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. RiceCake
    Aug 17, 2013
    9
    Like many sources and reviews have already described, Gone Home is a game where you take on the role of a Girl coming home from a long vacation only to find the house empty. Your role is to go through the large house and look for letters and tapes to decipher what has happened to your family while you're gone. There is no action, and there is little puzzle solving. Nevertheless, as you canLike many sources and reviews have already described, Gone Home is a game where you take on the role of a Girl coming home from a long vacation only to find the house empty. Your role is to go through the large house and look for letters and tapes to decipher what has happened to your family while you're gone. There is no action, and there is little puzzle solving. Nevertheless, as you can probably judge from my score, I really liked the game, and I will tell you the reasons in order for you to decide for yourself if you want to play the game or not.

    First, there are some glaring "flaws" to this game, if you could even call it that, which are the length and the price. The game takes less than 2 hours to finish, and cost me 18 dollars. For me personally it was definitely worth the price of admission, but for those who can only purchase one game once in a while, this might not be a very good investment even if you end up loving the game. Read what I will have to say in the following paragraphs and then decide.

    The controls are simple but responsive, you can walk and look around, click on things to pick them up, rotate things while observing them, and zoom in on objects and the environment. While reminiscent of a pixel hunt adventure game, objects that you can interact with are instantly recognizable due to the in-game effects and also because of the attention to detail that the makers put into the graphics. You will occasionally find some bland textures, but the sheer amount of objects you can interact with is tremendous, and you can pretty much read the fine labels on the smallest, most ordinary objects. The technical graphics might not win any awards, but the love put into the most mundane objects show a quality that few other games reach.

    The sound of the game reminded me of the ambient noises from the best horror games. There is technically no background music, but the creaks of the floor boards, the humming of the light bulbs, and the rumble of thunder outside comes clear and crisp through the headphones/speakers. The voice acting is also tremendous; you can feel each emotional passage uttered with true passion. All of the sounds and voices combine into a very immersive environment, and combined with the detailed graphics, it actually creates a very believable empty house for your to explore. I never knew an ordinary house could be so terrifying with just being... there without inhabitants.

    It might be obvious at this point that, without any action and puzzle solving, the game is about the ambiance and the story telling. And while I have laid praise to the former, the latter is where the game truly shines. The in-game story is mostly conveyed through the letters, notes, invoices, and tapes that you pick up and observe. Combined with that is an occasional narrative that extends and reveals a different angle to the story that complements the experience. And let me tell you, as mundane as reading letters are, it is a very emotional experience.

    It has been a very long time since I have felt unadulterated terror at the ambiance of a game. I expected things to show up at any moment, and with the opening of every single door, the fear of a child-dreamt booeyman leaping out from the closet was all too real. However, I have never felt a more genuine sense of dread, not fear nor terror, at what I -thought- I would find as I followed the story. What my imagination brought, it startled and then it ebbed, but what existed in the narrative world is what made me perspire and weep. Paired with that are well timed scenes of utmost joy and warmth that pulled at my heartstrings. These two opposing groups of feelings combined to form a emotional force that I was entirely unprepared for; this is a triumph in storytelling.

    It is fine for you to not know why or what made me feel what I felt from a simple point and click adventure game, but just know that this game is capable of delivering all these emotions if you let it. I cannot recommend this game enough, as it is up there along with other great indie storytellers such as To the Moon.    … Expand
  2. jumbojet555
    Aug 17, 2013
    10
    Simply an AWESOME game. I was absolutely stricken with emotion upon completing it. I was borderline in tears at the end. This game contains strong, emotional writing. Although the main character may not be entirely relatable to some people, it still demands a huge amount of empathy and feeling for the protagonist as the game documents her struggle. Simply an amazing game that is perfectSimply an AWESOME game. I was absolutely stricken with emotion upon completing it. I was borderline in tears at the end. This game contains strong, emotional writing. Although the main character may not be entirely relatable to some people, it still demands a huge amount of empathy and feeling for the protagonist as the game documents her struggle. Simply an amazing game that is perfect for these modern times where new social issues are brought into spectrum and we have to learn to be more accepting of others. Truly a great game, think of a tape hunting love story. It is, all-in-all a love story. So if that's not what you're into, you might as well not buy this game. Although it's so good, it might be worth considering.
    PROS:
    -Strong, emotionally driven narrative
    -Excellently done soundtrack that fits in perfectly
    -Great interface
    -Exploring the house is fun and rewarding
    -Perfect atmosphere
    -Great love :)
    CONS:
    -Could have been longer
    -Would love to have seen other supporting characters more fleshed out, less as side roles
    CONCLUSION:
    EXCELLENT GAME! Definitely put it somewhere on top of my list of favorites. If you're into romances, this is your game, otherwise, your 18$ may be best spent somewhere else.    … Expand
  3. CraigAA1028
    Aug 16, 2013
    10
    I sat down and played through "Gone Home" and I was really impressed by it.

