house, and you need to find information about where your family live.
    The game is very good because of what you can do in the game, you can crouch and that is very needed to do in this game, and many games in the world does not have a crouch option. I think that the developers should make updates to gone home, there it will be added more features, like something that makes you see something that’s not there, something like a ghost, or a family member that is dead. They should make more rooms where there is more information to get before you can finish the game, and should make something outside of the house, where you can see how the house looks like and the nature around you.
    I hope that people will try out this game, cause it’s a very good game, and it’s a fun game even if you don’t have much time to play it, so I recommend that everyone that haven’t played the game yet, should buy it and play it. When you play you should not just rush thru the house, try finding everything you can, to solve the whole mystery about what happened to Sam, and check every room, because there is information everywhere. I hope that they add items like flashlight or food like you can use the flashlight while you go around on the dark places in the house, and eat when you need to or, your character will be slower or she will die from hunger. I hope that the next game the developers make is something that is close to this one. For some people this game may be scary, but that’s only because of the dark rooms, but there is nothing that can scare you in the game, it is only dark rooms but, you can just turn off the light on the side of the doors inside the rooms, or using the lamps. I would like that you spawn outside of the house and not inside the first room downstairs in the house. Gone home is a game you can play to take away a few hours in your life, since there is 4 floors, and many rooms on every floor.
    I have played many games, but this game is one of the best I have played, and I will give the game an 8.9score.    … Expand
  44. christerds
    Jan 28, 2016
    8
    Gone Home

    Review by Christer Dragsnes Solli Gone Home is a creepy and scary game that never let’s you off the hook. From start to finish, this mind-blowing game never seems to end, and Kaitlin Greenbriar, the main character, is in constant search for her sister. The sudden scares and luring mysteries sets the tone for Gone Home as you explore the big mansion that leaves you with    Gone Home

    Review by Christer Dragsnes Solli

    Gone Home is a creepy and scary game that never let’s you off the hook. From start to finish, this mind-blowing game never seems to end, and Kaitlin Greenbriar, the main character, is in constant search for her sister. The sudden scares and luring mysteries sets the tone for Gone Home as you explore the big mansion that leaves you with goose-bumps.

    As the weather storms on outside the dark and creepy mansion, every door seems to be locked. The main objective is to reveal the story about the sister, and in order to get there, Kaitlin has to look for clues. In order to find the clues which takes her further into the mansion, she has to walk from room to room, never knowing what’s hiding in the dark corners. If you want to dig in to the whole story, you have to have your eyes open at all times, and on top of that, remember the secret codes for doors and lockers throughout the game. It’s not easy, I can tell. However, as time goes by, it get’s easier, especially if you play it with friends.

    The Greenbriar’s are very christian, almost decorating their enormous home with bibles. This is a very important part of the story which will help uss find out about what happened to her sister.

    What my opinion is on the game.

    The game was quite good. I didn’t think that the story of the game would be this good. I liked the aspect of finding out the story, that the main character didn’t just tell me the story. And I loved the feeling of the game. I liked the setting of a creepy old mansion with many secrets. And the weather was important for the creepy factor. I was hoping for a ending that would be more interesting. I think the ending wanted uss too look more into the papers and stuff to find out what the game was all about. But I also think that the ending is a setup for a sequel to Gone Home. Overall I think the game should get 8 out of 10.    … Expand
  45. rossignol98
    Dec 16, 2015
    8
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Gone Home is a mysterious interactive fiction game, developed by The Fullbright Company. It tells the story of a teenage girl in the 1990s, who is gay. You take the role of her older sister Katie, exploring their empty house for clues as to what happened to her. It’s highly ambitious, choosing to allow for little interaction with the game environment, and treating the character as more of an observer, than an influencer of her surroundings. The game is well polished, and the house where the game takes place is full of details and intricacies to add to the player’s emersion in the game. The game features music from the Riot Grrrl movement, a movement stemming from the feminist-punk music genre in the 90s. Adding to the soundscape, the sound of rain and thunder can be heard through the old walls of the house. To capture the attention of the player, Gone Home chooses to tell a story through hand written notes and tape recordings, scattered through the dimly lit house. The goal of Gone Home is to establish an emotional connection to the player, but this goal becomes muddied by lackluster writing. Despite all of the conspicuously placed letters and diary entrees spread throughout the house, we are placed not into the shoes of Sam or her lover, but her sister- an outsider to Sam’s world. Try as we might to feel what Sam is feeling, in Gone Home, we remain the outsider looking in. This feeling of a lack of connection to the story is likely also due to the medium chosen to give these messages: emotionless documents and the scrawled handwriting of a seventeen-year-old. In summary, the game is well-worth playing. Although it didn’t connect with me as much as it tried to, Gone Home looked at many charged topics throughout the short game- sexual abuse, shame, traditional vs. progressive values, substance abuse, etc. and it tells a story that the player may never have previously encountered.… Expand
  46. MatMac7
    Dec 16, 2015
    8
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Gone Home by the Fulbright company is a game about a girl named Katie Greenbriar, who you play as. She has just come back from a 1 year trip to find her new house with her parents and sister completely empty. She has no idea where they went and must explore the house to discover where they went and t reveal some of her families’ darkest secrets.

    The story behind Gone Home is that Katie is home from a year of traveling all over the world to find her house completely empty. There is no sign of where her parents or sister is. The main character, Katie Greenbriar, arrives home and see’s an ominous letter left from her sister on the door telling her to not go looking for her. As Katie explores the house more and more she starts to discover things about her family. The house is very old and spooky and as you look around you start to see where her family went. As Katie find’s certain notes it can trigger audio messages left from Sam to Katie and as you advance in the game the story of what happens to Sam starts to become more clear. The story behind Gone Home makes you really connect with the characters and feel with them. The story behind Gone Home is such a possible story that it allows you to connect with.

    In Gone Home they have exceptional graphics and sound. This makes the game. It makes it feel real. The graphics are great. Sure it’s a game but it gives you a sense of what an actually house would look like. It even shows the smallest of details. Like in the toilet paper. It shows the little divots that real toilet paper would have. Also a big part is the sound. Just like a real house there’s always going to be cracks and other little noises. In Gone Home they happen at random just like a normal house would have. When you first start Gone Home you can instantly tell that it is raining. As you explore the house further the noise level changes. If you are closer to the windows or the outside of the house, then the level of the rain and thunder gets louder. Overall the sound and graphics in Gone Home gives you the sense that you are in the game and that the house is real.

    In Gone Home there are many times in the game when you will actually feel attached to a character and connecting with them. Like when we find out how Terry, Katie’s father, has had a lot of pressure being put on him about getting his book sold. This game isn’t like any other game. There is no one you have to kill or nothing you have to run from. It makes you feel like it’s real life. As you play the game you get to know each of the characters on a deep level. You find out their secrets and you realize that the story of this family could happen to any family.

    In conclusion, I think Gone Home has achieved their goal of having you connect with the Greenbrier family and making it feel like you are really in the house. I think the Fulbright company has changed the way games are made and has shown that a game doesn’t have to have violence to make a good game.    … Expand
  47. JGraham
    Dec 16, 2015
    8
    Gone Home Review

    Gone Home, a first person adventure game, is very different from any other video game I have played. In the game you are a women named Katie Greenbriar. She has returned home after spending a year in Europe to find her family missing. It is your job to look for clues throughout the house and piece together their story. The main story focuses on Sam, Katie’s younger    Gone Home Review

    Gone Home, a first person adventure game, is very different from any other video game I have played. In the game you are a women named Katie Greenbriar. She has returned home after spending a year in Europe to find her family missing. It is your job to look for clues throughout the house and piece together their story. The main story focuses on Sam, Katie’s younger sister, but there are other segments of the story that focus on various relatives. While you search you uncover hidden truths about all of the characters and you begin to understand what has gone on in this house.

    The graphics, audio and story are exceptionally well done in Gone Home. The graphics are incredible. The Greenbriar house feels like a real home with amazing detail and a true ‘lived in’ look. During my playing time I did not encounter a single glitch - the only thing that even looked weird was that the doors opened both way. This minor issue does not take away from the game at all. No element of the house is neglected. There are post-it notes on the fridge door, labels on can goods and stacks of board games and VHS movies. All of these parts add up to make the house look amazing and realistic. The audio in the game is also outstanding. The thunder and lighting make you feel on edge as you wander through this dark and empty house. The narration is done well and Sam’s voice actor seems sincere as she talks about what is happening in her life. The main point in buying Gone Home is for the story. It is very well told and all of the characters seem real and like they could represent someone in your own family. It is very entertaining to try and piece together the history of the Greenbriar family and what has happened to them while exploring the house. The graphics, audio and story all come together to make the story seem real, which makes it very entertaining to play.

    What could be improved is the length of Gone Home. It is rather short. It takes about three hours to travel throughout the house in-depth. This feels a bit short and once you have beaten the game there is no multiplayer option like in most modern video games to keep you playing. Once the game is beaten it is highly unlikely that you will play it again. This can leave a bitter taste with the player because they have just spent money on a game that provides at most three hours of entertainment and then it is over.

    Overall Gone Home is very well done. The story is well told and the graphics and audio make it feel real. The problem though is that the game is too expensive for a three-hour story that once you finish has no replay value.    … Expand
  48. RoneDawg
    Dec 16, 2015
    10
    The computer game “Gone Home,” developed by Fulbright was based in Portland 1995. After a year, young Kaitlin Greenbrair returns home to her house in Arbor Hill, Oregon. To her surprise no one appears home and the house is empty. The objective of the game is to figure out what has taken place in the house since the departure of Kaitlin. As you read more and discover clues, a very strangeThe computer game “Gone Home,” developed by Fulbright was based in Portland 1995. After a year, young Kaitlin Greenbrair returns home to her house in Arbor Hill, Oregon. To her surprise no one appears home and the house is empty. The objective of the game is to figure out what has taken place in the house since the departure of Kaitlin. As you read more and discover clues, a very strange picture seems to form. The game centers around Samantha, her parents and the many elements of love, confusion and disaster that are scattered around the mansion.
    Samantha’s story in the game was developed brilliantly combining many themes of love and teenage drama. As the player, you take on the role of Kaitlin, which investigates rooms to discover various documents and clues to what has occurred in the house. As the player moves through the house, he or she discovers a series of letters written to Kaitlin from Samantha located in her journal, which she has kept for the duration of the year. The player learns that after moving into the new house, Samantha also moves into a new school and is soon to be recognized as “the Psycho House Girl.” The name was given to her due to a man called Oscar Masan, who is the great uncle of Kaitlin and left everything in his will to her father, including the house. When Samantha attends school she notices a senior girl dressed in a military uniform. Samantha eventually speaks to the girl with the military uniform and the player learns that her name is Yolanda “Lonnie” Desoto who has always had the desire to view “The Psycho House.” Samantha, being desperate for friends, invites her to come over the next day. Their friendship sparks over the months and they become extremely close, sharing activities and viewing movies such as Pulp Fiction. Their relationship begins to escalate quickly by Lonnie telling Samantha that she “Looks beautiful.” Moreover, after they see a Halloween show in “the city,” they decide to stay overnight at a friend’s brother’s house and slept together. Lonnie commences to put her arm around Samantha and reveals her feelings for her; Samantha has mutual feelings but can not bring herself to speak. A couple days pass and Lonnie again visits Samantha at “The Psycho house”. However, this will be an encounter, which Samantha will not soon forget. Lonnie kisses Samantha and that’s when their relationship becomes serious and they become secret girlfriends. As the Kaitlin goes on, she discovers that Samantha was organizing and preparing herself for a college creative writing course. However, Lonnie explains to Samantha that she is serious about enrolling in the military and is to be shipped out on June 6th. Samantha’s parents then intervene and soon discover her relationship with Lonnie. They state that the relationship is “a phase,” not accepting the fact that Samantha is in fact a lesbian. Forty-eight hours before Lonnie is to be shipped out, Samantha becomes upset and wishes that she could go with Lonnie. The day Lonnie is supposed to be shipped out Lonnie can’t go through with joining the military and asks Samantha to run away with her where they will start a life together; Samantha agrees to join her. She packs up her valuables and writes a letter for Kaitlin, which the player discovers, stating, “ I love you so much, Katie. I’ll see you again, someday. Love, Sam”.
    While discovering these letters, Kaitlin looks through her father and mother’s room, along with her father’s study. She finds old novels her father, Terry, had published. All novels were based around the topic of the assassination of John F. Kennedy. Kaitlin learns that two of her father’s books had sold poorly and his publishing partner had dropped the series. Kaitlin also learns that eventually, Terry gave up writing due to writer’s block, an issue which makes the person unable to think about what to write. Sometime over the duration of the year, Terry received a letter from another publishing firm stating that they were willing to republish his two books under a new cover. Terry accepted and included a new novel, set 20 years after the second book. The player also learns that Kaitlin’s parents are at a couple’s counseling getaway, with evidence stating her mother may have had an affair with a coworker, and are due to return the following day. Kaitlin also learns that her great uncle sexually abused Terry. As the player tours the house, you may even see the various locations where the abuse has taken place.
    In addition discovering the story while investigating the home, this game also includes mind-altering graphics and eerie sounds. Fulbright manages to encompass the game with a creepy graphics along with a mysterious storyline. For example, upon entering the house you begin in the foyer where the light instantly flickers causing a dark atmosphere. Also stating, another characteristic of the graphics, which was well done, are the 3D effects when holding and looking through objects.    … Expand
  49. ehogie12345
    Dec 16, 2015
    8
    Gone Home is a first-person story adventure game in which the player controls a girl named Katie who has just returned to Portland, Oregon from a trip to Europe. The game starts on the front porch of a new home Katie’s family had moved to while she was away. She arrives only to discover that her entire family has left. The goal of the game is to find out why.

