Gone Home

 PC
User Score
5.5

Mixed or average reviews- based on 2245 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 939 out of 2245
  2. Mixed: 433 out of 2245
  3. Negative: 873 out of 2245

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  1. anthonylisi
    Dec 15, 2014
    9
    The creators of Gone Home have somehow captured the intoxicating high that comes from problem solving and put their brilliance into a beautiful, plot-rich video game. It’s 1995 when Katie Greenbriar returns home after a year in Europe to a violent thunderstorm, an empty house, and a missing family. You’re then given a sort-of “license to snoop”, an opportunity to search through, with aThe creators of Gone Home have somehow captured the intoxicating high that comes from problem solving and put their brilliance into a beautiful, plot-rich video game. It’s 1995 when Katie Greenbriar returns home after a year in Europe to a violent thunderstorm, an empty house, and a missing family. You’re then given a sort-of “license to snoop”, an opportunity to search through, with a clear conscience, every note, letter, and personal artifact in the house to discover the whereabouts of the Greenbriar family. Unlike the most popular videogames that balance action-based gameplay and an interesting storyline, Gone Home is focused almost completely on the plotline. But how can a game be good if I’m unable to blow up aliens or drag race Lamborghinis, you might ask? Well, the short answer is it can be good – it can be really good, in fact. This game belongs in a class of it’s own, mainly because it encompasses the best characteristics of a good short story (or even a novel, for that matter) in a creative and interactive space. All of the clues and artifacts are there for you, but locating them will only get you so far; if you really want to understand what’s going on, you have to remain sharp throughout the game, and start to pick up on trends (the good stuff comes when you start to connect the dots). I was quite surprised with how riveting the game was. Once I started, I became obsessed with finding all of the pieces to the puzzle and ultimately solving the mystery. That being said, the only thing I don’t like about this game is that once you’ve played it over a few times and understand everything that’s going on, it quickly becomes boring. It’s understandable and almost by design, but if I had to pick out one thing that I wish could be better, that would be it. So, if the review doesn’t scream it enough, I IMPLORE you to dabble into the brilliance of Gone Home. Immerse yourself in the beautifully designed game, and allow your headspace to become addicted to the mystery. It’s fun, innovative, riveting, and you’ll likely feel a little smarter after you’ve finished and figured everything out. Overall, I give this game a top rating. I hope you all have the same experience I did!… Expand
  2. spears2112
    Dec 15, 2014
    9
    Gone home is the coming of age story on Sam Greenbrier, told through game play from the point of view of Sam’s sister Katie as she explores her family’s new house after arriving home from a year long trip, to find her that her family is gone. The story takes you through the struggles of a 1995 family, and their daughter who is trying to find her self through her relationship with herGone home is the coming of age story on Sam Greenbrier, told through game play from the point of view of Sam’s sister Katie as she explores her family’s new house after arriving home from a year long trip, to find her that her family is gone. The story takes you through the struggles of a 1995 family, and their daughter who is trying to find her self through her relationship with her girlfriend Lonnie, and through the Riot Grrl music that she surrounds herself with, all while her family life begins to crumble beneath her.
    I am not a gamer whatsoever, however I still managed to be captivated by this really amazing game; The rich narrative based in exploration, the suspense built by the incredible score, and the desire to discover more about what happened to Katie’s family made for a fantastic experience. The first reason I enjoyed this game is because it had a very rich story line, and very well developed characters. The most important character to the story was Sam; as we explore the house we discover all that Sam has gone through in the year that Katie has been away, from coming out to her parents, to experiencing her girlfriend leaving for the army, all the while being surrounded by the Riot Grrl, pun, and grunge scenes of 1995. One of the reasons this game was so fun to play is because of the suspense created by Chris Remo’s original score. The effect that this music had on me was not unlike that of the music in Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho. As I guided Katie through the dark passageways of the house the music kept my heart rate up, and kept me glued to my screen. Another one of the things I loved about this game was the way in which it tapped into my curiosity, and made me want to discover more. Generally people are very curious beings, and I am no exception, because of this curiosity I found gone home to be very intriguing. As I would stumble upon secret passageways and find hidden object, it would make me want to keep exploring and solve the many mysteries that the house held. All of these elements of the game made it incredibly enjoyable to play.
    While I really enjoyed playing the game there was one thing that I really didn’t like, which was the ending. The suspense building up to the ending was huge; after a lengthy exploration of the house, I finally found the key to the locked attic. As I guided Katie up the stares and through the attic, I was prepared to see something huge. However, what I found was the anti-climactic realization that Sam had simply run away, and that the notes that we had been hearing throughout the game were all part of a journal that Sam had left in the attic for Katie to read. While I did enjoy the fact that the journal being read to us throughout the game was actually found in the attic, I still found the ending to be quite anti-climactic. Throughout the entire game, I had been learning about Sam and her family, and I had gone to great lengths to find the key into the attic; all of this build up made the end of the game quite anti-climactic.
    In conclusion, I really enjoyed playing Gone Home, and despite the fact that I didn’t love the ending, the rich narrative, incredible score, and the way in which it peaked my curiosity made this game incredibly fun to play. Despite the fact that I am not a gamer, I am confident that anyone, gamer or not, will enjoy this game.    … Expand
  3. Flaxdal
    Dec 15, 2014
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. The game Gone Home, produced by The Fullbright Company is about a 19-year-old girl that returns from Europe to find that her family life is turned upside down. As Katie you have to investigate unknown territory of your new empty mansion and find out what happened to your family.
    One big pro of the game was that it was a 3D environment with a first person point of view. Typically what I find with detective style games is that you are standing still, looking out into an open room and can only progress in a certain chronological order after clicking the right objects. This game gave this genre a new style; it allowed for free exploration and allowed the player to move at his or her own pace. Free exploration is something I really like in a game, so this aspect is a big plus. It made the player feel more immersed; another aspect is that you can take different routes to completing the game so everyone’s experience is different.
    The graphics and audio were gorgeous; this added to the overall atmosphere and again, really changed the genre. If the player is in the right atmospheric setting, this changes the way you experience the game. When I played I was in my room with the lights out and with my surround sound headphones. This added a huge new level of realism and the way it changed the game for me is it made me take in the surroundings and feel very absorbed in the world of Gone Home. The voice work was amazing in this game and having a high quality headset really lets you appreciate what is being said and how much work they put into the game,
    Last but not least, the plot of Gone Home. The game did a good job of adding side stories and background information that the player could investigate if they’re motivated to do so. Although the game is mainly about Sam, the player could learn a whole lot about characters like Terrence, Oscar and Janice but it did not come as easily. One thing that I noticed is that you barely learn anything about Katie. Typically in games the person you are playing as is the protagonist but in this game I felt that Katie did not have much depth, she just seemed like a pawn that you use to learn about Sam.
    Personally I enjoyed the game, I got it for free and I could see why people would be upset having to pay such a hefty price for a short game. I would recommend it to people if they were looking for something to do on a rainy day.    … Expand
  4. mscauzillo
    Dec 15, 2014
    9
    Framed as a mystery, The Fulbright Company took a different approach when tackling the odd life of a family living in the mid to late 1900s. Gone Home kicks off with Katie Greenbriar, a young woman who had been travelling Europe for a year, arriving back at home on June 7th, 1995 – on a dark and stormy night – to a deserted house. With her parents missing, and her sister nowhere to beFramed as a mystery, The Fulbright Company took a different approach when tackling the odd life of a family living in the mid to late 1900s. Gone Home kicks off with Katie Greenbriar, a young woman who had been travelling Europe for a year, arriving back at home on June 7th, 1995 – on a dark and stormy night – to a deserted house. With her parents missing, and her sister nowhere to be found, Katie’s only resort is to snoop around the house for any clues or objects that are seen to be out of the ordinary in which can help her come to a conclusion.

