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. iamymr
    Aug 18, 2013
    4
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Warning: This review also spoils Iron Man 3 if you haven't seen it. This review is also long.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

    The game is misleading in its tone and advertising. Do I regret my purchase? I don't know. $18 is a bit much for a 3 hour game I will never play again. All the hype and great reviews are a little misleading. This game could have been a great spooky detective murder mystery. You could have been a protagonist that mattered. But nope. You are just a boring older sister that no one cares about it seems.    … Expand
  2. Liam3851
    Aug 18, 2013
    10
    This is not really a "game". It is, however, an excellent experience. Playing (experiencing? watching? interacting with?) it, I was most reminded of going to a theatrical installation in a house in London-- the house was set in Victorian decoration, as if the residents had just left; you had to learn about the residents and their story by viewing their ephemera. However, the installationThis is not really a "game". It is, however, an excellent experience. Playing (experiencing? watching? interacting with?) it, I was most reminded of going to a theatrical installation in a house in London-- the house was set in Victorian decoration, as if the residents had just left; you had to learn about the residents and their story by viewing their ephemera. However, the installation being in the real world, you couldn't touch anything; to move anything would ruin the experience of others.

    Gone Home has a similar setup, replacing Victorian London with 1995 Portland. However because it is set in a virtual world, the designers allow the audience to interact with all the objects in the house, while allowing each audience member to experience the story untainted by the experiences of others.

    Negative reviewers, looking for a fun, replayable "game", are no doubt disappointed. But as theatre? it is excellent. The voice acting is good, the characters extremely well-drawn and entirely believable. The objects in the world thoroughly represent the time of the story and teach you about the characters, and the stories of said characters intertwine in a surprising and challenging way.

    As to length/depth of story of which some complain. There is indeed one arc along which one is easily guided. Those seeking to "beat" the game as quickly as possible have ample opportunity to cheat themselves out of the other arcs and much of the character depth. I myself completed the main arc and had mixed impressions; only after realising I had missed some things, and returning, did I realise just how deep this story is.

    That said, the world of Gone Home is finite. In your budget you should think of this as a film or a theatre visit. If you're on a limited budget and your entertainment spend per hour is limited, this may not be for you, or you should wait for a sale.    … Expand
  3. dinglbows
    Aug 18, 2013
    0
    $20 to experience a poorly written story that lasts less than an hour and still managed to bore me in such a short space of time. I feel completely ripped off. Don't waste your money.
  4. Vidya_gaems
    Aug 18, 2013
    0
    A terrible non-game. I've got dear esther for free and played it, but this, I wouldn't even take it if I were paid for it. It has no gameplay, simple as that. Dear esther looked good at least, but this, this is just bad. If you're going to do nothing with the interactive medium, just go ahead and make it a movie ffs. I hope we won't see more of these awful "cinematic experiences", they'reA terrible non-game. I've got dear esther for free and played it, but this, I wouldn't even take it if I were paid for it. It has no gameplay, simple as that. Dear esther looked good at least, but this, this is just bad. If you're going to do nothing with the interactive medium, just go ahead and make it a movie ffs. I hope we won't see more of these awful "cinematic experiences", they're just not games, and in this case it's especially laughable.… Expand
  5. Magespower
    Aug 18, 2013
    9
    Gone Home is a game that wants to tell you a story and does so with such ease that you feel invested in it from the first journal entry till the last. In gone home you play as Kaitlin Greenbriar returning home after being abroad in Europe to find your house empty and your parents and sister Sam missing. Your goal is to solve the mystery of where your family has mysteriously disappeared to.Gone Home is a game that wants to tell you a story and does so with such ease that you feel invested in it from the first journal entry till the last. In gone home you play as Kaitlin Greenbriar returning home after being abroad in Europe to find your house empty and your parents and sister Sam missing. Your goal is to solve the mystery of where your family has mysteriously disappeared to.