    I have played many    Gone Home is a first-person story adventure game in which the player controls a girl named Katie who has just returned to Portland, Oregon from a trip to Europe. The game starts on the front porch of a new home Katie’s family had moved to while she was away. She arrives only to discover that her entire family has left. The goal of the game is to find out why.

    I have played many different types of video games, and not once have I ever felt so intrigued and interested in a game’s story. Gone Home is possibly the first successful game where the creators sought to make the game’s story line the main attraction. Unlike the hugely popular mainstream games you always hear about, there are no guns, no violence and no puzzles. But that is alright because the fascinating twists and turns in Gone Home’s story line more than makes up for it. The narrative that you hear when picking up certain objects adds an emotional level to the story. These narrations, spoken by Katie’s younger sister, help you piece together the mystery of what has happened to Katie’s family. As a player, you can’t help but feel you are in her shoes. Hearing the sister’s voice makes you feel as though you know her in real life, and it makes you truly care about what happens next in the story.

    The graphics in Gone Home aren’t amazing but they get the job done, and that is all that the game’s developer, the Full Bright Company, needed them to do. Impressive graphics are a key draw for many other games. With Gone Home, in contrast, I can guarantee that when you have finished the game you won’t even consider the graphics to be a problem because of how deeply you get drawn into the story line. Another strong point is the game’s sounds, which are synced up closely with your character’s actions. The music used in Gone Home, which for the most part is eerie and dark, is effective in helping to create the game’s mood. Gameplay is another thing the Full Bright Company has done very well. Anyone can jump into this game and quickly learn how to play it – even my grandparents if they were so inclined. The controls are easy to learn. Within 5 minutes I knew them all and was on my way. One thing I wish the developers’ would have added, however, is a sprint feature. Sometimes clues will prompt you to go to the other side of the house to solve a problem. But the character’s slow movement can be very annoying. Some people may argue that this helps slow down the game so that players can look at everything more closely. But I think that, on balance, Gone Home would have been better with a sprint feature, and I would love to have seen it in the game.

    I highly recommend this game to anyone who is getting bored of standard first-person shooter action/adventure games, and to even someone who doesn’t play video games at all and simply wants to enjoy a good story. Gone Home’s compelling story line and overall playability have made me a big fan. I can’t wait to see what Full Bright comes up with next.    … Expand
  50. chappers
    Dec 16, 2015
    9
    Gone home was an innovative new take on the typical mystery/adventure game commonly found on the market in this current era of games. In the game you play as a girl, Katie, who has just gotten back form a year long trip to Europe. You’re in a dark atmospheric mansion left in a complete mess with no one home. The game has you explore the house and unravel the family’s troubled andGone home was an innovative new take on the typical mystery/adventure game commonly found on the market in this current era of games. In the game you play as a girl, Katie, who has just gotten back form a year long trip to Europe. You’re in a dark atmospheric mansion left in a complete mess with no one home. The game has you explore the house and unravel the family’s troubled and controversial past that they struggled with.
    Gone Home portrays the stories of those who were living in the house in a new and effective way. The game culture at the time of Gone Home’s release was dominated by first person shooters (fps) or other violent counterparts using multiplayer modes and fast paced action to entertain the player. Gone Home unlike the majority of other games on the market, uses the story almost exclusively to entertain and keep the player immersed in the game’s world. This results in an unusual experience that I found myself enjoying way beyond my original expectations. The story gradually grows and develops like a tree would, as you play the story may seem straightforward to begin with but as you play, you will realize you are bearing witness to the sum of every character’s story and that if you dig a little deeper can uncover each individual’s storyline, which are as intriguing as the main story.
    The game’s take on graphics may at first seem a little rough at the edges, and perhaps it is, but it has a warming effect and it perfectly suits the atmosphere and desired tone of the game. It provides an art style that can highlight the highs and lows of the game which is incredibly enhanced by the short interludes of soundtrack that occur whenever you find a journal of Sam’s. They embody the situations so well, and immerse the player in the situation where you find yourself unable to not empathize with Sam. Not to mention the voice acting in the game is absolutely flawless, I find myself replaying the journals as they seem so genuine and real.
    The gameplay is interesting, but there is definitely something to be said for the playing of the game. There are many times during the game where I found myself wandering the house completely lost as to where I was supposed to go next, or tediously looking through and under everything trying not to miss anything important. The developers of the game chose not to add a sprint/jump function into the game, which I can understand from the perspective that many people would rush and miss a fairly large amount of the content, but the game would probably benefit from a fast travel function of some sort. It was not uncommon to find myself running from one end of the house to the other and back which took a painfully long time. But besides these small little annoyances the game plays like a dream and it was very entertaining.
    The game has its quirks and its flaws, but overall I couldn’t help but find myself enjoying it tremendously. It has brought a new interesting genre of gaming to light and hope to find games in the future with a similar level of depth to their plot, while incorporating a larger map or interactive piece. It is an incredible game and I readily recommend it to friends and family, well done Fullbright you’ve made a masterpiece.    … Expand
  51. Abagwaygway
    Dec 16, 2015
    8
    “Gone Home” can only be described as an enigma wrapped in a mystery. You, playing as the girl Katie, must uncover the treacherous secrets of your family’s past in their abandoned mansion. There, you will discover a kaleidoscope of emotion, from great love and joy, to great despair and deceit.

    “Gone Home” is much less of a game, than it is an interactive story. Imagine a mystery novel,    “Gone Home” can only be described as an enigma wrapped in a mystery. You, playing as the girl Katie, must uncover the treacherous secrets of your family’s past in their abandoned mansion. There, you will discover a kaleidoscope of emotion, from great love and joy, to great despair and deceit.

    “Gone Home” is much less of a game, than it is an interactive story. Imagine a mystery novel, but instead of deciphers the case through reading a book, you have to explore the settings and evidence for yourself in a first-person point of view. “Gone Home” tells the narrative of the Greenbriar family. You play as the eldest daughter of the family, and you must uncover clues about your parents, siblings, and other relatives as you explore the dark and spooky mansion. As you gather physical evidence into your family’s strange past, you are also greeted with voiceovers upon interacting with certain items in the mansion. The voiceovers are voiced by Katie’s little sister Samantha, or ‘Sam’ for short. Sam is the main focus of “Gone Home,” as many of the item you will uncover relate to her high-school experiences, and shed light on her moments of self-discovery.

    The graphical abilities of “Gone Home” are not great compared to other games such as Skyrim and Fallout 4, as the entire game world is inside a mansion, with relatively small surface area to explore. Although the graphics are not the best, they are perfect for the small and niche area for which this game falls into. There is no need for fancy graphics, or lighting fast animations, but instead the present graphics in “Gone Home” perfectly portray the ideals set forward in the interactive adventure medium of gaming. The gameplay is extremely rudimentary compared to the hyper-realistic movement and interaction presented in a Bethesda title game, as there is only the ability to interact using the ‘E’ button, to move in all directs, and to turn the camera with the move of your mouse. It would be nice to have a sprint option in the game, as traversing the cavernous corridors of the mansion can sometimes feel like a slow grind. Finally, the soundtrack of “Gone Home” fits perfectly with the game as it portrays a dark ambient setting, contrasted with soft acoustic guitar reminiscent of a simpler time that was the era of the 90’s.

    In conclusion, I enjoyed the game for what it was; an interactive adventure. Fans of the RPG genre who are familiar with Bethesda titles will not be given a smaller, watered-down version of an RPG game, as “Gone Home” fits into its own sub-category of an interactive story, in which the player dictates the pace of discovery. I would recommend this game to those who love mystery, a compelling story, and an ambient atmosphere that you won’t forget.    … Expand
  52. Dilombo
    Dec 15, 2015
    8
    Gone Home, by FullBright Studios, is a first-person interactive storytelling game. You play as Katie Greenbriar, daughter of Terrance and Janice, and sister to Sam Greenbriar. Katie has just arrived home from a long trip abroad to find the house completely empty. By going through their newly moved into mansion, you will find various objects that each tell a small piece of the story withGone Home, by FullBright Studios, is a first-person interactive storytelling game. You play as Katie Greenbriar, daughter of Terrance and Janice, and sister to Sam Greenbriar. Katie has just arrived home from a long trip abroad to find the house completely empty. By going through their newly moved into mansion, you will find various objects that each tell a small piece of the story with the hopes of finding out where everyone is and what has happened.
    The game does an amazing job at creating an atmosphere that makes you feel as though you are prying into a real family’s life. The atmosphere is rather ominous and mysterious. The lighting and thunder effect that you see and hear outside the windows, along with the eerie dim lit hallways help to create this feeling. The house is empty yet it is full of mysteries and secrets that you can uncover. With all the notes, letters, documents, and other items that can be found, you can easily piece together who each of the characters are without even seeing them. Most of the object found in the house can be connected with one of the characters. For example, if you find a note from a publisher, you know it was sent to the father, or you find a Riot Grrl album, you know it is Sam’s. This makes prying through everything seem incredibly real, especially when you unravel their deepest darkest secrets, you get to know everything about them.
    At times the game is somewhat monotonous because to discover everything there is to know about each character, you must be meticulous when finding evidence. You cannot just run through the game if you want to experience the complete storyline. This means clicking on everything and looking in every last possible spot to make sure nothing was overlooked. It seemed as though missing one object could keep you from knowing a very important point of the story or any of the many sub-stories. Its like losing the last piece of the puzzle just before completing it.
    I would recommend this to anyone who likes to play games that are rich with sub-textual storylines and plots. It is great for someone who enjoys interactive mysteries and puzzles. Someone who likes action packed fun may not enjoy this game. I personally liked it because I don’t mind taking time to do the in game research. Gone Home has a lot of depth in the storyline, characters, and gameplay, and that’s why I enjoyed it.    … Expand
  53. schilly06
    Dec 15, 2015
    8
    Gone Home tells the story of a teenage girl named Katie, who comes home from a trip across Europe, only to find a note from her sister and her family gone. Throughout the game, Katie goes on an investigative journey throughout her house in an attempt to figure out exactly what happened to her family.

    Gone Home is a unique gaming experience that takes storytelling to places that a video    Gone Home tells the story of a teenage girl named Katie, who comes home from a trip across Europe, only to find a note from her sister and her family gone. Throughout the game, Katie goes on an investigative journey throughout her house in an attempt to figure out exactly what happened to her family.

    Gone Home is a unique gaming experience that takes storytelling to places that a video game audience has never quite seen before. While playing, you are in a very organized environment while also feeling like there is an open-world sense around you, giving you freedom to go where you want, but never compromising from the story. The game is pitched to the gamer as a mystery/investigation type of gameplay and it delivers exactly that throughout the entire story. You are dropped off in a massive house and every single room and nook and cranny inside the house has some kind of clue or piece of information that leads your character closer to discovering exactly what has happened. The game gives you the power to interact with many objects in each room and I found that while this did make for an interesting approach to finding clues, I found that the objects you could and could not interact with was random at times. The game will give you the power to interact with a letter or a belonging of a certain character to investigate and closely examine, but at the same time, allows you to interact with a pencil or a soda can and other objects that do not really have any meaning.

    A very powerful aspect of the game that adds to the experience of investigating through the house, is the sound that is present in the game. You are playing in a stormy night atmosphere and the sound of the crackling thunder and lighting is exhilarating and at times makes it feel like you are playing a horror game. The sound effects of your character interacting with every day objects, such as turning on and off a TV, or turning on an overhead light is extremely realistic as well and makes you feel like you are watching someone actually go through a house. The game gives you options as to how high or low you want to set the graphics and while the graphics did not necessarily bother me, I did find disappointing that if you select the highest graphics option, it makes the game run slower. However, the intriguing story is the main focus of this game and it made me feel that the lower graphics did not necessarily matter in the long run.

    While the story is intriguing and you are continuously trying to figure out what has happened to your character’s parents, the payoff was unfortunately unsatisfying and I left the game wondering what the point of the story was in the first place. One aspect of the game that was extremely intriguing was that of Sam, the main character’s sister. Even though she is never present during your investigation, she plays an integral part of the game’s development and you are constantly finding out new things about her character.

