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

Review this game

  1. Your Score
    0 out of 10
    Rate this:
    • 10
    • 9
    • 8
    • 7
    • 6
    • 5
    • 4
    • 3
    • 2
    • 1
    • 0
    • 0
  1. Submit
  2. Check Spelling
view
per page
  1. Kraxlord
    Jun 18, 2023
    10
    Maybe one of the best games I have ever played! It's an intense story-driven experience for roughly 2 hours!
  2. hekoh
    Feb 19, 2023
    8
    pretty good walking simulator, i loved the immersion and the story. One of the first walking simulator
  3. hileger
    Oct 19, 2022
    1
    дерьмо лезби хуйта еще ходилка читалка ___________________________________=
  4. succhini
    Jun 2, 2022
    8
    I am a person that really enjoys atmospheric games, where the setting and details are rich in detail.
    From the little tapes that you find, and put in the radio, to the little items you can interact with to enrich the story telling it was really enjoyable.
    There weren't that many "puzzles" at all, and made it for a very good game to unwind and get the feels for. The narrator had a    I am a person that really enjoys atmospheric games, where the setting and details are rich in detail.
    From the little tapes that you find, and put in the radio, to the little items you can interact with to enrich the story telling it was really enjoyable.

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

    It was fun exploring the whole place. Those that have rated this game low might not be those kinds of gamers that enjoy a laid back story telling sort of approach. But I enjoyed it.    … Expand
  5. StarkAgentos
    May 24, 2022
    3
    Игра нереально кривая. Чувствительности по оси y маленькая, а настроить её никак нельзя. При наведении на объекты мышка сама на них наводится, что очень неудобно.
  6. cdbarlow
    Mar 27, 2022
    0
    I created a Metacritic account just to warn others about this awful, awful game. The entire game consists of going from room to room, pointing at everything everywhere until something glows, then zooming in on it and turning it around. Rinse and repeat for a measly 55 minutes. That's literally the entire game. Nothing ever happens except a woke teenage love story cliché that had me rollingI created a Metacritic account just to warn others about this awful, awful game. The entire game consists of going from room to room, pointing at everything everywhere until something glows, then zooming in on it and turning it around. Rinse and repeat for a measly 55 minutes. That's literally the entire game. Nothing ever happens except a woke teenage love story cliché that had me rolling my eyes. It's basically a "look meticulously through a storage room of just tons of old junk" simulator. Ultimately, you click on a random notebook and it fades to black with a short voiceover and the game is over before anything ever happened... yet IGN gave this a 9.5 probably because it's WOKE!… Expand
  7. navik8
    Feb 28, 2022
    8
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. As someone new to games, and who enjoyed Edith Finch, overall I enjoyed this game and the ability to walk around the house to gather the pieces at a more self-directed pace. My only disappointment was that the ending was a bit of a letdown. I felt like I was going to solve a deeper mystery when it was just *SPOILER ALERT* the sister just ended up running away to be her love interest. I am all for happy endings, I guess I was just hoping for more. I played part on an xbox and a switch, and found both versions enjoyable.… Expand
  8. Skurttish
    Jan 12, 2022
    7
    An okay, short game. It was basically a movie, both in how long it was and in how little gameplay there is. I played it curled up on the couch and it was good for a quiet evening.
  9. Perfect_Smith
    Dec 29, 2021
    10
    норм игра. вполне приятная история и бродилка по дому, симулятор клептомана.
  10. emilytropic
    Oct 29, 2021
    0
    Steve Gaynor, founder super-vocal and militant SJW behind the studio was removed from his leadership after numerous of his own female employees accusations about creating a toxic environment. Working for him was described as: "working for a high school mean girl. His go-to weapon was to laugh at people's opinions and embarrass them in front of other people."

    Shocking. The guy that got a    Steve Gaynor, founder super-vocal and militant SJW behind the studio was removed from his leadership after numerous of his own female employees accusations about creating a toxic environment. Working for him was described as: "working for a high school mean girl. His go-to weapon was to laugh at people's opinions and embarrass them in front of other people."

    Shocking. The guy that got a lot of press for himself by verbally assaulting and attacking other dev studios at GDC for not being woke enough, is in fact, a toxic, bullying hypocrite in real life too.

    It's sad we have 'professional' reviewers fall for loud-mouths like him, defend, and get behind them because they picked up the hot button topic of the week - while he and the people on his team that were bullying and bad mouthing people on stage. Activists that are bent on creating hate and conflict are NOT people you defend.

    As for the game, this is a walking simulator that I didn't even finish because I found it short, boring, and with lots of other MUCH better games out there. The only reason it's even known is because he played the media to get behind him based on it having a homosexual girl. Wow. That's all it takes today folks - just pick a SJW topic, become toxic to get press behind you, and profit. In reality, if I wanted to get preached at for 1-2 hours by angry people bent on burning people that don't agree with them, I'd go to church.

    This game has proven to have no staying power, is never seen on best-of lists anymore, and is not revolutionary in the least. All it did do was expose the fact that reviewers are more interested in tripping over themselves to appear more woke than any serious criticism.    … Expand
  11. Aloof
    Sep 30, 2021
    5
    I didn't like it at all, and to be honest, thank goodness I played it for free via Epic Games. It didn't involve me, I found it flat, banal, with a gameplay absent to the nth degree. The ratings it got from the critics were incredible so maybe I'm the wrong one.
  12. PublicNuisance
    May 29, 2021
    8
    Gone Home has come a long way since it was released. When it first came out it ran horribly on Linux and happily I can say that is no longer the case. It will be tough to talk a lot about the plot of Gone Home without spoiling it so I will simply say I enjoyed the story and liked how it was presented. You arrive home after catching a late flight to an empty house and trying to figure outGone Home has come a long way since it was released. When it first came out it ran horribly on Linux and happily I can say that is no longer the case. It will be tough to talk a lot about the plot of Gone Home without spoiling it so I will simply say I enjoyed the story and liked how it was presented. You arrive home after catching a late flight to an empty house and trying to figure out where your sister is. Your parents are also not home but that is more of a side story. You have to explore the house trying to find clues. When you find certain ones it triggers a audio journal from your sister. You can also learn a lot about your parents lives and that of your late uncle if you dig around enough. I liked the form of many of the clues such as crumpled pieces of paper; diaries; letters; etc. You will have to find combinations to many locks as well as keys. It is a little convoluted at times as you will have to start finding wall panels to tear off and secret passages, I can’t imagine the cleanup after I was done searching. The game really nails the nostalgia of the 90’s well. It takes place in 1995 and I can say they hit on many things I remember doing back then. The music is also great for the time period. One thing I will also mention is that, while the game is not a horror game, it did a great job having some creepy horror vibes at times. There are times where between the rain storm going on outside; the creaky floor boards; and the music that I expected things to take a grim turn. The graphics are mediocre to decent. The object detail such as furniture; appliances; etc were decent to good. The shadows and lighting were a little sub par but not terrible.

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

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

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

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

    My Score: 8/10

    My System:

    AMD Ryzen 5 2600X | 16GB DDR4-3000 CL15 | MSI RX 580 8GB Gaming X | Mesa 21.0.3 | Samsung 970 Evo Plus 500GB | Manjaro 21.0.5 | Mate 1.24.1 | Kernel 5.12.2-1-MANJARO | AOC G2460P 1920*1080 @ 144hz    … Expand
  13. FirstSpawn
    May 26, 2021
    8
    Очень уютная и ламповая игра, и исходя из этого зайдёт всем любителям чая с печениями =)
  14. chumpwithnoname
    Apr 26, 2021
    0
    Absolutely boring cr@p full of sjw sexual agendas of a lesbian teenage girl. Writing is non-existent, it is utterly banal and boring.
  15. Watch_Keeper
    Apr 25, 2021
    0
    I thought it's be something like a Stanley parable, it turns out to be a pure SJW **** Gaming "journalists" overrated some crap again because it panders to their political ideology.
  16. UnGamedesigner
    Apr 22, 2021
    8
    Very nice game and quick to complete. A very simple graphic adventure in which you have to collect diary pages in order to complete the story they tell. History is truly a swing of emotions. Other than the wonderful storyline, the game doesn't offer much high, but it's still a very enjoyable experience.
  17. Eniusza
    Apr 13, 2021
    7
    It's a very interesting story, with a cool atmosphere. There are some gameplay stuff that are bothering me, I don't see any point in picking up toilet paper billion times etc, and sometimes looking at objects wasn't working properly, or the fact that there was no actual model of character I'm playing (shame), but other than that I had fun playing.
  18. Dco326
    Apr 10, 2021
    5
    I wouldnt ever never play this again. Bukvalno nikad vise ne bih pipnuo ovu igru.
  19. Topfpflanze
    Mar 6, 2021
    2
    There's not much that stays in your mind about this game. So many moments make you reflect, but every time you have to realize that the authors have missed the development opportunity. I am sorry to say that this game is not worth the money.
  20. UncleEd
    Feb 14, 2021
    8
    This is an example of a good walking simulator. It gives the impression of a horror game, but in reality, it is a very well written young adult story. Voice acting is top notch. It takes about two hours to beat the entire game, but it will keep you engaged the whole time.

    8/10
  21. Skeeter206
    Feb 11, 2021
    4
    Honestly, the game was fine. I rated it a 4 because the game relies upon the story to elevate it, but the story has little to no depth.

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

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

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

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

    Also, you shouldn't spend more than $5 on this game.    … Expand
  22. Crimert
    Jan 16, 2021
    2
    The gameplay was boring for me and it made me disappointed. Therefore I didn't enjoy it. 2hrs on record.
  23. strangebrew123
    Dec 12, 2020
    2
    Clunky game with shallow storytelling. Maybe this was innovative back in 2013, but in 2020 Covid-central it's just plain boring! I expected more from the subplot but it was just left hanging. I guess that a LGBTQ+ story was seen as new and exciting back then, but things have seriously moved on. Plus the movement is so slow, she walks around like she's on sedatives. I only paid a fiver, soClunky game with shallow storytelling. Maybe this was innovative back in 2013, but in 2020 Covid-central it's just plain boring! I expected more from the subplot but it was just left hanging. I guess that a LGBTQ+ story was seen as new and exciting back then, but things have seriously moved on. Plus the movement is so slow, she walks around like she's on sedatives. I only paid a fiver, so I guess that I shouldn't have expected too much.… Expand
  24. MusicScoresDK
    Dec 10, 2020
    10
    For the purpose that this game tries to achieve, it's perfect.
    For me, Gone Home was the game of 2013, and I would love for this story to be continued, to find out what happens with the family.
    What mostly stands out to me, is the voiceacting, the musicscore, the interaction with the environment and the level of detail found around the house. This is a story-based first-person game,    For the purpose that this game tries to achieve, it's perfect.
    For me, Gone Home was the game of 2013, and I would love for this story to be continued, to find out what happens with the family.
    What mostly stands out to me, is the voiceacting, the musicscore, the interaction with the environment and the level of detail found around the house.