    The premise of Gone Home is that you're a girl named Kaitlin who has returned home from an extended trip around Europe. You arrive on a stormy night to find the house seemingly deserted. You explore the many unique, detailed rooms trying to find out where your family, most notably your sister Sam, has    I sat down and played through "Gone Home" and I was really impressed by it.

    The premise of Gone Home is that you're a girl named Kaitlin who has returned home from an extended trip around Europe. You arrive on a stormy night to find the house seemingly deserted. You explore the many unique, detailed rooms trying to find out where your family, most notably your sister Sam, has disappeared to.

    Now let me get one thing out of the way right now; this is NOT an action or horror game. There are no enemies to fight, you're never in any danger and there are no jump scares (well there is actually a tiny one that many are likely to miss and is a clever joke given the context for it). This is a game about exploration, moving from room to room picking up a wide variety of interactive objects. There are locked doors that block your primary path, but finding the keys to open them is not difficult in any way. As long as you keep and eye out and examine the environment carefully, you'll never get stuck.

    Gone Home is here to tell a story and the story it weaves is well told, personal, believable, touching and easy to relate to. The main focus is on your sister Sam, who provides voice over from her diary when certain objects are found. The delivery is perfect and it's impossible not to get attached to her. I was smiling as she talked about making her first real friend and getting her butt kicked at Street Fighter, and generally upset when she described obstacles in her life. I was strongly invested in Sam's story, hoping out loud numerous times that my predicted outcomes were incorrect. For a character only seen in pictures and heard in voice over, she is extremely well developed and easy to care for.

    While the focus is certainly on Sam, she's not the only character. As you explore the house, you learn about your parents and even alittle back story about the home's previous occupants. You'll get insight into the state of their marriage, obstacles in their careers and their interests solely from looking around. The game treats you like an adult, giving you the pieces and leaving you to draw your own conclusions without ramming it down your throat. It's possible to miss or ignore these details if you want, but they only immerse you further so I'd recommend reading everything you can.

    While this is not a horror game, the atmosphere is certainly eerie. The house is large and feels believably lived in so wandering it all alone is somewhat unsettling, especially as claps of thunder come from outside, lights flicker and walls creak. Even knowing that nothing in this house is out to get you (which has been stated by the developers), it's hard not to have this small unnerving feeling as you look around, especially since someone in your family is interested in the supernatural and has left books abut hauntings laying around, planting the idea of ghosts in your head as you walk down a dark hallway. Don't be surprised if you find yourself rushing for the nearest light source each time you enter a room just to calm your nerves a bit.