    Gone Home takes gaming to the next level, not in terms of gunplay and excitement, but of character development and intrigue in the most realistic way possible, and after you have completed it, you feel a sense of accomplishment as you eventually uncover the truth that hides behind the walls of the house.    … Expand
  54. jacobakman
    Dec 15, 2015
    9
    A Review of Gone Home by Jacob Akman
    Gone Home is both an emotional and educational game which was created by the Fullbright Company in 2013. Playing as Katie Greenbriar you have just returned from a trip to Europe and while you were gone, your Mom, Dad, and little sister had moved to an old labyrinthine house owned by your father’s family. Over the next few hours of playing the game you    A Review of Gone Home by Jacob Akman
    Gone Home is both an emotional and educational game which was created by the Fullbright Company in 2013. Playing as Katie Greenbriar you have just returned from a trip to Europe and while you were gone, your Mom, Dad, and little sister had moved to an old labyrinthine house owned by your father’s family. Over the next few hours of playing the game you creep throughout the house discovering clues to explain the drama that occurred while you were away. When you begin Gone Home it is a “dark and stormy night” and this eerie theme continues throughout, punctuated by sudden bursts of thunder and lightning. This creative video game is non-violent and very “modestly” made. Be warned: this game is not for everyone, it can frustrate with tedium, but if you follow it all the way to its conclusion you will experience fear, chills, exhilaration, and ultimately, satisfaction.
    At the beginning of the story you are provided with almost no information which forces you to carefully explore every inch of the sprawling house observing each clue you can find. In the meantime, you will encounter several little side plots such as mother Janice Greenbriar’s “affair”, or the hunting for the ghost of house. However, the major storyline involves Sam’s new life in the “psycho house”, adjusting to her new school, and coming to terms with her sexuality.
    The sexuality theme contrasts Gone Home from typical shoot ‘em up and speed racer games and it confirms that you’re into a unique emotional experience.
    While the graphics in this game are not perfect, that is not what’s important when you compare them to the notes and letters placed around the house. Throughout Gone Home it is easy to get frustrated being hopeful to find an important clue every time you pick up a sharpie or a three ring binder, but when the moment of success and solution come it all seems worth it. To discover a new secret passage or hole in the wall is like a similar satisfaction to getting a “25 kill streak” in Call of Duty and receiving a Nuke. When discussing the “music” of gone home that refers to all the sounds of the house such as thunder, creek of a door, and footsteps on the floor. While the music is not one of the most evident and consistent elements, it adds to the eeriness of the house tremendously.
    For the first half of your gameplay of Gone Home you will be bored and frustrated. While you are paying extra close attention to every little detail and note you can find you will still not seem to find your way around the house. Only at the breakthrough of the locker combo will you be able to truly begin enjoying the game. From then on you will feel a rush as you discover each piece to the puzzle. While this thrill of the gameplay goes on you will also increasingly become interested in the storyline and actually get chills as you enter the attic and hear the final voice clips. Essentially, while the gameplay is slow to get into, not only does it pick up speed and become a very cool game physically, but you will really be able to dive into the story and enjoy that as well.    … Expand
  55. grahamy
    Dec 15, 2015
    9
    Gone Home is a unique video game different from all others. The game is played through a charter named Katie, the objective of the game is to find her families whereabouts when she finds her house empty. It uses gamers predictions to mess with them throughout the game, causing them to assume things so far off from what they truly are. At no point is the game what you would expect.
    The    Gone Home is a unique video game different from all others. The game is played through a charter named Katie, the objective of the game is to find her families whereabouts when she finds her house empty. It uses gamers predictions to mess with them throughout the game, causing them to assume things so far off from what they truly are. At no point is the game what you would expect.
    The setting in Gone Home is almost identical to a typical 1995 house. Its because of the simple setting that players are able to relate with the game on a much more personal level. There are notes, reminders, and work papers scattered all around the house for you to read. Its through these items that you connect with the family in the game on a more personal level. In some ways I dislike how the game is constantly trying to connect with you on a personal level. I personally play video games to take a break from reality. While traveling through the house it is crucial that you read every little note, if you miss something you could miss major plot points. This can be very annoying as the house is so cluttered with junk that it takes a very long time to go through a very small portion of the house.
    Overall game play for Gone Home was nothing special. The graphics had to be put on the lowest quality to run on a mac, which took away from the game visually. One thing I do commend the creators for is the sound. The sound in the game is what made it spooky to play. By having all of the lights turned off in the house it created an eerie feeling for the players. However, this was also annoying, as it would take a ridiculous amount of time to find the light switch’s. The sound effects including sudden bursts of lightning and the creaking of the house created a frightening setting for the players. There was also music playing throughout the game, which was usually riot grrrl. Overall the sound choices for the game were great and worked well with the setting.
    Gone Home is a different game that appeals to gamers by attempting to connect with them. I did not like the ending of the game as I found it to be a let down. However, I would recommend this game because it is very unique. Gone Home is a game so unusual it might just work.    … Expand
  56. Jahck
    Dec 15, 2015
    8
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Gone Home presents a narrative game experience in a form that I couldn’t really put into words until I actually played it. It’s not a game in the traditional sense, more of an interactive story. Players shouldn’t enter expecting an intense gameplay experience that will test their skills or mindlessly entertain them, what they should expect is a well written story paired with a gripping atmosphere.
    The game’s atmosphere is where the gamer side of me would give praise. The moment you step through the front door, you almost immediately sense that something has gone awry. The quiet, unlit house welcomes you with the sound of a storm outside and the creek of your own footsteps. The atmosphere was excellent, the setting immediately grabbed me and encouraged exploration. The goal of the game is find clues and discover what has happened to your family over the course of the last year your character was away. The more you explore the more you learn about your family, but the focus is on your character’s sister Sam. Though other family members aren’t central to the narrative it is possible to learn more about them by looking for more clues. Sam’s story is the central narrative, and tells a very real, personal story, something rarely found in the interactive medium known as video games.
    If I had any gripes with the game, it would be in it’s conclusion, though I still have a hard time saying it had a bad ending. The creators have tried to tell a very real and personal story through a gaming medium, which is quite rare. My instincts as someone who plays video games kept forcing assumptions into my mind. I was expecting some supernatural element to be introduced, or perhaps to discover some gruesome event that had transpired, and these expectations weren’t really met. I naturally found this disappointing, but then realized that these expectations come from the critical gamer within me, rather than the critical consumer. If this story was told through any other medium, I believe I would have found the ending quite satisfactory. Most of the negatives I had playing this game rooted from my preconceptions made as a gamer, and are issues I wouldn’t have had it this was a film or a television show.
    Gone Home offers a well told story, something that video games still struggle to place in gameplay. Gone Home is an example of the other end of the spectrum, a game that prioritizes story over gameplay. If your looking for something to challenge what you perceive as a video game, I recommend this title.    … Expand
  57. Bowlby08
    Dec 15, 2015
    8
    Gone Home, released by Fullbright on August 15, 2013, offers an intriguing narrative-driven experience. I thought the game portrayed a unique perspective of retelling Sam’s story through the clever usage of interactive objects and music.
    The story of the Gone Home is artfully revealed to the player to through the seamlessly interactive gameplay. The story is a exploration of the    Gone Home, released by Fullbright on August 15, 2013, offers an intriguing narrative-driven experience. I thought the game portrayed a unique perspective of retelling Sam’s story through the clever usage of interactive objects and music.
    The story of the Gone Home is artfully revealed to the player to through the seamlessly interactive gameplay. The story is a exploration of the protagonist's “new” house, which is in fact an inheritance from a deceased great uncle. Through journeying throughout the cavernous residence, the protagonist Katie goes about attempting to learn the reasons underlying a startling note left by her younger sister (Sam) on the front door. The flow of the story is not linear in any traditional sense. The gameplay allows for freedom of movement and wide open choice in determining the course of the action. More so than in other games, Gone Home relies on a highly plausible narrative structure and a realistic means of advancing the plot, similar to the manner in which one would proceed in real life. The 1995 setting suggests an environment not nearly as connected as our own.
    My main criticism of the game is in its graphics and sounds. In spite of the game’s efforts to achieve a realistic feel, I felt that it made the game look cartoonish and fake, due to the colours and textures. When you first enter into Gone Home you gain an instant feeling that this was created with the idea of an ultra-realistic but stylized adaption of the world in 1995. The ambient sound in the game was strongly used, such that every interaction seemed to provoke a new noise. I was not a fan of the Riot Grrrl music. The reason that I do not enjoy the Riot Grrrl music stems general dislike of grunge and punk music, rather than any particular dislike of the movement’s political tendencies.
    In conclusion, Gone Home offers an interesting change of pace away from my day to day games, such as shooters and sports games. The Game causes you to slow down and discover the hidden secrets within a family, while exploring the emotional rollercoaster of Sam’s life.    … Expand
  58. cr7madeinheaven
    Dec 15, 2015
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. The video game Gone Home is a first-person storytelling, adventure game. It was made and published by the Full Bright Company. In the game you take on the role of the eldest daughter in the Greenbrier family. Her name is Kaitlin and she has just returned back from a year long trip abroad to find her whole family missing and a note on the front door written by her younger sister Sam, warning her not go looking for her family. You, as Kaitlin, proceed to investigate the house to try to find clues on the whereabouts of your family. This game provided me a similar experience to reading a novel. Despite having choice over what you do, everything seems pre determined. Additionally, the amount of detail present in the game is unparalleled to any other I have every played. I feel that the immersive graphics play big part in establishing a personal connection with the family. However, most of the objects in the house that did not play a significant role in the story had a very simple design. This allows the player to see their own life and house in the game. This is called masking. You also very rarely see Kaitlin and Sam’s face in the game. This purposefully vague technique is effective in two ways. Firstly, it is a form of masking and secondly, it forces you to create an opinion on the character without judging them by how they look. The graphics were used to full effect to develop a link between the game and gamer. The audio is a very important aspect of the game, as it sets the tone of the story. As you are playing you can even hear footsteps or lights flickering. At the conclusion of the game one is left wondering if they were all read herrings, or truly ghosts in the house. This uncertainty keeps the gamer on his toes and ensures the player keep searching the house so they can find the truth. I loved Gone Home because of the fact that there was no big twist, no revelation, and no ghost. I truly enjoyed developing real feelings for the characters in the game as I played. Finding out the small side stories felt just as rewarding as solving the mystery at the end of the game. If you are looking for your typical shoot-‘em-up game this is not for you. On the other hand if you want to experience something a little more fulfilling Gone Home may be worth a try.… Expand
  59. JonesLuc
    Dec 15, 2015
    9
    Gone Home is a video game based around a 20-year-old girl named Kate Greenbrier who returns to her families new home after a year abroad only to find the house empty and no sign of her family. As Katie you must make your way through the house and uncover what has become of her family and dark secrets which haunt the house.
    The creators of the game did a spectacular job in creating a    Gone Home is a video game based around a 20-year-old girl named Kate Greenbrier who returns to her families new home after a year abroad only to find the house empty and no sign of her family. As Katie you must make your way through the house and uncover what has become of her family and dark secrets which haunt the house.
    The creators of the game did a spectacular job in creating a spooky and creepy environment which adds to the mystery of the family. Though the graphics are not HD the creators designed the layout and dynamics of the house to give the player a feeling of anxiety and nervousness that something or someone will pop out behind every door and dark room where you can’t see an inch in front of your face. As you make your way through the dark and creepy hallways and secret corridors of the house the sound of constant rainfall and creaking floorboards makes it seem as if you are being followed and watched. The story that the game tells can be related to some aspects of everyone’s lives, whether its feeling out casted and not excepted because of certain tastes or interests.
    Though the game is well constructed and gives the player a psychological thrill by feeling watched or chased throughout the house, it lacks feeling as even though the other members of the family are all coping with and dealing with their own issues which affect their psyche the character or Katie seems to be just there walking around the house. She doesn’t really have a story to her unlike her sister.
    All in all I really enjoyed the game and have recommended it to many people. It is not only an enjoyable experience but can be used as a great teaching tool. It makes people use critical thinking and analysis to uncover the mysteries the house holds which gives the player an experience most other games cannot give. I loved the games story telling because the route you take through the house and the things you choose to dig through determine what you learn about the family and the ghosts which haunt the house.    … Expand
  60. Marcusselle
    Dec 9, 2015
    9
    Entering the game “Gone Home” is as if you walk straight into a ghost story. You have no idea why you are in this freaky specific house or what you are going to experience next. The game is shaped as a metaphorical puzzle where the most satisfying feeling is to put the pieces together. As I rummaged through an abandoned living room examining moving boxes, locked drawers, pictures, theEntering the game “Gone Home” is as if you walk straight into a ghost story. You have no idea why you are in this freaky specific house or what you are going to experience next. The game is shaped as a metaphorical puzzle where the most satisfying feeling is to put the pieces together. As I rummaged through an abandoned living room examining moving boxes, locked drawers, pictures, the proverbial light bulb suddenly illuminated. Maybe it was the lighting storm outside or just a coincidence?

    The Fulbright Company are a video game development studio best known for their video game “Gone Home”. Basically, “Gone Home” is a first-person interactive fiction game, which means it´s a simulating game where the player uses the keypad to control the character or avatar you “are” during the game. Your goal is to find out what have happened in the spooky, old house at Harbor Hill. There are hidden clues and artifacts everywhere in this house which you have to find to get further on with the story. As you dig deeper into this creepy house, you´ll come across diary messages, scrawled notes and some freaky telephone messages that could unfold facts about every single family member. This could help you to find the actual truth of what have happened.

    The artifacts in this house are design so good that I felt a need to grab everything that wasn’t glued to the floor, and give it the attention it deserved. Another exiting aspect is the warm coming feeling that rushes through you when you walk through those doors. You can pick up and examine almost every object which supports the warm “lived in” feeling.