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

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

    Gone home attempts to explore the boundaries in a video game that have never been explored before. The Fulbright Company took a risk, and with an accomplished risk, there is always a large payoff. Despite the very short experience, the accumulative acts of walking through hallways, examining objects and searching for clues become a bitter adventure dealing with a families personal issues which feel as if they are your own. For that, Gone Home has displayed a brilliant storyline with a strong basis for a great video game and is definitely worthy of anyone’s time.    … Expand
  5. chillwill
    Dec 16, 2014
    9
    Gone Home is a brilliantly thought out video game that exposes the life of a troubled family in the ‘90s and the rebellious nature of teenagers. Kaitlin Greenbriar returns to Oregon after a year touring abroad in Europe, expecting her younger sister and parents to greet her at their new home. However, Kaitlin arrives only to find a suspicious note on the front door, and her family missing.Gone Home is a brilliantly thought out video game that exposes the life of a troubled family in the ‘90s and the rebellious nature of teenagers. Kaitlin Greenbriar returns to Oregon after a year touring abroad in Europe, expecting her younger sister and parents to greet her at their new home. However, Kaitlin arrives only to find a suspicious note on the front door, and her family missing. Throughout the duration of the game, Kaitlin attempts to piece together different artifacts and clues left around the isolated house in order to conclude the reason behind her family’s mysterious departure.