    I came away from Gone Home feeling refreshed and knowing that the experience will stick with me. It's currently $20 on Steam, which some may find steep for a 2-3 hour experience, but I think it's worth it for a game this special. If you're looking for action or scares then don't bother cause this isn't the place for either and you'll just be bored. It requires patience since, again, your sole activity is searching every nook and cranny of numerous rooms and taking in the story, but those that give it a chance are likely to find an experience they'll think back fondly on. And if you're on the fence and don't want to take the hit just yet, then make damn sure you pick it up should it ever go on sale.    … Expand
  4. ALgendaryKiwi
    Aug 16, 2013
    10
    I don't usually give games a 10. In fact, there are only 2 other games that I would consider to be perfect 10s: the original portal and pacman ce dx. Those aren't necessarily the best games I've played, but they are the most perfect, if that makes sense. And that is a word that I would use to describe Gone Home: perfect. It is a game purely comprised of exploration and discovery, withI don't usually give games a 10. In fact, there are only 2 other games that I would consider to be perfect 10s: the original portal and pacman ce dx. Those aren't necessarily the best games I've played, but they are the most perfect, if that makes sense. And that is a word that I would use to describe Gone Home: perfect. It is a game purely comprised of exploration and discovery, with virtually no other gameplay components with the exception of some very simplistic puzzles. And yet, Gone Home manages to make seemingly mundane exploration into some of the most engaging and emotional storytelling I have ever seen. Gone Home will be remembered for its brilliant design and execution, but also as a game that bravely led the charge in addressing contemporary social issues that have not as of yet found much representation in the medium.
    This game is not for everyone. If all you play are shooters and fast paced action games, then Gone Home will bore you. However, if you like slower games or games with interesting ways of telling stories, such as Journey, Heavy Rain, Dear Esther, or even mods like The Stanley Parable, than Gone home is certain to grab you and not let go for its 3 hour duration.    … Expand
  5. Hauntedfish
    Aug 17, 2013
    10
    This game is not for nonintellectuals and the unimaginative. This video game is masterfully crafted in all rights. This is the most connected I have felt to any characters in a single video game ever. Gone Home's ability to suspend belief is remarkable. This in fact is a video game, an amazing one. If you would love to take a personal high detail hand crafted journey into another life thenThis game is not for nonintellectuals and the unimaginative. This video game is masterfully crafted in all rights. This is the most connected I have felt to any characters in a single video game ever. Gone Home's ability to suspend belief is remarkable. This in fact is a video game, an amazing one. If you would love to take a personal high detail hand crafted journey into another life then play this video game. Just because a game is "short" means nothing. This is completely worth its price. I am proud that this video game exists.… Expand
  6. athenax
    Aug 17, 2013
    9
    This game needed to be made. Video games have become trite, predictable. This game, I honestly had no clue how it was going to end until it ended. It was suspenseful and actually scary without all the boring repetitive killing sequences like in common games, it was emotional, it was well written and designed. And a game with not one, but actually two female protagonists? YES. WOW. YouThis game needed to be made. Video games have become trite, predictable. This game, I honestly had no clue how it was going to end until it ended. It was suspenseful and actually scary without all the boring repetitive killing sequences like in common games, it was emotional, it was well written and designed. And a game with not one, but actually two female protagonists? YES. WOW. You wouldn't think that would be so hard! This game needed to be made. And more need to me made that are like it. I played it once through by myself and then a second time with my partner. This game means a lot to us from a social justice standpoint and from a socially conscious video gaming standpoint. It needs to win all of the awards. All the sexist trolls can go back to playing "CoD 24: Shoot More Random Guys Isn't This Fun", if they don't like this game.… Expand
  7. RapNoize
    Aug 18, 2013
    10
    A perfect example of a game of this genre. Story is strong, visuals are intensive and sounds are very atmospheric. Discovering hidden secrets is enjoyable as ever. 10 out of 10.
  8. RetRap
    Aug 20, 2013
    9
    It seems that a lot of people are missing the point of Gone Home. It's unfair to call this a game, it is truly a piece of interactive story telling. If Gone Home is anything, it's a glimpse into a future of entertainment where the task of thinking is given back to the viewer rather than the program maker. Gone Home tells a tail of familiar teenage development in a beautifully haunting way.It seems that a lot of people are missing the point of Gone Home. It's unfair to call this a game, it is truly a piece of interactive story telling. If Gone Home is anything, it's a glimpse into a future of entertainment where the task of thinking is given back to the viewer rather than the program maker. Gone Home tells a tail of familiar teenage development in a beautifully haunting way. Think of this in the same way as you would a thoughtful piece of television drama but with the magical twist that you're the director. Being able to dictate the pace and flow of the piece really does open up a whole new perspective in drama and I for one applaud the team behind Gone Home for being brave enough to complete this vision.
    Yes it has a step asking price, and frankly I think it's too high a price for most. However, ignoring the economics of the situation Gone Home gives me hope that 'gaming' can continue to become a medium more and more accessible but at the same time, more engaging and enlightening. Supporting this game (even with it's ridiculous asking price) gives hope to the medium.    … Expand
  9. Chabooski
    Aug 18, 2013
    9
    I am simply shocked at the number of low user scores. Perhaps 'Gone Home's incredible writing, beautiful story, great use of lighting, mysterious house full of secrets, and wonderful interaction aren't for everybody. But I found this game, apart from its short length, to be nearly flawless. Discovering new things about the characters and the house itself through the power of explorationI am simply shocked at the number of low user scores. Perhaps 'Gone Home's incredible writing, beautiful story, great use of lighting, mysterious house full of secrets, and wonderful interaction aren't for everybody. But I found this game, apart from its short length, to be nearly flawless. Discovering new things about the characters and the house itself through the power of exploration was a blast, and the story brought me to tears. A video game doesn't need explosions to be a wonderful demonstration of the medium. I would recommend this game to anybody, especially high school students and parents with teenage children. This game perfectly captured how it feels to be a teenager, how the 90's felt, and how awesome it feels to explore large houses during a thunderstorm. 9/10. If you don't like it, I believe steam is currently having a sale on Call of Duty (They aren't really, I was just being a clever douche).… Expand
  10. Magespower
    Aug 18, 2013
    9
    Gone Home is a game that wants to tell you a story and does so with such ease that you feel invested in it from the first journal entry till the last. In gone home you play as Kaitlin Greenbriar returning home after being abroad in Europe to find your house empty and your parents and sister Sam missing. Your goal is to solve the mystery of where your family has mysteriously disappeared to.Gone Home is a game that wants to tell you a story and does so with such ease that you feel invested in it from the first journal entry till the last. In gone home you play as Kaitlin Greenbriar returning home after being abroad in Europe to find your house empty and your parents and sister Sam missing. Your goal is to solve the mystery of where your family has mysteriously disappeared to.