    The most exiting thing about Gone home is the visuals and audio effects. It´s not exaggerated, but rather painfully real. When I first heard Caitlin’s sister´s diary message my heart stopped. If you don’t use headphones, there is now point playing this game. You would miss the shocking thunder storm trembling outside, the tiny footsteps from the floor above and the squeaking noise from the book shelves.

    The structure to Gone Home I also felt intriguing. The climax is at end of the story which makes it easy to not lose interest. At the end of the game you maybe notice a handful of objects you´ve seen throughout the story. This gives the game a circle competition that also was a highlight for me.

    I would recommend this game to anyone who likes mystery and adventure games, as long as they have high tolerance for much exploring. Stepping foot inside Greenbrier’s house and discovering the things they left behind is a powerful experience. Another thing I noticed with the game was how quick you could finish it. Maybe Fulbright should have made it a bit longer, but how quickly you get through the whole story depends on your understanding and previous game experience. Gone Home is a truly amazing achievement, and piecing together its cascading story will be a memory for life.    … Expand
  61. anettemogster
    Dec 9, 2015
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Gone home
    Gone Home is a videogame developed and published by a company from Portland, Oregon called The Fullbright Company. It was created by Steve Gaynor and some more people and released 15th of August 2013. Gone home is a fictional game that is packed with surprises and hidden adventures.

    At the beginning of the game, you get a phone call that gives you information about the character you are playing as. Her name is Katlin Greenbriar. You begin on the porch of the house the game takes place in and find some baggage that tells you that the year is 1995. The plot is about discovering the family’s secrets in the mansion in Portland, Oregon on Arbor Hill. You play Kaitlin Greenbriar in first-person who is the oldest daughter of the Greenbriar family. She has two parents, Terrance and Janice and a younger sister, Samantha. Samantha, also called Sam is 17 years old.
    After being in Europe for the past year Kaitlin returns back to America and arrives to an abandoned house. The objective of the game you try to find out what has happened to the family. The more you look the more clues you find making the game much more exciting.

    I think the game was a little bit disappointing. It did not turn out the way I thought it would and that kind of disappointed me. I think it is a really good story and the effects and mystery behind builds up the story, but I wish it would turn out in another way. One thing I really liked about the game was the diary Sam had written to Kaitlin, and especially when it got told in Sam´s voice after you had found something in the house. Other things I enjoyed include the music, the graphics and the house. It was really exciting to walk around in the enormous house. I loved to play the game and didn´t want to stop
    It is a really fun game to play because you can do so much. You can walk almost anywhere you want, pick up stuff and look at it making it feel very interactive and real. Except for the end it was one more thing I didn’t like, and that was that if you looked the “wrong” place you could finish the game after around 10 minutes, so I wish there was some sort of a block so that you wouldn’t be able to end the game before it was supposed to end.

    I would recommend the game to someone else because all in all I think it was a fun and exciting game. I think it is suitable for both girls and boys between age 14 to 18 and I would especially recommend it to people who like mystery.    … Expand
  62. pettersolheim
    Dec 8, 2015
    10
    Gone home – game review

    You arrive home after a year abroad. You expect your family to greet you, but the house is left alone. Something is not right; what has happened? Where is everyone? The game is based on the story composed by Chris Remo and published by Fulbright. It was released in 2013. This is interactive fiction, which means it’s a simulating game where the player uses the    Gone home – game review

    You arrive home after a year abroad. You expect your family to greet you, but the house is left alone. Something is not right; what has happened? Where is everyone?

    The game is based on the story composed by Chris Remo and published by Fulbright. It was released in 2013. This is interactive fiction, which means it’s a simulating game where the player uses the keypad to control the character or the avatar you “are” during the game.
    Your mission is to find out what took place in the creepy, old and spooky house at Arbor Hill. There are clues to search for in the house, and each clue leads to another. For each step you take in to the deeply confusing and tragic story, you get closer to the answer. The story unfolds facts about every single family member.

    The game has a good build up and a lot of exciting aspects. What makes it interesting in my opinion, is the unkown concept and story that plays out; we have absolutely no idea what this game is about and how it will develop. Many people would say that lots of movies have the same exciting aspects, but to me the game is a bit different.
    In particular, I liked the graphics and the realistic surroundings. The producers have done a great job with the all the visuals and audio effects, which made the game a whole lot better.
    Another thing I noticed with the game was how quick you could finish it. Maybe the producers should have made it a bit longer; and you can’t skip right to the end. They have in a way done this already by adding “Sam`s notebook”, which we need to complete to get the full story.

    I would recommend this story to people with a general interest for both computers and stories. I don’t people with interest for opposite things would like this game. However, I think almost everyone could find joy from this game as it is a good concept. I would also say this game possibly would be more fun to play for kids than adults, as the game in a way is build up in a bit childish way.
    I think using this game in school is a very good solution and makes the class become a better one; where the class is different from the rest.    … Expand
  63. Zachen99
    Dec 8, 2015
    8
    The mysterious Gone Home game

    Every house is full of information. If you look at the right places, you can find out so much about who is living in the house and maybe their story. This is exactly what the game Gone Home is about. The developer of Gone Home is called Fullbright, and they published the game August 15. In 2013. You play as Kaitlin Greenbriar, the daughter of Janice and    The mysterious Gone Home game

    Every house is full of information. If you look at the right places, you can find out so much about who is living in the house and maybe their story. This is exactly what the game Gone Home is about. The developer of Gone Home is called Fullbright, and they published the game August 15. In 2013. You play as Kaitlin Greenbriar, the daughter of Janice and Terrance Greenbriar. After spending a year in Europe, Kaitlin comes home to her family`s new home. She gets a surprise, because her family are not to be found. When she walks around in the house looking for traces, she finds some info that she did not expect.
    The story takes place in 1995 in USA. Samantha is the main character, and as you are playing as Kaitlin, you have to discover what has happened to her and the rest of the family while you have been away. You have to explore the house by picking up objects, looking at Photos and reading letters. You also have to find hidden keys to open more doors, so you can explore even more. By doing this you will find information, and get closer to knowing what really happened to the family.
    While you play as Kaitlin Greenbriar in a first person view, you can pick up items to examine them closer. Sometimes when you pick up an object, it will trigger a voice that starts talking. This is the voice of Kaitlin`s sister Samantha, and it is about her journals. In her journals, she talks about what has happened to her at school, about her love life and a little about their parents. This makes the game a little bit more interesting. The sound of thunder and bad weather outside gives the game a little more tension, and makes the setting scarier.
    Gone Home is a good game. It is not just a win or lose game, but it is a game where you have to explore and do things the way you want to. There is not a manual for how to play this game, so you are free and do not have to follow a pattern. This is especially what I liked about Gone Home. I personally liked that I had to find out the story myself, instead of somebody reading the story to me. I strongly recommend this game to everybody who like to explore and solve mysteries. This is a game you will not regret playing.    … Expand
  64. Siver7marken
    Dec 8, 2015
    8
    Video Game Review

    The video game “Gone Home” is set in 1995 in Portland Oregon. The game had its release dates on August 15 for Windows, OS X and Linux. And on the 12th of January for Playstation 4 and Xbox One. In this game, we follow the oldest daughter in the Greenbriar family, Kaitlin. Who has returned to her home from a year abroad. Normally her family would be there to welcome    Video Game Review

    The video game “Gone Home” is set in 1995 in Portland Oregon. The game had its release dates on August 15 for Windows, OS X and Linux. And on the 12th of January for Playstation 4 and Xbox One.

    In this game, we follow the oldest daughter in the Greenbriar family, Kaitlin. Who has returned to her home from a year abroad. Normally her family would be there to welcome her, but the house is empty. Many questions needs to be answered.
    You will get the answers as you walk through in first-person and explore the Greenbrier house.
    “The Fullbright Company” is the developer of this game. The co-founders of the company have earlier worked on multiple games including the famous “Bioshock 2”. This game goes under the genre “adventure”, and it fits right in.
    The game has a small, scary vibe attached to it. The scariness increases at the start screen/menu, and the loud lighting inside the game intensifies it.

    You start at the front porch of the Greenbriar house. What you can see there is the locked entrance door to the house, a cabinet, a bench and your bags from the trip. At the front door there is a note:
    “Katie
    I’m sorry I can’t be there to see you, but it is impossible. Please, please don’t go digging around trying to find out where I am. I don’t want anyone to know. We’ll see each other again someday. Don’t be worried. I love you.
    - Sam”
    When the player reads this note it will trigger something in the brain and make the player want to find out more, investigate. At least it did for me. The first thing you will have to do is to find a key. When you find it, you can open the front door. Inside is the foyer, here you will start your adventure.

    It is quite easy to play this game, the controls are easily learnable. If you have played any game on a computer before, that is a plus. There will be used eight buttons and a computer mouse. With these buttons, and the mouse, it is possible to do different things. You can crouch, pick up objects, look closer at objects, open your backpack, view your map and look at your journals.

    In my opinion the storyline was good and exciting, with many surprises. It was the story that made me want to keep on playing. I wanted to find out what was going to happen next. I really liked the fact that you could always decide where to go. No cut scenes and the game never controlled your character for you. The game could have included some “side missions” though, to make it bigger and more whole. Overall I enjoyed playing Gone Home and I will probably tune in on Fullbright’s next game!    … Expand
  65. ChristianOstvik
    Dec 7, 2015
    8
    Gone Home is a storytelling and explorative game. The game was made by The Fullbright Company in 2013. You play as Kaitlin Greenbriar, who just returned home after spending a year in Europe. However, when you get home, no one is there.

    The story takes place in USA in 1995, in the new house of the Greenbriar Family. Through the game, you’re being told a story. It is told through    Gone Home is a storytelling and explorative game. The game was made by The Fullbright Company in 2013. You play as Kaitlin Greenbriar, who just returned home after spending a year in Europe. However, when you get home, no one is there.

    The story takes place in USA in 1995, in the new house of the Greenbriar Family. Through the game, you’re being told a story. It is told through environmental clues and audio narration. It’s your job to explore the house, to find clues and gather information about what’s happened while you’ve been gone. You will also hear Sam’s (your little sister) journals, while you’re playing. In these journals, she’s describing how her life has been for the last year.

    While you’re exploring the house, picking up notes, newspapers, letters and other items, you will eventually find out what’s happened to your parents and sister the last twelve months. The story itself is realistic, and it’s something every teenager can relate to in some way.

    It was the story that wanted me to keep playing. I always wanted to find the next clue/evidence, so that I could find out more of the story. It felt like the more I knew, the more I wanted to know. That’s something I really liked about the storytelling. However, this could feel a bit repetitive after a while, because you always had to pick up clues and evidences. If it weren’t for the great storytelling, I don’t think I would find the game that exciting.

    The gameplay itself is great, but nothing spectacular. The graphics are nice, and the background sounds of lightning and thunder is creating a scary and dreary atmosphere, which fits the gameplay well. The kind of “free” gameplay, where you could walk freely around and decide for yourself what you should do next, is also something I liked about the game.

    All in all, I think the game is great and enjoyable to play. Even though the gameplay feels a bit repetitive after a while, the story is so well told that it doesn’t ruin the game too much. I would recommend the game to people who likes exploring games, and who wants a different gaming experience.    … Expand
  66. Leandervolkmann
    Dec 7, 2015
    10
    Gone home is an exciting first person game with spooky effects and a creepy atmosphere. The game allows me to poke and pry at all the different stories the Greenbriar family has gone through. The best in this game is that every object picking up is important for solving the game. Putting together the information from all of them we have a completely insight of the family and we have theGone home is an exciting first person game with spooky effects and a creepy atmosphere. The game allows me to poke and pry at all the different stories the Greenbriar family has gone through. The best in this game is that every object picking up is important for solving the game. Putting together the information from all of them we have a completely insight of the family and we have the totally opportunity knowing where they are. We do not just solve the main story but create a picture of who each of them are.
    I will absolutely recommend this game. It is different to others. Normally I play games with levels/stages and different upgrades. GTAV is a good example of this. To get further in the game I need to complete missions. If I fail, I can try again. When I have reached and completed the last mission, I’m Finished. In Gone home, we are totally on our own. We have to find different evidences to get further in the story. The biggest difference between gone home compared to other games is that when we have opened all doors, and we cannot get any longer, we have not completed the game. The game has terminated when we have figured out the whole story about what has happened to the family. You have the responsibility to find the information and to decide when the game is over.
    The reason for why I like this sort of game is that I have to think in another way. I need to use the information to get further and every piece of evidence is important.
    There are many effects and objects, which affects the game experience. There are important sounds from thunder, door squeaks and squeaks from walking. In addition to the sounds there are lightning effects and flashing lights. I think, personally, that the game designer/designers has/have designed the house in a perfect, old and spooky way. The objects spread around in the house, are typical for 1995. The interesting thing about the objects is not that they just create the old atmosphere, but that they also are important to the story. Cassette players, for example, tells us something about one of the characters.
    I recommend this game to everyone who wants to try something different and special. It is perfect for those who like to investigate and/or like the feeling of fear and surprising. The game is easy to control, which means it is easy to play. Therefore, you do not need to be a “professional” gamer.    … Expand
  67. HanneHaga
    Dec 6, 2015
    8
    Game Review – Gone Home

    Gone home is a first-person adventure game developed and published by a company called Fullbright. Gone home is a game that takes place in the new house to the Greenbriar family, in the late 1900s. In the game you play as the character Kaitlin Greenbriar who just returned from staying abroad a year. When Kaitlin comes back from Europe, she discovers something    Game Review – Gone Home

    Gone home is a first-person adventure game developed and published by a company called Fullbright. Gone home is a game that takes place in the new house to the Greenbriar family, in the late 1900s. In the game you play as the character Kaitlin Greenbriar who just returned from staying abroad a year. When Kaitlin comes back from Europe, she discovers something unexpected. The house is empty, with no furniture and she cannot find her family anywhere. She has no idea where her mother Janice, her father Terence and her sister Samanta are.