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

    I respect that this game is not loved by anyone, but for me it ticks all the boxes for what I love in a game like this. It has funny, sad, serious and lovely moments, and the dynamic of the game changes as you learn more about the story. And I like this story, and I would like to know what happens next.    … Expand
  25. ErayTellezi
    Nov 17, 2020
    3
    Eski internet tarayıcısı oyunları olurdu, nesnelere tıklayarak bir esrarı veya cinayeti çözmeye çalışırdık. Onlar gibi ama ne hikayesi ne de oynanışı ilgi çekici. Zaman kaybı. Neyse ki süresi kısa.
  26. DJKrimson
    Nov 9, 2020
    6
    An okay slowpaced walking telltale game. I like the story told about Sam, and it's a good voice actor that are nice to listen to. But it feels a bit hollow, they could've done more with the story and they could've included some puzzling or something.
  27. Psy_pmP
    Nov 5, 2020
    1
    Скучная и тупая история. Излишне романтизированная параша про лесбиянок, феминизм и прочую поебень. Стандартная программа пропаганды. Ну, может это поможет молодежи быть более толерантными. Но я думал для этого нужно нормальное обучение, а не навязыванием идей через тупые фанфики.
    Если вы когда-нибудь читали тупые истории на форумах, которые обычно пишут неудачники по жизни. Их жизнь    Скучная и тупая история. Излишне романтизированная параша про лесбиянок, феминизм и прочую поебень. Стандартная программа пропаганды. Ну, может это поможет молодежи быть более толерантными. Но я думал для этого нужно нормальное обучение, а не навязыванием идей через тупые фанфики.
    Если вы когда-нибудь читали тупые истории на форумах, которые обычно пишут неудачники по жизни. Их жизнь скучное дерьмо и они придумывают себе истории, в которых все прекрасно, удачно и летают бабочки. Так вот, это как раз такой фанфик. ФАНатам ФИКалий.    … Expand
  28. bergcamp101
    Aug 17, 2020
    4
    I don't like these kind of games. In fact, It's not a game. There are no mechanics, there is no plot. We should call it an interactive story and put it on some new shelf, and don't compare it with actual gaming.
  29. Alexb1096
    Jul 24, 2020
    6
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. ITALIAN:
    Gioco carino perchè molto breve (dura circa 3 ore) però poteva essere gestito meglio.

    Nel gioco impersoni una ragazza che torna a casa negli USA dopo un lungo viaggio in Europa e non trova nessuno ad aspettarla.
    L'obiettivo del gioco è capire cosa sia successo, visto che sembra che i tuoi genitori e tua sorella siano scappati.

    Grafica carina ma non personale, audio invece molto bello con un'ottima colonna sonora e stupendi monologhi.
    Il gameplay è molto semplice dato che bisogna solo girare per casa ed interagire con gli oggetti.

    Un aspetto positivo ma gestito male è la possibilità di interagire con quasi tutti gli oggetti presenti. Trovata interessante che però non ha quasi utilità pratica. Inoltre alcuni oggetti sono presenti ripetuti in gran quantità all'interno della casa e quindi dopo aver trovato il primo di questi capisci che anche gli altri non servono a niente.

    La storia invece è carina ed empatica, ma lascia alcune cose in sospeso.
    Aggiungo qualche dettaglio nella sezione spoiler.

    Voto: 6.5/10

    SPOILER: Viene spiegata bene la storia della sorella, che lentamente si riesce anche ad intuire ed è molto carina, però l'assenza dei genitori è giustificata solo dal calendario presente in cucina e se non lo si dovesse trovare non si capirebbe più di tanto (si capisce che i genitori sono in crisi ma non viene mai citato il viaggio).    … Expand
  30. Muyrka
    Apr 26, 2020
    5
    Got this game for free, so I would be more lax.
    OK immersive mansion walking simulator. Story in my view is weak, a bit cliche and not thrilling enough. Somewhere at the middle of a game you understand what is happening and it becomes boring.
    If you want something like this one but better - try "What happened to Edith Finch". It is much much better.
  31. Almas_kz
    Apr 24, 2020
    7
    Плохая оптимизация, неудобное управление и сложный сюжет хотя в конце я начал вникать в него, но все же полностью понять не смог, даже в конце я узнал что главная героиня и ее подружка являются лесбиянками, но тайны и замки, закрытые кейсы чуть развеселили меня + презервативы в родительской комнате тоже, вообщем игра не совсем стоит своих денег и я бы не советовал бы покупать.Плохая оптимизация, неудобное управление и сложный сюжет хотя в конце я начал вникать в него, но все же полностью понять не смог, даже в конце я узнал что главная героиня и ее подружка являются лесбиянками, но тайны и замки, закрытые кейсы чуть развеселили меня + презервативы в родительской комнате тоже, вообщем игра не совсем стоит своих денег и я бы не советовал бы покупать.
  32. michaelb1928
    Apr 17, 2020
    7
    There is a lot of love put into this game. Sure its short , theres no gameplay and no puzzles which is a missed opportunity but its still really immersive to lose yourself in the house. The story is decent and theres a nice twist at the end. Overall i enjoyed my experience, it still holds up in 2020.
  33. Broyax
    Apr 10, 2020
    0
    Qu'est-ce que c'est encore que ça... un simulateur de visite de maison ? ou le quotidien d'une ouvreuse de tiroirs ? d'ouverture d'armoires et d'allumage de lampes... aussi ! et ça raconte quoi au juste, on ne sait pas...

    Rien ou de la merde, très certainement. Le blabla à voix haute est chiant et n'apporte rien d'autre que niaiserie et/ou commentaires inutiles parce qu'on a retourné la    Qu'est-ce que c'est encore que ça... un simulateur de visite de maison ? ou le quotidien d'une ouvreuse de tiroirs ? d'ouverture d'armoires et d'allumage de lampes... aussi ! et ça raconte quoi au juste, on ne sait pas...

    Rien ou de la merde, très certainement. Le blabla à voix haute est chiant et n'apporte rien d'autre que niaiserie et/ou commentaires inutiles parce qu'on a retourné la troisième carte postale ou ouvert le second classeur...

    De toute façon, j'ai pas pu visiter très longtemps, car le jeu plante à chaque fois... c'était pourtant pas trop vilain pour une petite daube indé roulée sous les aisselles. Mais que voulez-vous, quand ça veut pas, ça veut pas... premier jeu qui fait ça depuis des lustres ! c'est parce qu'il veut aller tout de suite dans le vide-ordures ; sa maison, c'est le vide-ordures !    … Expand
  34. Ternunda
    Apr 7, 2020
    8
    I've played this game just now -- April 8, 2020. It took me 105 minutes to complete it where I left just one stone unturned. Here are some points.

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

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

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

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

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

    TL;DR

    If you can get it on the cheap, this is a great game to spend 2 hours on. The story is charming and the world is wonderfully interesting to navigate. Just understand that this is an investment for 2 hours of your life, not a massively mastered and developed game that will give you 60 hours of gameplay. I would recommend this game to anyone looking for nice, niche storylines with no pressure on the player. Play at your pace. Enjoy the environment.    … Expand
  35. Kekoto
    Apr 6, 2020
    9
    I got this for free and for the 2-3 hour gameplay I got I feel like 20 bucks aren't worth, wait for a sale. However, the atmosphere is dripping and there were times where I felt unease with the storm in the background and the occasional voices in the basement. The story is bittersweet and so heartfelt, I really enjoyed this game. It starts off with a creepy sort of feel but slowly revealsI got this for free and for the 2-3 hour gameplay I got I feel like 20 bucks aren't worth, wait for a sale. However, the atmosphere is dripping and there were times where I felt unease with the storm in the background and the occasional voices in the basement. The story is bittersweet and so heartfelt, I really enjoyed this game. It starts off with a creepy sort of feel but slowly reveals a love story along with many little secrets hidden in the nooks and crannys.… Expand
  36. ourendlesseason
    Dec 15, 2019
    6
    GH è una fusione fra una mostra in un museo dove ci fermiamo, nella maggior parte dei casi, a lanciare più di una semplice occhiata a tutto quello che ci circonda, ed un gioco investigativo. Non vediamo mai la protagonista in volto, la prospettiva è in prima persona: questa scelta non è così cattiva in quanto aiuta chi gioca a concentrarsi di più su quello che lo circonda e a sentirsiGH è una fusione fra una mostra in un museo dove ci fermiamo, nella maggior parte dei casi, a lanciare più di una semplice occhiata a tutto quello che ci circonda, ed un gioco investigativo. Non vediamo mai la protagonista in volto, la prospettiva è in prima persona: questa scelta non è così cattiva in quanto aiuta chi gioca a concentrarsi di più su quello che lo circonda e a sentirsi parte del gioco.
    L'obiettivo del gioco è quello di scoprire cosa si cela dietro la famiglia della protagonista, ma nessuna paura, nulla di pauroso succederà. Quello che si viene a scoprire è scioccante fino ad un certo punto: ci aspettiamo già che il gioco tratterà di argomenti delicati, in caso contrario la famiglia non si sarebbe presa la briga di nascondere le prove.
    Tutto molto interessante, ma poco avventuroso: non ci sono puzzle difficili e luoghi che non siano la casa.

    Gioco molto tranquillo, utile se si vuole passare qualche ora senza volersi scervellare troppo, ma non adatto a chi preferisce qualcosa con più azione.    … Expand
  37. IRMacGuyver
    Nov 20, 2019
    0
    This doesn't even qualify as a game. All you do is read notes left around the house. The only reason people give it good scores is an attempt to "validate" it's themes. Guess what? We had lesbians in video games back in the 90s we didn't have to make a big deal out of it and they actually had good gameplay. Look up Fear Effect and it's sequel if that's all you want to see out of a video game.
  38. Lexington50
    Nov 1, 2019
    4
    Even allowing that the game is now 6 years old I have to agree with the person who said the high critics' scores are a indictment of gaming journalism.