    The main and only objective of the game is to search the empty house for clues, and as you find them Sam will tell a story in the form of journals entries. The game is set in a house in the year 1995 and The Fullbright Company does the era justice from finding cassettes to VHS tapes littered around the house. What makes gone home so special though is the storytelling.

    In my two hour play through I felt so many different emotions that in any other form of entertainment would not have been possible. From scared, sad, nervous, and much more I can honestly say a game has never encouraged me to feel so much. If your looking for a game packed with action and fighting bad guys this game is most certainly not for you, but if your interested in one of the best stories I've experienced in recent memory this game is a must buy.    … Expand
  11. JuanRegular
    Aug 17, 2013
    10
    As these reviews here undoubtedly made clear, 'Gone Home' isn't a game that will appeal to everybody. It's definitely a difficult game to review or even describe. People will say that all you do is walk around a house and look at stuff. That is very much true. It's all you do in this game, but it seems to me like a lot of people fail to understand why that is or at least can be a goodAs these reviews here undoubtedly made clear, 'Gone Home' isn't a game that will appeal to everybody. It's definitely a difficult game to review or even describe. People will say that all you do is walk around a house and look at stuff. That is very much true. It's all you do in this game, but it seems to me like a lot of people fail to understand why that is or at least can be a good thing. Gone Home is in essence a story based exploration and puzzle game, but not quite in the way you might expect. Talking about puzzles in Gone Home means that the game challenges you to puzzle out its characters through the things you find in the house. You learn all these little details about the Greenbriar family by finding their belongings, investigating them and drawing your own conclusions as to what they might mean. Remember the Ratman hideouts in Portal and your thought process as you tried to figure out what might have happened there? Gone Home has a ton of these little moments of environmental storytelling, but instead of an abandoned sci-fi research facility, it takes place in a setting you know, that you can completely relate to. There was one moment in particular that involved the father of the house who we never see or hear but through several notes and clues I found I was able to understand his inner struggles and his character better than I would ever have any other way. It was a proper 'holy crap' moment and it was glorious. This is why Gone Home is very much a game. It doesn't have the traditional gamey challenges you might expect, but instead sets out to challenge you in very different and new ways and in my humble opinion brilliantly pulls it off. This kind of storytelling is simply impossible in any other medium.
    It is short at about 2 to 3 hours of playtime and it's understandable that at the current price point that may not be enough for a lot of people but I think it's well worth it. It's an experience unlike anything else and at least for that it should be appreciated even it isn't you cup of tea.    … Expand
  12. Masterhummel
    Aug 17, 2013
    9
    So... yeah, it was good.