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

    In my two hour play through I felt so many different emotions that in any other form of entertainment would not have been possible. From scared, sad, nervous, and much more I can honestly say a game has never encouraged me to feel so much. If your looking for a game packed with action and fighting bad guys this game is most certainly not for you, but if your interested in one of the best stories I've experienced in recent memory this game is a must buy.    … Expand
  6. tibzoid
    Aug 18, 2013
    5
    Perfectly OK title, but there is nothing innovative or special about it. It only takes about 2 hours to play through, has no puzzles or intellectual challenge, and the story is dull as dishwater. The reason I'm even inclined to write a review is because I paid $17 for this, which is WAAAY too much. It should have retailed for $5 max. People praising this game as extraordinary either havePerfectly OK title, but there is nothing innovative or special about it. It only takes about 2 hours to play through, has no puzzles or intellectual challenge, and the story is dull as dishwater. The reason I'm even inclined to write a review is because I paid $17 for this, which is WAAAY too much. It should have retailed for $5 max. People praising this game as extraordinary either have no exposure to other games or have terribly low standards.… Expand
  7. cylemmulo
    Aug 18, 2013
    9
    I think there is some justification for people giving bad review, this isn't something for everyone which I'm sure the developer knew going in. HOWEVER Certain people saying the story was to simple really didn't get everything out of it. There are many subplots that you really have to explore the game all the way to see and they are honestly just as interesting. As well as how the mainI think there is some justification for people giving bad review, this isn't something for everyone which I'm sure the developer knew going in. HOWEVER Certain people saying the story was to simple really didn't get everything out of it. There are many subplots that you really have to explore the game all the way to see and they are honestly just as interesting. As well as how the main story is laid out is just great, finding things in the way you do (ex. listen to the answering machine right away and having no clue whats going on with it)

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

    All in all, I agree it might be more for a lower price tag but there were some really great production values in this and it was a game that a lot of people just won't forget. You got to kind of have more in touch with the main character and feel a bit more like you were there, not just watching.    … Expand
  8. RapNoize
    Aug 18, 2013
    10
    A perfect example of a game of this genre. Story is strong, visuals are intensive and sounds are very atmospheric. Discovering hidden secrets is enjoyable as ever. 10 out of 10.
  9. HapexIndustries
    Aug 18, 2013
    7
    Certainly enjoyable, an excellent example of adventure gaming in first person, and a decent story but... 2 hours of gameplay? Zero replayability? That's fine too, for 5-10 bucks, but 20$ is just too much for a one time experience like this. Amnesia (or the sequel) is the same price and offers so much more, as do many other first person or adventure games.

    I liked this game, I really    Certainly enjoyable, an excellent example of adventure gaming in first person, and a decent story but... 2 hours of gameplay? Zero replayability? That's fine too, for 5-10 bucks, but 20$ is just too much for a one time experience like this. Amnesia (or the sequel) is the same price and offers so much more, as do many other first person or adventure games.

    I liked this game, I really did, and I don't want to come down on it too hard, but... again, two hours of non-replayable gameplay is just not enough for the price tag. I hope the developers make more games like this; maybe they can release them cheaper using the same engine? I hope so because I will not be purchasing any of their releases at full price after this.    … Expand
  10. zimka
    Aug 18, 2013
    5
    I'm rating this game a five in protest to rave scores from professional critics. Oh, I'm perfectly fine with indie games, as well as 'experience' 'games' in general, but giving this short collection of interactive notes (that's what this really is) anything over 60 or 70 is ridiculous.
  11. Ananas4
    Aug 18, 2013
    3
    I'll tell what good in this game. Sound designs along with nice house makes the game very atmospheric. Unfolding the story by reading hand-written notes and letters is a nice feature, and many objects in the house is detailed.
    But this "game" doesn't have anything else than walking through a house, listening to your sister and finding your way to the end of the house. This takes maybe 1-2    I'll tell what good in this game. Sound designs along with nice house makes the game very atmospheric. Unfolding the story by reading hand-written notes and letters is a nice feature, and many objects in the house is detailed.
    But this "game" doesn't have anything else than walking through a house, listening to your sister and finding your way to the end of the house. This takes maybe 1-2 hours and in the end story is nothing special. $20 for a short walking simulator is too much. I don't recommend this to anyone.    … Expand
  12. nutcrackr
    Aug 18, 2013
    7
    Gone Home is not a traditional game. Much like Dear Esther, it is a story experience. You return home after a trip abroad to find your parent’s house empty. Only by rummaging through items and letters will you reveal more about the Greenbriar family. Flickering lights and scratching behind walls produces an unsettling atmosphere. Gone Home allows your imagination to run wild with theories,Gone Home is not a traditional game. Much like Dear Esther, it is a story experience. You return home after a trip abroad to find your parent’s house empty. Only by rummaging through items and letters will you reveal more about the Greenbriar family. Flickering lights and scratching behind walls produces an unsettling atmosphere. Gone Home allows your imagination to run wild with theories, but the revelations are far less memorable. The experience takes 2-3 hours and there is little reason to revisit it. It is an intriguing premise, but one that does not reach excellence.… Expand
  13. Algashar
    Aug 18, 2013
    10
    Gone Home is a game that succeeded in bringing me into its virtual reality world. The player is Katie, who comes back to an empty house with a note to not look for her sister. Soon, it's tough to not pick up every breadcrumb left while exploring the house you've never been in.