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

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

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

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

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

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

    If you enjoy this sort of game and are perhaps interested in the evolution of the genre it might be worth a playthrough at the current price of about $5 (I would certainly not pay more than that). Otherwise you're better off moving on as this is niche product that has nothing to offer beyond a short, simple, passably well told story.    … Expand
  39. CriticalHit20
    Oct 21, 2019
    6
    I did not pay for this game and would not pay much for it. If I did, then I might give it a low review for its value. In terms of the overall experience, it was merely okay. I wasn't as offended by the ending as others. That said, this game is all about story and there is not a good story in this game.
  40. ozzsoffy
    Oct 18, 2019
    3
    Very slow game, easy past , the narrative was interesting, but not that much, will not recommend it
  41. Metathronxyz
    Sep 29, 2019
    3
    Uninteresting, uninspired story. Forces you to perform repetitive tasks, such as opening doors and flicking on light switches. This is all the 'gameplay' you're going to get. Not deserving of anyone's time or money. Go for Firewatch if you're into walking simulators - that one's a masterpiece.
  42. Philosophical
    Jul 9, 2019
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. This is a difficult game to review, not because it's bad, but because it's such an experience that it's hard to describe. But, I'm going to attempt to. First off, this is one of the best first person narrative games I've ever played, and there are a lot of reasons for it. Let's begin with the graphics. The graphics aren't anything to go insane about, but they're not horrible to the point that it looks like someone took a crap on a copy machine. One of the only issues I had with the game was that the default brightness was, in my opinion, too dark. It could just be because I can't see well, but I had to turn the brightness up, though it didn't hinder my experience. With the graphics being just good, the audio is a whole other story. There isn't much background music, only a bit of very atmospheric tracks that helped add to the immersion. The sound effects were used well, and at times made me jump because of how engrossed I was in this game. There isn't a lot of voice acting, but when it's used, the performances are great. The journal entries by Sam were read so well, it truly at times made me feel for this character we only saw in photos. This leads me into the next part of this review, the story. The story is very emotional, and I was tearing up every five minutes playing this game. This is one of, if not the best game to tackle the themes of sexual orientation acceptance, and does it very well. The emotional turmoil described through the journal entries truly struck a chord with me. This is definitely one of my favorite plots throughout the game, and I think that the length was just right, not too short to be unable to justify my purchase, but not too long that I'd fallen out of the immersion. The gameplay is probably the least impressive part of the game, though it's still good. The simple key placement makes it easy to manage. Other than that, the controls are very basic. Overall, this is one of the few games I would give a 10/10. Though I do believe that you should go through this game in one sitting, and go into the game blindly. This is how I did it, and I believe it enhanced my experience. Other than that, this is a fantastic game that you should grab for only 20 bucks. Now, I'm sure there are many people who were disappointed with this game, but you should realize, this isn't meant to be a 40-hour game, it's meant to be a short and sweet experience. It shouldn't matter how long a game is, but the actual quality of the game.… Expand
  43. p1menta
    Jun 9, 2019
    7
    too many bad reviews for an okay game. i wonder if it is related to the story being about a lesbian teen couple instead of hetero-broken-hearted-man's-self-pity
  44. Steyraus
    May 25, 2019
    0
    Walk around a boring empty house, read and listen to stuff. That is the entire "Game" . but you cant really call it a game. theres no gameplay. Just walk and look, The only thing interesting about it is how is exposes the stupidity of gaming journalism, giving this junk stupidly high score because its easy and they like easy game , because they are bad at games.
    Honestly on of the worse    Walk around a boring empty house, read and listen to stuff. That is the entire "Game" . but you cant really call it a game. theres no gameplay. Just walk and look, The only thing interesting about it is how is exposes the stupidity of gaming journalism, giving this junk stupidly high score because its easy and they like easy game , because they are bad at games.
    Honestly on of the worse experiences I have forced myself to play ever, I had to see why it was getting high scores though and now I know it shouldn't have.
    If you rate game high, just because they align with you political views, you should not be reviewing games    … Expand
  45. Tortoise
    Jan 14, 2019
    0
    imagine you're going out to a fancy restaurant for the night. The waitress pulls up to your table, she ask's for what you would like to order. You reply with "surprise me!", the waitress scribbles her notepad, "coming right up" she responds and leaves. 10 minutes later, she comes backs a lays an empty plate on your behalf. That's Gone Home, $20 bucks please.
  46. thecasualgaymer
    Dec 22, 2018
    3
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. This game is important to people, it's some people's 10 because of that, however the huge amount of critical acclaim for this game is astounding. Yeah, spoiler she's reading notes from her sister after coming home and through that series of notes her sister is revealed to be a lesbian. There's also a subplot of notes about her parents shaky marriage that they are working on fixing. It's a polished experience, but not a fun one. Honestly the reason I think it resonates with some people is that it's THEIR story, and that's fine but any game with this little gameplay needs to have some truly amazing writing backing it up and at the end of the day Gone Home doesn't do anything universally ground breaking. If you like LGBT stories and dont mind walking simulators then this game could work for you, but anyone else is going to find themselves wanting more. If you're looking for a creepy vibe, horror esque story heavy walking simulator I'd recommend Oxenfree as an alternative.… Expand
  47. Gelaos
    Sep 20, 2018
    9
    If you're allergic to feminism, homosexuality or walking simulators, then you will hate this game. Actually it's not a game, it's just interactive visit of someone's house. But I loved it. All subplots of the main story (sister's sexuality, father's middle age crisis, problematic marriage, ...) are something that was explored in literature, movies or other media hundreds of times. Yet itIf you're allergic to feminism, homosexuality or walking simulators, then you will hate this game. Actually it's not a game, it's just interactive visit of someone's house. But I loved it. All subplots of the main story (sister's sexuality, father's middle age crisis, problematic marriage, ...) are something that was explored in literature, movies or other media hundreds of times. Yet it still grabbed me and didn't let go until credits started rolling.

    But for a game that takes 1-3 hours to finish (depending on how much of a completionist you are) the price of (currently) $15 is way to high.    … Expand
  48. Dead_Reckon
    May 21, 2018
    8
    The farther I get away from my playtime in this game the less favorable I find it. I originally scored it a 10, but now I would say it's an 8. I did enjoy it, and it does what it does well but I don't think the act of playing it is actually all that enjoyable, IE I don't want to play it again.
  49. El_Manco
    May 20, 2018
    8
    Cuando inicias tu paseo por la casa de los Greenbriar, sin idea de que va la historia, cualquier detalle acaba por parecerte una evidencia de algo. Según transcurre el juego, acabas descubriendo una historia repleta de personajes con conflictos y problemas, con los que acabas por empatizar por simple humanidad.
  50. Jucarock
    Apr 28, 2018
    9
    This game it will give you thriller moments but in the course of history you will get what is happening. Don't get baited by the many low reviews, this game is good. You have to respect the gameplay that is slower than usual and try to understand the history.
  51. RagingPoet
    Feb 2, 2018
    8
    Gone Home is 'walking simulator' with simple but highly detailed story about ordinary family. It has as few gameplay as this genre can maintain while still being called 'game'. But the storytelling through items is really nice.
  52. treakj
    Jan 16, 2018
    6
    Not a bad game, but VERY SHORT. I thought it was a horror movie. The game itself is used only as a vehicle to tell a story. Reminds me of "Heavy Rain". The visuals are acceptable, the sound is good. Voice acting is very good. It is interesting to piece the stories (like in Resident Evil, Bioshock, etc), but I think the story could be deeper. Since the story was the main point of this game,Not a bad game, but VERY SHORT. I thought it was a horror movie. The game itself is used only as a vehicle to tell a story. Reminds me of "Heavy Rain". The visuals are acceptable, the sound is good. Voice acting is very good. It is interesting to piece the stories (like in Resident Evil, Bioshock, etc), but I think the story could be deeper. Since the story was the main point of this game, it could try to achieve storytelling as, for example, "To the Moon".
    If there was some kind of replayability, like changing the player and the timing, changing points of view, putting more story and arcs, this game could have been very good.    … Expand
  53. Hezekiah16
    Jan 11, 2018
    0
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. This game does a good job of making you feel like you're in 1995. I watched a no-commentary gameplay of this game on YouTube and I have to say that the devs did a good job of making you feel immersed in the game in a sense that you're walking around a big, creepy, empty house. The only reason I was interested in this game was because I was born in 1995.

    Putting all that aside, the story was stupid and your little sister Sam is an annoying brat along with her rebellious/foolish girlfriend Lonnie. It's a dumb drama story of the so-called "love" between Sam and Lonnie which is expressed in Sam's diary and her notes from school. This game is a waste of time and a waste of money. This game should be free or not exist at all. It's also another story that expresses hate towards Jesus Christ and Christianity, which is aggravatingly cliché. This game is of an antichrist spirit and you will find yourself bored watching Kaitlin walk around the house basically doing nothing. Gone home deserves a fat 0/10. The ending of this game is super anticlimactic. Don't even bother playing or watching it.

    Gone Home had so much potential to be a thrilling story of Kaitlin finding out what happened to all her family members and searching for them or something like that. Could've been SO much better.    … Expand
  54. CyberRobotnix
    Jan 11, 2018
    2
    Pretty hard to rate this "game" accurately. To me, it's not even a game, but a boring simulator, even Twilight is probably more interesting than that piece of junk, YES I SAID IT!
    The unique reasons that my rating can't go any lower is because despite being a big scam, this game doesn't even have relatively bad graphics or musics and the writing is good, if that was a book it would easily    Pretty hard to rate this "game" accurately. To me, it's not even a game, but a boring simulator, even Twilight is probably more interesting than that piece of junk, YES I SAID IT!
    The unique reasons that my rating can't go any lower is because despite being a big scam, this game doesn't even have relatively bad graphics or musics and the writing is good, if that was a book it would easily get more praise and I could give it something like 8/10.
    The unique people that enjoy the game are either people that have never played games before, SJWs or even people with very low standards and that put story above everything.
    Do not play that shiet.    … Expand
  55. ivarivarivar123
    Oct 28, 2017
    0
    Game review of gone home
    Gone home is a first-person simulator experience. You are playing as the character Katie and you are finally home, but your family is not. You go through the game searching thoroughly for clues to where your family members have gone off to.
    The game is a well-made first-person experience. The game holds the standard of games that was when the game was released    Game review of gone home
    Gone home is a first-person simulator experience. You are playing as the character Katie and you are finally home, but your family is not. You go through the game searching thoroughly for clues to where your family members have gone off to.
    The game is a well-made first-person experience. The game holds the standard of games that was when the game was released for windows I 2012, but the game doesn’t meet the top standards of the modern gaming industry. I think the graphic is generally well done, but you can find someplace that are sloppy made. None huge places or spots, but just so that the games graphics are a little under the good modern standard.
    The game starts off with you coming home from a trip. You must find a key to unlock the front door. Then you explore the house to find more about yourself and the other main and side characters. The main objective the game is to find facts about your family and where they have gone off to.
    I think the game captures the atmosphere of where the game is set, which is in 1995. The furniture and other decorations looks like the classic 1990. The Greenbriar household is a perfect remake of the atmosphere of 1995. I think the graphics are suitable for the setting the house provides. The sounds in the game are very well made to the atmosphere. Sometimes I think that the music and sound make you distracted from the main objective and makes you day dreaming. I would say that this is a good thing because it makes you more in depth in the game and it makes the game more immersive. The voice overs from Sam that you find when you explore the house is a good feature to the games atmosphere. The sound effects from the outside noises such as the rain and thunder are also well made and make you emerged in the gameplay. You are given great instructions and the game is easy to play. There are very little controls that you need to use to play the game.
    In general, I liked the game. I think it’s a great first-person simulation and walkthrough that make you emerged in a new time and atmosphere. I would recommend this game for the age 13-24 because the game is about paying attention and remembering things that you find in the game.    … Expand
  56. OatniAaA
    Oct 27, 2017
    8
    Game Review:

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

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

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

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

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

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

    This game is an amazing game because of the huge map you have to search to find all the information you need and all the journeys. I really think that this game should be used as learning game for people. This game challenges you to think and that is a very good thing for students who does not really like school. I recommend this game for people over 15 years, because you’re thinking skills has to be on point.    … Expand
  58. emilieeilime12
    Oct 27, 2017
    0
    The main character Kaitlyn arrives home after a year abroad. She expects her family to greet her, but there is no one home. Something is not right, and Kaitlyn must search the throughout the house to find out what.
    The good things about gone home is that non-structured exploration. You get a big house all by yourself, to explore and do whatever you want. The freedom and the fact that you    The main character Kaitlyn arrives home after a year abroad. She expects her family to greet her, but there is no one home. Something is not right, and Kaitlyn must search the throughout the house to find out what.
    The good things about gone home is that non-structured exploration. You get a big house all by yourself, to explore and do whatever you want. The freedom and the fact that you must find out a lot by yourself in the game, I really like. The story of the game is an emotional, relatable and relevant story today. The game portrays homosexuality well, and it tackles problems like abuse and bullying in a good way. I think the graphic is very well done. The house is filled up with objects from the 90`s, and all the details makes it look realistic.
    A negative thing about the game, is that the story is too simple. I think the story about the family could be more detailed. You piece together a family story, but there is not enough depth in it. You find a lot of hidden things, but a family story is much more detailed than that. I would also like that something more happened, which was not thought to happen. The game is quite predictable, and you never get surprised at what is going on.
    Overall, the positive things about the game weights more than the negatives, so I have a good impression. For people that plays a lot of videogames and PC-games, it will maybe be too easy. For me and people that never have played something like this before, it is perfect. Not too complicated and you won’t get impatient, because you can finish it in three hours. I also like the fact that a PC-game can tell such an important and relevant story for today’s society. I would definitely recommend this game for people between 15 and 18 years old. I think it is in this age you enjoy this kind of games the most. The game is probably also, for beginners and not for experienced PC-game players.    … Expand
  59. SuperkenGaming
    Oct 4, 2017
    7
    Gone Home
    A Nostalgia Trip
    Gone Home is a 2 hr long walking Simulator where you play as Kaitlynn return home from Europe after studying abroad.. you come home to find a note from your little sister sam and an empty house you spend these 2 hours finding out where everyone went… the game is set in the mid 90s, it does a decent job at setting the house with nostalgic items like board    Gone Home
    A Nostalgia Trip
    Gone Home is a 2 hr long walking Simulator where you play as Kaitlynn return home from Europe after studying abroad.. you come home to find a note from your little sister sam and an empty house
    you spend these 2 hours finding out where everyone went…
    the game is set in the mid 90s, it does a decent job at setting the house with nostalgic items like board games, answering machines, vhs tapes, cassettes and game cartridges, though as a 90s kid myself.. none of this really hit me and brought me back…
    the house didn’t really feel 90s to me as everything sortve felt like decoration, the house didn’t really feel lived in to me…
    You can interactive with practically everything in the game, rotate items to inspect them, and the occasional note and letter will give more insight into what exactly happened, and who her parents were and what they did and their own problems theyre dealing with..
    Im not going to spoil the story, ill just say its really touching and heartbreaking at times..
    listening to the occasional voiced dialog while you explore this house is the best part of the game…
    however I feel this game is a tad bit overrated and I cant really go into why without spoiling the story…
    But once you play it I think the reason for this game getting such high scores will be fairly apparent..
    as the experience isn’t really that special… youre just looking through things, and stumbling on the occasional secret until you’ve found what you needed for the end game…
    I didn’t find game progression to be clever, I just felt my heartstring pulled on a little bit here and there…
    Gone Home is a good experience..
    but it isn’t this masterpiece you’ve been hearing about for years
    I give Gone Home
    a 7/10    … Expand
  60. Gracz-org
    Aug 8, 2017
    7
    Gone Home jest tytułem idealnym dla osób, dla których w grach liczy się coś więcej niż ciągła akcja. Przemierzając zakamarki tytułowego domu nie nudziłem się ani na chwilę, a odkrywanie fabuły krok po kroku uświadomiło mi jak wiele twórcy mogą nam jeszcze zaprezentować w tego typu produkcjach. Co prawda grę tą można przejść w niecałą godzinę, ale… zdecydowanie wystarczyło to jednak, bymGone Home jest tytułem idealnym dla osób, dla których w grach liczy się coś więcej niż ciągła akcja. Przemierzając zakamarki tytułowego domu nie nudziłem się ani na chwilę, a odkrywanie fabuły krok po kroku uświadomiło mi jak wiele twórcy mogą nam jeszcze zaprezentować w tego typu produkcjach. Co prawda grę tą można przejść w niecałą godzinę, ale… zdecydowanie wystarczyło to jednak, bym zapamiętał ją oraz opowiedzianą w niej historię na długi czas ;-) Gorąco polecam!

    Pełna recenzja dostępna jest na blogu Gracz.org    … Expand
  61. cmykeith
    Jul 31, 2017
    10
    This game is powerful, intricately crafted, and emotional. Though the gameplay is simple and it's much shorter than traditional games (I finished my first playthrough in about 2 hours), this game is complete without any unnecessary details. The sounds, music, and voice acting are all orchestrated beautifully.

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

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

    Gone Home is a piece of art. As all art, one's experience of it will be filtered through our expectations, personal interests, and biases. Those that expect a traditional game may be disappointed, but those that can appreciate a heart-felt experience will be delighted.    … Expand
  62. artificeprime
    May 27, 2017
    5
    Dramatically over-rated. While Gone Home offers a subtly crafted narrative and some interesting atmospheric story telling it is average or below average in nearly all other areas. In this case the user score is far more accurate than the critics score. I can see this game appealing to some people as a somewhat unique way of experiencing a story but even as a slightly interactive storyDramatically over-rated. While Gone Home offers a subtly crafted narrative and some interesting atmospheric story telling it is average or below average in nearly all other areas. In this case the user score is far more accurate than the critics score. I can see this game appealing to some people as a somewhat unique way of experiencing a story but even as a slightly interactive story there are many games that do it far better.

    There really isn't much gameplay to speak of. You walk through a house and pick up objects to investigate. The controls are extremely clunky, even simply movement feels awkward, sometimes just performing simple tasks was challenging just because the controls were poor. For a game where all you do is walk around, picking up and investigating items that should have been done far better. There are a few puzzles in the game but they aren't really puzzles, basically you just have to find a few pieces of codes and then use those codes together. There is no creative problem solving to speak of. The developers could have added some riddles or clever ways of solving puzzles to add some element of gameplay but they didn't.

    The Story and writing is what most people praise this game for but even that is way over-rated. The main story itself hints at having a lot of depth but ultimately is little more than an overly dramatic teenage drama. The way the game reveals the story is quite intriguing with the player needing to uncover hints by looking at little objects in the house but the supposed big twists are so obvious that by the time they are revealed fully they have very little impact. I guessed all of the twists long before they were revealed and so when I actually got to the big moments I was expecting that there would be more to the mystery, there wasn't. The ending is plays out as though it is supposed to be this big dramatic surprise but really it just left me asking "Is that it?" The story isn't bad, it would be good if it was a side quest in a game with more going on but as the central plot it is very underwhelming. There are no big ideas here. I suppose it gets a few points for telling the kind of story that isn't told often but that only goes so far.

    Where the game does shine, and why I gave it a 5 as opposed to a 2 or 3, is the atmospheric story
    telling. The main story is a pretty standard teenage drama but how the story is revealed with little items in the home is quite compelling. Also, there are things about the characters that are not told through the main narrative that can be discovered by finding certain objects and drawing the lines together yourself. Learning what happened to the family through their possessions is interesting and is the one thing that this game does that makes it stand out. Unfortunately those discovers have little to no impact on how the game plays out.

    Visually Gone Home is fine but the house itself really seems generic. With the house being the only set piece in the whole game the creators really could have put a lot more care into making it feel personal. It is supposed to be some kind of old mansion that has been in the family for many years but for the most part its design seems really basic. Many games that have dozens of houses have better ones than this one.

    The sound design is good for an indie game. The voice work is all good enough and the atmospheric sounds are nice. There are several similar interactive story games that have far better soundtracks though. For example, The Vanishing of Ethan Carter, Everybody's Gone to the Rapture and Fire Watch.

    I can understand why some people might really enjoy this game as an experience. The story might really appeal to some people and the atmosphere might really appeal to you. That's fine but I think giving this game an 8 or a 9 for those reasons alone is an insult to games that have been crafted with far greater effort and artistic skill. The critical score for this game currently stands at an 86, that puts it in league with legendary games that are dramatically better in almost every way and that is truly unfortunate.

    I give Gone Home a 52%

    Gameplay - 2
    Story/Progression - 7
    World - 4
    Sound Design - 7
    Uniqueness/Ideas - 6
    Characters - 7
    Visual Style - 5
    Length/Amount of Content - 3
    Immersion - 6
    X-Factor - 5    … Expand
  63. Dr_Zaroff
    Mar 30, 2017
    10
    A game that evokes fear, sadness, happiness, and memory. Such a simple game but so well executed. Much like a well-written novel, this game is able to set the dreary mood and atmosphere with so little action! That proves just how well put together this game is. The details, the sound, the lighting, all come together to create something special.

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

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

    I will continue to recommend this game to everyone I know.    … Expand
  64. TeenGirlGamer
    Mar 19, 2017
    10
    Oh My God! I started this game 2 hours ago and i just finished it.Now it's my favorite game.I loved everything in it.It just made me cry so much because it ended..♥
  65. Avodeskorm
    Feb 27, 2017
    7
    Walking simulators have been done better, but this is one of the first good ones that came out. This is much harder to get into with games being focused on story becoming much more popular.
  66. amcvfx
    Feb 16, 2017
    9
    Beautiful and inspiring. A powerful case for games as interactive storytelling. The sensation of immersion in someone else's life was immediate and the revelations were perfectly paced.
  67. angrybeaver23
    Jan 15, 2017
    0
    This game is all hype. No ghosts. GAYEST. GAME. EVER. Literally. I wish I could get a refund for the time I spent playing it. I was optimistic all the way until the end. But on a positive note, my husband was right all along.
  68. spikedloop
    Jan 2, 2017
    7
    Don't view every pencil and pen. It's useless. I advise concentrate only on note from your sister and note about your uncle, only then you probably feel the pleasure from game.
  69. mystero
    Dec 10, 2016
    2
    No, dura meno di 1 ora, la trama è di circa 30 frasi, devo scrivere piu io per pubblicare questa recensione che l'autore per pubblicare il gioco.
    Non vale nemmeno gratis, spendete questo tempo per guardare le macchine che passano in mezzo alla strada, è piu produttivo.
  70. Laflak
    Nov 28, 2016
    1
    I can’t call this a GAME.

    Indeed, I loved the graphics and story of Gone Home. The whole story was full of interactions, which were very detailed and interesting. It somewhat felt like playing ‘Skyrim’, and I even tried to find some 'sweetrolls' while playing. However, none of those tremendous interactions had any single consequence. This is why I felt like being an observer, not a    I can’t call this a GAME.

    Indeed, I loved the graphics and story of Gone Home. The whole story was full of interactions, which were very detailed and interesting. It somewhat felt like playing ‘Skyrim’, and I even tried to find some 'sweetrolls' while playing. However, none of those tremendous interactions had any single consequence. This is why I felt like being an observer, not a player. Also, there were lots of objects interacting with the player, but the story didn’t make a single interaction with the player. The story didn’t allow the player to participate. Instead, it forced and dictated the player to ‘study’ the whole story. This is why I can’t call Gone Home a ‘game’. Also, there was no single battle event in this game, and the puzzles were too boring. Combinations and secret pathways were not creative at all, and I’m pretty sure that most of the players didn’t get thrilled when they found the secret pathways.

    In the technical part, this program had some frame drop issues. I ran this program with GTX 980M and i7 skylake, and I could feel the frames drop while throwing an object or crouching.

    However, I didn’t give ZERO to this program just because the music in this game were so good. They fit well to the story and the mood. Especially the ending theme was quite touching, which changed my score from zero to one.

    This game could have been much better if they provided some choices and consequences, just like ‘Life Is Strange’. Actually, I think that this program is a downgrade version of ‘Life Is Strange’ in some points, such as interactions and storytelling.