    Got trough in good one hour and a half but there's probably double the length if you really digg into it. It wasnt bad since it made me go trough several emotions. Is it worth 20$? Well, i dunno. Think 10$ would be more appropiate but on the other hand the game actually is pretty unique. Short, if you liked Dear Esther you will probably love this one. If    So... yeah, it was good.

    Got trough in good one hour and a half but there's probably double the length if you really digg into it. It wasnt bad since it made me go trough several emotions. Is it worth 20$? Well, i dunno. Think 10$ would be more appropiate but on the other hand the game actually is pretty unique.

    Short, if you liked Dear Esther you will probably love this one. If you're expect a real adventure, think it over twice.    … Expand
  13. GameInterpreter
    Aug 18, 2013
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Words can almost not describe what this emotionally gripping story of a misunderstood teenage girl makes you feel. It gives you a feeling of happiness, sadness, fear, and even humor at points, but in the end it chooses a route that you at first believe you will dread that actually gives you a sense of hope and happiness that shows that love is a powerful force that can drive people to do things that some would call foolish, but I believe it to be extraordinary. Not since The Last of Us has a video game made me shed tears, but instead of tears of sadness I shed tears of happiness and joy for an ending that denied usual trend of dark, gloomy, or even uncertain endings and gave us the fantastic narrative that is Gone Home.

    Absolute 10 out of 10    … Expand
  14. halldoc1
    Aug 17, 2013
    9
    Really great game. Different than I though. Too short though or I would have given 10/10. However, the detail and story they put into it makes up for any other issues. They need to make more indie games like this.
  15. cylemmulo
    Aug 18, 2013
    9
    I think there is some justification for people giving bad review, this isn't something for everyone which I'm sure the developer knew going in. HOWEVER Certain people saying the story was to simple really didn't get everything out of it. There are many subplots that you really have to explore the game all the way to see and they are honestly just as interesting. As well as how the mainI think there is some justification for people giving bad review, this isn't something for everyone which I'm sure the developer knew going in. HOWEVER Certain people saying the story was to simple really didn't get everything out of it. There are many subplots that you really have to explore the game all the way to see and they are honestly just as interesting. As well as how the main story is laid out is just great, finding things in the way you do (ex. listen to the answering machine right away and having no clue whats going on with it)

    The Graphics are pretty good for an Indie game, the lighting was pretty cool and there were so many objects to see it was great. However for some reason with alot of lights on sometimes performance plummeted on my laptop and I have a GTX 660M which is far above the requirements.

    All in all, I agree it might be more for a lower price tag but there were some really great production values in this and it was a game that a lot of people just won't forget. You got to kind of have more in touch with the main character and feel a bit more like you were there, not just watching.    … Expand
  16. ArmCritic
    Aug 16, 2013
    9
    Gone Home is astonishing Great story telling and voice acting Whoever likes indie games like Dear Esther must play this one for sure 9/10 great game
  17. andrewb694
    Aug 16, 2013
    9
    Gone Home is a fantastic Interactive Story, and if you think of it as that then the $20 price is justified. However it is dreadfully short, I personally beat it in an hour.

    The story in this game is still fantastic enough for me to say that this is one of the games everyone will want to play. Newly released hardcover books are $15, movie tickets are anywhere from $10 to $20, and this    Gone Home is a fantastic Interactive Story, and if you think of it as that then the $20 price is justified. However it is dreadfully short, I personally beat it in an hour.

    The story in this game is still fantastic enough for me to say that this is one of the games everyone will want to play. Newly released hardcover books are $15, movie tickets are anywhere from $10 to $20, and this fits in that price range.

