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. SondreVa
    Nov 1, 2015
    6
    Gone home is a game about Kaitlin, who have just come home from he backpacking trip in Europe. When she comes home no one is there, and she finds clues to where the rest of the family have gone.

    The good things about this “game” is that it has a somewhat great story, and you can interact with almost all the 1990s artifacts you find in the house. The amount of details the developers put    Gone home is a game about Kaitlin, who have just come home from he backpacking trip in Europe. When she comes home no one is there, and she finds clues to where the rest of the family have gone.

    The good things about this “game” is that it has a somewhat great story, and you can interact with almost all the 1990s artifacts you find in the house. The amount of details the developers put in to the house is also astounding. It is like they googled the 1990s and just put everything in the house. So if you are a 90s kid you will most likely get a nostalgic feeling. The journals were also really well written, and the voice actor for Samantha did an amazing job of making you invested in her, but the gameplay felt really slow, mainly because you could not sprint, so you had to take your time with everything. Which I personally don’t like, because I am really impatient. The graphics was not amazing, but they aren’t really the focus of the game either, and you cant expect really expect the most advanced graphics from a crew of 3-4 people.

    Gone home is a very short game, I spent 1-2 hours on the game, this includes the entire story, inspecting various 90s artefacts and even using the developer commentary. Because of the lack of length of gameplay I don’t think this game should be priced at 20$. And I personally would not really call this a game, sure it is interactive, but you would get the same experience from watching a short movie with the same plot.

    As I said I only spent about 2 hours on the game, so the story is not that long and it is not really detailed, and I would like to see journals written by both her parents, Daniel and Lonnie. It was an interesting concept to only follow Samantha, but the story became very predictable after 4 journals.

    It is not the best game I’ve played but it is certainly not the worst either. But I think Fullbright as a company has great potential, and Gone home is good steppingstone to make great games.    … Expand
  2. 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
  3. leaveit
    Oct 2, 2015
    0
    Essentially a book with a boring old Seventh Heaven story and a clumsy interface for turning the pages. The "game" can literally be beaten in 1 minute.

    UPDATE: The developers have banned me from the Steam forums for summing up the game in 3 words when prompted: "People Buy Anything." Seeing as how this violates neither the Steam rules nor any local rules, and no reason was given other    Essentially a book with a boring old Seventh Heaven story and a clumsy interface for turning the pages. The "game" can literally be beaten in 1 minute.

    UPDATE: The developers have banned me from the Steam forums for summing up the game in 3 words when prompted: "People Buy Anything." Seeing as how this violates neither the Steam rules nor any local rules, and no reason was given other than action being taken on that post (which was then deleted), I can only conclude that the developers either do PR censorship/cleanup or trawl ancient forum threads - this one was at least 3 months old at the time - to reassure themselves or immaturely silence their detractors. So bravo, Fullbright, you managed to do exactly what Derek Smart is infamous for doing but without catching any flack for it.    … Expand
  4. 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
  5. TheDavyStar
    Aug 30, 2015
    7
    Gone Home, like all of them other games where the act of walking advances you further into the game, is a weird one. It's obviously not a game in the sense that there is a challenge, or that you play to have fun. Instead, Gone Home puts you in the role of Katie, a young woman who returns home after traveling around Europe. When she finds nobody home and a suspicious note on the door, KatieGone Home, like all of them other games where the act of walking advances you further into the game, is a weird one. It's obviously not a game in the sense that there is a challenge, or that you play to have fun. Instead, Gone Home puts you in the role of Katie, a young woman who returns home after traveling around Europe. When she finds nobody home and a suspicious note on the door, Katie finds she hasa lot of catching up to do. From here you proceed to walk around, looking at various items around the house. It sounds unexciting, but the subtlety that comes with it helps you get really immersed in Gone Home's lovely setting. You can feel for how human each character is, despite never physically manifesting in the actual game.

    I would mark this game down, however, on the basis that the ending is just a bit too sudden and open-ended for my tastes. I came back to this game after misplacing my laptop for a whole month, and when I came back to it I didn't realise I was so close to the end. Additionally, it's too expensive for its length - 2 hours. It's a great 2 hours, but na pricey 2 hours nonetheless.

    If you don't mind spending a fair amount of cash on a 2-hour game, it's fair to say that Gone Home will be worth your while. The open-endedness of it and its rather abrupt ending may put off some, but the brilliant, subtle storytelling and character development will make sure that you come back from this game enlightened at what the art of videogames can be.    … Expand
  6. Frosty1979
    Jul 29, 2015
    0
    Played this because of the good reviews from professional sites. Geez, after playing this "game" I feel like the victim of a prank now.

    At first I thought it's some kind of horror game, but in the end it was just a little love story about your lesbian sister running away with her lover. Well great,,, what a wast e of time.
  7. abraxas31415
    Jul 26, 2015
    0
    A game perfect for hipsters and SWs, so a piece of **** for any sane person. I played it for 40 minutes and I could not continue because I was too bored. Much later, I checked the ending and was relived that I did not miss anything interesting. This game got good reviews from the "gaming press" because it is aligned with a SJW and hipster mentality. If you want a great meditative game, buyA game perfect for hipsters and SWs, so a piece of **** for any sane person. I played it for 40 minutes and I could not continue because I was too bored. Much later, I checked the ending and was relived that I did not miss anything interesting. This game got good reviews from the "gaming press" because it is aligned with a SJW and hipster mentality. If you want a great meditative game, buy Journey, or Dear Esther for a proper writing.… Expand
  8. 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.
  9. thelion71
    Jul 20, 2015
    1
    The numbers first:
    Graphics - 2/10
    Story - 2/10 Voice acting - 4/10 I was honestly disappointed that this even has the title of game! It would be better defined as an interactive story and not a very good one at that. There are elements that seem wildly out of place and do not add anything to 'the story' at all. I was sure that I just was not getting what this was about, so I had two    The numbers first:
    Graphics - 2/10
    Story - 2/10
    Voice acting - 4/10
    I was honestly disappointed that this even has the title of game! It would be better defined as an interactive story and not a very good one at that. There are elements that seem wildly out of place and do not add anything to 'the story' at all.
    I was sure that I just was not getting what this was about, so I had two of my friends play it (both of whom are girls) and they also panned it.
    DO NOT BUY THIS GAME!    … Expand
  10. filiphendrickx
    Jul 19, 2015
    3
    I only made a account on metacritic just to warn people of this game. Although it has a nice soundtrack and the intention of the game developers probably was in the right direction, the end results is an abomination. The gameplay is horrible (click on everything until you can proceed, even bad for a click and point), the story has a lot of red herrings and the game is just TWO hours long!I only made a account on metacritic just to warn people of this game. Although it has a nice soundtrack and the intention of the game developers probably was in the right direction, the end results is an abomination. The gameplay is horrible (click on everything until you can proceed, even bad for a click and point), the story has a lot of red herrings and the game is just TWO hours long! If this were a free game I would give it an okay score, but this isn't the case. This game gets a lot attention because of the 'deep message' it conveys to the player. But unless you're a homophobic red neck who still believes in male supremacy, you will find the story ( and especially the ending) not groundbreaking but boring as hell.… Expand
  11. Rem
    Jul 10, 2015
    7
    Gone Home presents a clear divide between gamers on it being a piece of art that represents the best of video games, while being rectified for being too much of an interactive novel. Gone Home achieves neither of these, but instead carves out a unique identity of its own, catered to the most patient and open of gamers who are willing to look past a few design flaws. You play as KatieGone Home presents a clear divide between gamers on it being a piece of art that represents the best of video games, while being rectified for being too much of an interactive novel. Gone Home achieves neither of these, but instead carves out a unique identity of its own, catered to the most patient and open of gamers who are willing to look past a few design flaws. You play as Katie Greenbriar an older sister who returns from her round trip around Europe back to her home in Boston to find the house completely empty. The sole mechanics of this game include walking and picking up items to inspect them. Each item is terribly mundane, but it adds charm to a setting in the 90s where Street Fighter 2 was still a thing. Gone Home really makes you feel lonely and exploring the ridiculously large house uncovering the story of your absent sister is pleasing, despite the only real piece of story bits coming from Sam's voiceovers. Her story that unfolds is beautiful and captivating, but I can't shake the feeling that this was charged for 20 dollars. It's a clear experience, but I feel it would have been more powerful if you had more interactivity with how you went about, but what's there is serviceable to the plot. It's interesting to explore the Greenbriar's residence, but the experience is over before you can say "lesbians". It's captivating, but the feeling is fleeting.… Expand
  12. coustoe
    Jul 2, 2015
    1
    This isn't really a game, its just a boring marginal social justice story, it has no gameplay elements all yo do is walk around a house and find out that a girl has a lesbian lover and thats the story, no surprises twist interactive mutliple outcomes decisions nothing, this is not a game, and people who fall for this because the Social justice media tells them to like it are fools.
  13. douggernaut
    Jun 29, 2015
    0
    A lesbian coming of age story!! The very least they could do is tell you that. I heard stories of finding yourself alone in your home looking for your missing family. Sounded interesting..but no one would say anything more about it. Not what I was expecting. Feeling duped. If that is what you are looking for then enjoy! But it needs to be said out front...this is the story of a lesbianA lesbian coming of age story!! The very least they could do is tell you that. I heard stories of finding yourself alone in your home looking for your missing family. Sounded interesting..but no one would say anything more about it. Not what I was expecting. Feeling duped. If that is what you are looking for then enjoy! But it needs to be said out front...this is the story of a lesbian family member! That is all.… Expand
  14. Atr0s
    Jun 19, 2015
    4
    At first sight, it's a decent-looking game and you can interact with a lot of what you can see, and it's something you are supposed to do to get some insight in your character and everyone else involved. Unfortunately the game is about it, exploring an empty house and piecing together minor facts from the characters that advances the story toward the ending (with a few plot twists). TheAt first sight, it's a decent-looking game and you can interact with a lot of what you can see, and it's something you are supposed to do to get some insight in your character and everyone else involved. Unfortunately the game is about it, exploring an empty house and piecing together minor facts from the characters that advances the story toward the ending (with a few plot twists). The challenge is non-existent, there are no puzzles or any other sort of minigame, so this is more like an interactive book than a conventional game. A very short book, I must add.… Expand
  15. frozen_flame123
    Jun 8, 2015
    7
    Gone Home is an interactive story where you play as Kaitlin, a girl who comes back from Europe to visit her family and her childhood home, only to find that her parents and sister Samantha are gone. The rest of the game is spent trying to piece together clues about where your sister is. You find, I forget, but I think it is 7 notes throughout the game. These 7 notes are the things thatGone Home is an interactive story where you play as Kaitlin, a girl who comes back from Europe to visit her family and her childhood home, only to find that her parents and sister Samantha are gone. The rest of the game is spent trying to piece together clues about where your sister is. You find, I forget, but I think it is 7 notes throughout the game. These 7 notes are the things that progress the story. Each note tells a different part of Sam's life. The game has very good atmosphere, it's not a horror game, but it has almost a creepy atmosphere. It's made on the Amnesia engine, so that probably has something to do with it. A lot of log hallways and big rooms with very dim lighting.