    When you start the game, you get to look around the house and try to find clues to what has happened with Kaitlin’s family while Kaitlin were away. You explore everything from papers, newspapers, books and cabinets, and in some cases you`ll need a code to unlock hidden secrets inside the house.

    The game is fun, and offers and exciting journey for the player to experience. You get new experiences, and you get to know the secrets that have laid hidden in the family for many years.

    One thing that is positive with the game is that you never get tired of playing, you always want to play more and explore new areas. The house has extremely many rooms full of surprises to discover, and lots of new information about different characters. In the game you don`t get told where you need to go next, but instead you have opportunity to roam around as you wish and in your own tempo.

    The music and the sounds you hear when playing through the game contributes to making the setting scarier and increasing the tension. The game is not packed with action, but once the sound and the music comes into play, it makes playing the game a completely new experience. Some players will probably be afraid to explore places such as dark rooms, at least i was when i started playing. The weather also plays a part in increasing the tension and excitement throughout the game.

    I really recommend others to try out the game, it is a game you definitely will have plenty of fun with. I for one will at least recommend the game to friends of mine who likes to explore and solve mysteries.    … Expand
  68. diaper
    Dec 1, 2015
    10
    This game is an indie game done right! Unlike Undertale, this game is good and thought provoking. The gameplay is awesome and fluid! The controls are excellent. This is the best written game I have ever played. Great game! Overall score: 10/10! My personal game of the year for 2013.
  69. Overvulture
    Nov 9, 2015
    8
    An interactive story that offers a special kind of personal insight into the lives of others that only the medium of games could provide. If you connect strongly with themes of family and coming-of-age drama, you'll find the writing here is convincing and reinforced by the home you're exploring as you go. The story itself is fine, but the way the setting and environment design communicatesAn interactive story that offers a special kind of personal insight into the lives of others that only the medium of games could provide. If you connect strongly with themes of family and coming-of-age drama, you'll find the writing here is convincing and reinforced by the home you're exploring as you go. The story itself is fine, but the way the setting and environment design communicates with you as you move through it is what sets this apart as a memorable experience.

    If you're not a fan of the interactive narrative style of game, there's nothing here for you to enjoy, but if you want a well-crafted experience, this one has a story to tell that's funny, honest, and heartwarming.    … Expand
  70. Moortiii
    Nov 8, 2015
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Gone Home is a first-person action adventure game released by Full Bright Company on August 15 2013. The game takes place in an old mansion on Arbor Hill, Oregon in 1995. The main character, Kaitlin Greenbriar, has just returned from a year-long trip to Europe only to find that the mansion is completely abandoned and that her sister has left but a vague message telling her not to search for clues about where she’s gone and why she chose to leave.

    I think that, right off the bat, a lot of players were expecting Gone Home to be your average Joe’s horror game filled with jump-scares, ridiculously difficult puzzles, monsters and an insanity-meter. I find this completely understandable, because at first I felt the exact same way and almost signed it off as a dull remake of Amnesia: The Dark Descent. However, it didn’t take very long to realize that Gone Home was completely different and that it wasn’t supposed to be played like any other game I’d ever tried before.

    My favourite thing about the game was Sarah Grayson’s voice acting. Never before have I “connected” with a character so quickly and I also want to highlight how well the developer managed to show that a video game made in 21st century doesn’t necessarily need to include a lot of violence, or any sort of combat system for that matter, in order to be interesting and entertaining. Some might argue that the storyline needs some altering, because it was fairly predictable, but personally I feel like having a huge plot-twist wouldn’t have fit the game and that the current ending is all it needs to be - a form of closure.

    In conclusion I can say that, for me, Gone Home was the game that I didn’t know I wanted until I first played it. With it’s interesting storyline and stunning graphics it’s hard not to love it. The player is instantly immersed in the story and the artifacts from the 90’s spread around the house makes the story believable and even makes the house feel lived in. I personally loved the game and I highly recommend it to anyone who wants to try something different or just enjoys searching for clues and piecing together information.

    Rating: 10/10    … Expand
  71. lenesol
    Nov 8, 2015
    8
    Gone Home is a first-person interactive story adventure game. The player is about Kaitlin, who comes home after a year abroad in Europe, to her and her family’s mansion in Portland, Oregon. Kaitlin is of course expecting her family to be at home when she gets there, but returns to a locked and dark house, where no one is home. The plot, set in 1995, focuses on exploring the mansion, asGone Home is a first-person interactive story adventure game. The player is about Kaitlin, who comes home after a year abroad in Europe, to her and her family’s mansion in Portland, Oregon. Kaitlin is of course expecting her family to be at home when she gets there, but returns to a locked and dark house, where no one is home. The plot, set in 1995, focuses on exploring the mansion, as well as examining objects within the house in order to find out where Kaitlin’s family is.

    There are many positive sides to this game. The game is set in 1995, which is not difficult to notice at all. All from old cassettes, outdated televisions and magazines from 1995 is something the player will notice whilst playing the game. It feels like being dragged back in time, which tells me that the makers of Gone Home really did a good job with the game. Also, the whole idea of going from room to room, reading various papers and notes was something totally new to me, and probably for many of you too. This is also such a good aspect of this game. The creators thought outside of the box, which made everything so much more exiting.

    Something that I would like to change with the game is the lightning. Poor lightning did make the game a lot more spooky, and I was always waiting for a jump scare, which never came. However, I must admit that it was quite annoying to look around in some of the rooms, who were pitch black, for a light switch. It took some time and attention away from the actual game, which is not the best thing. Even though I do not totally agree with the choice of lightning, it is just a small aspect of the game, and it did not ruin the game for me.

    In conclusion, I really liked this game. I am not a huge fan of computer games, but Gone Home was something new and interesting to me. I believe this is a game which a lot of people out there will find interesting. Especially if you find games that is about shooting and killing people boring, you will almost definitely love this game!    … Expand
  72. lillybratland
    Nov 1, 2015
    8
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. The game, “Gone home”, takes place in 1995 and presents the Greenbriar family and the returning of the oldest sister in the family, Kaitlin Greenbriar, who is the character you play. She has been away for a year and are expecting to come home to a lot of greetings and celebrations, but the game takes a dramatic twist. You now have to go trough the scary, haunted house, which the family just moved to, to figure out where they are and what has happened.

    If I should point out the negative sides in this game, I would say that the lightning could have been better. I know the dark rooms play a great role in making the game scarier, but the lightening really bothered me. In some rooms I could not see anything at all and it took me some time to find the switch and I do not like wasting time. Something else I was not as happy with, was that the ending of the game was kind of obvious and boring. I felt like I could predict the ending and I figured out what the clues were about before I actually knew.

    But of course there are not only negative sides with the game. I really loved that the game took place in 1995 because it made the game spookier and everything seemed more mystical and scary. The sounds and music in the game also participated with the scary parts, because the floor cracked when you walked on it and outside it was raining and there were crashes of thunder. You also have to solve many puzzles in the game to get to know what is really going on. When you start at the foyer you have to get in to the house and search around the house to figure out where to get to other rooms, where everyone is and what has happened when you were away. When you are getting towards the end you, hopefully, have gotten to know some characters who I, at least, though was very interesting characters.

    To sum this up I would say that I really liked the game because you are playing a role who has to figure out what is really going on, you have to be a detective which is the type of game I like. So if you are the type of person who likes to figure things out based on clues and objects you find this is the game for you!    … Expand
  73. everin
    Oct 1, 2015
    8
    Tier 2
    + An emotionally engaging and well-conceived narrative
    + Uses the few game mechanics it possesses on offer, tying exploration and narration together expertly ? Obviously leaves debate open as to whether or not its actually a game, though this does little to stop it from being a great narrative experience - Despite the great story, the emptiness of the house can feel a little    Tier 2
    + An emotionally engaging and well-conceived narrative
    + Uses the few game mechanics it possesses on offer, tying exploration and narration together expertly
    ? Obviously leaves debate open as to whether or not its actually a game, though this does little to stop it from being a great narrative experience
    - Despite the great story, the emptiness of the house can feel a little bizarre and off-putting    … Expand
  74. dolphan
    Jul 22, 2015
    8
    I know that most people hate this game due to its outrageous asking price (Yes, $20 IS a ripoff I must agree) for such a short game, but I enjoyed the setting of the game, despite the rather lacking story. I would say that at less than $10, it may have gotten better reviews, so I personally believe you should only get it on sale, although this game isn't for everyone.
  75. mariels
    Apr 21, 2015
    10
    Short and sweet first person point-and-click game. The story is the main selling point, so do not expect any heavy action. Do not buy this if you want anything action packed. Do buy this if you want to play a game that unfolds a really touching story. Excellent voice actiong.
  76. burntham113
    Apr 1, 2015
    10
    The most powerful game I have ever had the privilege of playing. It changed me, truly. Some people complain about the price, but I can tell you with no uncertainty, if this were a book or a movie I'd pay whatever I had to to get it.
  77. AsraiLuna
    Mar 25, 2015
    8
    Gone Home has an intriguing storyline that can easily draw you in and keep you wondering what is going to happen next. The game is rather short and doesn't pretend to tell an epic level story, but rather tells the story of everyday individuals going through normal issues. When it comes to the mechanics of the game, the game is very obviously an exploration based game that is just tryingGone Home has an intriguing storyline that can easily draw you in and keep you wondering what is going to happen next. The game is rather short and doesn't pretend to tell an epic level story, but rather tells the story of everyday individuals going through normal issues. When it comes to the mechanics of the game, the game is very obviously an exploration based game that is just trying to get the story across. This can be seen as a negative thing, but I simply see it as different. It seems rather evident that the game would have suffered had it tried to make the game a survival or strategy type game, It just wouldn't make sense given the storyline. The graphics are nice and most importantly the game is fun.… Expand
  78. justinconnell
    Mar 19, 2015
    8
    As we approach the second anniversary of Gone Home's release, I have somehow managed to dodge any major spoilers for this game. If you are fortunate enough to have the pleasure of playing through Gone Home under the same set of circumstances as I, you will be treated to a unique, multi-faceted story, that will keep you guessing from the start, all the way to credit roll. In an effort toAs we approach the second anniversary of Gone Home's release, I have somehow managed to dodge any major spoilers for this game. If you are fortunate enough to have the pleasure of playing through Gone Home under the same set of circumstances as I, you will be treated to a unique, multi-faceted story, that will keep you guessing from the start, all the way to credit roll. In an effort to praise this game without peeping even a fragment of a spoiler, all I can really say is this is a well written gem that can be played (and enjoyed), by all. Do yourself a favor, clear out an afternoon, put on your favorite headphones, and get to it.… Expand
  79. PPartisan
    Feb 11, 2015
    9
    Very powerful game. I'll freely admit this isn't going to be to everyone's tastes, but I absolutely loved it. I would compare to Dear Esther, so if you enjoyed that, then I think it's safe to say you'll enjoy this too. In case you aren't familiar with Dear Esther, this game is unlikely to be like anything you've ever played before. Rather than a "game" in the traditional sense, this is aVery powerful game. I'll freely admit this isn't going to be to everyone's tastes, but I absolutely loved it. I would compare to Dear Esther, so if you enjoyed that, then I think it's safe to say you'll enjoy this too. In case you aren't familiar with Dear Esther, this game is unlikely to be like anything you've ever played before. Rather than a "game" in the traditional sense, this is a semi-structured, interactive story. You're roughly guided along a path, but along the way your own curiosity will allow you piece together the events that preceded your arrival. I feel it did this extremely well, so it gets a good score from me.

    This game had me hooked from the premise, "girl arrives home from a year abroad to find her house empty and family gone," and from there it never let me go. If this sounds boring to you, then the game isn't for you. If this has whet you're appetite though, then I think you'l love it.

    You spend your time in the game (I'd say between two to four hours gameplay) searching through the house, digging into the history of your family and the property, piecing together the bits of information you find into a narrative so that you can untangle the events that preceded to your arrival. The game helps you construct an image of the characters described along the way through discovered notes, newspaper clippings, sound-byte journals, audio cassettes and visual cues.