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

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

    Although a short endeavor, Gone Home contains a very elaborate storyline that can be savored by the player. The game was very enjoyable not only because of its creative story, but because of the fantastic audio and visual effects that give the player a sense that they are trapped in the game too. Gone Home is a strong recommendation for those that like a thrilling mystery, a great audiovisual experience, and enjoy the elements of an open world game.    … Expand
  6. thill
    Dec 15, 2014
    9
    Fundamentally about family conflicts Gone Home is a game that focuses on the family of Katie Greenbriar, whom you assume the role of in game. Set in 1995 in the eerie setting of an old, empty mansion in the middle of the night with a thunderstorm raging the player is set up for jump scares. Told through personal notes between members of the family you learn about each of the familyFundamentally about family conflicts Gone Home is a game that focuses on the family of Katie Greenbriar, whom you assume the role of in game. Set in 1995 in the eerie setting of an old, empty mansion in the middle of the night with a thunderstorm raging the player is set up for jump scares. Told through personal notes between members of the family you learn about each of the family member’s deep secrets and hidden relationships. Arriving back from Katie’s trip around Europe and exploring the house that your family moved into while you were away it slowly becomes clear that some major developments have occurred.
    This game, or as I like to think of it interactive book, was developed by four people, most of whom met through their work on Bioshock. They left to start Fullbright and Gone Home is their first game. Steve Gaynor the seeming leader of the company has been praised for his story telling through adventure-based, detailed worlds in his previous endeavour Minerva’s Den, dlc for Bioshock 2. This experience is worthy of equal praise. The point of Gone Home is to provide a meaningful story about growing up and conflict through an engaging format, but it does double duty to remind the ever growing list of fps’s that first-person doesn’t have to be so rough.
    The graphics in this game are another major talking point. Today, for a game to be considered modern it generally has to have state of the art graphics and high-level engines, neither of which Gone Home has. (You can’t even jump!) For me this actually added to the experience because it led the player to look past the visuals, some of which were stunning anyway, and focus on the story. It also let the developers put in some quirky references. It’s partially because of the graphics limitation that the story came about (one more argument for indie games) because of the low poly graphics rendering and animating humans would have been clunky and looked stupid, so poof! empty house and interesting story line.
    The final area that needs to be mentioned is the musical score. Throughout the game it changes but always fits the mood and just sounds pleasant. The Riot Grrl sound scene that accompanies Sam in the game is both applicable and historically accurate, something that resonates with a lot of the games players.
    In all I would say I enjoyed playing this as an interactive story not a game. If that appeals to you, great, if not you might feel cheated by getting this. The game requires a lot of deep thinking and is meant to connect with the player, everyone has something.    … Expand
  7. harrylund123
    Dec 15, 2014
    9
    Gone Home by the Fullbright Company is a video game that tells the story of a girl, Kaitlyn Greenbriar, coming to her family’s new home after a year of back packing to find that her family is missing. Through clues that she finds around the house, she begins to put together the shocking tale of what happened to her mother, father, and younger sister.

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

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

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

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

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

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

    Gone Home is an innovative game that tells multiple stories at once, powered by the player’s exploration. It is a very plot-based game and has many intriguing backstories hidden throughout the house. Although it was short, I don’t see any way of making it longer without the main story getting boring. I definitely enjoyed this game and look forward to it spawning many other games of the same style.    … Expand
  9. boydste
    Dec 17, 2014
    9
    Gone Home is a first-person interactive adventure game from Fullbright. Gone Home puts you in the shoes of Caitlyn Greenbriar, after she comes home from a trip around the world. The Greenbriar family (Samantha, Terrence, Janice, and Caitlyn) recently moved into a new house, which Terrence inherited from his uncle Oscar. Given only a POV perspective and the ability to interact with almostGone Home is a first-person interactive adventure game from Fullbright. Gone Home puts you in the shoes of Caitlyn Greenbriar, after she comes home from a trip around the world. The Greenbriar family (Samantha, Terrence, Janice, and Caitlyn) recently moved into a new house, which Terrence inherited from his uncle Oscar. Given only a POV perspective and the ability to interact with almost every object in the house, you are free to discover the lives of each member of the family.