    What this game does very well, better than virtually all game out there, is environmental storytelling. The only character in the game is you, and there is no other dialogue with any other character. The story moves along as you find clues. As you find more and more clues, you really get a good feel for the world that you are in. Games do not do this enough.

    However, GH's biggest problem is that environmental storytelling is ALL that it does. In a story driven game character interactions are very important because it can give the characters more dimensions. All of the characters are very one dimensional. You don't ever go into any depth to find out the motivations or the facets of their characters. This is why you can't build a game around environmental storytelling. Environmental storytelling paired with dialogue can turn one dimensional characters into three dimensional characters. If the game allowed you to talk to Sam, your parents, or Lonnie, it could give you better insight into the personalities of each of them, allowing for a stronger story.    … Expand
  16. Mauraer
    May 31, 2015
    0
    If you enjoy pink haired hipster pretentious "art" pieces, passing as a videogame... you will enjoy this... else avoid at all cost...
    Not worth a penny
  17. RosstheBoss0
    May 7, 2015
    1
    Frankly a supreme warning, this game is simply walking around a house for 20 mins, while you listen to a girl tell you why she's not home, where it then ends. Nothing special, at all, this game is over hyped beyond belief most likely for its support by "feminist" and "lgbt" groups, whether or not they think its good representation, it by no means makes a good game.

    Barely worth £4 or    Frankly a supreme warning, this game is simply walking around a house for 20 mins, while you listen to a girl tell you why she's not home, where it then ends. Nothing special, at all, this game is over hyped beyond belief most likely for its support by "feminist" and "lgbt" groups, whether or not they think its good representation, it by no means makes a good game.

    Barely worth £4 or $6, it really isn't.    … Expand
  18. 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.
  19. MikeMichaels
    Apr 14, 2015
    0
    This is not a game. At all. Tetris is a game. Fallout 3 is a game. This is a walking-around-the-house-when-you-have-nothing-better-to-do simulator.
  20. 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.
  21. Yirg
    Mar 27, 2015
    5
    Pretty boring game. Builds up the atmosphere of a horror game and never really delivers. What it does deliver is a relatively uninteresting story with characters I didn't really connect with. Maybe I played it too leisurely and when I was too tired to care, but I assume that a better game would do more to pick up my interest and pace.
  22. 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
  23. demacabre
    Mar 24, 2015
    1
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. This is the game why I no longer trust big publication reviewers. I bought this game for $20 based solely on the hype from video game reviewers. If it had a perfect score, it had to be good right? I cannot stress enough: "This is not a game." You walk around an empty house and click items to read. You can beat it in an hour, and the twist is as dull as it comes.… Expand
  24. 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
  25. Taylor_
    Mar 16, 2015
    0
    a game with no gameplay,no way of losing ,no enemy's or challenges

    the focus is on the story ,a fanficion level joke that is so pretentious is laughable

    if you want a game with good LGBT characters go play a Telltale game
  26. theInsaneThief
    Mar 4, 2015
    2
    i will give a two because the music wasn't so bad i guess.
    i sure love video games where you do nothing at all,not everything must be action-filled to hell and back,but i would have rather spend this money on a good book or movie.
  27. 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
  28. Marcusdw
    Feb 4, 2015
    0
    Dreadful. Note really a game at all - wander round a house, uncover a rather dull story about a tedious family. Ghosts? Nah. Puzzles? Nah. Surprises? Nah. Save your money.
  29. DarkLordGig
    Jan 24, 2015
    0
    Why would any one play this. $20 for a **** story and no gameplay. You know what you should do with your $20 buy a better game such as LISA the painful RPG
  30. 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
  31. Daftshadows
    Jan 15, 2015
    7
    Gone home is a first person, interactive game, where you, the main character, searches through the house your younger sister and parents moved into, while you were away traveling. You go through the house and learn the secrets that each family member has. Although there are many different stories the main one you follow, about her younger sister, is the most interesting.

    In gone home    Gone home is a first person, interactive game, where you, the main character, searches through the house your younger sister and parents moved into, while you were away traveling. You go through the house and learn the secrets that each family member has. Although there are many different stories the main one you follow, about her younger sister, is the most interesting.

    In gone home you first find a note your sister (Katie) has left on the front door saying “Please, please don’t go digging around trying to find out where I am.“ Of course you ignore that and enter the house ready to do some of the best snooping possible. As you begin your raid you learn about the family and where they work and some simple things, nothing juicy. Although the game starts off pretty slow you quickly start ripping apart drawers and find some interesting yet confusing photos, articles and notes. You quickly get into the rooms and find out that everyone is being a little bit of snake. If you take the opportunity to sift out every little note, crumpled piece of paper and anything you can read or even just look at the game gets a lot richer.

    The game does a great job of giving you the basic premise of what is going on in each family members life. They leave enough room for interpretation that you can draw your own conclusions with the satisfaction of labeling everyone a snake with significance evidence supporting it. With this being said I would have loved to know what happened to the “Good ol’ Christmas Duck” The house itself gives you a very creepy vibe and adds to the suspense of what will happen next. As the floors creek and your fear has you peaking around every corner the anticipation of a jump-scare enforces the steady pace you should have when playing.

    The game was entertaining enough to play again even after knowing the outcome of all the characters. Also I found that there was always something new each time I went back. I recommend this game for those who love games that have a wonderful story.    … Expand
  32. 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
  33. Trunkis
    Jan 10, 2015
    0
    Don't let them fool you, this is a badly written "adventure" game... If a character in a play, book or videogame , it is not interesting enough for you to care or relate to it.... it is badly written....

    And I come from playing text games on old crt monitors, so I can tell you a few things about interesting experiences with adventure games... Recommended if you are a sjw hipster...    Don't let them fool you, this is a badly written "adventure" game... If a character in a play, book or videogame , it is not interesting enough for you to care or relate to it.... it is badly written....

    And I come from playing text games on old crt monitors, so I can tell you a few things about interesting experiences with adventure games...

    Recommended if you are a sjw hipster... then you will love it...    … Expand
  34. bcbarnesrsgc
    Jan 10, 2015
    4
    The game Gone Home by the Fulbright company is as much of a story as it is video game. It is the story of a girl, who has been traveling for a year who then returns home. Upon her return, her family has bought a new house. When she goes to the new house, it is abandoned with a note on the door. The concept of the story is to try and uncover what happened to her family and where they are.The game Gone Home by the Fulbright company is as much of a story as it is video game. It is the story of a girl, who has been traveling for a year who then returns home. Upon her return, her family has bought a new house. When she goes to the new house, it is abandoned with a note on the door. The concept of the story is to try and uncover what happened to her family and where they are. Throughout the gameplay, you can find clues and snoop through their family home to uncover the story.

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

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

    Overall I thought it was a mediocre game. The code for the game seemed well written and it had very little technological errors. The errors lied in the story. It is clear that who ever wrote this game originated with a more tech background and not as much a story telling background. I would recommend it to those gamers that are into completing stories and uncovering mysteries. Defiantly would not recommend it for gamers that are into action.    … Expand
  35. evanhickey222
    Jan 6, 2015
    5
    Gone Home is a first person seeker video game that is centralized around Katie Greenbrier, a 17-year-old girl. Katie returns to a mansion in Arbor hill, Oregon from a yearlong trip, and discovers a note written to her from her sister, Sam. This note instructs Kaitlin (Katie) not to go looking for answers as to where she is. Curious, Katie steps into the house, after realizing nobody isGone Home is a first person seeker video game that is centralized around Katie Greenbrier, a 17-year-old girl. Katie returns to a mansion in Arbor hill, Oregon from a yearlong trip, and discovers a note written to her from her sister, Sam. This note instructs Kaitlin (Katie) not to go looking for answers as to where she is. Curious, Katie steps into the house, after realizing nobody is home, a series of characters, notes, and hints lead Kaitlin to her answer.

    The story of Gone Home mainly focuses on Sam, Janice (Mother), and Terrence (Father). Finding clues about her family allowed Katie to discover more and more about what happened when she was gone. I think this was a very unique and creative way of revealing information and critical plot points throughout the game. Because the game did not just hand you the knowledge, it forced you to start thinking outside the box to uncover more information about other characters. Although some may find this a challenging way to play a game, I found that this strategy made for highly effective gameplay.

    One aspect of the game that could have been stronger was the map exploration. . Katie was only permitted outside one time, and that was at the beginning of the game. I discovered that there were multiple missed opportunities to make the map more interesting, but instead there was only just a dead end or a blacked out window. Outside was barely explored throughout the game, which I thought was a big mistake both in terms of the game’s depth or intrigue and game time. While playing, I found that every room was becoming more and more predictable, where we would find the lights out, maybe one or two scraps of paper, and an unopened pizza box. Adding outside parameters of the house would have made the gameplay more intriguing and less predictable. In addition, adding the outdoor aspect would have added to the game time, which I found too short.

    The sound in the game was brilliantly done. If the intention was to feel like you were actually in the house yourself, then they succeeded and beyond. While playing the game I felt entrenched in this house, and that I genuinely had no clue where my family was. Every creaky door, rustled piece of paper, and opened safe noise enhanced this game immensely.