    If I could give one, very slight criticism, it was that I had a pretty good idea of what the ending was going to be a good time before it happened. However, there were enough up and downs along the way to keep me guessing. Overall a brilliant, subtle, and I would add very touching, that would be more accurately designed as an "experience" than a game. Brilliant work, well done.    … Expand
  80. CJanrsgc
    Jan 21, 2015
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Gone Home, is a first person interactive story game set in year 1995, developed and published by The Fullbright Company. The player’s goal is to navigate Kaitlin Greenbriar, a 21 year old, through a mansion to finding clues. The game starts on June 7, 1995, when Kaitlin returns home to her family’s mansion in Arbor Hill, Oregon. When she arrives, she spots a note on the door from her sister, Samantha, telling her not to go looking for answers as to where she is. As she scouts out her new home, she realizes that no one is home. Where are her parents? What happened to Sam?
    The player takes control of Kaitlin, who can view objects in the game by picking them up and examining them. There is no direction given to you at all in the game, it’s an open world for you to discover, with much of the interactivity resting upon the player looking at objects and examining them on his or her own. The player does have a map, which they can access anytime in the game to see where they have been and where they are, some objects open new areas of the map for you, such as keys and old notes. The first puzzle in the game is to open the front door of the house. You are put in a small-enclosed space, which seems to be the front patio, the doors to the mansion are locked, and without direction, you must find the keys. Once the doors are open, you are submerged into the life of the Greenbriar family. For a game released in 2013, the design and graphics of the mansion and artifacts are at average. The developers who worked on Gone Home, also worked on a DLC pack for Bioshock II, and both show very similar art design and feel to each other.
    As you go deeper into the Greenbriar residence, you come across telephone messages, notes, and diary entries that give clues for you to unveil the dark corners of this family. You unravel the story of Kaitlin’s teenage sister coming of age, and the complicated details of your parent’s marriage. Kaitlin finds out through investigation that her sister is a lesbian, and has a girlfriend named Lonnie. As you uncover more of the map, queued narratives, voiced by Sarah Grayson (the voice of Samantha), start to play, unveiling the story of Sam and Lonnie, which eventually leads to the end of the game. The sound in this game is the most important factor. When you first enter the game it’s raining, you have no idea what is going on, you don’t know if this is suppose to be a horror game, or a murder mystery, you’re just put there. At first you feel a sense of fear, a fear of not knowing what’s to happen, and when you’re just casually strolling through the mansion, there will be a crack of thunder, put there to scary the bejesus out of you. The sound sets the mood; it creates mystery, causes you brain to come up with theories as to what is happening.
    Gone Home proves that a game focused on story and exploration, starring a non-traditional cast of characters can be quite enjoying. Even though I very much enjoyed this game, this may not be the game for the average gamer, but for someone like myself, who enjoys the combination of a good book and a video game, Gone Home is the perfect game. I would highly recommend this game, and give it a 9/10.    … Expand
  81. slappycider
    Jan 13, 2015
    8
    I'm in extreme surprise after playing this game... I bought into the whole 'OMG IT'S TERRIBLE NOT A GAME WOOOW' thing and have hated this game ever since I heard about it... but I never actual got around to playing it. Now that I've played it, I can happily say that it's an emotional masterpiece that gets a lot more hate than it deserves. It hits close to home in quite a few ways andI'm in extreme surprise after playing this game... I bought into the whole 'OMG IT'S TERRIBLE NOT A GAME WOOOW' thing and have hated this game ever since I heard about it... but I never actual got around to playing it. Now that I've played it, I can happily say that it's an emotional masterpiece that gets a lot more hate than it deserves. It hits close to home in quite a few ways and definitely left me disturbed but overwhelmed with joy and relief.

    I'm impressed with you, Fullbright Studios. Quite a game you have here.

    The gameplay may not be for everyone, as it is mainly just an interesting medium of telling a story - but I bought into it and definitely enjoyed and immersed myself. It did kind of drag out though as I got to the second portion of the house with the kitchen and greenhouse... I feel like they could've packed a lot of that information in the basement or even in the first half of the house. But the way everything is revealed in a sequential order even though it's not linear is fantastic.

    But come on, only ONE Twin Peaks reference in the game? It takes place in the 90's... you scattered 50,000 X-Files tapes throughout the living room... but only one Twin Peaks piece? Ughhhh.    … Expand
  82. EthanO
    Jan 5, 2015
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Gone home, a game created by the Fullbright Company, shows the true brilliance of non-violent first person adventure games. The game brings you into the mind of Katie Greenbriar and forces you to think and use your mind to solve puzzles and unwrap the mysteries within the game. Now, let’s start exploring.
    The best part about this game, I believe, is the real life connection’s that are made throughout the game. The Fullbright Company really did well by creating references and objects that resemble real life things. Throughout the game you pick many items, from brochures to Mexican skulls this game has it all, but the items that are the most interesting are the ones that are real. Another fun thing about the game was the weirdly satisfying feeling of being able to snoop through someone else’s things. It’s almost like you as a person are the one that is finding the combination to a safe to unlock it and the secrets inside. The further I progressed into the game the more emotionally attached I felt.
    The worst part of this game would be the game speed. The game can be completed on average in about 2-3 hours, which is a decent amount of time to be playing a game on your laptop. Also the movement of your character in the game is very slow and there is no option to sprint or move any faster. With the long competition time and slow movement it makes this a very tedious game to play, and at points boring. Another thing about the game is the quality of the graphics and attention to detail. The graphics are alright; I believe Fulbright could have put a little more effort into this section of game development; especially considering the game was created in 2013. The game does have the option to change your resolution settings but anything about the lowest resolution created in game lag and long loading times.
    Overall I would definitely recommend this game to others, however, not to everyone. Firstly, I would not recommend this game for any teenager because the style of gameplay would not satisfy the growing video game market for teenagers. However, I would recommend this game to anyone who has passed through their years of being a teen because this game makes a lot of connections to the past, especially 1995, which is the year the game supposedly takes place. Another reason is because the game requires a lot of thinking and puzzle solving which is the non-violent substitute for TDM and Domination. All things considered I believe that Gone Home is unquestionably worth a shot.    … Expand
  83. felyxr
    Dec 31, 2014
    8
    I loved this game for the story, which was very interesting. It's actually what made me keep going through the game.

    But be aware that this is a game where you have to think a lot and that is slow. Don't play it if you prefer games that have a lot of action because you may find it boring. Otherwise, it is very well done and the story is very intriguing !
  84. holland23
    Dec 30, 2014
    10
    Fantastic experience. Notice i called it an experience and not a game. You have to enter playing it with a completely open mind to appreciate it - it's not like what you're used to. Very well told story that piques several emotions wonderfully.
  85. Exwin0880
    Dec 26, 2014
    10
    This is one of my most enjoyable gaming experiences of the past year.

    The story is good, the exploration and the setting are great. It's a joy to play a game that feels like it's story is good enough without having to fluff it with repetitive kill stuff or solve overly complex and out of place puzzles. I mean, my house isn't like a typical adventure game where you have to figure out    This is one of my most enjoyable gaming experiences of the past year.

    The story is good, the exploration and the setting are great. It's a joy to play a game that feels like it's story is good enough without having to fluff it with repetitive kill stuff or solve overly complex and out of place puzzles.
    I mean, my house isn't like a typical adventure game where you have to figure out how to make a troll drop a banana, to give to a monkey to drop a socket wrench set, to fix a car so you can to upstairs and continue the story. It's nice to see an exploration game be all about exploration and the story. I will definitely be checking out the next game that Fullbright makes.    … Expand
  86. gbateman150
    Dec 18, 2014
    8
    Gone home is an interactive plot based game that takes players into the eyes of Kaitlin Greenbriar, a 21-year-old girl from Boon County, Oregon. Kaitlin (Katie) has just returned from a year backpacking in Europe. She comes home at 1 AM to a dark house, a distressing note from her sister and nobody left in the house.
    The game’s plot is revealed through an original medium and, as the    Gone home is an interactive plot based game that takes players into the eyes of Kaitlin Greenbriar, a 21-year-old girl from Boon County, Oregon. Kaitlin (Katie) has just returned from a year backpacking in Europe. She comes home at 1 AM to a dark house, a distressing note from her sister and nobody left in the house.
    The game’s plot is revealed through an original medium and, as the central focus of the game, is very well thought out. Instead of Katie experiencing events or making decisions as a character would in a normal game, the player must uncover the entire plot through exploration of items. Character development and plot progression are found in the writing and media littered about the house. Each of the game’s characters is advanced through letters, notes and artifacts. Katie’s younger sister, Sam, writes journal entries to Katie, which are read to the player after finding related objects owned by Sam. In one sense this aspect of the game reduces the realism, however that is more than made up for by the increased character connection that is developed in these audio journals. This method of storytelling is very innovative, however it relies heavily on the player to take their time and read every paper they find. Furthermore, even with a cooperative player, some of the items are difficult to find or understand, which leads to players missing some of the key plot points.
    Gone Home’s gameplay has several flawed yet several redeeming elements. One of the major flaws is that the player moves too slowly. Most of the game is surprisingly linear despite the open nature of a house, which means the player doesn’t need to spend a lot of time in transition from one room to the next. However, there are several portions of the game that require revisiting old rooms, which results in some long walks through the house. In addition, if a player is replaying the game while listening to developer commentary or doesn’t need to view every object for some other reason, they are stuck moving at the same, slow speed. However, the sound and the atmosphere of the game are incredible. The music sets an accurately creepy tone, yet is somewhat nostalgic for the journal readings. The lightning also scares the crap out of you.
    Although there are some flaws, Gone Home is incredibly well made for an indie game, and has more in depth and relatable storylines than many big games. I would certainly recommend it to anyone who wants to experience a short, yet rich interactive story.    … Expand
  87. boydste
    Dec 17, 2014
    9
    Gone Home is a first-person interactive adventure game from Fullbright. Gone Home puts you in the shoes of Caitlyn Greenbriar, after she comes home from a trip around the world. The Greenbriar family (Samantha, Terrence, Janice, and Caitlyn) recently moved into a new house, which Terrence inherited from his uncle Oscar. Given only a POV perspective and the ability to interact with almostGone Home is a first-person interactive adventure game from Fullbright. Gone Home puts you in the shoes of Caitlyn Greenbriar, after she comes home from a trip around the world. The Greenbriar family (Samantha, Terrence, Janice, and Caitlyn) recently moved into a new house, which Terrence inherited from his uncle Oscar. Given only a POV perspective and the ability to interact with almost every object in the house, you are free to discover the lives of each member of the family.

    Gone Home is known for its immersion, and it does a fantastic job of accomplishing complete immersion. Beginning with the scenery, the house is adorned with hardwood floors, antiquated wall covers and light fixtures, and a creaky floorboard sound heard every so often. The house is designed to make the player feel as though something is wrong with the house, and encourages the player to explore. There are sounds that come from the house and the environment outside of the house such as thunder from the storm outside, the floorboards creaking, and the rain storming down onto the house. With sounds on randomized timers, there is a possibility for picking up an object from the floor to be a much more special event, with the possibility for lightning and thunder to provide a jump scare.

    The game gives itself to be interpreted more as an interactive story than a game. The 3 possible paths of the family members in the story are hard to follow, unless you take your time to savor the game, and delve deep into their stories. The story is centered around Sam’s development as she moves into her new high school, and meets a new friend, but you can also look around the house to discover the past of Terrence and Janice. The game will give you what you give it, and if you spend time to discover what Fullbright has left, you will have a wonderful time experiencing the immersion of the story.

    I immensely enjoyed this game and would recommend it to everyone who enjoys discovering a world with a deep story. I would rate the game 9/10.    … Expand
  88. TheWhiteShadow
    Dec 16, 2014
    8
    Gone Home is an independent first-person adventure game developed by The FullBrightCompany. It follows 21 year old Katie Greenbriar as she returns home after spending a year travelling Europe and tries to piece together what has happened to her family.

    The good: The game has an excellent atmosphere, and there is an impressive quantity of easter eggs and hidden backstory. Having to    Gone Home is an independent first-person adventure game developed by The FullBrightCompany. It follows 21 year old Katie Greenbriar as she returns home after spending a year travelling Europe and tries to piece together what has happened to her family.

    The good: The game has an excellent atmosphere, and there is an impressive quantity of easter eggs and hidden backstory. Having to search for clues in order to progress the narrative adds satisfaction to what could have been a straightforward narrative. The connections that can be drawn between these clues is truly impressive, as is the way the characters are so fleshed-out and rounded. Visuals and sound are simplistic, adding to the game's realistic feel.

    The bad: As good as the narrative was, it often felt like some extremely interesting characters were sidelined. Navigating feels somewhat clunky and slow, but this only comes during the occasional backtrack. Without spoilers, the ending is definitely polarizing, providing a satisfying conclusion to some (but not all) of the threads introduced in the game.