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

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

    I immensely enjoyed this game and would recommend it to everyone who enjoys discovering a world with a deep story. I would rate the game 9/10.    … Expand
  10. CJanrsgc
    Jan 21, 2015
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Gone Home, is a first person interactive story game set in year 1995, developed and published by The Fullbright Company. The player’s goal is to navigate Kaitlin Greenbriar, a 21 year old, through a mansion to finding clues. The game starts on June 7, 1995, when Kaitlin returns home to her family’s mansion in Arbor Hill, Oregon. When she arrives, she spots a note on the door from her sister, Samantha, telling her not to go looking for answers as to where she is. As she scouts out her new home, she realizes that no one is home. Where are her parents? What happened to Sam?
    The player takes control of Kaitlin, who can view objects in the game by picking them up and examining them. There is no direction given to you at all in the game, it’s an open world for you to discover, with much of the interactivity resting upon the player looking at objects and examining them on his or her own. The player does have a map, which they can access anytime in the game to see where they have been and where they are, some objects open new areas of the map for you, such as keys and old notes. The first puzzle in the game is to open the front door of the house. You are put in a small-enclosed space, which seems to be the front patio, the doors to the mansion are locked, and without direction, you must find the keys. Once the doors are open, you are submerged into the life of the Greenbriar family. For a game released in 2013, the design and graphics of the mansion and artifacts are at average. The developers who worked on Gone Home, also worked on a DLC pack for Bioshock II, and both show very similar art design and feel to each other.
    As you go deeper into the Greenbriar residence, you come across telephone messages, notes, and diary entries that give clues for you to unveil the dark corners of this family. You unravel the story of Kaitlin’s teenage sister coming of age, and the complicated details of your parent’s marriage. Kaitlin finds out through investigation that her sister is a lesbian, and has a girlfriend named Lonnie. As you uncover more of the map, queued narratives, voiced by Sarah Grayson (the voice of Samantha), start to play, unveiling the story of Sam and Lonnie, which eventually leads to the end of the game. The sound in this game is the most important factor. When you first enter the game it’s raining, you have no idea what is going on, you don’t know if this is suppose to be a horror game, or a murder mystery, you’re just put there. At first you feel a sense of fear, a fear of not knowing what’s to happen, and when you’re just casually strolling through the mansion, there will be a crack of thunder, put there to scary the bejesus out of you. The sound sets the mood; it creates mystery, causes you brain to come up with theories as to what is happening.
    Gone Home proves that a game focused on story and exploration, starring a non-traditional cast of characters can be quite enjoying. Even though I very much enjoyed this game, this may not be the game for the average gamer, but for someone like myself, who enjoys the combination of a good book and a video game, Gone Home is the perfect game. I would highly recommend this game, and give it a 9/10.    … Expand
  11. Young_Nacho
    Apr 10, 2016
    9
    Gone Home is landmark game. A big step in the realm of interactive storytelling. This game completely captivates you if you let it. There's no real gameplay other than picking things up and walking around the house. The basic premise is that a girl comes home to find her house empty. She must explore the house to find out where everyone went. The atmosphere in this game is absolutelyGone Home is landmark game. A big step in the realm of interactive storytelling. This game completely captivates you if you let it. There's no real gameplay other than picking things up and walking around the house. The basic premise is that a girl comes home to find her house empty. She must explore the house to find out where everyone went. The atmosphere in this game is absolutely amazing. In the game, your character, Katie, hasn't been to this new house yet because she was out on a trip while her family moved in. This game really uses that and it makes you really feel like you are walking in on a strange old house for the first time. You feel the house creak as you walk through the dark halls. The noises of faint footsteps create an amazingly eerie atmosphere that makes you want to turn on all the lights as if you were actually exploring a dark house. It has a surprisingly haunting atmosphere that I wasn't expecting from this game but I absolutely loved it. I caught myself dropping an item to look around a corner to see if there was someone there several times. The creaks and cracks of the old house make it feel so much more real and life like. I Also felt the story was surprisingly captivating and emotional considering that if this were written as teen fiction, I wouldn't have read it. The fact that the story was told in a house that felt so real made it even more emotional. I felt connected to the game and it really felt like I was learning about someone else's life through the belongings left in their abandoned home. The struggles of the teenage life may seem kind of boring and a bit cliche, but this game made them feel so real. There was something about the way the story was presented that made me feel a lot more emotionally attached to it. It had so many small details that made this game seem so real, from recorded VHS tapes of The X-Files, to movie tickets to see Pulp Fiction, to the homework assignments on desks, this game felt alive. The best thing about the story is that the more you explore, the more you learn and the more pieces of the puzzle fit together in the end. While the main story is about your younger sister, there are several other stories about the other family member that can be discovered. Some of which are kind of dark (which I like). Some of these stories are really up to your interpretation based on the clues you've found around the house.

    In the end Gone Home is a hauntingly beautiful game that really feels alive. This game wont be for everyone (as evident by the negative reviews) but for fans of great interactive story telling, this game is a must.    … Expand
  12. Marcusselle
    Dec 9, 2015
    9
    Entering the game “Gone Home” is as if you walk straight into a ghost story. You have no idea why you are in this freaky specific house or what you are going to experience next. The game is shaped as a metaphorical puzzle where the most satisfying feeling is to put the pieces together. As I rummaged through an abandoned living room examining moving boxes, locked drawers, pictures, theEntering the game “Gone Home” is as if you walk straight into a ghost story. You have no idea why you are in this freaky specific house or what you are going to experience next. The game is shaped as a metaphorical puzzle where the most satisfying feeling is to put the pieces together. As I rummaged through an abandoned living room examining moving boxes, locked drawers, pictures, the proverbial light bulb suddenly illuminated. Maybe it was the lighting storm outside or just a coincidence?