    I enjoyed playing this game a lot. It was packed full of information, clues and secret passages. Every twist and turn in the plot kept me on the edge of my seat. I would highly recommend this game.    … Expand
  36. 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
  37. 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 !
  38. 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.
  39. jah1138
    Dec 28, 2014
    3
    It's nice, but not overly compelling. There are no puzzles to solve, no mystery to uncover, and the player doesn't contribute at all, she's simply a consumer. There's really no game here, it's just pure exposition -- essentially, it's a short audio/visual story.

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

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

    So while I appreciate what Fullbright has tried to do with Gone Home -- focusing on a human story -- it feels very limited, even incomplete. It's nice to check out, but with its limitations, and at a 2+ hour runtime and zero repeatability, it's not worth anywhere near the retail price.    … Expand
  40. 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
  41. thisisg
    Dec 25, 2014
    0
    It's absolutely awful - this is a "game" that you can complete (without cheats) in 1 MINUTE, 58 SECONDS.

    I use the term "game" extremely loosely, because in reality, it's just the inner workings of a white whiny hipster's mind, with some awkward and clumsy lesbian wish fulfilment thrown into the mix.

    If you hate games, buy this. You'll LOVE It.
  42. bernardrossouw
    Dec 25, 2014
    1
    With a total playtime of one hour there is little to uphold the $20 price tag. This could have been a demo but not a full title.

    The game sets up a good atmosphere for a thriller or horror.
  43. PerfectCritic
    Dec 22, 2014
    1
    ..in short...
    This is NOT A GAME..it's an interactive story.
    And mostly streamlined, there's no player choice, action or reaction and there's not any effect from the surroundings, you'll just be reading letters from all around the huge house.
  44. 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
  45. 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
  46. fartheststar
    Dec 17, 2014
    7
    I enjoyed the game alot. If you like just exploring a world, and letting the world tell its story, then you should like this game. There's also more going on than the main storyline if you let yourself soak in the story. It's a story about family and family history. There's a lot been written, but I found myself engaged the entire way through, and felt the pacing and development were spotI enjoyed the game alot. If you like just exploring a world, and letting the world tell its story, then you should like this game. There's also more going on than the main storyline if you let yourself soak in the story. It's a story about family and family history. There's a lot been written, but I found myself engaged the entire way through, and felt the pacing and development were spot on.

    It's not a scary game. I don't like scary/tense games. This is not like that. Don't let concerns like that bother you. It's atmospheric - stormy night, big empty old unfamiliar house... but nothing there is gonna eat you!

    Other games that might have similar gameplay experience. Dear Esther (I liked Gone Home better than Dear Esther) and perhaps Lifeless Planet (which I really enjoyed). To The Moon is probably a similar experience (but different art aesthetic.)

    If this sounds the least bit interesting, I suggest you give it a try. I'm glad I played    … Expand
  47. 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
  48. brendan1717
    Dec 16, 2014
    7
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. After a year abroad in Europe, Katie Greenbriar returns to the new house that her family has just moved into. Upon her arrival, she finds a note on the front door from her sister Sam, warning her not to go searching for the family. Once in the house, it is clear that there is nobody home. From this point on, it is Katie’s mission to find out where her family has gone.
    Overall, I believe that the greatest strength of this game is its plot. I thoroughly enjoyed looking through the various rooms and finding numerous clues that led me to the end of the game. I think that the allusion to external video games and significant figures makes the story more intertwined with the real world, causing the game to seem more realistic. Furthermore, I believe that although the game has a limited amount of story driven gameplay, it compensates through the various Easter eggs (such as the purple basketball) and deviating plotlines, which lead you to consider controversial theories. For example, consider the theory that Uncle Oscar abused his nephew Terrence, who is the father of Katie and Sam. Though never directly stating this theory, the creators of the game are able to lay the foundations for the player to make this interpretation.
    The mechanics of the game are actually quite good. Although the graphics are not amazing, they are sufficient for the user to easily play through the game without any issues. I don’t really think that it is necessary for the game to have top of the line graphics and visuals because aside from making the game more realistic, they don’t really serve a purpose. One of the stronger mechanical aspects of the game is the audio. Throughout various point in the game, you come across journal entries written (and dictated) by Sam. Instead of just finding pieces of paper with what Sam wrote in her journal, small sections are dictated after finding something relevant to that entry in the game. This is helpful because it adds emotion to the information Sam is providing.
    One of the weakest aspects in the game is the ending. I believe that the plot of the game is genuinely strong, and so the ending should do the plotline justice. However, I believe this is not the case. In my opinion, the ending should instill excitement in the player, especially since the game is based on the premise of mystery. I was left with a feeling of disappointment when I realized what had actually happened to the family, not due to the fact that they had been harmed, but due to the fact that the majority of the plot, including the link to Oscar, was of no relevance.
    Overall I enjoyed playing Gone Home and I would definitely recommend it to anyone who is interested in the mystery genre. The plot has extreme depth considering the total playtime given to the player, and the mechanics of the game are quite strong. With the exception of the ending, it is a great game.    … Expand
  49. 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
  50. 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
  51. 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
  52. 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
  53. 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
  54. 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
  55. 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
  56. melia
    Dec 15, 2014
    7
    Gone Home is a first-person, single player, point and click, search and discover game where the player explores a storyline and eventually solves a mystery. The player enters the game, or interactive story, in the year 1995, from the narrative point of view of Katie Greenbriar, a 21-year-old who has just arrived back to Portland, Oregon from a backpacking trip in Europe, only to discoverGone Home is a first-person, single player, point and click, search and discover game where the player explores a storyline and eventually solves a mystery. The player enters the game, or interactive story, in the year 1995, from the narrative point of view of Katie Greenbriar, a 21-year-old who has just arrived back to Portland, Oregon from a backpacking trip in Europe, only to discover that her family appears to be missing from their gloomy, newly inherited mansion. Finding nobody home, it is up to Katie to discover what has transpired over the last year. The player begins the task of piecing together clues which objects around the mansion reveal. Some surprising details reveal the main plot while others simply enrich the background stories of the characters’ pasts and their intentions for the future.

    Gone Home was developed in 2013 by The Fullbright Company, which is owned and operated by three developers who had previously worked on a downloadable content expansion pack for BioShock Infinite owned by 2K, a big budget gaming developer. Such gaming developers typically produce games that are online multiplayer, involving leaderboards, high quality graphics, and which usually have a first-person shooter aspect to them. Gone Home is a completely different type of game where the focus is on a memorable storyline and the objective is to explore the lives and actions of the story’s characters to the point where you reach the conclusion of the story and thus the end of the game.

    The gameplay in Gone Home consists of self-determined exploration of different rooms where, for example, the gamer examines notes, objects, and audio journals spoken in the voice of Katie’s sister, Sam. Uncovering these well-thought-out details was the most captivating part of the whole game and did peek my curiosity as to what they would reveal about the story. Simulated ambient noises and audio effects were well done and professionally produced creating a realistic environment.

    A drawback and ultimate frustration about the gameplay was the complete focus on the steps of point, click and examine in order to make discoveries and keep the game going. There was a monotony to the clicking of a mouse in order to reveal the information the objects contained. The graphics fairly were fairly simple when compared with the photorealistic graphics of other games today, but it is what to expect from an indie game. Another downside for me was the fact that my actions did not determine any different outcome to the story, rather I was only making discoveries. The fact that the game has an ending that takes roughly two-hours to complete does not lend itself to being a good value for $20, especially as it has little to no replay value. On a final note, I had been hoping the story was going to make a turn into the occult or supernatural genre, and had thought that this was a possibility based on the creators’ past involvement with such genres in BioShock.

    Finally, I would give Gone Home a 7 out of 10 and would recommend it if you are looking for an interesting story exploration game, otherwise the gameplay format could leave you disappointed.    … Expand
  57. 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
  58. rwynn29
    Dec 15, 2014
    7
    The game “Gone Home” developed by The Fullbright Company uses a complex and developed story line as its main attraction. Players walk in the footsteps of Kaitlin Greenbriar as she comes home from a yearlong trip to find the new house, into which the family had moved into, empty. Through the course of the search through the house the character and player begins to uncover the events of theThe game “Gone Home” developed by The Fullbright Company uses a complex and developed story line as its main attraction. Players walk in the footsteps of Kaitlin Greenbriar as she comes home from a yearlong trip to find the new house, into which the family had moved into, empty. Through the course of the search through the house the character and player begins to uncover the events of the past year, a year she has missed. The discoveries slowly piece themselves together to explain the reason for her sisterís and parentsí apparent disappearance from the house.
    As a rule most games no matter how well designed have both their good and bad aspects, Gone home is no exception to this. The aspects that add to the game and make it an interesting run through are; the gameís interactive story, voice-overs and tangent stories. The game, which is centered on a rich and interactive story line, truly benefits from it. By generating a story line that can be revealed and played through in a few different ways but still leads to the same overall ending gives the player a feeling of greater control. To add to the experience the ways in which the voice overs which occur periodically at strategic points gives the game a more realistic feel as if the characters were real people enhancing the game play and overall story line. These aspects are then combined with a series of tangent stories that take place alongside the main story and can be unearthed and furthered throughout the course of the game. This I believe truly makes the game fun because it adds a series of extra layers that give more life to the game and donít truly end with a concrete answer keeping the player continuously guessing to their true meaning. Most important of all is that they do not clutter or subtract from the main story line of the game. The intriguing story and strategic use of voice-overs make the game a truly fun experience.
    Unfortunately there are some aspects to the game that are less than to be desired. Two specific things come to mind that are worth negatively critiquing; the brightness settings and the end of the game. Yes it is true that brightness settings can always be adjusted but overall the game has a rather dark vibe to it that understandably plays into the story thematic and adds to the game but it seems that at times even with higher brightness settings its difficult to see. Due to the difficulty of seeing objects I found that at times it was a chore trying to find objects in the semi darkness of the house. The second part that I found to be rather disappointing was the end. For such a build up in the game and all of the assumptions that one makes by the end, the ending chosen by the creators was rather bland and uninteresting. In my opinion the game could have been further enhanced with a more dramatic end, one that I was certain would happen when I reached the attic, but I wonít spoil the ending for you by telling you what doesn't happen. If the above listed things were to have been improved upon the game would be in my opinion a truly masterful work of digital and gaming art.
    Overall the game was fun and I enjoyed it. Though different from your everyday shooter with fast case action the story line was well thought out and interesting. I would recommend it to those that are more interested in the content of the game rather than looking for a way of killing a few hours with mindless game play due to the format of the game. If it were ever on sale I would tell people to try it out for they might like it, or not. The game is very specific in nature and hard to compare with an existing game due to its rather new look at what games should be and whatís more important, action and an okay storyline or a slower game with a well thought out story line.    … Expand
  59. possumboss
    Dec 15, 2014
    6
    Gone Home is a game about a girl named Katie who returns home from a year long trip to a new house. When Katie arrives she discovers that her family is not in the house and appear to be missing. Katie then searches the house to find clues to her family’s whereabouts. While Katie searches the house she uncovers shocking secrets about her family that have been carefully hidden for years.Gone Home is a game about a girl named Katie who returns home from a year long trip to a new house. When Katie arrives she discovers that her family is not in the house and appear to be missing. Katie then searches the house to find clues to her family’s whereabouts. While Katie searches the house she uncovers shocking secrets about her family that have been carefully hidden for years.