    I've found that little touches immersed me in Katie's world. I was able to put back explored items in its    Gone Home is a game that succeeded in bringing me into its virtual reality world. The player is Katie, who comes back to an empty house with a note to not look for her sister. Soon, it's tough to not pick up every breadcrumb left while exploring the house you've never been in.

    I've found that little touches immersed me in Katie's world. I was able to put back explored items in its original location. The 4th wall was cleverly broken at one point that I had a habit of turning on all the lights. Rather than holding shift key to run to the next checkpoint, I wanted to walk and think about my own personal past. Now, as a parent, how can I help prevent my own previous mistakes or be closer to a loved one. By the same token, I've felt similarly to Sam, and I wanted to be able to tell her of the future: it gets better.

    Gone Home is a game that forges new ground on a new way to tell a story and it succeeded. It's not a game in the sense that it challenged me to do something faster or gave me an achievement for solving a puzzle. It was a personal challenge to see if I could keep from tearing up. Though many may not recognize it as a game, the freedom of exploring around the house and the constant atmosphere through the storm to tell Sam's story cannot be provided by any other medium as effectively as this game did.    … Expand
  14. Kenmei
    Aug 18, 2013
    7
    Be prepared for what you're getting into here. This is not a game. It's an interactive story and a very good one at that. I very much enjoyed the subject matter and the direction the game went. I won't spoil anything here but know that there will be quite a few people who won't agree with where this game went. That's just human nature. But you'll know going into, if you have a faint ideaBe prepared for what you're getting into here. This is not a game. It's an interactive story and a very good one at that. I very much enjoyed the subject matter and the direction the game went. I won't spoil anything here but know that there will be quite a few people who won't agree with where this game went. That's just human nature. But you'll know going into, if you have a faint idea of what the game is about, if you'll like this game or not. I do feel like this "game" is a bit overpriced at 20 bucks as it's literally just a story and nothing else, especially for the length (barely an hour and a half long). But it's a very nice, thought provoking story. It's truly a nice surprise to see how far media has gone in the last few years when dealing with certain kinds of subject matter and this is no different. However, this is still being billed as a "game" when it should have been more of a book than anything else. I can't give anything about a 7 to something that pretends to be a game and isn't one.… Expand
  15. GStack13
    Aug 18, 2013
    9
    In the last few years, games have taken to using exploration as a storytelling tool. Whether it be the audio diaries found in Bioshock or the various letters seen in The Last of Us, developers are realizing that oftentimes exploration and discovery can paint a better picture of the world than dialogue can. With Gone Home, The Fullbright Company takes this idea and runs with it.

    You    In the last few years, games have taken to using exploration as a storytelling tool. Whether it be the audio diaries found in Bioshock or the various letters seen in The Last of Us, developers are realizing that oftentimes exploration and discovery can paint a better picture of the world than dialogue can. With Gone Home, The Fullbright Company takes this idea and runs with it.

    You play as a girl named Kaitlin who has just returned to a new home from a yearlong trip in Europe. As you arrive on a late stormy night, you quickly realize the house is deserted. A note taped to the front door from your little sister states that she has left and not to worry about her. And so the game begins.

    The game plays in the first person, but do not mistake this for a FPS. You're given no guns, no weapons, and fight no enemies. There are no jump scares, no one you're running from, and you're never in any real danger. For this reason, the game is not for everyone. People who get bored of exploration and must always have someone to shoot at will write Gone Home off almost immediately. That's okay, it wasn't made for them.

    Gone Home is all about exploration. The game tasks you with finding out what happened to your family, and most importantly your little sister, Sam, just by combing through the house. This would seem very mundane if you were given a mediocre setting, but thankfully that's not the case. The house, while very large, is brimming in realism. Every room has a great "lived in" look to it; I was reminded a countless number of times of my own home growing up. This is a place that begs to be explored. As you make your way through the mansion, you'll come across letters, manuscripts, homework assignments, and most importantly diary entries spoken to you by Sam herself. Every room has things to pick up and examine, and you'll want to see everything.

    Every house has a story to tell, and this one is no different. Through studying the various items you'll come across, a story will slowly start to come together. Mostly given out of chronological order, the collectibles act as the pieces to a larger puzzle. Piecing together the narrative with the little tidbits you're given is one of the most powerful experiences I've ever had in gaming. The connection you feel to the characters is immediate and strong; so much so that you forget that you've never actually come face-to-face with any of them. I'm not going to say anything else regarding the story, because you really need to unravel this one for yourself. Just prepare for it to tug at your heartstrings.