    And the worst part of this program is the fact that it costs 20 BUCKS. The price is totally unreasonable since this ‘program’ is never worth it. You’d better buy Portal 2 or Stanley parable with your precious 20 bucks, if you still don’t have them. I also suggest you to add another 20 bucks to buy STEINS;GATE on steam, which is tenfold better than this ‘software’.    … Expand
  71. Nocturne2521
    Nov 28, 2016
    5
    The best part was the atmosphere of this game.
    I was able to concentrate on the play time of this game with the unusual atmosphere and background photographs and background music. When I first turned on this game, I felt like I was really in this house alone, and the feeling of euphoria was real enough. The background music was something that the company thought was a big hit, so I    The best part was the atmosphere of this game.
    I was able to concentrate on the play time of this game with the unusual atmosphere and background photographs and background music. When I first turned on this game, I felt like I was really in this house alone, and the feeling of euphoria was real enough. The background music was something that the company thought was a big hit, so I thought it would be fascinating to those who missed that time by placing cassette tapes of music that fit the times.
    I was also impressed by the fact that the details for the hardcore player are arranged according to the manufacturer's intentions. I was also impressed that I could indirectly know the personality of the characters through report cards, various documents, and letters. In this way, I have focused more on the relationship between the characters than on the way of direct personality, and it seems that I have seen the clues without fail.
    But I am not American, and since I did not live in the 1990s, it was difficult and emotional to agree with the theme that penetrated the game. I could not sympathize with JFK conspiracy theories, feminism, rock culture that appeared in this game, and it was very difficult to understand when the contents of this part appeared.
    Playing time was also a little less than the price. GTA, Skyrim, Civilization, and other famous games are priced from $ 60 to $ 100, but the games have content that I can play for 10 hours, 100 hours, or even 1000 hours. But the game is worth $ 20 and the play time is 2 hours. I think the price of 5 to 10 dollars is a reasonable price.
    I could also picked up things such as business cards and books so that I could see them while rotating, which I think is unnecessary. Even if you only see some important things like that, you'll see almost the same detail, and development costs and time will be lower.    … Expand
  72. aplusstudent
    Nov 27, 2016
    4
    I found gone home a very enjoyable game and I was the first person to finish the game on the very day I downloaded it. The game really drew my attention because the characters in the game were very realistic and the scary mood of the game made it very interesting. Also being an inquisitive person, I had to figure out what was happening around the house.
    Gone home is played inside the huge    I found gone home a very enjoyable game and I was the first person to finish the game on the very day I downloaded it. The game really drew my attention because the characters in the game were very realistic and the scary mood of the game made it very interesting. Also being an inquisitive person, I had to figure out what was happening around the house.
    Gone home is played inside the huge mansion Katie, the main character we control and her family owns. Katie comes back from a long trip to find her home abandoned by her younger sister Sam and both of her parents. She has to go around the house and figure out what has happened in the house when she was gone away. Through the game as the user finds more clues about the whereabouts of the family members and especially Sam, Sam’s journals randomly play. These journals give critical information to what happened when Sam was not in the house. Overall the house is very detailed with many postcards Katie sent to the family and grade reports Sam got from School. The ending also has a twist plot which I will not spoil. The ending for me was unexpected.
    However the parts that I thought needed more work was amorphous details that does not conclude in the game. There are many clues to other characters in the game like Oscar, Katie’s grandfather’s brother and Rick, a new ranger assigned where Katie’s mother works.
    These cliff hangers and many unnecessary and amorphous details really draws the user out of the game when the game is finished. I hope the developers will develop these endings. That will make the game way more enjoyable.
    I actually got this game for free from a “source I cannot tell” but if I had to pay for this game, it would not have been worth the money. I think I will rather buy candies or another game than to play this game. Also since the game has no online material, after you finish the game, there is practically nothing you can do more.
    This is why I did not like the cliff hangers since even though you search everything in the house there are too many questioned unanswered and there is no way to figure them out. Therefore I give Gone Home a four.    … Expand
  73. stayathome
    Nov 27, 2016
    6
    Gone Home, overall, was a refreshing experience, to say the least. I’m not saying this in a positive or negative way—just that it was something new for me. Actually, I had to play this game for a class and to be honest, I don’t know if having been required to play the game made it more or less enjoyable. I tend to get bored of stuff easily (the main reason why I never seem to finish anyGone Home, overall, was a refreshing experience, to say the least. I’m not saying this in a positive or negative way—just that it was something new for me. Actually, I had to play this game for a class and to be honest, I don’t know if having been required to play the game made it more or less enjoyable. I tend to get bored of stuff easily (the main reason why I never seem to finish any video games, TV shows, or anime series), so at least the requirement forced me to even finish the game, something I’m not sure I would’ve done if I was just playing it out of my own will. On the other hand, being required to play the game made me, even if just a little bit, view it as classwork, which, let’s be honest, isn’t really something people typically enjoy.

    The game’s graphics were fine, I guess. I had to play the game on the lowest graphics setting, but even so, they were still okay. For gamers, the graphics were probably just average, but for non-gamers, they were probably already beautiful. At least by not having pixelated graphics, the mood of the game wasn’t affected and I was able to play the game without noticing how crappy the graphics were every now and then. For the interface, it’s just the average stuff. Nothing special. I mean, the game doesn’t really require much so… Everything needed to experience the game was there. The simplicity has its own beauty I guess, as there are no unnecessary controls that distract from the story.

    The mood of the game was, especially in the beginning, dark and ominous. It was like there’s always something around the corner preparing to kill you. I was looking out for jumpscares all the time. I even had to search if Gone Home is a horror game, just to put my fears to rest. But even after that, I was still constantly unnerved by the continuous pouring of the rain, occasional sound of thunder, and the flickering lights. The game just builds up so much tension and keeps you hanging, which I think, is really clever. It keeps you thinking—where is this story/game really going? And then you just get kind of surprised or dumbfounded as the story progresses that it was nothing like you thought it would be.

    Actually, I would say that Gone Home is more of a story than a game. To say in better terminology… an interactive movie? It’s a refreshing way to tell a story, and that’s what I like about it. It’s unconventional. The story, by itself, however, is nothing really special. In its core, it’s just about coming of age (and coming out of the closet haha) and the rebelliousness and confusion experienced by youth. Although, I would say that it’s amazing how we get to see the characters develop so much without even seeing them. The characters were colorful. They had different personalities that were amazingly apparent through a bunch of stuff scattered on the floor. The misleading setting also has its own charm. A seemingly haunted house and a dark, stormy night… who would’ve thought the story would turn out like that? It’s like a plot twist without really being a plot twist. I also found the side stories very interesting, and contributed a whole lot to the main plot without really distracting from it. It’s also nice that the story itself tries to send a message, one that is very relevant to our society nowadays.

    I do admit that, from a gaming viewpoint, I consider Gone Home to be boring. I mean, I don’t think you even ‘game’ in this game. But, putting all the factors together, it was quite worth it.    … Expand
  74. obosen
    Nov 27, 2016
    6
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Never have I ever played any form of video game before I knew about Gone Home. However, just the fact that it was an adventure game made me very interested in it, especially that I'm deeply leaning more towards these kinds of games rather than the conventional ideas incorporated in most video games.

    Gone Home may not be considered a game because, in my opinion, there is always a way to lose and to repeat all over again in a game. That is not the case here in Gone Home. I would have enjoyed this game more if it included that type. Nevertheless, it has included a bunch of stories intertwining to give us a deeper understanding of the family's relationships inside and out, as well as how it connects to the players. It embodies the current situation of the world that some families or people in the society will encounter, such as LGBT, feminism, teenage angst and even interfamily problems. I felt like Gone Home succeeded in incorporating these concepts and how it affects one family in specific. I have met people whose parents were in denial of their sexuality, females who were deprived of their rights simply because of their gender, and young people who have tendencies of being misdirected because they could not understand why their parents act the way they do. Through this game, people will have a clearer image of these problems as they progress. What makes me appreciate this game is that it effectively used virtual reality for a greater cause. This game has broken the stereotypical mindset I had about video games. Moreover, it gives you the thrill of wanting to know more about the characters especially that the vibe that the game displays has a spooky, thriller effect on it.

    However I would frankly not suggest this for people leaning towards adventures to play. To begin with, this game could be finished in less than a week at most, considering that you're a hardcore video game player, or just a newbie finding your way into some interesting games. Yes, the game is thrilling and it encompasses a wide array of ideas that really stimulate your thoughts and pull you more towards the family's story, but I felt like the game could have been developed more so that it contains more elements of what most people like about games. This game was just plainly focused on searching for evidences to collect the pieces of the story, but most of what people want in a game was to literally play and win it, not just simply scrambling over scattered objects in a large, creepy house. I'd obviously not spend money just to buy this game. Nevertheless, I still applaud the creativity of this game in terms of the unconventional ways it has done compared to typical video games.    … Expand
  75. Explicit
    Nov 27, 2016
    7
    I am a high school student living in Korea, and I have played through this game a few times as it was included in the curriculum in my English class. Although I was a frequent steam user, I have only got to know about this game in class since games of this type, walking simulators, are not exactly of my interest. I felt very uncomfortable and even irritated as I was playing this game atI am a high school student living in Korea, and I have played through this game a few times as it was included in the curriculum in my English class. Although I was a frequent steam user, I have only got to know about this game in class since games of this type, walking simulators, are not exactly of my interest. I felt very uncomfortable and even irritated as I was playing this game at first. However, as I played through the game a few times and found more and more evidences scattered throughout the house, the complexity of the story intertwined in each and every clue has started to catch my interest, and eventually I found myself looking for more possible story-lines that might have been hidden from my view.
    I would like to comment on the technical parts of the game than the story itself. One thing that I think is important for a walking simulator game, is its realistic environment. I am not a person who really cares much about the graphics of a game. It does not affect my game-play so much whether I have the highest or lowest graphics setting. However, one thing I have to talk about is the game’s ‘head bobbing’ affect. This ‘head bobbing’ effect in the video setting actually gives much more reality into the game itself, and give users the feeling that they are actually walking around the house. However, if you are not used to this kind of setting, this might in contrast create dizziness and eventually make you sick. There is a choice for turning off the bobbing effect though, so it does not really matter if you care enough to look for the button. Also, I have felt that this game, a walking simulator game, is much slower than a first-person-shooter games, too much that I felt frustrated that I could not ‘sprint’ in this game. But this also helped me look for evidences much more carefully and provided me more time to think about the story rather than simply running around looking for evidences.
    The technical part of the game Gone Home was in fact frustrating and made me impatient at first. However, as I have gotten used to the game, these factors actually helped me think and concentrate much better on the game. And although it is not mentioned in this review, the storyline of the story has been very interesting thus I would give this game a 7 out of 10.    … Expand
  76. minukim
    Nov 27, 2016
    8
    To be honest, this is not that kind of game that I actually like. I am more of a FPS game person so having a "gone home" experience wasn't really attractive to me. However, I had to give it 8 out of 10 and here are the reasons:

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

    First of all, the story behind this whole setup was so interesting and detailed. At first, the game feels like one of those typical "room escape" but then as you explore the game, players are made to find out about the story and get deeper into it. Also, the graphics and details in the game are extremely amazing, and this is one of the biggest reason that made me give this game an 8 out of 10 — I love to look at such details(even in FPS games, I look for details, since they create the atmosphere so that players could be "absorbed" in the game). For instance, when you pick up an item and throw it back, you can find out that the items and the objects around them follow physics law, which helps give you a surprisingly real-like experience. Maybe they mounted physics and math engine?
    I admit that story telling games definitely do have limitations, that is, once the story is fully discovered, the players won't go back to the game to start over again, making the game a one-time experience. Though, it could have been better if they had the story to be more various, like having variety of endings, insert hidden missions, etc. This was one of the few factors that made me disappointed; once you clear the game and collect all the objectives in the game(which is not even a lot) you will quickly lose interest in the game.
    Now, the other disappointing factor — and probably the greatest negative factor for most other players who bought this game — is the price. The game, for me, is more likely a masterpiece worth keeping, not that kind of game that I frequently open and play for fun(like civilization or overwatch). This is why my rating doesn't take price into consideration that much(otherwise it would have been less than 6). If you are not one of those people who are interested in collecting good masterpiece games —which means that you are more likely a person who is more interested in games that are not one-time enjoy only — I strongly suggest you not to buy the game.    … Expand
  77. mintchoco0
    Nov 27, 2016
    5
    For me, this was almost the first video game that I have played with my computer. Although I did not have a computer mouse so the controlling of the game was not smooth as expected, it was an interesting game with specific details that lead people back to the aura of the 1900s.
    This is a general exploration game of an unfamiliar house that the main character has encountered. If you look    For me, this was almost the first video game that I have played with my computer. Although I did not have a computer mouse so the controlling of the game was not smooth as expected, it was an interesting game with specific details that lead people back to the aura of the 1900s.
    This is a general exploration game of an unfamiliar house that the main character has encountered. If you look around the house, you can observe fascinating details that the developers has hidden into the corner of every house. Not only the visual details, but there are also auditory details just scattered around the floor or on the furniture. It is just astonishing how they cared about something as little as hand-written like letters to crumpled notes. Never in any escaping game that I have seen such a complete story and little clues that match up for the whole story. Also, there were some missing information that you could not obtain unless you have looked thoroughly through all the house. It leads you to continue the game even after you have finished it, because finishing the game does not mean that you have understood everything about the relationships between the characters. Even if you have poked every end of the house, it gives very different impression. The conclusion that you lead differes depending on your experience, and that makes the game attractive.
    However, the ending of the game was not as I have expected. You can just end the game by chance, if you go to the right place. This was the most critical disadvantage of the game. There is no worthy reward for finishing the game. There is no more information given because you have successfully finished the game. Exploring is more emphasized then playing the game and seeing the ending, which was a disappointing point for me. The game just threw us a house, and nothing else.
    The graphics were okay, and the control was hard since I did not have a mouse, so had to use the mouse pad so the character sometimes did not move as I have wanted her to move. Therefore I rated this game as 5 for the extraordinary details and the game that has nothing but details.    … Expand
  78. pheonix3411
    Nov 27, 2016
    2
    Gone Home is walking simulation game. A girl, which we are playing, comes back her family’s new home from one year trip but there is no one in home. She looks for some evidence and stuffs to find out what happened to her family and where they are. We walk around the house and find hints and keys. As we play the game, we can play game as fast as we can, but we can read, listen and followGone Home is walking simulation game. A girl, which we are playing, comes back her family’s new home from one year trip but there is no one in home. She looks for some evidence and stuffs to find out what happened to her family and where they are. We walk around the house and find hints and keys. As we play the game, we can play game as fast as we can, but we can read, listen and follow the story line.
    Well, since it’s a game, it has some good and some bad like every other games. For the good aspects, it gives us well-implemented cultural stuffs in 20th century such as teenager rock group. We can also play this game as we want. We can clear the game as soon as possible. We can go inside every room, throw every things we can, read every papers and letter, and find every stories about this family. Also, its story line consists of some conflicts in real society, such as teenager standing against their parents, mother’s new boyfriend, and widespread taboo for homosexual love. This is very meaningful that dealing with such sensitive issues in the game.
    This game, gone home, has some negative points. To finish this game, we have find some paper and read about secret passage in this home. But this paper doesn’t indicate exactly where it is. I first found it by coincidence, and it may take much time to find it. This can be a big problem. Also, it is so non-addictive. When we first play the game, we are interested and concentrated to find a hint and strictly follow the story. But when we first clear the game and play it again, it has nothing new. We know where the every hint and key is and every passwords for safe. Place for hint and key are never changed and also the passage. There’s even video for clearing this game in less than one minute! I think we will play this game at most 5 times.
    Well, this was very new game for me. It was very fresh and interesting, but for the first time. Its story is profound and this game can be played in various ways. I think we have to take a very long time to play this game for each turn, reading and listening papers and find the storyline.    … Expand
  79. x_Tash_x
    Nov 27, 2016
    6
    When we were told in our Critical Thinking class that we had to play a game, I wasn’t too thrilled about it (partly because my laptop is pretty heavy to carry along with my Calculus book), but hearing about Gone Home being this interactive game that unfolds a story as you go along to ‘investigate’, I thought that wasn’t too bad at all—it was even more than exciting for me. The game startsWhen we were told in our Critical Thinking class that we had to play a game, I wasn’t too thrilled about it (partly because my laptop is pretty heavy to carry along with my Calculus book), but hearing about Gone Home being this interactive game that unfolds a story as you go along to ‘investigate’, I thought that wasn’t too bad at all—it was even more than exciting for me. The game starts on a dark and stormy night; it was June 7, 1995, and the character you’re playing, Kaitlin Greenbriar, just returned to an empty home. The goal is to search around the house and discover clues on what happened while she was gone—exactly what her sister, Samantha, asked her not to do on a note stuck to the front door. Exploring inside the large house, wherein we will later find secret passageways, was surreal even with the graphics set on low. All the items you’ll see, whether you are able to pick them up or not, and even the technology stick to the setting of the game quite loyally, giving you a peek of the ‘90s. While searching for clues, you can observe a room fully and be able to feel as if you’re looking through the personal belongings of a real person or in the case of Sam’s room, you can actually relate to what being a teenager felt like. The journals you’ll suddenly hear when you touch certain objects were also well-recorded. I don’t have much experience with games to compare it with anything, but I have heard that the voice acting for this game was quite exceptional on its own. While I found the game enjoyable at first, especially when you’re still at the beginning, madly curious to piece everything, I found the whole point of the game lacking. It may be due to the fact that I am fond of horror and more dramatic plot lines, but the game doesn’t really give you much space to actually investigate your own, only to find that the story of the family is not quite the dark past (or present for them) that you expected. Rather than setting standards too high, it is logical that the eerie sound effects and lights suddenly turning off or dimming set the mood for a more interesting story. This also wasn’t the detective game I was hoping for. On the contrary, you’re simply an outsider going through the house and observing what unfolds until you finish the game. Even Kaitlin’s reactions feel too far from what a real family member should be experiencing after finding a creepily deserted home instead of a warm homecoming. I think I also expected the clues to be harder to unlock, actually requiring some critical thinking and even small deductions within the game to get a good guess of your own as to how the game ends. It is understandable that others who actually paid $20 for this find it unsatisfactory and don’t even consider it a good adventure game. However, I think the game’s attention to the smallest details on objects around the house and the fact that it seems to be a time capsule on its own, able to bring nostalgia to the older audience, make the game a worthwhile experience on a quiet and lazy day given that there’s nothing more interesting to do than poke around the privacy of a digital family.… Expand
  80. jungyeon
    Nov 27, 2016
    6
    This game has a good story and an intriguing, pretty complicated plot. Also, the hidden message behind the story was pretty fun.
    What really got me were the details of the game. The voice acting was very good and realistic, and there were many details and parts that made the game a real-life experience. I could pick up anything from a pizza box to a letter from a girlfriend, or do    This game has a good story and an intriguing, pretty complicated plot. Also, the hidden message behind the story was pretty fun.
    What really got me were the details of the game. The voice acting was very good and realistic, and there were many details and parts that made the game a real-life experience. I could pick up anything from a pizza box to a letter from a girlfriend, or do anything, from meaningful things such as discovering a secret passage to very mundane and very non-meaningful things such as flushing a toilet or crouching down. The details were totally realistic, and it felt as if I were really in the American house itself.
    However, as an international player, anything else excluding the main plot was very hard to understand. There were tons of video game references and other 90’s American references that were impossible to understand. Without this, the game was, except for the actual plot, straightforward and dull. If I understood some things about American culture in the 90’s, it would have been kind of exciting and like a treasure hunt, but I could only relate to the main plot and nothing else. It was like watching ‘Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find them’ without reading Harry Potter. Nothing really caught me, and something was missing.
    Also, I would have liked to know about the other characters a bit more as well. It would have been nice if there was more evidence and more references for the other characters, leading to their own stories as well. Uncle Oscar deserved a bigger role, and Katie’s parents did as well. There was nothing about Katie as well, and although I understand the concept of the game and that Katie is only a strictly third-person narrator, it would have been better if there were more quips or narrations with her opinion. The evidence was too matter-of-fact, and the narrator was too calm and composed. Wouldn’t it be better if the narrator was more… human?
    Since I got this file for free during class, I can’t complain about its price. However, I think the price is too extreme for this one-time experience. If you want to purchase this file, I recommend you reconsider. It’s nice enough, but not worth your 20 dollars. Go buy yourself something delicious, watch a movie, or buy a present for someone you love. Although this is a good experience, I can think of a million things better to do with this amount of money.    … Expand
  81. wonwoosuh
    Nov 27, 2016
    5
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. The game Gone Home, was like a second-lasting magnificence. I really enjoyed playing it, but it was somewhat disappointing.
    First of all, like all the other reviews, the story itself were essentially well-made. Hidden stories of love and growing up of Sam Greenbriar were wisely distributed and placed through the empty mansion. Each clue was not so big or so small that I could follow the whole story flow naturally, and records played at particular moments or places of the game also helped me understand the stories. (Actaully my favorite part was the emergence of the character "Lonnie" after opening the locker, who actually takes almost same importance in the story as the protagonist(Sam) does.)
    However, the route to finding the story in the game was not that satisfying. Before finding the story, all I did was wandering around the mansion examining useless things like all the books in the whole house. Very first clues to "enter" the main story such as stuff in Sam's locker, or loose panels were too hard to find. For me, who have not ever played this kind of game before, spent almost eighty percent of whole playing time wandering around. But more disappointing thing was that the main story(after entering the secret door) was super fast. It took just five to ten minutes. As this was the most enjoyable part of this game, I wish this part should be much longer to be a good game. Actually, I even felt 'what have i done???' after opening the attic door and listening to ending clip. It takes too long to the starting line, and the track to rush is too short.
    For the technical reasons, I was a little disappointed again. At the very first moment playing this game, I had no idea how to pick or select objects. White dot in the center of the screen, or "cursor" is too small, and I could barely find the tutorial about this. It would be easier for players to enlarge the cursor and make it more visible.
    The game Gone Home was one of my first game experience in this mystery - exploration field, and it was quite an interesting experience!    … Expand
  82. yourmhdtfriend
    Nov 27, 2016
    9
    A giant home. Creaky doors. Roaring thunder. A sullen atmosphere. A glimpse of dismal silence struggling with fright and panic. What would you feel when you happen to be in this kind of environment? Rather, what would you do? Well fortunately, I happened to witness this horror-ish, vehement kind of setting. But sorry to burst your bubble, it didn’t happen in real life. (How I wish it wereA giant home. Creaky doors. Roaring thunder. A sullen atmosphere. A glimpse of dismal silence struggling with fright and panic. What would you feel when you happen to be in this kind of environment? Rather, what would you do? Well fortunately, I happened to witness this horror-ish, vehement kind of setting. But sorry to burst your bubble, it didn’t happen in real life. (How I wish it were in real life, but no.) It’s a game. Surprised? Well, this seemingly infinite darkness and apprehensive game lives up to its name Gone Home.