    Gone Home has one of the best stories that I have ever seen in a video game. (Though calling it a video game is a stretch). Gone Home takes the player on a 3 hour journey through one of the most densely packed stories in modern gaming. It is hard to talk about the story without ruining the ending. But what can be said is that the setting has the player thinking about one thing while the story is going in a completely different direction. The ending comes as no surprise to the player once they reach it, but the ending would seem absurd at the start of the game. The ending leaves the player with no loose ends and a certain happiness for the characters.

    The game doesn’t boast the most high definition graphics or the most cutting edge gameplay but the attention to detail makes up for it entirely. The not so high quality graphics even add to the atmosphere of the house. The graphics are meant to be played on a low brightness which has the player often turning around to see if that shadow was indeed a person or not. The attention to detail in the house was extraordinarily good. Everything in a 1995 home was there, with the exception of shoes, but one would not even notice this unless it was mentioned to them. The player learns all there is to know about a family in the mid 90’s, from tacky furniture to VCR’s it is all there.

    To call Gone Home a video game is a stretch. It is more of an interactive story in the form of a video game. In a contemporary video game the player makes choices and has different ways to overcome different puzzles or challenges. In some games the way one completes a task will affect what happens later on or the level of difficulty. Gone Home is extremely linear. There are no two ways of finding things or opening doors in Gone Home. Everything is laid out for the player to find, the only thing that can change is the order in which things are found.

    Gone Home is an excellent experience. The story was compelling, the setting was unique, accurate and added a level of realness to the story. But to call it a video game is a stretch. The game is definitely good there is no question about that, but if one does a excellent first run through they will feel no need to play it a second or third time. A truly good game would compel the player to play more than once, it is a game you can come back to years later and still have the same experience as you did when first played. Gone Home doesn’t achieve this. I would still highly recommend this game though.    … Expand
  60. 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
  61. 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
  62. didthisforclass
    Dec 15, 2014
    7
    Gone Home is a game created by the upstart Fullbright Company, a newcomer to the gaming community made up of former BioShock employees. It is as much an interactive story as it is a video game, and is a new experience in first person gaming.
    Since 2012, the year Gone Home was released, it has garnered positive reviews in the gaming world and even won a few awards, most recently the 2014    Gone Home is a game created by the upstart Fullbright Company, a newcomer to the gaming community made up of former BioShock employees. It is as much an interactive story as it is a video game, and is a new experience in first person gaming.
    Since 2012, the year Gone Home was released, it has garnered positive reviews in the gaming world and even won a few awards, most recently the 2014 BAFTA Games Award for Debut Game. The story focuses on a rainy night in June 1995, when Kaitlin Greenbrier arrives home from a year backpacking through Europe to find a new house all moved into but with no one in it. The only clue you begin with is a note on the door from her sister Sam, telling Katie not to go looking for her.
    The game then becomes what you make of it, as you are free to explore the house at your liberty. The game does have a plot line, but following the story is contingent on you finding the clues found around the household. The story does take shape in the form of Sam’s journal entries, which can be found by interacting with the many objects strewn about the house. The house is full of mysteries, and it is up to you to unlock them.
    What I really enjoyed about the game was the fact that you control what you find and when you find it. You find things in no particular order, and it forces you to formulate the story on your own. While rummaging around the house, you find many old family heirlooms, you uncover family secrets and you find out who the family is. What really brings you into the story is the familiarity of what you find in the house and how it can relate to your own family.
    I would say the graphics of the game are more than decent, even good, yet the lighting of the game is poor in some respects. It is used effectively to convey certain tones, but it is really irritating to not be able to see what is around you. You are blind to many things in this game, in more respects than just visually.
    The game is set in 1995, which may not seem like an important fact, but it provides the groundwork for Gone Home. It provides the perfect chronological setting for Katie to be out of the loop in terms of her family matters, and allows the whole game to exist. The social movement of that time and other factors from the mid 90’s allow the narrative of the game to exist as it is and become what it does.
    Why would you want to play this game you may ask? If I had to pick a singular reason, it would be that the story will captivate you and make you want to play and finish the game. It is less of a game then an interactive story, but is that not what video games are? I find that you either really enjoy Gone Home or not at all, and I greatly enjoyed it. So if you have a few hours to kill, open up your computer and play it, you might enjoy it.    … Expand
  63. nscime1234
    Dec 15, 2014
    6
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. The game Gone Home is an interactive story game that is told from the perspective of Kaitlin Greenbriar who has just returned home from a trip around Europe. Upon her arrival at the house she finds that it is deserted and there is an ominous letter left for her from her sister. The ultimate goal of the game is to figure out what’s happened to your family by examining the many different items that can be found in the house.

    After you get Sam’s note on the front door of the house you immediately begin assuming that something bad must have happened to your family for them not to be there. After being introduced to all of the members of the family you slowly begin to put together everyone’s stories. I found that the game focused more on the life of Sam then it did on her parents. Although that might have been the intention I felt like it made me disinterested in what her parents were doing. Although I liked the way that the game used different items and documents to get parts of the narrative across I found that it became annoying to constantly be picking up and closely examining every single item in the house to decide whether it was important to the story or not.

    I liked the fact that the game was based more on real life and telling a story through interacting with different items within a house. But the game did raise some questions that kind of threw me off even though it’s probably just me nitpicking. First I find it kind of strange that there’s a way you can traverse the house and pick up all the items in a pretty much chronological order. Even though the ultimate path you choose is up to you it just seemed kind of strange that all of the documents that detail the beginning of the family’s experience in the house would all be in one section of the house. I personally think that it would have been more interesting for the items to kind of be more scattered about so that it’s more of a puzzle for the player to put together the entire story.

    The second thing that came to mind was “is it just me or is the Greenbriar family made up of a bunch of complete slobs. Seriously there are piles of paper and other items just left about everywhere in the most disorganized fashion. Was recycling not a concept back in 1995 because no one is going to be able to find anything in the casual pile of one thousand post it notes left on a table. In fact some of the things in the house seem to have been lying there for over half a year and no one bothered picking it up. For example Katie got back on the 6th of June 1995 and she discovered a sheet on the ground and a document from around when Sam started school on September 6th 1994. That would be almost ten months that those documents were left lying on the floor. But I guess I could really just drop the nitpicking and call the Greenbriar’s messiness a somewhat arbitrary plot device.