    Gone Home is a game that makes us rethink the definition of a videogame. It's story is novelistic in nature, and its gameplay consists only of exploring a house void of people. Yet in the way that only the best art can, it does so much by doing so little. This is a game that will keep you thinking long after the credits roll, and one you won't forget anytime soon. Highly recommended, go buy this game now!    … Expand
  16. PieceofMine
    Aug 17, 2013
    9
    More of a gorgeous and elegiac tone poem than a conventional video game, Gone Home clearly won't be for everyone. By now you'll likely be aware that the game's mechanics are light even by adventure game standards.

    So what? To place some kind of requirement for interactivity and manipulation on games is insulting to the medium and limits its ability to tell more abstract and artful    More of a gorgeous and elegiac tone poem than a conventional video game, Gone Home clearly won't be for everyone. By now you'll likely be aware that the game's mechanics are light even by adventure game standards.

    So what? To place some kind of requirement for interactivity and manipulation on games is insulting to the medium and limits its ability to tell more abstract and artful stories. To say that a video game must be some form of escapism is condescending as well. We welcome games that challenge our reflexes or even our intellect, but why do we shun games that invite us to embrace our emotional depth? It almost every other medium, it is a token of high art to be able to imitate life. Genre fiction rarely wins Pulitzers, and when it does, it's celebrated for the depth of its characters, not the inventiveness of its technology or the distance of its planets. Films that win Oscars are by-and-large about ordinary people, not giant robots or superheroes. Yet the high watermarks for video games are, at best, lauded for inserting human depth into otherwise violent, chaotic, and distant adventures.

    That's what makes Gone Home so remarkable. It claims that games can instead be about that most precious, difficult, and rich of all things life. It is an obstinate, uncompromising mission statement to that end. It postulates that video games CAN at the very least aspire to be art, and submits an early, if somewhat rough-hewed, demonstration. There are, yes, elements of the game that could use more polish. Some textures leave detail to be desired, and there is occasionally a repetition in less important objects that can break the otherwise masterful trance the game places on its players. But otherwise, the home that The Fullbright Company has created is teeming with humanity, with a lived-in, painterly feel not unlike the sorts of world favored by literary authors. There is, from the start, an immense solemnity to the game (it does take place on a dark and stormy night a rare misstep), but as one unravels the stories lurking inside the Greenbriar estate, there are moments of surprising humor, made all the more poignant from the furrows of sadness from which they spring. The music, most of it diegetically found through cassette tapes, is an incredibly well realized throwback to the riot grrrl era of the early and mid-nineties. In fact, the house is littered with nostalgia porn; the folks at The Fullbright Company have either cleverly designed their cultural touchstones to maximize appeal to retro-obsessed late-twenties hipsters for whom the concept of this game will likely hold the most appeal. After all, the dream of the nineties is alive in Portland (!)