    +Godly amazing environment and story.
    -Short
    9/10    … Expand
  18. Elynora
    Aug 17, 2013
    10
    This was a very touching story, and like Dear Esther will have a lasting effect on me. I'm not sure why people complain that this 'shouldn't be a game'; as if it shouldn't exist as anything more than written text. Why not give it an atmosphere you can play through? I felt completely immersed, which is what I expect the creator of Gone Home was aiming for. I really enjoyed the subject ofThis was a very touching story, and like Dear Esther will have a lasting effect on me. I'm not sure why people complain that this 'shouldn't be a game'; as if it shouldn't exist as anything more than written text. Why not give it an atmosphere you can play through? I felt completely immersed, which is what I expect the creator of Gone Home was aiming for. I really enjoyed the subject of the story it wasn't what I was expecting when I first began to explore, but I was quite relieved that this didn't turn out to be another ghost/stalker story.… Expand
  19. 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.
  20. 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
  21. 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
  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. 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
  24. mraboud
    Dec 17, 2013
    9
    From the creators of the famous RPG game, BioShock comes Gone Home, an intriguing and suspenseful, first-person game played from the point of view of Katie Greenbriar. When Katie arrives home from Europe, she realizes that her entire family has deserted the house. As our heroine begins to search for clues about their disappearance, terrible secrets and an intricate plot line emerge toFrom the creators of the famous RPG game, BioShock comes Gone Home, an intriguing and suspenseful, first-person game played from the point of view of Katie Greenbriar. When Katie arrives home from Europe, she realizes that her entire family has deserted the house. As our heroine begins to search for clues about their disappearance, terrible secrets and an intricate plot line emerge to capture the player’s imagination.

    Gone Home is a unique style of game, as it is exploration based, and the player merely roams around the house finding clues, unlike most games, which involve violence and conquering levels. The subtlety of the game is also a rare quality, since the plot is not obvious at first, although the plot later shows the complexity of characters, and their history, once scrutinized. Without giving too much away, the story involves unusual and complex relationships between characters. Although the graphics are not modern, their lack of sophistication reflects the 1995 setting effectively. In fact, the game has been praised for its realistic depiction of the 1990s and, indeed, items such as tube television sets, auto stereograms, and 90s board games frame the time period convincingly.

    The realism, however, is at times bothersome because the game is too darkly lit. It is often overly time consuming for the player to wander around finding light switches, which feels like an odd use of the player’s time. Another negative aspect of this game is its length, as it only takes a few hours to complete from start to finish. Also, in terms of gameplay, the replay value is diminished since there is a static narrative, which limits the gaming experience.

    Overall, Gone Home is an enjoyable for the person who likes story-based games rather than brutality. In other words, fans of GTA and Call of Duty may not appreciate the nuanced mood and activities, where Katie collects personal notes, family secrets, and discovers underground passageways and keys to the past. Readers may enjoy this game as most of the game’s strength lies in the layered narrative structure. As mentioned above, the game length is not comparable to popular games as the cost per hour of gameplay is significantly higher, although it may provide the same satisfaction for the more thoughtful player.    … Expand
  25. Halklenx
    Dec 10, 2014
    8
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Gone Home is a digital story, a game that is not based around how the game is played, but rather based around the content that is in it. The game starts with an answering machine recording that explains where the main character is, and that she has just returned from Europe after a year of being away. The first major thing that the player sees is a note on the door that says: “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 Mom and Dad anyone to know. We’ll see each other again some day. Don’t be worried. I love you. – Sam” and this note, which is taped to the door, is the first piece of information that starts off the entire game.

    The first time that I played through this game, I was completely enthralled with the story, and since I am an avid fan of open world games, such as the Fallout series, I have a slight tendency to make sure that I check everything around the house. The game plays very slowly, mostly because of the speed of the character, which is always walking, and thus, almost ensures that you will find more items throughout the game, rather then physically and metaphorically running through the game.

    The game has an odd way of portraying its graphics, the game looks realistic, but it doesn’t have incredible detail, and so when the player is walking around the house, it feels like you are actually walking around the house, but when you go up to a piece of wood paneling, you can not see the grain, although the wood is not hyper realistic, it still looks real.

    The sound in this game is in my opinion what makes this game what it is, the small creaks of the house, the rain on the windows, walls and roof whenever you get close to them. The sporadic lighting and thunder throughout the game add a degree of scariness to the game.

    I thoroughly enjoyed playing this game; I loved the story, the ability to explore the house how I wanted. There is not much to complain about the game, your playing through it and its great; its when you play it again that the games has lost most of its luster and since you have already completed the story, and if you have found everything, there is nothing else to do, no other side to take, it is just done.    … Expand
  26. tommykirbs
    Dec 14, 2014
    8
    Gone Home, a game developed and designed by the Fullbright Company, combines the excitement and intrigue that are involved when solving mysteries, and turned it into an interesting and engaging video game. You are immersed into this surreal world, and in order to learn more about the situation you are in, you need to start exploring.