    Overall I found the game and it’s concept to be rather interesting. The graphics were pretty good and gave the house some nice detail. Even though I found the ending to take a surprising and somewhat disappointing turn I would recommend that you play the game for yourself to make your own experience in the Greenbriar house.    … Expand
  64. 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
  65. 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
  66. spears2112
    Dec 15, 2014
    9
    Gone home is the coming of age story on Sam Greenbrier, told through game play from the point of view of Sam’s sister Katie as she explores her family’s new house after arriving home from a year long trip, to find her that her family is gone. The story takes you through the struggles of a 1995 family, and their daughter who is trying to find her self through her relationship with herGone home is the coming of age story on Sam Greenbrier, told through game play from the point of view of Sam’s sister Katie as she explores her family’s new house after arriving home from a year long trip, to find her that her family is gone. The story takes you through the struggles of a 1995 family, and their daughter who is trying to find her self through her relationship with her girlfriend Lonnie, and through the Riot Grrl music that she surrounds herself with, all while her family life begins to crumble beneath her.
    I am not a gamer whatsoever, however I still managed to be captivated by this really amazing game; The rich narrative based in exploration, the suspense built by the incredible score, and the desire to discover more about what happened to Katie’s family made for a fantastic experience. The first reason I enjoyed this game is because it had a very rich story line, and very well developed characters. The most important character to the story was Sam; as we explore the house we discover all that Sam has gone through in the year that Katie has been away, from coming out to her parents, to experiencing her girlfriend leaving for the army, all the while being surrounded by the Riot Grrl, pun, and grunge scenes of 1995. One of the reasons this game was so fun to play is because of the suspense created by Chris Remo’s original score. The effect that this music had on me was not unlike that of the music in Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho. As I guided Katie through the dark passageways of the house the music kept my heart rate up, and kept me glued to my screen. Another one of the things I loved about this game was the way in which it tapped into my curiosity, and made me want to discover more. Generally people are very curious beings, and I am no exception, because of this curiosity I found gone home to be very intriguing. As I would stumble upon secret passageways and find hidden object, it would make me want to keep exploring and solve the many mysteries that the house held. All of these elements of the game made it incredibly enjoyable to play.
    While I really enjoyed playing the game there was one thing that I really didn’t like, which was the ending. The suspense building up to the ending was huge; after a lengthy exploration of the house, I finally found the key to the locked attic. As I guided Katie up the stares and through the attic, I was prepared to see something huge. However, what I found was the anti-climactic realization that Sam had simply run away, and that the notes that we had been hearing throughout the game were all part of a journal that Sam had left in the attic for Katie to read. While I did enjoy the fact that the journal being read to us throughout the game was actually found in the attic, I still found the ending to be quite anti-climactic. Throughout the entire game, I had been learning about Sam and her family, and I had gone to great lengths to find the key into the attic; all of this build up made the end of the game quite anti-climactic.
    In conclusion, I really enjoyed playing Gone Home, and despite the fact that I didn’t love the ending, the rich narrative, incredible score, and the way in which it peaked my curiosity made this game incredibly fun to play. Despite the fact that I am not a gamer, I am confident that anyone, gamer or not, will enjoy this game.    … Expand
  67. Edong
    Dec 15, 2014
    5
    Gone Home is a first-person game that is set in 1995. The game takes on the role of Kaitlin Greenbriar, who comes home one late night to find an empty house. The game then progresses throughout the house as you find clues left behind to unravel the mystery.
    Gone Home is a game that narrates a story through the clues that are found throughout the house. The setting takes place at a lonely    Gone Home is a first-person game that is set in 1995. The game takes on the role of Kaitlin Greenbriar, who comes home one late night to find an empty house. The game then progresses throughout the house as you find clues left behind to unravel the mystery.
    Gone Home is a game that narrates a story through the clues that are found throughout the house. The setting takes place at a lonely mansion that is very close to the forest. All the items from the house are from 1995, and it certainly creates an aura that feels like it is set in that time. It is also very realistic. All the events that unfold through the story are believable.
    I was first introduced to Gone Home through my teacher in class. At first, I thought that the game seemed unusual; telling a story through a game. However, as I started playing the game, it became more interesting. It does not feel like a game, but you can interact with objects, and observe items throughout the house. The controls are simple; even people who are just starting out the gaming path can play it.
    There are different settings in the game itself to change the graphics. While the game runs best on the lowest graphic, the quality is very poor. However, while ran on the highest graphic, the quality is amazing and the furniture and items around the house almost look real. The down side is that the game takes longer to load and everything runs much slower. The sounds are very simple, yet also very realistic. It sets the mood of the night and would sound much like how you would be in the house in the middle of the night with no one else home; quiet, spooky, and almost haunting.
    I find Gone Home to be boring and dull. Sure, the narrative is good, and the graphics and sound are okay, but the player must pay attention to the deepest details around the house. I, with not much patience to paying attention to the littlest things, did not find every detail that was in the house. Since I was not able to find out all the clues, the ending confused me. It was on my third try playing the game before I finally understood the plot of the story, however I was still missing some major details.
    In conclusion, I find the game to have a good narrative story. However, there is a need to connect the dots to unravel what happened in the year that Katy was away from the house. I would recommend this game if you like mystery games and puzzle solving, however I would not recommend it if you are looking for something more exciting.    … Expand
  68. 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
  69. robertwsaunders
    Dec 15, 2014
    9
    Initially the thought of "Gone Home" made me cringe. The components for the game did not line up. However after playing the game it could be that these strangely formatted components actually made the game puzzling, interesting and genuinely entertaining to play. IGN game critic Marty Sliva states "Gone Home’s" “jumbled mess of oddly shaped metaphorical puzzle pieces” is what makes theInitially the thought of "Gone Home" made me cringe. The components for the game did not line up. However after playing the game it could be that these strangely formatted components actually made the game puzzling, interesting and genuinely entertaining to play. IGN game critic Marty Sliva states "Gone Home’s" “jumbled mess of oddly shaped metaphorical puzzle pieces” is what makes the game remarkably interesting, I agree with him. Returning home, Kaitlin Greenbriar is greeted by a deserted house filled with secrets. In first-person you explore the house to uncover untold mysteries from finding notes and clues, ultimately to solve and understand the Greenbriar’s past.

    "Gone Home" is not perfect, nothing is. What "Gone Home" fails to-do well is make its story and gameplay intertwine easily for every type of player. Most of the bad reviews for "Gone Home" are a result of people not playing the game how it is supposed to be played, not allowing them to see the true beauty that lies under the surface. Traditionally video games have a distinct objective whereas "Gone Home" dose not. If "Gone Home" could have found a way to force the player to follow the storyline it’s overall reception would have been much better, because the story is prodigious if played correctly.

    In the case of "Gone Home", less is more. There is no elaborate graphic engine, no multi-million dollar company behind the game, but the simple gameplay, mediocre graphics, and intrinsic audio, all make the game great. The audio cues and readings from Kaitlin’s sister Sam’s journal, resonate an alternative perspective for the player, which might not come naturally at first, deeper meaning seems to be a common theme in the game. "Gone Home’s" profound story make it brilliant to play by immediately creating questions for the player, as a result you become captivated by the game. "Gone Home" perfectly shows that violence or external sources of entertainment are not needed to make a video game fun, which is why in my perspective Steve Gaynor and Fullbright made an amazing game.

    When Steve Gaynor was unsatisfied with big budget work and decided to make a “personal game, one with an intimate narrative,” he made a bold choice. "Gone Home" combines great atmosphere with a fascinating story and simplistic gameplay to create something that other games do not have. I am not sure what that something is; it is more of a feeling that comes as you play rather than something you can describe. The fact that I got a feeling I have never had from a game tells me "Gone Home" is special.    … Expand
  70. bobbbbbbb
    Dec 14, 2014
    10
    Gone Home is a first-person interactive story video game. It is set in the year 1995, the plot focuses on exploring a mansion in Portland, Oregon, and you must examining common household objects within the home. It starts with you arriving at an empty mansion. Your name is Katie and you are the eldest daughter of the Greenbriar family, you have just returned after a year abroad in Europe.Gone Home is a first-person interactive story video game. It is set in the year 1995, the plot focuses on exploring a mansion in Portland, Oregon, and you must examining common household objects within the home. It starts with you arriving at an empty mansion. Your name is Katie and you are the eldest daughter of the Greenbriar family, you have just returned after a year abroad in Europe. She expects her parents and sister to be there to greet her. Instead she finds only a deserted house, filled with secrets. It is up to you to explore the house and find out what has happened. Overall I thought that this was an incredible game, because it has a remarkable story and to me that is one of the most essential parts of a game. It was really entertaining to go around the house unlocking doors and solving the mystery of where your sister and parents are. The graphics in this game where mind-blowing, it was so good it almost felt like I was in an actual house. It was extremely realistic, it feels like your in a real house because there are all sorts of objects that you can pick up to examine that would be in a real house such as books to read and records to listen to. The kitchen is disorganized, and the bedrooms feel like someone is actually living there. The makers of the game put a lot of time and effort into all the small details such as all the objects that you can pick up, they all look very convincing. As you explore you come across notes, telephone messages, and diary entries that offer clues necessary for you to solve the mystery. The sound and graphics added a whole other level of complexity to it, because the lights flicker, there’s a thunderstorm outside, and the house seems to moan, which made it all scarier and more realistic at the same time. Throughout the game you get voice messages from your sister and they are really well done because they sound lifelike and give you hints about the plot but don’t give to much of it away. One of the parts that I didn’t enjoy was that there wasn’t a lot of action, you couldn’t jump or run which adds a layer of fun to a game. Over all I really admired the game. I had a lot of fun exploring the house and solving the mystery. I would recommend it to anyone I know because of its great mystery and story.… Expand
  71. noahcrawford
    Dec 14, 2014
    9
    Gone Home is a first person hands on video game about a girl, Katie, who comes home from a long vacation, expecting to receive a big welcome home, to find a quiet empty house. Set in 1995, Katie is exposed to many artifacts and clues allowing the navigator to tie pieces and ideas together about the whereabouts of her family, more notably her sister, Sam.
    In the story Katie quickly learns    Gone Home is a first person hands on video game about a girl, Katie, who comes home from a long vacation, expecting to receive a big welcome home, to find a quiet empty house. Set in 1995, Katie is exposed to many artifacts and clues allowing the navigator to tie pieces and ideas together about the whereabouts of her family, more notably her sister, Sam.
    In the story Katie quickly learns that her parents are abroad for their anniversary and know about Sam’s absence. Gone Home, contrary to most games, presents a realistic and relatable story for the character of Sam. Sam is going through a relatively typical stage of teenage life. Similarly to many teenagers in the real world, after switching schools Sam feels lost, lonely and becomes detached from her parents. Unlike most video games, Gone Home does a tremendous job displaying character progression through the cigarettes found in Sam’s locker and her partake in the riot grrl movement. Gone Home’s historical setting played a big role in its success. Setting the game in a modern and digitally intensified world would have made the game beatable with a simple text to Sam titled “where are you?”. By navigating through a house surrounded by artifacts from 1995, the player must slowly tie pieces together, make connections and reach creative conclusions. Equally as important as the story line is Gone Home’s game play.
    The game play in Gone Home has both negative and positive aspects, however, it can be understood why such negative features were implemented as they comply with the games purpose. The inability to run shows a lack of attention to detail as in such moments of disarray Katie is bound to be running urgently around the house to locate her sister. It is unrealistic in a time of chaos for Katy to carefully investigate each room carefully. However, I recognize the importance of doing so, because the game’s purpose is to tie large ideas together and solve mysteries, therefor, the inability to run is essential in forcing the player to act attentively. Nevertheless, the game should strive further towards realism as it allows players to better relate to the scenario. The game’s ability to present an element of horror such as broken lights, locked doors and safes without prototypical pop-ups should be admired. Such a subtly realist mode of horror, which is uncommon for a video game, makes it more effective.
    Gone Home disproves the misconception that playing video games is merely a way to pass time and serves no purpose. I recommend such a game to any student who isn’t fond off reading as such a progressive game serves the same purpose as reading a story, yet doesn’t require extensive reading. Gone Home demonstrates the potential video games have in the educational field as it forces people to act in a critical manner rather than turn their brains off.    … Expand
  72. stremayne
    Dec 14, 2014
    8
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. The game, Gone Home tells the story of Katie, an older sister returning home after a long trip in Europe. She comes home to an abandoned house; she must piece together the clues to discover where her family is and what happened while she was away.
    Gone Home is a mystery-solving game driven by your curiosity. Gone Home is not a combat or a strategy game; it is not a game that you can win or lose. It is a game that you can finish but still have missed many clues. This encourages gamers to play it multiple times. A deeper understanding of the family is gained each time it is played. Most games are built on the model of instant gratification. In Call of Duty, you receive gratification when you kill someone and in Stronghold, you receive gratification by becoming more powerful. If you like games where you are given instant gratification then Gone Home may not be for you. In Gone Home, you receive gratification from finding clues and slowly piecing together the secrets of the Greenbriar family. I am a curious person so I liked this aspect of the game. This is a mystery-solving game for the curious.
    Gone Home is a short, detailed game. It was developed by a young indie game company called the Fullbright Company. Due to the Fullbright Company’s small size it didn’t have the resources to build a large and elaborate game with excellent graphics. The game designers compensated for this by making the setting tiny and incredibly detailed. The actual game can be finished in under a minute, however, it takes hours to experience the game fully. To solve and unravel the mystery you must open drawers, read letters and explore secret passageways. I’ve played Gone Home three times and each time I discovered new things. I know that there are more things to find. The game’s short length and its elaborate detail are its strengths.
    Gone Home has an incredibly realistic and humanistic storyline. The realism found in the game makes it more relatable and intimate. Gone Home is a game about a family and their relationships with one another. The Greenbriar family is like any other - complex. The game largely revolves around the family member Sam. Sam is a high school student who is trying to express and explain her homosexuality to her parents. If you play games to escape reality then this game is not for you. The realistic relationship-based storyline is universal, anyone who has lived through high school can relate to it.
    Gone Home is an innovative mystery-solving game with a relatable and intriguing storyline. I enjoyed playing it. I would recommend Gone Home to the curious and to those who are tired of first-person shooter and strategy games.    … Expand
  73. bourgy10
    Dec 14, 2014
    9
    The date is June 7, 1995; you arrive at an unfamiliar somber new home. It is a dark and gloomy night. You find a disheartening note from your sister explaining no one is home. Uninformed and confused you are left to search around the new foreign home for clues.