    The sort of game Gone Home is couldn't be more clearly advertised. It is a deeply ponderous, subtle experience. Some have heralded it as the next evolutionary step for gaming as a storytelling medium. I would contend that is false. Video games still offer a way to combine tremendous interactivity, emotional investment, and philosophical gravity to narrative that allow for games like Bioshock: Infinite and The Last of Us to be possible in only this medium. That will continue to be the mainstay of what we consider quality gaming, and rightly so. But Gone Home offers a radical alternative, a game without clear cut objectives, without targets and points. A game that allows you to just exist and enjoy and uncover and explore without the typical urgency or high stakes. That, to me, is something that is truly special and fantastically courageous. I can't wait to see what comes next.    … Expand
  17. UnfoldingCatus
    Aug 17, 2013
    3
    Gone Home isn't really a game, but a rather interesting yet unorganized story. You will spend at least 2 hours digging through drawers and cabinets to find mostly useless scraps of paper, most not even relevant to the main plot of the story line. While this game does have a good story it is simply not worth the twenty bucks, or the time it takes you to dig through the game.
  18. jumbojet555
    Aug 17, 2013
    10
    Simply an AWESOME game. I was absolutely stricken with emotion upon completing it. I was borderline in tears at the end. This game contains strong, emotional writing. Although the main character may not be entirely relatable to some people, it still demands a huge amount of empathy and feeling for the protagonist as the game documents her struggle. Simply an amazing game that is perfectSimply an AWESOME game. I was absolutely stricken with emotion upon completing it. I was borderline in tears at the end. This game contains strong, emotional writing. Although the main character may not be entirely relatable to some people, it still demands a huge amount of empathy and feeling for the protagonist as the game documents her struggle. Simply an amazing game that is perfect for these modern times where new social issues are brought into spectrum and we have to learn to be more accepting of others. Truly a great game, think of a tape hunting love story. It is, all-in-all a love story. So if that's not what you're into, you might as well not buy this game. Although it's so good, it might be worth considering.
    PROS:
    -Strong, emotionally driven narrative
    -Excellently done soundtrack that fits in perfectly
    -Great interface
    -Exploring the house is fun and rewarding
    -Perfect atmosphere
    -Great love :)
    CONS:
    -Could have been longer
    -Would love to have seen other supporting characters more fleshed out, less as side roles
    CONCLUSION:
    EXCELLENT GAME! Definitely put it somewhere on top of my list of favorites. If you're into romances, this is your game, otherwise, your 18$ may be best spent somewhere else.    … Expand
  19. Joebing
    Aug 17, 2013
    3
    Whatever the critics are smoking, let me have some. With all the X-Files references and ghost stuff, I was expecting a ghost story or something interesting. Visually very interesting looking, but just walking around reading gets boring really fast. I couldnt get into the story of it, the thing, meh. Save your money and your time, unless your like these critics and find like this deep orWhatever the critics are smoking, let me have some. With all the X-Files references and ghost stuff, I was expecting a ghost story or something interesting. Visually very interesting looking, but just walking around reading gets boring really fast. I couldnt get into the story of it, the thing, meh. Save your money and your time, unless your like these critics and find like this deep or something.… Expand
  20. Heaviermetal
    Aug 17, 2013
    3
    It just wasn't for me. For a game that is $20, its far to short (2 hours); the design/architecture of the house is oddly in-normal and amateur, and the story just didn't do anything for me. I guess this one just fly's over my head as I cannot understand the critics answers for a 100%. I give it a 3 for its creepy atmosphere.
  21. kckkryptonite
    Aug 17, 2013
    4
    Walkin' around a house, lookin' at scraps of papers. Openin' drawers, turnin' lights on, the end. Not quite my cup of tea for a video game. Sure, it's an interesting way to deliver a story, but that's all it is, I didn't find it to be the masterpiece the critic's seem to be praising, perhaps they're just far too jaded by conventional games.

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

    I found the story itself and ending really underwhelming considering that was the focal point of the game; it just felt like a playable, albeit forgettable and predictable, Lifetime movie. So I just can't get on board this hype train. By the end of it, I felt like having no gameplay was more a gimmick than anything else. What happens when more "games" likes this with similarly decent stories come out? Are we still praising it with perfect 10's? It's different, I get it, but that doesn't make it a good game.    … Expand
  22. Erazor
    Aug 17, 2013
    4
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Negatives points: extremely slow paced (give sprint for revisiting rooms!). Unneeded/useless crouch function. Unneeded right-click and object rotate function. Besides Sam's notes, all other notes added nothing but bore. No puzzle solving or anything, game is about reading paper notes. Denying access to the most interesting (dirty) note was NOT a good idea. 99% of objects were useless and did not need a pickup function, they were not even interesting (pens, magazines, toilet papers). Game was promising a twisted ending but delivered nothing at all (yes... you are so smart and unique!). 2 hours later, conclusion was my sis has gone gay and has fled, but not a single foke was given by me, at least if it was Terry I could have laughed about it.