    Overall, Gone Home will appeal to those who enjoy games for the plot as much or more than for the gameplay. This is the kind of game that has to be played patiently; the player will only get as much out as they put in.    … Expand
  89. TheRealTGarrow
    Dec 16, 2014
    9
    Gone Home tells the story of Katie Greenbriar, a 19-year-old girl who arrived home to find that nobody is home. The player controls her as she makes her way through the house and learns about her family and where they’ve gone. The game’s narrative focuses mainly on Katie’s younger sister, Sam.
    Gone Home has come under much criticism for not being a traditional video game. It is less    Gone Home tells the story of Katie Greenbriar, a 19-year-old girl who arrived home to find that nobody is home. The player controls her as she makes her way through the house and learns about her family and where they’ve gone. The game’s narrative focuses mainly on Katie’s younger sister, Sam.
    Gone Home has come under much criticism for not being a traditional video game. It is less focused on the action aspect of gaming and instead is oriented towards storytelling and exploration. Although plenty of people disapproved of the main storyline for being cliché, I thought it was interesting and suspenseful. There are plenty of unexpected twists that we find out about Katie’s sister Sam. The game’s approach to plot discovery is interesting, as it makes the player feel like they are figuring things out themselves, instead of being spoon-fed a plot. We find clues about the family’s past throughout the house through newspapers, letters and other items that could be found in anybody’s house. Using these, we are able to piece together backstories for all the main characters, as well as many of the supporting characters in the game.
    One issue I had with the game was how short it was. The game takes about 4 hours to play through completely the first time. This is very short for a video game, and since there is very little replay value in the game, that’s all you get. On top of this, there is a shortcut which allows the player to finish the game in less than 5 minutes, which I discovered my first time playing the game. The length of the story being told limited the game length, and it couldn’t have been any longer without it dragging on.

    Gone Home is an innovative game that tells multiple stories at once, powered by the player’s exploration. It is a very plot-based game and has many intriguing backstories hidden throughout the house. Although it was short, I don’t see any way of making it longer without the main story getting boring. I definitely enjoyed this game and look forward to it spawning many other games of the same style.    … Expand
  90. localcoder
    Dec 16, 2014
    10
    This is an awesome experience. You arrive at an empty house, and have to figure out what happened to your family while you were travelling.

    I really felt my character's discomfort and fear as I tried to understand. Arriving home in the middle of the night, in a storm, and finding no-one there... it's probably nothing, right? You'll all laugh about it tomorrow... right? If you were    This is an awesome experience. You arrive at an empty house, and have to figure out what happened to your family while you were travelling.

    I really felt my character's discomfort and fear as I tried to understand. Arriving home in the middle of the night, in a storm, and finding no-one there... it's probably nothing, right? You'll all laugh about it tomorrow... right?

    If you were around in the 90s, you'll enjoy seeing cassette players and hand-written notes and other objects you remember from back then. These made the game feel very personal to me.    … Expand
  91. mblummie
    Dec 16, 2014
    8
    Drenched from the rain, Katie drops off her luggage on the front porch of her parents new home. A note is on the door, it’s from Sam. “Please, please don’t go digging around the house to find out where I am,” the letter reads. But Katie is still trapped outside in the pouring rain, searching for the Christmas Duck, where her parents usually hide the key. But little does she know the darkDrenched from the rain, Katie drops off her luggage on the front porch of her parents new home. A note is on the door, it’s from Sam. “Please, please don’t go digging around the house to find out where I am,” the letter reads. But Katie is still trapped outside in the pouring rain, searching for the Christmas Duck, where her parents usually hide the key. But little does she know the dark secrets of each member of her family are about to be revealed. Gone Home’s has revolutionized the storytelling aspects of video games through authentic characters and an unbelievable story.

    In Gone Home, the player takes on the avatar Katie, who just got back from a one-year trip around Europe. Gone Home tells the story of Katie’s little sister Sam. Sam’s story is told through items scattered throughout the house. Whenever these specific items are picked up, music starts to play and the voice of a teenage girl calms out the thundering background noise. The voice acting for Sam is well done to the point where it is like the player is reading her own diary. The voice acting real to the point where the player could foster a connection with Sam and what she is going through in life right now. The voice acting is defiantly a highlight for the game due to it being so good that the player can tell when Sam is happy or frustrated with the events in her life.

    Gone Home gets the player to enjoy adventuring by all the items scattered around the house. Every item is perfect to the very last detail, and players can tell that the developers work into making them this way. The items make the player feel like they are rummaging through somebody else’s home. The graphics make the items are more than just items, their art; making this highlight for players while adventuring throughout the house.

    Even though that the games item’s try to get the player to explore the house, players will find the game slow due to their not being any run or jump mechanic. The only type of movement that the player has is a slow and casual walk. Players can get bored of walking from point A to point B constantly, which can take away from the fantastic story that most players enjoy. As well, the game has only takes three hours to play and is not a good investment for a long term financial standpoint compared to some other games that give infinite hours of enjoyment.

    Gone Home is a good game due to it’s unique storytelling and graphics gives players a new perspective on what the future of video games can be. A fair warning, this game may not be for everybody because of its uniqueness. Fans of mainstream video games like Call of Duty and Grand Theft Auto may not enjoy this game due to it being slow and not fast paced like first person shooters and adventure games. Overall, it’s story was fantastic and it was enjoyable to play.    … Expand
  92. chillwill
    Dec 16, 2014
    9
    Gone Home is a brilliantly thought out video game that exposes the life of a troubled family in the ‘90s and the rebellious nature of teenagers. Kaitlin Greenbriar returns to Oregon after a year touring abroad in Europe, expecting her younger sister and parents to greet her at their new home. However, Kaitlin arrives only to find a suspicious note on the front door, and her family missing.Gone Home is a brilliantly thought out video game that exposes the life of a troubled family in the ‘90s and the rebellious nature of teenagers. Kaitlin Greenbriar returns to Oregon after a year touring abroad in Europe, expecting her younger sister and parents to greet her at their new home. However, Kaitlin arrives only to find a suspicious note on the front door, and her family missing. Throughout the duration of the game, Kaitlin attempts to piece together different artifacts and clues left around the isolated house in order to conclude the reason behind her family’s mysterious departure.

    Gone Home beholds an intense storyline with many distinct features included throughout different parts of the game. Kaitlin is left distraught after discovering both her parents and Sam (her younger sister) have abandoned the house for unknown reasons. The isolated house instantly becomes the main setting and pinnacle of the game. Gone Home is a portal of discovery for the player to explore and cherish, with many different rooms, drawers, and shelves to search in order to find clues and different items that support the reason why Kaitlin’s family has disappeared. Throughout the entirety of the game, the house remains a creepy and unpredictable setting for the player. This enhances the overall experience for the player, as they are always aware of their surroundings in the game and are kept thinking about what will happen next. The storyline in Gone Home allows for the player to have an open world experience while searching for clues hidden throughout the mysterious house.

    The sound and graphics utilized in Gone Home are simply outstanding. Players not only play the game, they are immersed in the experience through the clever use of sound effects and various elements of graphics. Journal entries left by Sam are read to the players throughout the game, using Sam’s actual voice! The creaking of floorboards, the shuttering of blinds, the howling of wind, and the crack of lightning are dominant throughout the progressive course of the game. The graphics make the house and surrounding area seem very realistic, and contain architectural references to the year 1995, when Gone Home takes place. All these effects combined allow for a realistic and provoking adventure while exploring around the house.

    Although a short endeavor, Gone Home contains a very elaborate storyline that can be savored by the player. The game was very enjoyable not only because of its creative story, but because of the fantastic audio and visual effects that give the player a sense that they are trapped in the game too. Gone Home is a strong recommendation for those that like a thrilling mystery, a great audiovisual experience, and enjoy the elements of an open world game.    … Expand
  93. harrylund123
    Dec 15, 2014
    9
    Gone Home by the Fullbright Company is a video game that tells the story of a girl, Kaitlyn Greenbriar, coming to her family’s new home after a year of back packing to find that her family is missing. Through clues that she finds around the house, she begins to put together the shocking tale of what happened to her mother, father, and younger sister.

    In terms of gameplay, Gone Home did    Gone Home by the Fullbright Company is a video game that tells the story of a girl, Kaitlyn Greenbriar, coming to her family’s new home after a year of back packing to find that her family is missing. Through clues that she finds around the house, she begins to put together the shocking tale of what happened to her mother, father, and younger sister.

    In terms of gameplay, Gone Home did not have much to offer. From the get go, it was known that Gone Home was created to be a very narrative driven game, rather than a game that was purchased for its gameplay mechanics. Although there wasn’t much gameplay, there were some elements that were integral for the game and its story. One of these includes the idea that you are able to interact with almost all of the objects in the house. This helped enforce the idea that you were actually in a house, and it gave you more freedom to do whatever you wanted, even going as far as being able to throw everything in the kitchen on to the ground.

    The graphics were pretty typical of an indie game, primarily due to the fact that game was created on the Unity engine, a common engine used by indie developers. However, some of the items around the house contain numerous references to other video games, including references to the Bioshock franchise, most notably the Bioshock 2 DLC, Minerva’s Den. This is because all of the creators worked together on the DLC before the creation of the game at 2K Marin, and left the company due to the fact that they wanted more creative freedom.

    The sound and music in this game is very well composed. The sound in this game consists of the storm that is occurring outside, the creaking of opening doors and the eerie sounds that naturally occur in the house. This helps enforce the ominous feeling of going around a house that you have never been to before to find your missing family. The music, which was composed by Chris Remo, is able to convey very strong emotions whenever a journal entry by Sam is played. The music hits the nail on the head when trying to show emotions such as confusion, sadness, happiness and hopefulness.

    Gone Home goes above and beyond in its writing. The story touches on something that we can all relate to, being a teenager in high school and going through tough situations, which is shown by Sam and her issues with her family and friends. Along with the story of Sam, there are multiple other stories, such as the love life of Janice Greenbriar, and the dark childhood of Terrence Greenbriar. The novelty of these stories is that they are only found in the game through extension exploring, due to the fact that the stories are found through clues that can lie just beneath the surface.

    In conclusion, Gone Home is a brilliant game, and can be a great experience for a certain type of gamer. This may not be the game for the average FPS gamer, but for someone who has enjoyed the narrative aspects of a game, and wants a combination of a good book and an interactive video game, Gone Home is an absolutely fantastic game for that.    … Expand
  94. thill
    Dec 15, 2014
    9
    Fundamentally about family conflicts Gone Home is a game that focuses on the family of Katie Greenbriar, whom you assume the role of in game. Set in 1995 in the eerie setting of an old, empty mansion in the middle of the night with a thunderstorm raging the player is set up for jump scares. Told through personal notes between members of the family you learn about each of the familyFundamentally about family conflicts Gone Home is a game that focuses on the family of Katie Greenbriar, whom you assume the role of in game. Set in 1995 in the eerie setting of an old, empty mansion in the middle of the night with a thunderstorm raging the player is set up for jump scares. Told through personal notes between members of the family you learn about each of the family member’s deep secrets and hidden relationships. Arriving back from Katie’s trip around Europe and exploring the house that your family moved into while you were away it slowly becomes clear that some major developments have occurred.
    This game, or as I like to think of it interactive book, was developed by four people, most of whom met through their work on Bioshock. They left to start Fullbright and Gone Home is their first game. Steve Gaynor the seeming leader of the company has been praised for his story telling through adventure-based, detailed worlds in his previous endeavour Minerva’s Den, dlc for Bioshock 2. This experience is worthy of equal praise. The point of Gone Home is to provide a meaningful story about growing up and conflict through an engaging format, but it does double duty to remind the ever growing list of fps’s that first-person doesn’t have to be so rough.
    The graphics in this game are another major talking point. Today, for a game to be considered modern it generally has to have state of the art graphics and high-level engines, neither of which Gone Home has. (You can’t even jump!) For me this actually added to the experience because it led the player to look past the visuals, some of which were stunning anyway, and focus on the story. It also let the developers put in some quirky references. It’s partially because of the graphics limitation that the story came about (one more argument for indie games) because of the low poly graphics rendering and animating humans would have been clunky and looked stupid, so poof! empty house and interesting story line.
    The final area that needs to be mentioned is the musical score. Throughout the game it changes but always fits the mood and just sounds pleasant. The Riot Grrl sound scene that accompanies Sam in the game is both applicable and historically accurate, something that resonates with a lot of the games players.
    In all I would say I enjoyed playing this as an interactive story not a game. If that appeals to you, great, if not you might feel cheated by getting this. The game requires a lot of deep thinking and is meant to connect with the player, everyone has something.    … Expand
  95. CSharpe
    Dec 15, 2014
    8
    The Fullbright Company’s “Gone Home” is an interactive first person adventure game, where the player assumes the role of Katie Greenbriar, who has just come back from a trip around Europe. She finds a note on the door, and is tasked with finding out the mystery as to where her family is. As the player ventures through the house, you can start to understand how it will unroll, based offThe Fullbright Company’s “Gone Home” is an interactive first person adventure game, where the player assumes the role of Katie Greenbriar, who has just come back from a trip around Europe. She finds a note on the door, and is tasked with finding out the mystery as to where her family is. As the player ventures through the house, you can start to understand how it will unroll, based off the vibe that the house gives off, the constant noises from outside and voice recording's Sam has left.
    Throughout the journey that the game is, there are many different reasons why on game sites such as Metacritic and IGN it is rated so highly. The narrative is phenomenal and the way The Fullbright Company has captivated this story through the eyes of one of the protagonists is very interesting. The graphics are really good considering independent video game designers almost always have less money then big time game developers such as Infinity Ward, or Bethesda. The sound of the game helps to set the mood as a dark and mysterious setting, which adds to the scare factor that could pop-up and scare you at any moment. The game play is a first person narrative which allows the player to go anywhere in the house and explore from end to end the boundless references and artifacts the storyline of Gone Home has to offer.
    Gone Home is a great game which gives many different experiences which most people aren’t used to because it is not like Call of Duty or Halo, except the game has many flaws too, which takes away from having a 10/10 from myself, and other critics. The ending for example is very anti-climatic, which hindered my experience of the game because I was expected a ghost or a murder. As well, there are restrictions as to what can be put in your inventory just being able to put keys in is a bit disappointing because if you need to take screenshots of letters, and pictures then its tough to go back and find it rather than just having it in the inventory. Lastly, the game lacks excitement because it is slow, you cannot run and seems tedious at times to maneuver around the house.
    The game for me was enjoyable but I wouldn't recommend it because it was a bit slow and could have had much more pleasure playing it. It was fun although if I had to pay full price for it I would not as the game only allows for three hours roughly of in game, play, which does not represent the true value as a consumer.    … Expand
  96. mscauzillo
    Dec 15, 2014
    9
    Framed as a mystery, The Fulbright Company took a different approach when tackling the odd life of a family living in the mid to late 1900s. Gone Home kicks off with Katie Greenbriar, a young woman who had been travelling Europe for a year, arriving back at home on June 7th, 1995 – on a dark and stormy night – to a deserted house. With her parents missing, and her sister nowhere to beFramed as a mystery, The Fulbright Company took a different approach when tackling the odd life of a family living in the mid to late 1900s. Gone Home kicks off with Katie Greenbriar, a young woman who had been travelling Europe for a year, arriving back at home on June 7th, 1995 – on a dark and stormy night – to a deserted house. With her parents missing, and her sister nowhere to be found, Katie’s only resort is to snoop around the house for any clues or objects that are seen to be out of the ordinary in which can help her come to a conclusion.