    The video game Gone Home is proof that advancements in the world can be made by taking a step backwards. Gone Home on the    The date is June 7, 1995; you arrive at an unfamiliar somber new home. It is a dark and gloomy night. You find a disheartening note from your sister explaining no one is home. Uninformed and confused you are left to search around the new foreign home for clues.

    The video game Gone Home is proof that advancements in the world can be made by taking a step backwards. Gone Home on the surface can seem very basic, but within the game there is so much underlying information. Within every room you enter in the Arbor Hill mansion there are abundant additions to the profound story line occurring within the game. The simplicity of Gone Home adds to the realism of the game. The game allows for the players to make their own connections throughout the game and take no direct route to finishing the game. The game confirms that there can be depth within a basic exterior.

    In our current society most “gamers” are attracted to first person shooter games or game that involve violence within the story line. Gone Home offers players intrigue and mystery rather than adrenaline and violence, with depth that offers a distinctive gaming experience. As you explore through the home, each clue you find helps you to understand for about the family and what has happened to them. Shooter games can be gory, stressful and posse very shallow story lines. Being left to explore a unfamiliar location for an endless amount of time leaves you finishing the game with a feeling of accomplishment by enriching your knowledge. The ending of Gone Home is criticized by players who are used to “shoot em up” endings but a player who has taken time to access all the information within Arbor Hill will enjoy the richness of the unpredictable ending of the game.

    Gone Home is a crucial addition to the gaming industry. The game veers away from the current norm in the video game industry. The creators of Gone Home weren’t concerned about profit relating to their game, they focused on the storyline of the game and established a rich information filled game. The characters in the game are non traditional and surprisingly create emotions of sympathy and passion for the player.

    The game offers a seemingly simple but ultimately deep and rewarding experience. The differences that Gone Home offers to its players is relief from classic violent shooting games that can seem endless and boring. Gone Home interactive components leave the player with so many unanswered questions and emotions that it stays with you and makes you want to play other games that challenge the stereotypical format of the game industry.    … Expand
  74. jdickson
    Dec 14, 2014
    8
    The Fulbright Company’s game “Gone Home” is a first person exploration of the main character, Claire, who comes home after a year abroad, to her family’s new house, to find that no one is home. The game consists of exploring the house, discovering secrets about her family, and the ultimate goal, of discovering where everyone has gone.

    I really liked the game because the plot was so    The Fulbright Company’s game “Gone Home” is a first person exploration of the main character, Claire, who comes home after a year abroad, to her family’s new house, to find that no one is home. The game consists of exploring the house, discovering secrets about her family, and the ultimate goal, of discovering where everyone has gone.

    I really liked the game because the plot was so believable. I think it did a great job conveying what it’s like to come home to an empty house. Most games start off somewhat realistic, but the further you get through these games, the crazier and less believable things become, and you end up just shooting everything that moves. However, in “Gone Home”, the game remains true to its course, telling a mysterious but gentle story. One of the greatest aspects of the game is the sound. The storyline is by no means scary, but the noises in the background create an ambiance of creepiness. Whether it was a boom of thunder in the background or the sudden creaks of the old house, the sounds of the game forced me to be alert, and a bit on edge.

    One negative view I have on the game is that it is a little repetitive. The game was designed for any level of gamer to play as the controls are so simple, but this got a little boring. I would have like to see some enhancement in the difficulty of the controls throughout the game. Another con about the game is, that although we learn a lot from Claire’s perspective about her family and their development throughout the story, Claire herself does not undergo any real character development. Other than knowing that she has just returned from a year abroad in Europe, we don’t really know anything about her. The game would have been more interesting if we could learn more about Claire and how her discoveries of what happens to the rest of the family affects her.

    I enjoyed playing this game. I would recommend it because of its universal appeal: the controls are simple and straightforward for beginners, but the story itself is deep and complex, challenging even the most experienced gamers.    … Expand
  75. rossf
    Dec 14, 2014
    7
    Gone Home is an interactive story game that focuses on exploration to progress through the story. The game is played from a first person point of view as you take control of Katie Greenbriar as she returns home from a year abroad and arrives at her new inherited home to find her family isn’t there. Gone Home is based around exploring this mansion and learning about what has happened there.Gone Home is an interactive story game that focuses on exploration to progress through the story. The game is played from a first person point of view as you take control of Katie Greenbriar as she returns home from a year abroad and arrives at her new inherited home to find her family isn’t there. Gone Home is based around exploring this mansion and learning about what has happened there.
    Gome Home is an indy game which focuses on telling a compelling story over high action gameplay, large open worlds and incredible graphics. Gone Home is a great example of how less is often more and how the little things matter. An example of this is the setting for the game, which is a large mansion that Katie’s parent’s inherited while Katie was abroad backpacking around Europe and the entirety of the game in played in the house. While the house is large, keeping the entire game in this house allows for smaller details to not be overlooked. Details such as being able to interact with things that don’t have any effect or importance to the story adds to the realism of the house and forces the player to explore the house more extensively, never knowing when they may come across something important.
    As for things I didn’t like, my main complaint with the game is the fact that it arguably not a game. In my opinion Gone Home is an interactive story and not so much a game. Your actions in the game only affect the order in which you receive information and how deeply you choose to learn about the characters. There are no consequences, positive or negative, to your actions and outcome of the game is always the same no matter what.
    In conclusion Gone Home is an interactive story game that focuses on little details opposed to high action gameplay to tell a compelling story. While I don’t feel Gone Home is a game in the traditional sense, I still enjoyed the experience and those who value a compelling story over graphics and action will enjoy it.    … Expand
  76. 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
  77. bluder97
    Dec 14, 2014
    8
    Gone Home is an interactive game, in first person, that is filled with mystery and suspense. Published by The Fullbright Company, Gone Home takes place in the year 1995, inside an old house located in Arbor Hill, a small town near Portland, Oregon. The gamer interacts as a young woman named Katie Greenbriar, who has just come home from vacation to discover the mysterious absence of herGone Home is an interactive game, in first person, that is filled with mystery and suspense. Published by The Fullbright Company, Gone Home takes place in the year 1995, inside an old house located in Arbor Hill, a small town near Portland, Oregon. The gamer interacts as a young woman named Katie Greenbriar, who has just come home from vacation to discover the mysterious absence of her family. Katie searches her house, looking for clues that could lead her to where her family might be.
    In Gone Home, several factors provide the gamer with a realistic experience, including: the gameplay, the graphics, and the sound. Once the gamer opens the front door of the house, they are able to explore freely. Being placed in the first person view adds to the realism of the game; the gamer is viewing exactly what Katie is seeing. The graphics in this game were deftly crafted, which allows for the genuine and personal playing experience. While playing as Katie, you can pick up almost everything you see and can examine objects clearly and thoroughly while searching for clues. There are little to no limitations in Gone Home, other than not being able to leave the house. There is no specific storyline you must adhere to; the gamer can go wherever he or she pleases. The sounds in the game also contribute to the realism. Throughout the entire story, the sound of thunder and rain is apparent in the background, which creates an eerie atmosphere. The subtle, but needed noises such as: a door opening, the static from a TV, and the creaking of stairs, gave the game a genuine feel.
    Gone Home does an excellent job of telling a realistic and plausible story of Sam Greenbriar, Katie’s younger teenage sister. At the start of the game, Katie discovers a shocking note taped to the front door from Sam, warning Katie not to go searching for her. Right from the start of the game, there is a compelling sense of mystery that leaves the gamer wanting more. As you begin to uncover clues, you become intrigued and inquisitive about Sam’s fate. It is critical that the story is set in the year 1995, because communication was not as advanced as it is today. If the plot was set in the 2000’s, Katie would have the ability to easily contact her sister through common technology. Steve Gaynor, the designer of the game, and the developers at The Fullbright Company embedded objects that were common in the 90’s such as: the Nintendo 64, Pulp Fiction, and big boxy televisions. These small, but thoughtful elements helped to enhance the experience of being in the year 1995.
    Gone Home is a one of a kind game that is full of suspense and surprises. As you get further into the story, you become emotionally attached to the Greenbriar family. The realistic storyline allows gamers to connect and understand the game in depth and for that reason I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys anticipation and curiosity.    … Expand
  78. ldevir
    Dec 13, 2014
    8
    Gone Home is an intriguing story about a young girl named Katie, who arrives home from a trip around Europe to find her house, an old mansion, empty and a note on the front door from her younger sister Sam. You assume the role of Katie, as she roams the house trying to find clues as to the whereabouts of her parents and sister.
    As you scour the old mansion looking for clues, you quickly    Gone Home is an intriguing story about a young girl named Katie, who arrives home from a trip around Europe to find her house, an old mansion, empty and a note on the front door from her younger sister Sam. You assume the role of Katie, as she roams the house trying to find clues as to the whereabouts of her parents and sister.
    As you scour the old mansion looking for clues, you quickly realize that Sam has left home and doesn’t want to be found. Throughout the game you find clues that provide information about the family and their friends, and that enables you to learn about their lives and put together the pieces of the mystery. The narrative guides you along the journey and the slower and more thorough you are in your exploration of the house, the more information you gather about the family.
    The game was developed on a low budget, but the graphics and design quality are superb. Having the game take place at night was a clever, strategic move from the designers because they didn’t need to include any graphics of the outside. This also added to the feelings of creepiness and mystery that are evident throughout the story. I also found the details in the house to be very accurate. The designers put tremendous effort into making the house feel as real as possible and the realism was beneficial to the game experience.
    I found the gameplay to be extremely pleasing. For an individual like myself, who is not a big gamer, the controls were incredibly simple to learn and use. As well, the story moves at a pace that is dictated by the user. The faster you move around the house, the quicker you will finish the game, but the less you will learn about the family. Depending on what you want to take away from the experience of playing the game, you can decide how thorough you would like to be in exploring the house.
    I very much enjoyed the game and its mysteries kept me engaged the entire time I was playing. I would recommend it to all gamers and even non-gamers because it is simple and easy to play yet it has a complex and interesting story.    … Expand
  79. DarkKnightG4
    Dec 11, 2014
    1
    This is quite the pretentious load of drivel. The game is about 90 minutes long and it wore out it's welcome 20 minutes in. This could have focused on the father's background or the "psycho" uncle, but nope...we get a load of crap about some antsy girl who thinks she's gay. The praise this game has received is mind boggling and makes me question the gaming review industry as a whole.
  80. GrahamTrusler
    Dec 11, 2014
    7
    Gone Home is the story of the Greenbriar family, who have inherited a house while the playable character, Katie, was hiking in Europe for a year. The story revolves around discovering where your family is, which gradually reveals itself as you work your way around the large house. Gone Home utilizes audio journals, ambient noise, and music in order to develop a vibrant atmosphere withinGone Home is the story of the Greenbriar family, who have inherited a house while the playable character, Katie, was hiking in Europe for a year. The story revolves around discovering where your family is, which gradually reveals itself as you work your way around the large house. Gone Home utilizes audio journals, ambient noise, and music in order to develop a vibrant atmosphere within the game. The audio is high quality, and often prompted by certain events within the game, especially in regards to the audio journals and music, which often play at the same time. The game utilizes ambient noise when no other is present, in order to make the game feel confortable to the player. Due to the budget, small team, and time restraints, the graphics in Gone Home are not comparable to most modern, big budget, AAA titles. Instead, the developers chose to use somewhat simple graphics, but amplify their effect by including an astounding amount of detail, specifically in the interactive objects around the house. The graphics are passible, but are by no means excellent. However, they do feel appropriate with the general tone of the game. What allows the game to be so special is the richness of the story, and the potential discoveries the player can make while exploring the house. Although not always expansive, the back-stories behind established characters gradually reveal. The game format allows the player to discover what they want to discover, giving the player the allowance of playing just through the main story, or to dig through every piece of information, to draw a full conclusion in regards to the entire story of the family. When playing through, the gameplay sometimes felt slow, and somewhat boring. This was due to the inability to sprint, or jump. Sprinting/jogging should have been added into the game, but jumping is a somewhat redundant mechanic. Another issue with the gameplay and visuals was the lack of light in certain rooms, which could make it frustrating to turn a light on. Although the game received critical reviews, as a gamer, it is not a good investment. The gameplay is often slow and boring, but is made up for due to its fantastic voice acting and story. The visuals fall somewhere in the middle, as they are neither good nor bad. My score for this game is a 7/10, as I recognize the effort and time that went into completing it.… Expand
  81. 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
  82. Tubey
    Dec 5, 2014
    2
    It's awful! Genuinely, utterly awful! I didn't check the score for this one before playing, and I am flabbergasted at this title getting 100 from the likes of Polygon.