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

    /Overhyped, basic game at best...    … Expand
  23. athenax
    Aug 17, 2013
    9
    This game needed to be made. Video games have become trite, predictable. This game, I honestly had no clue how it was going to end until it ended. It was suspenseful and actually scary without all the boring repetitive killing sequences like in common games, it was emotional, it was well written and designed. And a game with not one, but actually two female protagonists? YES. WOW. YouThis game needed to be made. Video games have become trite, predictable. This game, I honestly had no clue how it was going to end until it ended. It was suspenseful and actually scary without all the boring repetitive killing sequences like in common games, it was emotional, it was well written and designed. And a game with not one, but actually two female protagonists? YES. WOW. You wouldn't think that would be so hard! This game needed to be made. And more need to me made that are like it. I played it once through by myself and then a second time with my partner. This game means a lot to us from a social justice standpoint and from a socially conscious video gaming standpoint. It needs to win all of the awards. All the sexist trolls can go back to playing "CoD 24: Shoot More Random Guys Isn't This Fun", if they don't like this game.… Expand
  24. HorrHeyy
    Aug 17, 2013
    1
    I would like to say that this is a horrible game. But if I'm going to be honest, I can't say that, since "Gone Home" really is not a game at all. It is remarkably short (around 2 hours) and yet still boasts repetitive gameplay. All you do in this game is explore a house and examine the notes, pictures, documents, and artefacts contained therein. The house is big, and is well done by theI would like to say that this is a horrible game. But if I'm going to be honest, I can't say that, since "Gone Home" really is not a game at all. It is remarkably short (around 2 hours) and yet still boasts repetitive gameplay. All you do in this game is explore a house and examine the notes, pictures, documents, and artefacts contained therein. The house is big, and is well done by the developers, but to make a good game in today's video game industry, you're gonna have to make a bit more than a house. The story is very uninteresting and uninspired. It is also very predictable, as you can probably predict the ending around 10 minutes into the game. That is not to say that Gone Home's story is generic. Actually, this game is actually quite original. But at the end of the day, originality is overrated if you can't produce good gameplay, story, or atmosphere. It also doesn't help that this short, excuse-for-a-game, costs $18 on steam. So, if you are looking for a cost-effective game to purchase, stay away from "Gone Home" like the plague. Perhaps this game's only redeeming feature is that the voice acting of the ONLY character that speaks is done well (Yes well, not amazingly, but well nonetheless).… Expand
  25. mlumpz
    Aug 17, 2013
    6
    This game was interesting, as far as game "play" and storyline. However, is it short, short, short. I played through the ENTIRE game in about 2 hours. A little disappointing for the price.
  26. JuanRegular
    Aug 17, 2013
    10
    As these reviews here undoubtedly made clear, 'Gone Home' isn't a game that will appeal to everybody. It's definitely a difficult game to review or even describe. People will say that all you do is walk around a house and look at stuff. That is very much true. It's all you do in this game, but it seems to me like a lot of people fail to understand why that is or at least can be a goodAs these reviews here undoubtedly made clear, 'Gone Home' isn't a game that will appeal to everybody. It's definitely a difficult game to review or even describe. People will say that all you do is walk around a house and look at stuff. That is very much true. It's all you do in this game, but it seems to me like a lot of people fail to understand why that is or at least can be a good thing. Gone Home is in essence a story based exploration and puzzle game, but not quite in the way you might expect. Talking about puzzles in Gone Home means that the game challenges you to puzzle out its characters through the things you find in the house. You learn all these little details about the Greenbriar family by finding their belongings, investigating them and drawing your own conclusions as to what they might mean. Remember the Ratman hideouts in Portal and your thought process as you tried to figure out what might have happened there? Gone Home has a ton of these little moments of environmental storytelling, but instead of an abandoned sci-fi research facility, it takes place in a setting you know, that you can completely relate to. There was one moment in particular that involved the father of the house who we never see or hear but through several notes and clues I found I was able to understand his inner struggles and his character better than I would ever have any other way. It was a proper 'holy crap' moment and it was glorious. This is why Gone Home is very much a game. It doesn't have the traditional gamey challenges you might expect, but instead sets out to challenge you in very different and new ways and in my humble opinion brilliantly pulls it off. This kind of storytelling is simply impossible in any other medium.
    It is short at about 2 to 3 hours of playtime and it's understandable that at the current price point that may not be enough for a lot of people but I think it's well worth it. It's an experience unlike anything else and at least for that it should be appreciated even it isn't you cup of tea.    … Expand
  27. dubesor
    Aug 17, 2013
    5
    Not much of a "Game" but rather an interactive story. Could have been an interesting experience if the story wasn't so obvious, I knew the entire plot within the first 15 minutes of the game, and the ending was so stereotypical which left me closing the game in major disappointment after finishing it. Also with only 2 hours of gameplay and literally zero replayability it is quite a steep price.
  28. halldoc1
    Aug 17, 2013
    9
    Really great game. Different than I though. Too short though or I would have given 10/10. However, the detail and story they put into it makes up for any other issues. They need to make more indie games like this.
  29. Hauntedfish
    Aug 17, 2013
    10
    This game is not for nonintellectuals and the unimaginative. This video game is masterfully crafted in all rights. This is the most connected I have felt to any characters in a single video game ever. Gone Home's ability to suspend belief is remarkable. This in fact is a video game, an amazing one. If you would love to take a personal high detail hand crafted journey into another life thenThis game is not for nonintellectuals and the unimaginative. This video game is masterfully crafted in all rights. This is the most connected I have felt to any characters in a single video game ever. Gone Home's ability to suspend belief is remarkable. This in fact is a video game, an amazing one. If you would love to take a personal high detail hand crafted journey into another life then play this video game. Just because a game is "short" means nothing. This is completely worth its price. I am proud that this video game exists.… Expand
  30. carusoII
    Aug 17, 2013
    4
    Don't know why the reviewers loved this so. Interesting "game" while it lasted, which was all of 90 minutes. Definitely not worth the price of admission.
  31. akarnokd
    Aug 17, 2013
    7
    The story is good, the exploration is exciting, but at the end, it just ends. It reminds me of Dear Eshter, but with more paths and more things to interact with. With so much stuff laying around, this could have been a first person adventure game with puzzles and secrets. Anyway, it feels like a good experience and a bit overpriced.
  32. zakarum
    Aug 17, 2013
    0
    This game is more akin to an interactive movie. That could be okay, but the point is, this game is short. Too short. One hour short. And it's not good.
  33. Backdatassup
    Aug 17, 2013
    3
    It has extremely simplistic gameplay and a narrative that is entirely forgettable because of the lack of any people to interact with. Who ever thought trying to experience someone else's memories by rummaging through their stuff would be a good idea clearly doesn't understand simple psychology, let alone what makes a good video game.
  34. Fabbinator
    Aug 17, 2013
    1
    Gone Home is, well, not a game. It's a $20 "experience" that puts you in a house and tells you to rummage through your sister's things. Not much happens. In fact, nothing happens. It's on the level of other "interactive stories" such as Dear Esther. If you were into that kind of stuff, then by all means purchase this... thing. If you were looking for a game then you're in the wrong place,Gone Home is, well, not a game. It's a $20 "experience" that puts you in a house and tells you to rummage through your sister's things. Not much happens. In fact, nothing happens. It's on the level of other "interactive stories" such as Dear Esther. If you were into that kind of stuff, then by all means purchase this... thing. If you were looking for a game then you're in the wrong place, brother.