    Arriving at her families newly moved into house, never before seen by Katie Greenbriar, Katie is left to reminisce the halls, sifting through objects, notes, photos and so on, in search for answers. The player takes on a first person role as Katie Greenbriar, whose task is to use the clues around the house to figure out where her family’s whereabouts are. The game-play leads you through dark, long hallways throughout the house, not knowing what is going to happen next – if someone is going to kill you, or if someone is going to pop out of the darkness and scare the living hell out of you. Gone Home does nothing but leave you on the edge of your seat, but without the first-person shooter or thriller aspect users have always been used to.

    Gone Home always keeps the player in up most awareness at all times because of the intense features of very realistic gameplay throughout the entire game. From the story line, to hearing Sam’s actual voice, Gone Home makes the player feel like he is actually in the mansion searching and reminiscing for clues. It is very easy to get swept up in Gone home because the environment is so realistic and convincing that it makes you feel as if you are searching through a real mansion, at very specific points in time. All of these realistic features help capture a player’s attention for hours on end, adding depth and excitement no matter where you are in the house.

    Gone home attempts to explore the boundaries in a video game that have never been explored before. The Fulbright Company took a risk, and with an accomplished risk, there is always a large payoff. Despite the very short experience, the accumulative acts of walking through hallways, examining objects and searching for clues become a bitter adventure dealing with a families personal issues which feel as if they are your own. For that, Gone Home has displayed a brilliant storyline with a strong basis for a great video game and is definitely worthy of anyone’s time.    … Expand
  97. jckrigby
    Dec 15, 2014
    8
    Gone Home is one of the most fascinating gaming experiences that I have come across. The game takes place in 1996, when a girl named Katie comes back from a yearlong trip to Europe to her family’s newly inherited mansion, only to find the house empty. Katie explores the house to find out where her family members have gone and, at the risk of giving too much away, uncovers an engaging andGone Home is one of the most fascinating gaming experiences that I have come across. The game takes place in 1996, when a girl named Katie comes back from a yearlong trip to Europe to her family’s newly inherited mansion, only to find the house empty. Katie explores the house to find out where her family members have gone and, at the risk of giving too much away, uncovers an engaging and often gloomy story.
    Gone Home has been one of the most polarizing games ever. Critics and players alike have raved about the story’s ability to invoke emotion as they slowly learn about all of the characters as they move through various rooms and examine items. However, there is a strong contingent of players who have strong feelings in opposition to the game, citing that there are “no game play mechanics besides walking around a house and digging through stuff” and that “it is remarkably short (around 2 hours)”. Some people were outraged that Gone Home would even be marketed as a game.
    Gone Home’s incredible polarization of players comes down to the different expectations people have of a video game. In traditional games, the expectation tends to be that there will be a significant amount of player-computer interaction, such as in shooting games, in which you shoot at the computer-generated characters and they shoot back at you. In Gone Home, however, we find that for the most part, your interactions with the game are one sided and are very rarely reciprocated. Therefore, people who expect the traditional style of game will ultimately be disappointed. What Gone Home creates is an experience that pushes the boundaries of what we define as a game and even makes us question if it is a game at all. Thus, assessing this game by the same criteria that you would any other would do it injustice.
    Whether Gone Home is a game or not, its novel technique for story telling is one that should be replicated in the future. Gone Home creates a way for storytellers to give their viewers freedom to explore the story in a unique way, according to what interests them. This means that any person consuming the story can explore certain pieces of the story in greater or lesser detail as they please. This form of story telling creates a sense of freedom and personalization to the story being told. This cannot be said about other popular means of story telling such as books, movies and plays, in which the consumer experiences exactly what the author or director wants them to experience. Steve Gaynor, the writer and designer of Gone Home compared the experience to Sleep No More, a theater experience that takes place in a building in which audience members may roam, such that a viewer of the play experience differs based on where the viewer decide to focus their attention making each experience different from everyone else’s.
    All that being said, the story of Gone Home certainly isn’t perfect. A common criticism of the game is that the main story of the game involving Sam, the main character’s sister, realizing her sexuality is depicted in a very shallow manner. Steven Brummel of Plus10Damage writes, “Today, it is not easy to come out of the closet. As long as there is stigma, it never will be. But twenty years ago — in Gone Home's setting — it was much harder. Gone Home is a game set in the mid-90’s with people from 2013 trying to duplicate those feelings, and it just doesn’t succeed.”
    Beyond the naïve depiction of Sam, in my playing of the game, I felt that much of the story was fairly predictable and often times I felt my exploration of the game was more of an obligation than a genuine hope of finding anything interesting. By the end of the game, I found that I ended up just being bored by the ending that could have been predicted a half-hour earlier.
    Beyond the storytelling, the graphics and the mechanics contribute to the overall feeling and emotion of the game as a whole. The graphics of the game add a lot to the experience that the game creates. When compared to modern, big company games, the graphics certainly aren’t realistic however the textures create a sense of creepiness that looms throughout. The mechanics of the game, which employs a pick-up and inspect system, also adds to this experience. This system allows us to analyze in detail important items to the storyline. This allows the story to be told through these items more easily.
    In conclusion, Gone Home is a new, interesting approach to games that has polarized debate in the gaming world. Though its story and gameplay isn’t perfect, the game has popularized a new way to tell stories and paves the way for future games of its kind. This bold new approach to story telling is its self worthy of praise and the overall good story on top of this is just the icing on the cake.    … Expand
  98. Flaxdal
    Dec 15, 2014
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. The game Gone Home, produced by The Fullbright Company is about a 19-year-old girl that returns from Europe to find that her family life is turned upside down. As Katie you have to investigate unknown territory of your new empty mansion and find out what happened to your family.
    One big pro of the game was that it was a 3D environment with a first person point of view. Typically what I find with detective style games is that you are standing still, looking out into an open room and can only progress in a certain chronological order after clicking the right objects. This game gave this genre a new style; it allowed for free exploration and allowed the player to move at his or her own pace. Free exploration is something I really like in a game, so this aspect is a big plus. It made the player feel more immersed; another aspect is that you can take different routes to completing the game so everyone’s experience is different.
    The graphics and audio were gorgeous; this added to the overall atmosphere and again, really changed the genre. If the player is in the right atmospheric setting, this changes the way you experience the game. When I played I was in my room with the lights out and with my surround sound headphones. This added a huge new level of realism and the way it changed the game for me is it made me take in the surroundings and feel very absorbed in the world of Gone Home. The voice work was amazing in this game and having a high quality headset really lets you appreciate what is being said and how much work they put into the game,
    Last but not least, the plot of Gone Home. The game did a good job of adding side stories and background information that the player could investigate if they’re motivated to do so. Although the game is mainly about Sam, the player could learn a whole lot about characters like Terrence, Oscar and Janice but it did not come as easily. One thing that I noticed is that you barely learn anything about Katie. Typically in games the person you are playing as is the protagonist but in this game I felt that Katie did not have much depth, she just seemed like a pawn that you use to learn about Sam.
    Personally I enjoyed the game, I got it for free and I could see why people would be upset having to pay such a hefty price for a short game. I would recommend it to people if they were looking for something to do on a rainy day.    … Expand
  99. MackHolden9719
    Dec 15, 2014
    8
    Do you know that moment when you are focusing so hard on a particular object that you develop tunnel vision and it is not until you step back and examine the whole object that you finally realize what you are looking at? Playing Gone Home is similar to focusing intently on that one spot, and it is not until the end of the game that you take the figurative “step back” and really see theDo you know that moment when you are focusing so hard on a particular object that you develop tunnel vision and it is not until you step back and examine the whole object that you finally realize what you are looking at? Playing Gone Home is similar to focusing intently on that one spot, and it is not until the end of the game that you take the figurative “step back” and really see the whole game. In Gone Home you play as Kaitlin Greenbriar, a 21 year old who has just come back from a year abroad, to her new house in Oregon. Playing as Kaitlin you quickly realize no one is home and you set out exploring the house to see where everyone is, accidently uncovering your family’s past and secrets throughout the process.

    From the moment you step on to the porch of the house, Gone Home’s narrative pulls you in and engrosses you. The free flowing gameplay essentially allows the player to create their own game, as they choose the rooms and floors to explore. Gone Home’s intricate plot makes finding each clue a challenge and gives the player a sense of reward when they finally do uncover it. I really enjoyed how you can dictate the pace of the game yourself, making it easy for a gamer of any level to be able to enjoy the game.

    However with the free flowing gameplay, there are no hints or directions of what to do, making it fairly easy to get stuck in the house and confused as what to do next. I think if the developers were to re-release this game, it would make sense to add a hint button. Even though a hint button could be abused, gamers with a high integrity that appreciate the game for its plot would only use it as a last resort, and to keep the gameplay moving.

    An underrated aspect of this game in my opinion is the sound. Starting the game the soundtrack gives the game an ambiance of horror, almost foreshadowing a heavy supernatural theme. But as you progress the soundtrack proves to be wrong, as the game is more about an emotional journey. Nonetheless, the music adds a whole new dimension to the game, and while the music is overlooked, I strongly think without it the game would be drastically worse.

    When I started the game, I had a very negative outlook on it. Now re-examining, the challenge of finding clues and progressing through the game proved to be highly enjoyable. I would highly recommend Gone Home to a gamer of any level, as even the most inexperienced gamer could find enjoyment of playing through the house uncovering secrets and clues.    … Expand
  100. Mateuse
    Dec 15, 2014
    10
    Gone Home is a wonderful demonstration of just how well a virtual game can resemble reality. Kaitlin Greenbrier, the protagonist you play as through first-person view, is a twenty-year-old returning from a trip abroad to a new home her family has mysteriously inherited. As you enter the home, a strange note awaits you on the door saying that your younger sister is sorry and that she hasGone Home is a wonderful demonstration of just how well a virtual game can resemble reality. Kaitlin Greenbrier, the protagonist you play as through first-person view, is a twenty-year-old returning from a trip abroad to a new home her family has mysteriously inherited. As you enter the home, a strange note awaits you on the door saying that your younger sister is sorry and that she has left home and may never come back. As soon as you enter the house, you want to believe something horrible has happened to your family. Fear grips you as you listen to a crying female’s message left on an answering machine calling for help; the house seems alive with creeks and groans. The masterful use of sound creates an ambiance of horror will lead you will believe that something ghastly or ghouly is hidden around every corner, in every closet, waiting to strike. But the only thing to fear in Gone Home is fear itself; there is only the illusion of fear masterfully created by the strange and eerie music and the randomized claps of thunder and flashes of lightning. As you progress through the house, soda cans, half eaten bags of potato chips, and empty pizza boxes litter the floors. All this garbage everywhere reminds me of my own house, and how my mom would leave garbage out to rot because I never used to clean up after myself. Almost every little piece in the Greenbrier household contributes to one member of the family’s life in some way, if not being used in a comical way by the game creators *cough* purple basketball *cough*. At the beginning of Gone Home, the evidence left around the house points to you sister being a lonely troubled young girl who is struggling fitting in at school. As you progress through the house, the evidence you find suggests that she is developing into a rebellious free spirit with the help of her new friend Lonnie. If I go into any further depth on Sam and Lonnie, it will spoil the storyline of the game.
    Overall, Gone Home is an excellent game that does not require you to kill anyone to enjoy 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.
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  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.
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  3. RPG Fan
    Dec 2, 2013
    75
    A story that will move some and alienate others.
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