    Don't get me wrong, this ISN'T about the LGBT theme. You know what, a good game with this idea, executed properly, would be interesting, and I have to stress my review isn't a reactionary score to "social justice    It's awful! Genuinely, utterly awful! I didn't check the score for this one before playing, and I am flabbergasted at this title getting 100 from the likes of Polygon.

    Don't get me wrong, this ISN'T about the LGBT theme. You know what, a good game with this idea, executed properly, would be interesting, and I have to stress my review isn't a reactionary score to "social justice warriors", whatever they are exactly.

    But, seriously, this is at best a demo of a game. You know those demo discs you used to get on the PS2 etc.? One of those. Because it's clearly not a finished game.

    Or it may be, actually. Maybe the intention of the devs was to create a pretentious short story, completely devoid of any semblance of reality. Who knows. But what I can't understand is how a game I finished in just over ONE hour can be a full priced, retail title. No exaggeration either, one hour.

    But let's pretend it could have been the best one hour of pure gameplay ever. Was it? Hell no. No, no, no. It's so painfully bland. The visuals are bland (yes, they're very 'nineties', but also quite blocky and unappealing), the gameplay consists of walking in first-person, picking something up, going "oh, look at that", putting it down, picking something else up, and so on.

    Immersion isn't there because the whole concept is so utterly stupid. Yeah, you go home, nobody is there, you find a note warning not to look in further, so what does your average teenager do? Well, without spoilers, if you asked 1,000 teenagers who were 15 years old in the mid-90s what they'd do, you wouldn't find one who'd do what this game portrays.

    So there you have it. A game that has absolutely no redeeming qualities whatsoever, getting perfect scores from respected review sites. So you have to look at the reasons why, and I can only conclude that the subject matter dealt with by the tedious narrative has resulted in reviewers who WANT flawless games about these subjects deciding that it IS the perfect game about this subject.

    It's not. It scores a 2 as there's no bugs to speak of and it wasn't stupid enough to charge $60 etc. But as a game, it's unplayably tedious.

    I hope a good dev out there plays this title, realises the inherent potential and comes up with a great game that deals with the issues this title wants to address but fails miserably at doing so. Avoid at all costs.    … Expand
  83. Showtime22
    Dec 3, 2014
    0
    Ya man...this is totally a game...In opposite land...Because nonviolent games where you don't do anything and nothing happens is so much fun... Get that trash off my screen...Hipsters
  84. doncsoo
    Nov 29, 2014
    5
    It is a really interesting game. It has great story, great graphics but it's boring. It was like that I was seen a book made into a game. Gameplay is the most important part of a game and it was really boring after 1 hour and really not worth the price they're asking for. Only buy if it is on sale.
  85. thenthomwaslike
    Nov 28, 2014
    7
    It was a nice game, well paced, with obsessive attention to detail. It gave me a nice fuzzy feeling, some nostalgia, and a hefty dose of melancholy. Every character is flawed and has a subplot worth uncovering. Worth checking out and getting through in one go, which takes a couple hours.
  86. Graham_Peters
    Nov 26, 2014
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Straight off the bat, the people who rant about Gone Home not actually being a game may be absolutely right. While there are a few "puzzles" for the player to work out, these are hardly a challenge to work out, and Gone Home can hardly be called a game any more than a film or a novel can. However, the important thing to remember is that this doesn't matter! It is a form of media that aims to deliver a story to a player and cause an emotional response, and Gone Home does that better than the vast majority of books I've read or films I've watched.

    Many people seem to be saying, "If the story is all that matters, then why would you bother making a game, (or an interactive narrative experience, if you want to be a dick)?" Let me put it this way. have you ever seen a horror film. Now, I don't know about you, but I find that horror films never have much of an effect on me. They make me jump, sure, but they very rarely cause me to fee fear. Horror video games, on the other hand, are a different matter entirely. While watching a young defenseless woman hide in a cupboard, with a horrendous monstrosity only feet away, I feel very little. Put me in Amnesia however, and suddenly the drop of a pin can have me cowering in fear. Interaction, for many people at least, helps a form of media to get to them. Immersion is the word. Without immersion, a story such as this would be nothing more than average, maybe even boring. However, put the player into the story, make them feel as if they are part of it, and everything becomes a little more real, and because of this it has a greater effect on your emotions. I can honestly say that Gone Home had a greater effect on my emotions than any form of storytelling I've experienced in the last year.

    Another complaint I've heard is that although the story focused element is fine, more gameplay could easily be added alongside. References to Heavy Rain, or The Walking Dead are often present. These people have once again missed a crucial detail, Gone Home is not a game. It does not need gameplay. While it is true that I find Telltale games' content more enjoyable than Gone Home, One thing I honestly believe their games could go without are the few incidences of gameplay the game has to offer. I am of course referring to the Quick Time Events. Every gamer knows that quick time events are pretty much the worst thing you can put in a game. They're Boring, repetitive, fluctuate from extremely hard to insultingly easy with the drop of a hat, and worst of all, they break immersion. Nothing takes you out of a game faster than a bunch of letters flashing onto your screen. While The Walking Dead and Heavy Rain waste time trying to be something they're not, Gone Home focuses entirely on what matters, the story.

    In regards to the story, you can take it or leave it. Whether you enjoy the story, or think it's a load of pigswill is completely subjective. I would personally be in the former, but don't take that as any sort of proof.

    Overall, if you're solely a gamer, look elsewhere. Gone Home has little to offer you, other than possibly a different perspective on the gaming media. However, if you're feeling pretentious and want to be thoroughly absorbed into a mundane yet moving story, settle down for an hour or two of Gone Home.    … Expand
  87. Alternative_roo
    Nov 18, 2014
    0
    This isn't really a game, it's an overly long Youtube video with next to no gameplay. For an "adventure game" this wouldn't stand up to Kings Quest or even the old Dizzy games on Commodore 64. The price tag is ludicrous for what you're getting.

    TL;DR - A poncy "art" experiment with an inflated price tag.
  88. emlynn1092
    Nov 17, 2014
    10
    I bought Gone Home on its release day after following the Fullbright Company's blog for several weeks. Early 1990s aesthetics with queer themes and a riot grrl soundtrack? Of course I’m in!

    It's been more than a year since then and I still count Gone Home as one of my favorite games. Gone Home came out at the beginning of my Junior year of college. I'd just moved into my own    I bought Gone Home on its release day after following the Fullbright Company's blog for several weeks. Early 1990s aesthetics with queer themes and a riot grrl soundtrack? Of course I’m in!