    Probably the worst part is that, for all its emphasis on story, Gone Home doesn't say much. It provides limited commentary on a social issue, but nothing that hasn't been said before.    … Expand
  35. Elynora
    Aug 17, 2013
    10
    This was a very touching story, and like Dear Esther will have a lasting effect on me. I'm not sure why people complain that this 'shouldn't be a game'; as if it shouldn't exist as anything more than written text. Why not give it an atmosphere you can play through? I felt completely immersed, which is what I expect the creator of Gone Home was aiming for. I really enjoyed the subject ofThis was a very touching story, and like Dear Esther will have a lasting effect on me. I'm not sure why people complain that this 'shouldn't be a game'; as if it shouldn't exist as anything more than written text. Why not give it an atmosphere you can play through? I felt completely immersed, which is what I expect the creator of Gone Home was aiming for. I really enjoyed the subject of the story it wasn't what I was expecting when I first began to explore, but I was quite relieved that this didn't turn out to be another ghost/stalker story.… Expand
  36. luksonije
    Aug 17, 2013
    6
    This game has so much action that it is quite difficult to describe it. Imagine searching through big house and reading diaries. Just amazing way to spend a day if you are working on a ship or if you are in prison.
    Not my cup of tea, but it has some thriller effect inside. I will rate it 6,0 just because it is different then modern brainless shooters and because you actually need to use    This game has so much action that it is quite difficult to describe it. Imagine searching through big house and reading diaries. Just amazing way to spend a day if you are working on a ship or if you are in prison.
    Not my cup of tea, but it has some thriller effect inside. I will rate it 6,0 just because it is different then modern brainless shooters and because you actually need to use your brain.    … Expand
  37. Masterhummel
    Aug 17, 2013
    9
    So... yeah, it was good.

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

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

    Short, if you liked Dear Esther you will probably love this one. If you're expect a real adventure, think it over twice.    … Expand
  38. kuehnau
    Aug 17, 2013
    1
    A very short lived, exploratory, quasi adventure game for PC. Take on the role of a character that has just come home, wander around a house, rummage through people's belongings and uncover some very minor story details along the way.

    Game play length is roughly 90 minutes long, that includes finding everything. No game play mechanics besides walking around a house and digging through    A very short lived, exploratory, quasi adventure game for PC. Take on the role of a character that has just come home, wander around a house, rummage through people's belongings and uncover some very minor story details along the way.

    Game play length is roughly 90 minutes long, that includes finding everything. No game play mechanics besides walking around a house and digging through stuff, it's less entertaining then a "search and find" adventure game and costs twice as much.

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

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

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

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

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

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

    It is fine for you to not know why or what made me feel what I felt from a simple point and click adventure game, but just know that this game is capable of delivering all these emotions if you let it. I cannot recommend this game enough, as it is up there along with other great indie storytellers such as To the Moon.    … Expand
  40. CraigAA1028
    Aug 16, 2013
    10
    I sat down and played through "Gone Home" and I was really impressed by it.