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

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

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

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

    I would recommend this game to anyone who likes mystery and adventure games, as long as they have high tolerance for much exploring. Stepping foot inside Greenbrier’s house and discovering the things they left behind is a powerful experience. Another thing I noticed with the game was how quick you could finish it. Maybe Fulbright should have made it a bit longer, but how quickly you get through the whole story depends on your understanding and previous game experience. Gone Home is a truly amazing achievement, and piecing together its cascading story will be a memory for life.    … Expand
  13. JonesLuc
    Dec 15, 2015
    9
    Gone Home is a video game based around a 20-year-old girl named Kate Greenbrier who returns to her families new home after a year abroad only to find the house empty and no sign of her family. As Katie you must make your way through the house and uncover what has become of her family and dark secrets which haunt the house.
    The creators of the game did a spectacular job in creating a    Gone Home is a video game based around a 20-year-old girl named Kate Greenbrier who returns to her families new home after a year abroad only to find the house empty and no sign of her family. As Katie you must make your way through the house and uncover what has become of her family and dark secrets which haunt the house.
    The creators of the game did a spectacular job in creating a spooky and creepy environment which adds to the mystery of the family. Though the graphics are not HD the creators designed the layout and dynamics of the house to give the player a feeling of anxiety and nervousness that something or someone will pop out behind every door and dark room where you can’t see an inch in front of your face. As you make your way through the dark and creepy hallways and secret corridors of the house the sound of constant rainfall and creaking floorboards makes it seem as if you are being followed and watched. The story that the game tells can be related to some aspects of everyone’s lives, whether its feeling out casted and not excepted because of certain tastes or interests.
    Though the game is well constructed and gives the player a psychological thrill by feeling watched or chased throughout the house, it lacks feeling as even though the other members of the family are all coping with and dealing with their own issues which affect their psyche the character or Katie seems to be just there walking around the house. She doesn’t really have a story to her unlike her sister.
    All in all I really enjoyed the game and have recommended it to many people. It is not only an enjoyable experience but can be used as a great teaching tool. It makes people use critical thinking and analysis to uncover the mysteries the house holds which gives the player an experience most other games cannot give. I loved the games story telling because the route you take through the house and the things you choose to dig through determine what you learn about the family and the ghosts which haunt the house.    … Expand
  14. grahamy
    Dec 15, 2015
    9
    Gone Home is a unique video game different from all others. The game is played through a charter named Katie, the objective of the game is to find her families whereabouts when she finds her house empty. It uses gamers predictions to mess with them throughout the game, causing them to assume things so far off from what they truly are. At no point is the game what you would expect.
    The    Gone Home is a unique video game different from all others. The game is played through a charter named Katie, the objective of the game is to find her families whereabouts when she finds her house empty. It uses gamers predictions to mess with them throughout the game, causing them to assume things so far off from what they truly are. At no point is the game what you would expect.
    The setting in Gone Home is almost identical to a typical 1995 house. Its because of the simple setting that players are able to relate with the game on a much more personal level. There are notes, reminders, and work papers scattered all around the house for you to read. Its through these items that you connect with the family in the game on a more personal level. In some ways I dislike how the game is constantly trying to connect with you on a personal level. I personally play video games to take a break from reality. While traveling through the house it is crucial that you read every little note, if you miss something you could miss major plot points. This can be very annoying as the house is so cluttered with junk that it takes a very long time to go through a very small portion of the house.
    Overall game play for Gone Home was nothing special. The graphics had to be put on the lowest quality to run on a mac, which took away from the game visually. One thing I do commend the creators for is the sound. The sound in the game is what made it spooky to play. By having all of the lights turned off in the house it created an eerie feeling for the players. However, this was also annoying, as it would take a ridiculous amount of time to find the light switch’s. The sound effects including sudden bursts of lightning and the creaking of the house created a frightening setting for the players. There was also music playing throughout the game, which was usually riot grrrl. Overall the sound choices for the game were great and worked well with the setting.
    Gone Home is a different game that appeals to gamers by attempting to connect with them. I did not like the ending of the game as I found it to be a let down. However, I would recommend this game because it is very unique. Gone Home is a game so unusual it might just work.    … Expand
  15. jacobakman
    Dec 15, 2015
    9
    A Review of Gone Home by Jacob Akman
    Gone Home is both an emotional and educational game which was created by the Fullbright Company in 2013. Playing as Katie Greenbriar you have just returned from a trip to Europe and while you were gone, your Mom, Dad, and little sister had moved to an old labyrinthine house owned by your father’s family. Over the next few hours of playing the game you    A Review of Gone Home by Jacob Akman
    Gone Home is both an emotional and educational game which was created by the Fullbright Company in 2013. Playing as Katie Greenbriar you have just returned from a trip to Europe and while you were gone, your Mom, Dad, and little sister had moved to an old labyrinthine house owned by your father’s family. Over the next few hours of playing the game you creep throughout the house discovering clues to explain the drama that occurred while you were away. When you begin Gone Home it is a “dark and stormy night” and this eerie theme continues throughout, punctuated by sudden bursts of thunder and lightning. This creative video game is non-violent and very “modestly” made. Be warned: this game is not for everyone, it can frustrate with tedium, but if you follow it all the way to its conclusion you will experience fear, chills, exhilaration, and ultimately, satisfaction.
    At the beginning of the story you are provided with almost no information which forces you to carefully explore every inch of the sprawling house observing each clue you can find. In the meantime, you will encounter several little side plots such as mother Janice Greenbriar’s “affair”, or the hunting for the ghost of house. However, the major storyline involves Sam’s new life in the “psycho house”, adjusting to her new school, and coming to terms with her sexuality.
    The sexuality theme contrasts Gone Home from typical shoot ‘em up and speed racer games and it confirms that you’re into a unique emotional experience.
    While the graphics in this game are not perfect, that is not what’s important when you compare them to the notes and letters placed around the house. Throughout Gone Home it is easy to get frustrated being hopeful to find an important clue every time you pick up a sharpie or a three ring binder, but when the moment of success and solution come it all seems worth it. To discover a new secret passage or hole in the wall is like a similar satisfaction to getting a “25 kill streak” in Call of Duty and receiving a Nuke. When discussing the “music” of gone home that refers to all the sounds of the house such as thunder, creek of a door, and footsteps on the floor. While the music is not one of the most evident and consistent elements, it adds to the eeriness of the house tremendously.
    For the first half of your gameplay of Gone Home you will be bored and frustrated. While you are paying extra close attention to every little detail and note you can find you will still not seem to find your way around the house. Only at the breakthrough of the locker combo will you be able to truly begin enjoying the game. From then on you will feel a rush as you discover each piece to the puzzle. While this thrill of the gameplay goes on you will also increasingly become interested in the storyline and actually get chills as you enter the attic and hear the final voice clips. Essentially, while the gameplay is slow to get into, not only does it pick up speed and become a very cool game physically, but you will really be able to dive into the story and enjoy that as well.    … Expand
  16. chappers
    Dec 16, 2015
    9
    Gone home was an innovative new take on the typical mystery/adventure game commonly found on the market in this current era of games. In the game you play as a girl, Katie, who has just gotten back form a year long trip to Europe. You’re in a dark atmospheric mansion left in a complete mess with no one home. The game has you explore the house and unravel the family’s troubled andGone home was an innovative new take on the typical mystery/adventure game commonly found on the market in this current era of games. In the game you play as a girl, Katie, who has just gotten back form a year long trip to Europe. You’re in a dark atmospheric mansion left in a complete mess with no one home. The game has you explore the house and unravel the family’s troubled and controversial past that they struggled with.
    Gone Home portrays the stories of those who were living in the house in a new and effective way. The game culture at the time of Gone Home’s release was dominated by first person shooters (fps) or other violent counterparts using multiplayer modes and fast paced action to entertain the player. Gone Home unlike the majority of other games on the market, uses the story almost exclusively to entertain and keep the player immersed in the game’s world. This results in an unusual experience that I found myself enjoying way beyond my original expectations. The story gradually grows and develops like a tree would, as you play the story may seem straightforward to begin with but as you play, you will realize you are bearing witness to the sum of every character’s story and that if you dig a little deeper can uncover each individual’s storyline, which are as intriguing as the main story.
    The game’s take on graphics may at first seem a little rough at the edges, and perhaps it is, but it has a warming effect and it perfectly suits the atmosphere and desired tone of the game. It provides an art style that can highlight the highs and lows of the game which is incredibly enhanced by the short interludes of soundtrack that occur whenever you find a journal of Sam’s. They embody the situations so well, and immerse the player in the situation where you find yourself unable to not empathize with Sam. Not to mention the voice acting in the game is absolutely flawless, I find myself replaying the journals as they seem so genuine and real.
    The gameplay is interesting, but there is definitely something to be said for the playing of the game. There are many times during the game where I found myself wandering the house completely lost as to where I was supposed to go next, or tediously looking through and under everything trying not to miss anything important. The developers of the game chose not to add a sprint/jump function into the game, which I can understand from the perspective that many people would rush and miss a fairly large amount of the content, but the game would probably benefit from a fast travel function of some sort. It was not uncommon to find myself running from one end of the house to the other and back which took a painfully long time. But besides these small little annoyances the game plays like a dream and it was very entertaining.
    The game has its quirks and its flaws, but overall I couldn’t help but find myself enjoying it tremendously. It has brought a new interesting genre of gaming to light and hope to find games in the future with a similar level of depth to their plot, while incorporating a larger map or interactive piece. It is an incredible game and I readily recommend it to friends and family, well done Fullbright you’ve made a masterpiece.    … Expand
  17. QuietSpider317
    Jan 28, 2016
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Gone Home
    Game Review:

    Gone Home is a very good game, and I think that every school should have that game on their school computers. I like the game most because of the good history in it. And I like that you need to go thru the hole house the gather all the information you need to find out more about the family. Gone home is a remarkable first-person adventure that tells a very good story about how the family from the story. The game is good whit all its history, but I think the game is to short, they should have added more rooms and maybe something outside of the house, like you can go in the garden and find some information there to. Still this game is good even without the garden, I think that everyone should buy this game and play it because it is a very good game, that the developers must have used a long time to make all the room whit the texture. The best reason for that I like the game is because it is a first-person game, and I love to play first-person games. I like when you walk in the house sometimes it comes a story that you need to listen to get more information. The game has much good music when you walk around in the house, and it has many secret places you need to find to get more information. I like the ending because of that it does not say where Sam is, so you need to make up a story yourself about what happened to Sam.
    I hope that the game developers will make a new game like this one where you are in a house where the family has moved out from the house, and you need to find information about where your family live.
    The game is very good because of what you can do in the game, you can crouch and that is very needed to do in this game, and many games in the world does not have a crouch option. I think that the developers should make updates to gone home, there it will be added more features, like something that makes you see something that’s not there, something like a ghost, or a family member that is dead. They should make more rooms where there is more information to get before you can finish the game, and should make something outside of the house, where you can see how the house looks like and the nature around you.
    I hope that people will try out this game, cause it’s a very good game, and it’s a fun game even if you don’t have much time to play it, so I recommend that everyone that haven’t played the game yet, should buy it and play it. When you play you should not just rush thru the house, try finding everything you can, to solve the whole mystery about what happened to Sam, and check every room, because there is information everywhere. I hope that they add items like flashlight or food like you can use the flashlight while you go around on the dark places in the house, and eat when you need to or, your character will be slower or she will die from hunger. I hope that the next game the developers make is something that is close to this one. For some people this game may be scary, but that’s only because of the dark rooms, but there is nothing that can scare you in the game, it is only dark rooms but, you can just turn off the light on the side of the doors inside the rooms, or using the lamps. I would like that you spawn outside of the house and not inside the first room downstairs in the house. Gone home is a game you can play to take away a few hours in your life, since there is 4 floors, and many rooms on every floor.
    I have played many games, but this game is one of the best I have played, and I will give the game an 8.9score.    … Expand
  18. Rachelhestad
    Jan 28, 2016
    9
    Game review – Gone Home