    The best part of this game, I believe, is its ability    Gone Home, a game developed and designed by the Fullbright Company, combines the excitement and intrigue that are involved when solving mysteries, and turned it into an interesting and engaging video game. You are immersed into this surreal world, and in order to learn more about the situation you are in, you need to start exploring.

    The best part of this game, I believe, is its ability to pull you in and force you into the brain of Katie Greenbriar, which I believe is achieved through their audio tracks. If you play this game with headphones on, and make a point of listening to everything, along with exploring, it can give you a completely different experience. It brings you into the home, and triggers emotions in the players mind that can be believed to be felt by Katie as well. This makes the game so much more real, and it helps to connect with Katie and the other characters when their thoughts are expressed not just through words on paper, but with their voices.

    The worst part of this game is definitely the actual ways that clues are found. This game lacks excitement. To find out clues, all you have to do is pick something up and examine it. There are no puzzles or adrenaline affecting activities that help you push through this two hour search, they just made it a linear, strenuous task of searching every area of the house until you trigger Sam’s journal entries. The only known puzzle to solve in the game are the lock combinations, which were just minute obstacles to overcome.

    The last part of this game I am going to discuss are the graphics and the gameplay, which I believe are average. They are not great, but are not awful at the same time. I definitely could have done with them perfecting the opening of doors, but this did not defer me from my game experience whatsoever. Some of the items picked up could also not have been so pixelated, but to run the game on my computer I needed to use the lowest graphic possible, so this may be fixed on a higher resolution setting. These two things I believe would have made the game slightly closer to being perfect, but did not affect the gameplay enough for me to stop playing.

    All together, I enjoyed being able to transfer myself into Katie’s body, and search an abandoned house finding clues, but I found myself bored of searching drawers and rooms, which is a big downside for me. I would recommend this game, but it definitely requires a commitment to playing. You can’t just play the game to beat it, you have to play it to solve it.    … Expand
  27. anthonylisi
    Dec 15, 2014
    9
    The creators of Gone Home have somehow captured the intoxicating high that comes from problem solving and put their brilliance into a beautiful, plot-rich video game. It’s 1995 when Katie Greenbriar returns home after a year in Europe to a violent thunderstorm, an empty house, and a missing family. You’re then given a sort-of “license to snoop”, an opportunity to search through, with aThe creators of Gone Home have somehow captured the intoxicating high that comes from problem solving and put their brilliance into a beautiful, plot-rich video game. It’s 1995 when Katie Greenbriar returns home after a year in Europe to a violent thunderstorm, an empty house, and a missing family. You’re then given a sort-of “license to snoop”, an opportunity to search through, with a clear conscience, every note, letter, and personal artifact in the house to discover the whereabouts of the Greenbriar family. Unlike the most popular videogames that balance action-based gameplay and an interesting storyline, Gone Home is focused almost completely on the plotline. But how can a game be good if I’m unable to blow up aliens or drag race Lamborghinis, you might ask? Well, the short answer is it can be good – it can be really good, in fact. This game belongs in a class of it’s own, mainly because it encompasses the best characteristics of a good short story (or even a novel, for that matter) in a creative and interactive space. All of the clues and artifacts are there for you, but locating them will only get you so far; if you really want to understand what’s going on, you have to remain sharp throughout the game, and start to pick up on trends (the good stuff comes when you start to connect the dots). I was quite surprised with how riveting the game was. Once I started, I became obsessed with finding all of the pieces to the puzzle and ultimately solving the mystery. That being said, the only thing I don’t like about this game is that once you’ve played it over a few times and understand everything that’s going on, it quickly becomes boring. It’s understandable and almost by design, but if I had to pick out one thing that I wish could be better, that would be it. So, if the review doesn’t scream it enough, I IMPLORE you to dabble into the brilliance of Gone Home. Immerse yourself in the beautifully designed game, and allow your headspace to become addicted to the mystery. It’s fun, innovative, riveting, and you’ll likely feel a little smarter after you’ve finished and figured everything out. Overall, I give this game a top rating. I hope you all have the same experience I did!… Expand
  28. 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
  29. 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
  30. 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
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Awards & Rankings

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

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
86

Generally favorable reviews - based on 56 Critic Reviews

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