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

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

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

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

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

    Well, it’s up to you if you will have the courage to play this one hell of a crazy game. It might not be a bad idea for you to try this, what do you think?    … Expand
  83. jymplm17
    Nov 26, 2016
    8
    I believe that observing the belongings of a person and how these things are placed gives you a bigger picture of who that person is rather than talking to them for a few minutes. This is precisely the experience that Gone Home has given to its players.
    Gone home was a unique and interesting experience for me. I love playing mystery games, and this was no exception. The difference between    I believe that observing the belongings of a person and how these things are placed gives you a bigger picture of who that person is rather than talking to them for a few minutes. This is precisely the experience that Gone Home has given to its players.
    Gone home was a unique and interesting experience for me. I love playing mystery games, and this was no exception. The difference between this game and others I’ve played before is the amazingly realistic experience of getting to know the characters by exploring their living space. There was no linear progression required to complete the game; it is up to the player to explore and take his/her time in piecing together the information given by all the things strewn all around the house. Added to this is being given a role in the game: One plays the game as Kaitlin, the eldest daughter of the Greenbriar family who just came home from a yearlong trip abroad. In her absence, a lot of things have changed. Exactly what these are, you’ll have to discover for yourself as you walk through the mansion.
    The mood of the game was very tension-filled and dark, because of the rain, the constant lightning and thunder and the creaking sounds all throughout the house. The game was set in the 90’s, and it is evident in the artifacts present in the house. It makes you feel as though you’re really there, walking and touching these items. As you walk through every room, you’ll find more and more evidence of just exactly what happened to the family. You can pick up various household items and papers where you’ll find information. The focus of the story revolves around the youngest daughter, Sam, and her struggles as she trudges through puberty. The relationship of her parents is also outlined in the story. All the items: books, technology, music, papers and more give a much deeper meaning than their superficial appearance. They fit in into these characters lives, giving you the feeling that the house is buzzing with their presence even though they aren’t around physically.
    Gone Home is a journey of discovery. I especially liked the writing style
    of the story and the clues around the house. It is interesting how so many small details can come together and build a realistic and intricate story. Most of the things the characters are going through are very relatable and real. The game is exciting not in a way that you are actively solving puzzles or fighting monsters, but as you passively observe everything, you realize that this is the story of a family with real problems and real connections. The good thing about this is that there’s nothing to distract you from the journey of discovering by yourself. The game never gave any hints or clues; it seems like the makers left it up to the players to piece together and even interpret what they have seen.
    It can be a bit disorienting at times because the house is very big and the way of controlling the game sometimes made me dizzy. However, once you get used to it, you’ll get sucked into the emotion and twists that this game has to offer. The story was very compelling while I was playing it, but somehow, it didn’t stick with me for as long as I thought it would have. But it still has a lot of merits. This game is important in a sense that it gives focus on issues of the time period and it is very rooted in the real world, and it gives each character a three-dimensional personality: strengths, flaws and all. You’ll surely enjoy stripping the shrouds of mystery that hang over the Greenbriar family and reveling in the picture that you’ll paint of who exactly these characters are.    … Expand
  84. Blackfury
    Nov 26, 2016
    5
    I played this game as an activity in my English class and before I even started playing it, I sort of knew what it was talking about. It is an interactive story driven game, that tries to tell the struggles of a young lady. This game contains a rich environment, that tries to talk about the family, their activities and their personalities.

    But to be honest the game falls flat real    I played this game as an activity in my English class and before I even started playing it, I sort of knew what it was talking about. It is an interactive story driven game, that tries to tell the struggles of a young lady. This game contains a rich environment, that tries to talk about the family, their activities and their personalities.

    But to be honest the game falls flat real quick. Yes, the environment feels full of things but same objects repeated again and again. I found the same toilet paper roll around the house in a large number. Everything looks bland. There are so many things in the mansion yet, it feels empty. There are people living in the house, yet it doesn't feel like it. It just feels meh.

    The story is a very predictable one. After playing one-fourth of the game, the player will know what will happen next. It is not bad, but it is not amazing. Everything surrounding the main character is great but the main story just falls flat. The relationship between the mother and the father, the school and the crazy uncle's story is all great but Lonnie's and Sam's relationship is meh.

    Overall, Gone Home is a slow and boring walking simulator that finishes with a story not good enough for my liking.    … Expand
  85. Lunarwolf
    Nov 24, 2016
    4
    Although I myself is not much of a game-person, I am a big fan of puzzle-solving, adventure genre games, such as ‘The Walking Dead’ by Telltale Games, or ‘The Room’ by Fireproof Games, which are not only beautifully designed, but also come with great stories and some serious topics. I had high expectation about this game, ‘Gone Home’, as I loved games of this genre, and critics also gaveAlthough I myself is not much of a game-person, I am a big fan of puzzle-solving, adventure genre games, such as ‘The Walking Dead’ by Telltale Games, or ‘The Room’ by Fireproof Games, which are not only beautifully designed, but also come with great stories and some serious topics. I had high expectation about this game, ‘Gone Home’, as I loved games of this genre, and critics also gave great scores on it. After playing this game however, I was bit disappointed.
    To talk about story first, the plot itself has bit interesting parts, but is boring overall. There aren’t many twists and the story is too simple, which also makes the game itself boring. Another problem with the story is that it has too much unnecessary characters and stories related to them, while main story related to the key characters in this game is way too short. Stories of those minor characters, where most of them are members of Greenbriar family, represents typical American family, which brings extra reality to game. However, most of them are quite irrelevant to the main story, and make players get easily distracted. I think the developers should have get rid of these unnecessary stories, and should have invested more time in making main story more sophisticated.
    Second, let’s talk about actual gameplay. To talk about good things first, I really liked the user interface. It was really easy to use, and it didn’t take more than a minute to get used to controls. Also, the maps and journals helped me understand the general story and gameplay in depth. There were some minor bugs. Some objects disappeared when they were thrown away, but it didn’t affect gameplay much. Some disappointing aspects were limited map size, small number of in-game problems, and unnecessary clues. The map, which is the Greenbriar family’s house, is too small. Most of the areas in the house, including the hidden ones, are accessible within an hour or two, and they make players get bored quickly. Small number of problems that you actually have to solve in game also made gameplay boring. Most of them were quite easy; merely finding hints to get passwords for lockers, or finding keys and maps for hidden places. There weren’t much problems to solve by using objects in the game. There were a lot of stuff from 90s, but most of them were just left as a background, which had almost no effect in the main gameplay. Game graphics and sound effects were great, but I think they can still be improved.
    To sum up, ‘Gone Home’ is more of an interactive visual novel, rather than exciting puzzle-solving, adventure genre game, and can be disappointing. Although it features nice graphics and sound effects, it lacks in depth and length of main story, and contains some unnecessary details that can be distracting. While I don’t think this game worth anywhere near $ 20, it is still a game where you can sit back, relax, and enjoy.    … Expand
  86. gloriouspotato
    Nov 18, 2016
    6
    Ultimately, Gone Home is a story about the struggles of a teenager coping with the stigma of homosexuality and the sad realities of life, including the dysfunctions in her family and history of the setting the game takes place in. A well told story overall, but otherwise quite unremarkable in all other aspects of the game.
  87. gumpei
    Nov 12, 2016
    4
    boring, boring, boring, boring, boring, boring, boring, boring, boring, boring, boring, boring, boring, boring, boring, boring, boring, boring, boring, boring, boring, boring, boring, boring, boring, boring, boring, boring, short, short, short, short, short, short, short, short, short, short, short, short, short, short, short, short, short, short, short.........
  88. dandalis
    Nov 2, 2016
    6
    This is barely a game. Its a mystery story that you have to unravel yourself by exploring a house and interacting with objects, mostly its just reading written messages. Gone Home made me understand that im not a fan of this kind of story telling, but that doesnt say i outright hated it or didnt enjoy it to some degree. It was a short and decent experience for me. Which i really liked wasThis is barely a game. Its a mystery story that you have to unravel yourself by exploring a house and interacting with objects, mostly its just reading written messages. Gone Home made me understand that im not a fan of this kind of story telling, but that doesnt say i outright hated it or didnt enjoy it to some degree. It was a short and decent experience for me. Which i really liked was the atmosphere and the ambience you get to experience by playing this, game feels kinda spooky and feeling of being all alone in the house worked really well.

    As for story, it was intriguing to see mid 90's from teen's perspective and i wanted to solve the mystery of main protagonist's missing family. Its just that once you do, you dont feel that rewarded. Once you find out to what has happaned to your little sister, which also is the game's main objective and the ending, will leave players either pissed or understanding, depedning how you look at the world, itll overall help you decide if you wasted your money on this game or not. I for myself feel that 20 $ is quite steep for what you get here considering the content and 2 - 3 hour gameplay if you play the game as devs intended that is.    … Expand
  89. TitaniumDragon
    Oct 31, 2016
    6
    Gone Home is either a bare-bones adventure game or a walking simulator which included a very small number of puzzle elements. I would suggest it is really more like the latter from a cladistics point of view; its attraction lies in that direction, and if you’re looking for really cerebral gameplay, this isn’t the place to look.

    Gone Home is really a story that happens to be presented in    Gone Home is either a bare-bones adventure game or a walking simulator which included a very small number of puzzle elements. I would suggest it is really more like the latter from a cladistics point of view; its attraction lies in that direction, and if you’re looking for really cerebral gameplay, this isn’t the place to look.

    Gone Home is really a story that happens to be presented in a video game format. The game consists of you (a early 20s woman who lives as an independent adult – you were in the military) coming home after a vacation in Europe to an empty house; your parents and your sister are all absent, and as you explore the house, it becomes increasingly clear that it is a bit disheveled. You find some notes from your sister scattered around, as well as various notes and scraps of life left by your sister and parents. Some of these trigger audio logs from your sister, which are really journal entries that you are listening to. These tell the story about what your sister has been going through over the last year, and the story of her relationship with Lonnie, a girl she knows.

    There are other stories interwoven into that one – your father, who is a failed writer who is trying to climb back on the horse while working a real job, and your mother, who is struggling with her relationship with your father and who might or might not be having an affair, or at least contemplating one, as well as the story of the former owner of the house that your family moved into while you were in the military.

    These stories all come together to create a picture of a family that is troubled, but not broken, and of people who are people. Your sister is an immature high school student, but she is mostly immature like rebels without a cause are. Lonnie seems to be simultaneously more and less mature; she’s a bad influence on your sister in some ways, but also seems to have a more realistic and grounded view of the world in other ways.

    I liked the story of the lives presented here; it is sort of everyday drama, with people struggling with real problems rather than contrived situations (much as the game likes to pretend at one point that there might be supernatural elements involved).

    What I didn’t like, however, was the ending; when you get to the end, it seems to sort of throw away Lonnie’s character to force a “happy ending” which, if you think about it, isn’t actually really a happy ending at all. And this sort of ruins the story to an extent, because the whole story had been about growing up and trying to accept reality and find happiness through it, and then the end has Lonnie and your sister throw all that away while making a very stupid decision which flies in the face of Lonnie’s prior characterization, as well as the general theme of the piece.

    I’ll also note that it is possible to sequence skip in this game; as I assumed it was more gamey than it really was, I managed to find some secret passages, including the one that lead to the very final area of the game, far before I was supposed to. This partially spoiled a major aspect of the story to me from quite early on. The worst of it is, finding these secret passages isn’t even very hard if you are familiar with floor plans and realize that there are empty spaces which, in a real house, would have rooms in them.