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

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

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

    I think this game was pretty fun, since it’s a short story made in to a game, you also get to hear the story. I think the story and the game graphics is pretty good too.
    In the beginning I thought it was kind of boring, but as soon as I really got in to it and understood what I was supposed to do, it became really fun and exciting
    The ability to move is good, but there is some adjustments in how you normally use a keyboard and touchpad if you don’t play often. But after a little while you get used to it and the game will appear even more fun and interesting, at least it did for me.    … Expand
  19. RonjaPernille
    Jan 29, 2016
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Gone home
    The game gone home starts with a girl named Katie. She arrives home after a year of traveling in Europe and finds the house empty of people. Her sister, mother and father have all disappeared. The whole game involves on looking for items in the house and reading information that you find. When I played the game I found diaries that Sam, Katie’s sister left for Katie. The diaries told me a little bit about what happened to everyone, it was sort of like a little story. I also found notes and a lot of other things in the house.
    When you play the game you can sort of play it in the wrong order, but also in the correct order. Everyone starts at the porch when Katie comes home, but when you are in the house and when you are looking for clues, it is not necessarily in the right order you find them. You can for example find Sam’s diaries like that. In the game there was some symbols that I could find. One of them was a drawing of a heart with Sam’s and Lonnie’s initials together. Later I found the same kind of heart on a drawing but it was broken in two. I thought that was really fun for the story.
    One thing I liked about this game was the sounds and the design. I thought the Items you could find in the story was really well made. For example the music player that played the band’s music, the art that showed Katie’s family and other detailed things. The music fitted very well for the story and Sam’s voice was really soothing and relaxing. I also really liked the secret passage ways, they looked really old and they uncovered interesting secrets about the rest of the story.
    I think the key message of this story is that being gay is not easy and it is especially hard if your own family won’t support you. It may be easier now in 2015 for gay people, but this game takes place in the 1994. At that time people were maybe less accepting. Even today a lot of people are against gay people and this story shows what the consequences of not accepting a gay family member can lead to.
    Personally I liked this game very much. It was not exactly the kind of game I had hoped for. I expected a spooky game with ghosts and monsters. Based on the intro with the dark abandoned house, I really thought it was a haunted house. Regardless of that I thought it was fun and I think I learned very much about how it can be for people who does not have it that easy with their parents and themselves. I loved the game and I would give it an 9.    … Expand
  20. scottmland
    Feb 13, 2016
    9
    When people argue that videogames are not the future of storytelling, I would tell them to look here.

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

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

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

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

    But don't expect action.