    It's been more than a year since then and I still count Gone Home as one of my favorite games.

    Gone Home came out at the beginning of my Junior year of college. I'd just moved into my own apartment (as opposed to the cramped dorms of the two previous years) and I was reveling in my newfound adulthood with utility bills, cramped bus stops, and a probable case of scurvy.

    Gone Home also came out in the same period that I did.

    Long story short: It was a challenging time in my life that I’ve navigated through slowly and with much consideration on what’s truly important -- not unlike in Gone Home.

    (Slight Spoiler Alert)

    I won’t say my circumstances mirrored Sam’s. I wasn’t a teenager in the 1990s -- Hell, I was still wearing stirrup leggings and plastic animal barrettes by the time Y2K was supposed to bring the world to its glorious robot-driven end (or something like that). But in listening to Sam’s audio diaries and sorting through her notes throughout the game I was overcome with this intense nostalgia and sadness that I’m sure all kids who have ever struggled with familial approval will recognize.

    I’m not quite sure I can put into words what Gone Home did for me on an affective level.

    Playing it was like coming home early after middle school and sneaking into my parents’ room to search through their bedside drawers for proof of vulnerability. It was humanizing and wonderful and very, very uncomfortable at some points (I’m referring to the game here mostly -- my own explorations were more a lesson in the “better left unknown” category).

    After the game ended (no spoilers I swear!) I curled up on my couch and cried for a good 20 minutes. Partly for the Greenbriar family. Partly for my own family. Partly because it was 3AM and I had a legal studies power lecture in four hours. Mostly because I found something special in Gone Home that I’d been looking for -- a LITERAL exploration of what it means to make a family out of individuals.

    Despite what I've said about my own personal connection to Gone Home, I truly don’t believe you have to identify as LGBTQ or female to enjoy the game.

    The narrative itself explores relationships among individuals with secrets and flaws (like in real life!) which is certainly a universal theme and as such can be appreciated by many. (((Though I will admit that having a queer female voice in a game is a definite mark in its favor and which I desperately hope will be a continued trend.))) (((Also, being open to new and different narratives is not a bad thing. Just saying.)))

    On a purely visual level, the graphics and the continuity of the mid-1990s aesthetic are outstanding. Like, EVERYTHING is so much fun to look at.

    Gameplay itself is intuitive and smooth with regular WASD movement controls and left/right clicking for further exploration/picking up/putting down objects.

    The soundtrack is hands-down one of my all-time favorites as far as video games go (I even put it above Schyman’s Bioshock score) with Bratmobile, Heavens to Betsy, and The Youngins providing most of the Riot Grrrl ambiance. Even if punk or Riot Grrrl music isn’t your thing it just goes SO WELL with the narrative that you’ll find yourself bouncing along with it.

    All in all, I honestly believe Gone Home more than deserves its critical acclaim.

    Even if exploratory/story rich games aren't your deal I would definitely suggest checking out Gone Home either through a sale or a friend’s library.    … Expand
  89. Axunya
    Nov 7, 2014
    1
    Terrible, boring, and short. This is not much of a game at all, not spooky or interesting at all. The soundtrack is annoying. If I was the main character, I would just stayed gone nothing to return too.
  90. Whitescreenop
    Nov 3, 2014
    10
    this game is just perfect i cant understand this flame about this awesome game this story is really heartbreaking i think this is the best video game in the past 10 years everyone who gives this game less then 8 points is a dumb **** and should die by aids
  91. FauxEden
    Oct 30, 2014
    0
    Less of a game than The Vanishing of Ethan Carter, and also worse. Basically a short film with no plot to speak of and no game play other than walking around, makes you wonder how this is even a game.
    10/10 - Polygon
  92. EDPVincent
    Oct 28, 2014
    0
    I like stories in videogames. I even like videogames that are nothing but story, like The Stanley Parable. But this """game""" is one of the worst I have played recently.
    The story? Boring, cliched, and predictable. The ending? Boring. The atmosphere? Boring. The gameplay? What gameplay?
    Even if this was a movie instead of a videogame, it would be bad. Do not play it.
  93. MeHim
    Oct 27, 2014
    0
    What is this.. I don't even...

    This is it, indie games need a damn reorganization if it should be taken seriously. If you want to tell a story make a YouTube video ir a movie.. Especially if you're charging a 20 for it. Jerk.
  94. phishyphishy
    Oct 23, 2014
    9
    Gone Home shows how the video game platform can be utilized as a form of narrative. You are placed into an empty house and for two hours layered stories emerge. Beyond the main narrative of the younger sister, Sam, you uncover small clues that weave together a story of each of the family members and the fracturing family. While the game is actually quite restrictive, it is a small houseGone Home shows how the video game platform can be utilized as a form of narrative. You are placed into an empty house and for two hours layered stories emerge. Beyond the main narrative of the younger sister, Sam, you uncover small clues that weave together a story of each of the family members and the fracturing family. While the game is actually quite restrictive, it is a small house and the game directs you pretty heavily (locked doors), at no point did it ever feel like I was being restricted.… Expand
  95. ugurano
    Oct 12, 2014
    0
    terrible game, screen ingame looks awesome, but the gameplay 2 hours, and ending lol

    pleas no buy this scamm game, its not good, worst game i ever see it from indi
  96. DPtdryste
    Oct 10, 2014
    5
    Although I give this a 5, I concede that this game being grounded in a setting "too non-fiction" already creates a staid atmosphere for a gamer such as myself.

    In Gone Home you're alone in a huge house, you can't walk, and "gameplay" is basically lookin' at stuff in this very active environment and getting filled in on what you missed while you were gone. The game gives you a digital    Although I give this a 5, I concede that this game being grounded in a setting "too non-fiction" already creates a staid atmosphere for a gamer such as myself.

    In Gone Home you're alone in a huge house, you can't walk, and "gameplay" is basically lookin' at stuff in this very active environment and getting filled in on what you missed while you were gone. The game gives you a digital family and through, basically, THEIR STUFF, tries to create an immediate familial relationship. It's a sudden jolt, expecting to care about this family, in particular your sister. I'm not sure if there's a game that does this successfully, but creating a strong emotional connection to characters, where there once was nonce before is a hard task. Books and longer games are better suited for the job than Gone Home is.

    The game get interesting when tones of survival-horror are introduced, but they are simply that, tones. The entire game I was expecting to have something really scary happen... expecting anything to HAPPEN really.

    I turned on a lot of lights in Gone Home, but I am not particularly moved to go back. By the time I finished Gone Home, I realized that their were some locks I left unopened, some letters I hastily discarded before reading entirely, and some corners of my family's house left unexplored. For me at least, these details shall remain in the dark.    … Expand
  97. DashingMT
    Oct 8, 2014
    0
    I've seen many a poor game in my day; none as poor as this.

    I gave this "adventure" the benefit of the doubt and played it through. Needless to say, the banal experience I received is near impossible to put into words.

    The best part is the fact that it cost me 19,99€.
  98. vivian_james
    Sep 28, 2014
    0
    This is not a game, it's an insult. The 'story' is simple, linear, cliched and soulless. The visuals are barren. Where is the tension? Where are the textures? Why would anyone pay any money for what could just as easily be experienced by means of a YouTube "Let's Play" installment?
  99. JimCorbett
    Sep 16, 2014
    5
    Gone Home is a game that touches on "sensitive" issues and has a political agenda which is the only reason why this game has been praised by "critics." For $20 you'll get 1-2 hours worth of gameplay. You'll walk around your house searching for what happened to your sister and parents. You'll open doors, search drawers, and shuffle through socks to find notes and other items that will leadGone Home is a game that touches on "sensitive" issues and has a political agenda which is the only reason why this game has been praised by "critics." For $20 you'll get 1-2 hours worth of gameplay. You'll walk around your house searching for what happened to your sister and parents. You'll open doors, search drawers, and shuffle through socks to find notes and other items that will lead your on your journey. It's actually fairly linear since you're basically set to "Find X key to open X" And then you find the key, move to the next area and repeat until the game is over. The twist is that the story deals with a (spoiler!) oppressed lesbian. Honestly, the story itself sucked. I was never given a reason to care about this girl and she never seemed interesting in the first place. Yet, I enjoyed my time with the game. It was fun to roam through the house learning new things and I never got annoyed trying to find a specific item so it was quite casual. However there really wasn't anything great about it. The only possible reason i can see people giving this such a high score is because for some reason if you don't agree with a feminist or LGBT you'll be deemed intolerant or some other crap. This game only seeks to put fuel to the fire which is quite disappointing.… Expand
  100. CorbanDallas2
    Sep 15, 2014
    10
    This is a master piece of storytelling. something like I've not experienced before.
    The people who have given this a low score do so for a few valid reasons, one of which is that technically I would not call this a 'game'. At its core it is simply a well told story which you as the 'player' unravel as you explore the house and try to uncover the mystery as to where your family has gone    This is a master piece of storytelling. something like I've not experienced before.
    The people who have given this a low score do so for a few valid reasons, one of which is that technically I would not call this a 'game'. At its core it is simply a well told story which you as the 'player' unravel as you explore the house and try to uncover the mystery as to where your family has gone to.
    The main plot about your sister 'Sam' whilst at time it may feel cliched, is very accurate to life growing u up in the 90's, an example of which are the hand written notes passed between her and her school friend Lonnie scattered about the house, with silly drawings on them etc. These and other factors make the experience given by Sam to be memorable, believable, compelling and emotional.
    There are several other sub-plots focusing at the core of each on a family member, your parents and your great Uncle all have their own stories to tell.

    If you want action and adventure and car chases and guns, stay VERY far away from this as you will likely hate it. (see the negative comments/bad reviews of the game)

    For me, 'Gone Home' did something I've not experienced in a long time from games, and that is the feeling of being truly immersed into the game, into the characters, and their story. I lost track of time, and found myself rummaging through cupboards and boxes looking to try and find out what had happened, and at several moments during the unfolding of the stories thinking to myself as the protagonist 'okay but where the hell is everyone?!?!" out of genuine concern. and that is an experience i have not gotten from a game in many years!    … 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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