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

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

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

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

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

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

    I came away from Gone Home feeling refreshed and knowing that the experience will stick with me. It's currently $20 on Steam, which some may find steep for a 2-3 hour experience, but I think it's worth it for a game this special. If you're looking for action or scares then don't bother cause this isn't the place for either and you'll just be bored. It requires patience since, again, your sole activity is searching every nook and cranny of numerous rooms and taking in the story, but those that give it a chance are likely to find an experience they'll think back fondly on. And if you're on the fence and don't want to take the hit just yet, then make damn sure you pick it up should it ever go on sale.    … Expand
  41. ALgendaryKiwi
    Aug 16, 2013
    10
    I don't usually give games a 10. In fact, there are only 2 other games that I would consider to be perfect 10s: the original portal and pacman ce dx. Those aren't necessarily the best games I've played, but they are the most perfect, if that makes sense. And that is a word that I would use to describe Gone Home: perfect. It is a game purely comprised of exploration and discovery, withI don't usually give games a 10. In fact, there are only 2 other games that I would consider to be perfect 10s: the original portal and pacman ce dx. Those aren't necessarily the best games I've played, but they are the most perfect, if that makes sense. And that is a word that I would use to describe Gone Home: perfect. It is a game purely comprised of exploration and discovery, with virtually no other gameplay components with the exception of some very simplistic puzzles. And yet, Gone Home manages to make seemingly mundane exploration into some of the most engaging and emotional storytelling I have ever seen. Gone Home will be remembered for its brilliant design and execution, but also as a game that bravely led the charge in addressing contemporary social issues that have not as of yet found much representation in the medium.
    This game is not for everyone. If all you play are shooters and fast paced action games, then Gone Home will bore you. However, if you like slower games or games with interesting ways of telling stories, such as Journey, Heavy Rain, Dear Esther, or even mods like The Stanley Parable, than Gone home is certain to grab you and not let go for its 3 hour duration.    … Expand
  42. jacquelineferre
    Aug 16, 2013
    4
    Gone Home is the perfect example of a game that shouldn't be game. It has a really good story and some interesting characters but that alone won't make a good game.
    Normally I would appreciate a game with a good narrative, I believe that the industry needs this kind of game, but a game is not a mere narrative it has to be the combination of sounds, images, story and interaction and Gone    Gone Home is the perfect example of a game that shouldn't be game. It has a really good story and some interesting characters but that alone won't make a good game.
    Normally I would appreciate a game with a good narrative, I believe that the industry needs this kind of game, but a game is not a mere narrative it has to be the combination of sounds, images, story and interaction and Gone Home manages to fail in every aspect except for the story.
    Poor graphics combined with very bad textures and a terrible light effect makes the environment a lousy place to navigate through and that is a pretty important thing here since walking around the scenario 50% the game mechanic.
    The sound is average there really isn't much to complain but there is nothing to praise either.
    The gameplay, if you can call it that way, consists basically on walking around reading messages and notes.
    Gone Home is a pretty good narrative born in the wrong medium it would be a much better choice to release it as short film.    … Expand
  43. lazerpuma
    Aug 16, 2013
    5
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I was very excited after reading the reviews to play this game, but equally disappointed after finishing it in 2 hours. You arrive back home after a year abroad in Europe learning in the first few minutes that your house is known throughout the small Oregon town setting as the "Psycho House," and that it might be haunted by your dead uncle. The house is big, the lights flicker, the noises are offsetting, and there are secret panels and passage ways. However, all of that is a big red herring. About 30 minutes into the game, you learn that you kid sister is probably a lesbian, and that's the big reveal at the end of the game you learn your sister ran off to be with her female lover, Lonnie, to the chagrin of your dysfunctional parents. Throughout the obvious but slow "coming out" of your sister through reading her diary entries and listening to her very Sleater-Kinney-esque mix tapes, you learn that your mom is probably having an affair with a park ranger and that your father is a failed aloof scifi writer who enjoys his whiskey. I did enjoy all the 90s indie music, x-files, twin peaks, videogame, and movie references, but really the whole game came off as an interactive version of Tracie Chapman's song, "Fast Car."… Expand
  44. andrewb694
    Aug 16, 2013
    9
    Gone Home is a fantastic Interactive Story, and if you think of it as that then the $20 price is justified. However it is dreadfully short, I personally beat it in an hour.

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

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

    +Godly amazing environment and story.
    -Short
    9/10    … Expand
  45. ArmCritic
    Aug 16, 2013
    9
    Gone Home is astonishing Great story telling and voice acting Whoever likes indie games like Dear Esther must play this one for sure 9/10 great game
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Awards & Rankings

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

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
86

Generally favorable reviews - based on 56 Critic Reviews

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