    Edit: I think the price of this game is a bit much. I wasn't aware of the pricing until recently because I got this in a humble bundle. Wait for it to go on sale. It's like paying for the hardcover version of a book when you can wait for the softcover.
    Im not Spoole, a good game doesnt have to work out to be a dollar an hour, but an hour and a half doesn't equal $20 in my opinion, unless its the greatest story ever told, or replayable like a ************.
    It is a great story though. And a good game.    … Expand
  21. 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.
  22. 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
  23. 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.
  24. 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
  25. 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
  26. 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.
  27. Xanifur
    Sep 8, 2013
    8
    A fantastic narrative with great exploration and detail in every corner. A great indie title any exploration fan needs to play. Great graphics, atmospheric setting to the point of being unnerving exploring the house alone. Accompanied with the great voice acting make this game a winner.
  28. cunningmunki
    Oct 30, 2013
    8
    Well, the negative scores seem to be inching ahead of the positive ones, so I feel like I need to support the greens and redress the balance!
    Regardless of what others may say on here, Gone Home IS a game, and a beautiful one at that. Similar criticism was leveled at Dear Esther regarding its definition as a 'game', where it was certainly more applicable, but if you define a game as    Well, the negative scores seem to be inching ahead of the positive ones, so I feel like I need to support the greens and redress the balance!
    Regardless of what others may say on here, Gone Home IS a game, and a beautiful one at that. Similar criticism was leveled at Dear Esther regarding its definition as a 'game', where it was certainly more applicable, but if you define a game as having to perform some kind of skilled actions to gain rewards, then Gone Home is certainly a game.
    You use your skills to find the clues around the house and piece together the events leading up to your arrival, and the reward is a skillfully told story that will either bounce right off you, or break your heart, depending on who you are. You can be any age or gender to enjoy the story, but if you only play games for action or excitement, then this game is not for you.
    It beggars belief that there are people who bought this game without doing at least a little bit of research first. Do people really just buy games without reading their description? Baffling.
    Is it worth £14.99? Will I ever play it again? I'm not sure I can answer either of those questions, but I certainly didn't feel short changed, and it was an experience I'll always treasure (besides, I bought in it the Steam sale!).
    Developers who harp on about how important stories are in games should play Gone Home to experience how good stories can be told and that they don't required feature film levels of action, special effects and dialogue to achieve it. You just need talent, and that's what the Fulbright team have in spades.    … Expand
  29. potatoes351
    Mar 1, 2014
    8
    Gone Home is more of an experience than a game. Much like titles such as The Stanley Parable & Dear Esther, there is no real gameplay as such, but instead you are a participant in an interactive story.
    You play as Katie, a young woman who has just retuned home after a year long trip to Europe. When she arrives in the middle of a thunderstorm she finds her family's home both extremely    Gone Home is more of an experience than a game. Much like titles such as The Stanley Parable & Dear Esther, there is no real gameplay as such, but instead you are a participant in an interactive story.
    You play as Katie, a young woman who has just retuned home after a year long trip to Europe. When she arrives in the middle of a thunderstorm she finds her family's home both extremely untidy & empty. As you explore the house you find notes left by your younger sister Sam, explaining what she has done in your absence, as the seemingly unconnected notes begin to link together following a story of growing up as a teenager that nobody seems to care for or understand, you are left with one question. What is in the attic?
    Gone Home first appears to be a horror game, however you will never encounter any enemies, nor should you be scared. However due to the ominous mystery of what is lurking at the top of the house and the excellent atmosphere being alone in a big house in the middle of a storm, you will regularly feel uncomfortable.
    Exploring themes such as bullying, homosexuality, the paranormal and domestic family life, Gone Home is a story we can all relate to in some way and despite being one of the less gameplay intensive items on the market, it is something that is worthy of your time.    … Expand
  30. chujfugh
    Dec 29, 2013
    8
    Is there one true definition of a video game? For me, it's an entertainment piece whose medium of experiencing it is through player interaction, as opposed to experiencing a piece by listening, or reading, or viewing. Can we not go any further than that? Can we not exclude and isolate perfectly serviceable games simply because they don't fit a bracket? That way, we miss out on a lot ofIs there one true definition of a video game? For me, it's an entertainment piece whose medium of experiencing it is through player interaction, as opposed to experiencing a piece by listening, or reading, or viewing. Can we not go any further than that? Can we not exclude and isolate perfectly serviceable games simply because they don't fit a bracket? That way, we miss out on a lot of great games that otherwise wouldn't exist.

    In that regard, Gone Home is actually more of a game than GTA5 or The Last of Us or COD: Ghosts. It doesn't have cinematic cutscenes which feel more like a movie than a game, it doesn't have high-end motion capture with professional actors. It doesn't have elaborate set pieces with Frostbite 3 engine. It tells its story through playing; through the basic tenant of video games: interactivity. You experience the story, not by cutscenes, but by playing it. Just because it doesn't have combat or violence doesn't mean it's not a game. In fact, it's even more of a game than most triple-A games we play today; it utilises the potential of the medium. It shows what we can do with minimalistic gameplay meaning a lot. It's up to the player to decide how deep they want to dive in to Gone Home.

    With all that said, it's capable of delivering a story so powerful and unique that you can't help but be impressed with its sheer bravery. It shows what we can do with gaming, and it shows the power of gaming over other media, like film or literature. Therefore, Gone Home is as true a game as you can hope for.    … Expand
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Awards & Rankings

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

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
86

Generally favorable reviews - based on 56 Critic Reviews

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