    In the end, I’m left feeling ambivalent about this game. I wouldn’t not recommend it – I thought it was a decent enough use of two hours of my time – but simultaneously, I feel bad about recommending it, because in the end, the story doesn’t really feel like it actually came together thematically and tossed its build-up away for an ending that the game thinks is a happy one, but which the rest of the story (and plain logic) suggests wouldn’t be.    … Expand
  90. egn
    Aug 20, 2016
    0
    Pretentious, hipster nonsense. Presents itself as "art" but really feels more like a proof-of-concept for the real game they intend to build, but never did nor will ever actually create.

    Again: Pretentious, hipster nonsense.
  91. jelikey
    Jul 16, 2016
    8
    I'm rating this game a five in protest to rave scores from professional critics. Oh, I'm perfectly fine with indie games, as well as 'experience' 'games' in general, but giving this short collection of interactive notes (that's what this really is) anything over 60 or 70 is ridiculous.
  92. Duduziuz
    Jul 8, 2016
    0
    Entediante, sem emoção nenhuma... uma historinha bem fraquinha contada de uma forma chata. Nada de inesperado, nada de revelador, nada capaz de lhe envolver ou emocionar.
  93. Awsla
    Jun 28, 2016
    8
    Much of the conflict this game produces is between the price and its ambitious intent. If we could suppress grumblings over price of a game, whatever it may be, and presuppose that people who are interested in exploring video games as an evolving, branching genre, being rapidly redefined by technological platforms and with unique pressures to innovate exerted by the redundancy ofMuch of the conflict this game produces is between the price and its ambitious intent. If we could suppress grumblings over price of a game, whatever it may be, and presuppose that people who are interested in exploring video games as an evolving, branching genre, being rapidly redefined by technological platforms and with unique pressures to innovate exerted by the redundancy of mainstream games, then maybe some could adopt the mindset that we are paying to preview separate attempts to test the medium.

    No, its not gaming in the typical sense, with objectives and enemies and points and what not. Finding the items that further unlock chapters of the story isn't even challenging- and would be annoying if it were. The game play encourages a type of player participation which some may not be willing to engage with because that just isn't what they have been conditioned to expect when they boot up their computer or turn on their console after a begrudging day's work. Perhaps the negativity stems from video games being used and abused as an unambiguous, private 'system of rewards and punishments' where the user can manipulate a simulation representing their metric worth through predictable, rational choices. Very unlike the external systems in daily life people use to feel reward and fulfillment which tend to be impersonal, ambiguous and transitory such as relationships and careers.
    Gone Home then has subtleties which can be crushed or completely overlooked by a mind prickling and hastening for achievements or to get to the end. To such a player, this game may well seem empty and tedious.
    Gone Home presents a sense of 'place' that you can carry with you when you are not playing the game, similar to the way a book's characters and story lines can continue to resonate while you are away. The story is psychological- the father's various manuscript titles seem to reflect his subconscious grappling with his role as father, author, and son. They are a side story in themselves if the player cares to care. The central growth of the relationship which objects and audio reveals is clever and has characteristics of actual relationships where two people search for compatibility through imitation, worship, showboating, etc.
    It is interesting to watch how the family 'hangs together' as depicted by their material lives and sparse usage of various spaces. The scarcity of directives paired with sandbox like freedom to remove items from the dishwasher, put things back as they were or toss them anywhere, close the trash lid on scandalous notes or leave them in view for the family to discover later, creates a unique feeling of participation, but only to those who care to place their actions within the narrative context.
    That said, I wouldn't read this story if it were a book. But can appreciate it as a laudable exercise in experimenting with less overt ways of attaching meaning to action in a game instead of downgrading it as not worth your money because it defied (or rather attempted to broaden) an expectation. Rather than using metrics that reduce value to a numeric scale, the significance of things are bounded only by the player's imagination and interpretations, and the conflicts within a nuclear family is a rife universal theme.    … Expand
  94. PixelPigeon
    Jun 28, 2016
    10
    Gone Home, in my eye's is an amazing game, but not many people will agree with me. The game does lack a lot in gameplay, but totally makes up for it in story, not everyone likes the story but if you do you will fall in love with the main characters. This game let's you explore in anyway you desire and this game is 100% player driven, you control the pace not the game, your hand is neverGone Home, in my eye's is an amazing game, but not many people will agree with me. The game does lack a lot in gameplay, but totally makes up for it in story, not everyone likes the story but if you do you will fall in love with the main characters. This game let's you explore in anyway you desire and this game is 100% player driven, you control the pace not the game, your hand is never held but you still know where to go through great game design. The story is the crowning jewel of this game, telling a rich and realistic story that will get you invested for the couple of hours that you play this game. Also this game is really short, about 1-3 hours but I feel like 3 hours is perfect for a game like this it give you quality over quantity. As said not everyone will like this game, there's basically no gameplay, the story isn't for everyone, and I can imagine for some people the pacing is quiet slow. But if you like games like Life is Strange then you will absolutely love Gone Home.… Expand
  95. Hufff
    Jun 22, 2016
    3
    Gone Home is quite possibly one of the most boring games I've ever played. It's a stretch to even call it a video game, as most of what you do it uncover narrative clues in order to find out the story. As the twist becomes more and more apparent, rather than becomes intrigued, like the game wants you to, I found myself collectively losing more and more interest in a world which failed toGone Home is quite possibly one of the most boring games I've ever played. It's a stretch to even call it a video game, as most of what you do it uncover narrative clues in order to find out the story. As the twist becomes more and more apparent, rather than becomes intrigued, like the game wants you to, I found myself collectively losing more and more interest in a world which failed to ever grab me. There's no real gameplay to be had, but the story itself, being all that the game has to hold on to, never comes to be anything interesting or gripping, instead making me go "ok, so that's why critics liked this game" instead of actually offering me anything worth liking myself. It doesn't help that the game hinges so much of its setup on 90's nostalgia either. This period is perfect for targeting the primary demographic of games reviewers, who have been the ones singing praise of Gone Home, but if, like me, you didn't grow up in the 90's and therefore have no connection to period, the references only become irritating rather than endearing as they are meant to be. If you're really inclined to know what this game's all about, do yourself a favor and look up a YouTube playthough rather than shelling out money on an actual copy. The level of interactivity here is so low that you'll lose nothing by seeing someone else click on the long list of "interactable" objects rather than doing it yourself.… Expand
  96. natyacero
    Jun 1, 2016
    10
    Gone Home is a narrative videogame where the player must discover details of the story to understand what is going on and what to do next. The story is about a Katie (you as a player), a girl who just came back from a year abroad, to discover that her dysfunctional family is gone and her sister (Sam) has left a note for her at the door warning her not to look into it and saying herGone Home is a narrative videogame where the player must discover details of the story to understand what is going on and what to do next. The story is about a Katie (you as a player), a girl who just came back from a year abroad, to discover that her dysfunctional family is gone and her sister (Sam) has left a note for her at the door warning her not to look into it and saying her goodbyes. The house was left to them by their uncle, who will also be an important part of the search. As Katie walks into the house, she sees the mess that they left behind and it’s the purpose of the game to go through it and draw conclusions from whatever it is you find.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

    Gone Home presents an alternative for many gamers to switch up their current formula of action and puzzle games into a more artistic and literary way of gaming. Storywise it is one of the best games I have played, its setting, time, and themes show how developers not only wish for the gamer to have a good time playing, but also to feel intrigued about the characters, discover more, find secrets, and finally comprehend the struggles many people deal with on a daily basis. These issues presented in the game go hand in hand with the main and only gaming element the game has, which is discovery. The game does have negatives though, mainly being that there is a lack of action and interaction through the game.    … Expand
  99. calvarez
    May 27, 2016
    7
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. As Steve Gaynor, one of the seniors at the Fullbright Company, was set to bring out the simplicity in all of his games, he decided to create an interactive game for consoles, Gone Home. In this IGF-Award nominated game, you are placed in an unilluminated and unknown setting, in which you are encouraged to explore the empty house, the screeching drawers, and the notes thrown around the house.

    Gone Home takes place in 1995 as one of the family members arrives at their house and finds that there is nobody there. It is these moments, where you are still unaccustomed to the house and its setup, where the suspense of what has happened to the others that comes to mind. According to The Guardian, “the period is a time that many players of the game will have lived through and will be immediately familiar with” because of the fact that it is not period far from what we know today. Many people still live in environments like these where letters and books are used more than the internet and tablets.

    The main character in the PC game is Katie Greenbriar, who arrives to the house after a year of studying abroad, only to find a note on the front porch from her sister, Samantha, telling her not to go out looking for her. Although Steve states that his intention with this game was not to make it a game with “combat or puzzles in it,” it is easy to state that, from the very first moment when the note is found and you have to find a way into the house, that there are many puzzle pieces to find in order to crack Sam’s story.

    The game experience is more of a storytelling, but, as stated by The Guardian, it is done so “through design” rather than through an actual book. The story within the game develops as to find out what happened to Sam.

    Now, the storytelling game is not only about exploring the house in general, but it also seeks to explore the relationship and secrets of two sisters and how these secrets can lead to knowing about Katie’s sister, Sam, and her first lover from school, a girl she met after having so much in common. As more notes are found throughout the house and more rooms are unlocked only to find there are stories about Sam and her life feelings in each of them, the players are more engaged to find out why Sam has run away from her own house.

    The various clues, as I like to call them, around the house allow the players to engage in the middle-classed family and their personal struggles, as well as in their problems with the other people in the family itself. As Sam and her lover, Lonnie’s, relationship arouses through the playing of Nintendo games, ghost hunting, anarchic behaviors, and secret love letters, one is drawn into a world that Sam has created and imagined for herself and Lonnie to reside in without taking into account the possible consequences that these behaviors have had on her personality and on her piled up family problems.

    The release of the Slenderman game, Slender: The Eight Pages, came out in 2012 where one was placed in a single-player world with nothing but a flashlight in search of the eight pages that tell you the story of the horrifying, and totally fictional, creature of the Slenderman. This adventurous and exploring game can relate directly to the mysteries that can be found in Gone Home as Sam and Lonnie have tried to have first hand experiences with the supernatural world and a ghost who is thought to be haunting the house. Whilst investigating the possible outcomes of Sam and her departure, it comes to the player’s attention that a man called Oscar Masan died and that he may be the ghost that resided in the house, which may lead people to think that many of the clues around the house lead to the finding or the encounter of a ghost in the middle of the house.

    As stated by The Atlantic, with the rise of one relationship, comes the unknown story of Katie’s sister and how she can relate to Sam’s life. With the development of one story, it seems as if there are many others branching out of that one story. This comes to say as Sam and Lonnie's adventures started out with ghost hunting and, as time passed, it quickly escalated to Sam’s first cigarette, her first sexual experience, and her leaving this childish world behind only to start a life with someone who actually understands her: Lonnie.

    With a small team of workers building a PC game there came a great story told. As stated by Steve, “normal people's stories are really interesting if you are able to discover them.” This being said, a normal family’s problems and drawbacks cause for an exploration in a small house in search of the ending of such a metaphoric story wherein each clue and each of the notes left in the house call for another story to be told about the family itself.    … Expand
  100. DigitalMafiaPro
    May 18, 2016
    1
    No! Just No! Utterly pointless thing that provides no satisfaction. If I want a story, I'll read a book. When I play a game, I expect to actually play something. This is literally the worst so called game I've played in my entire life. And I'm old, so I've seen a lot of crap in my day, but this takes the cake! Saying that it sucks isn't nearly descriptive enough. Just NO!
prev
Page:

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
See all critic reviews »