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. RapNoize
    Aug 18, 2013
    10
    A perfect example of a game of this genre. Story is strong, visuals are intensive and sounds are very atmospheric. Discovering hidden secrets is enjoyable as ever. 10 out of 10.
  2. RetRap
    Aug 20, 2013
    9
    It seems that a lot of people are missing the point of Gone Home. It's unfair to call this a game, it is truly a piece of interactive story telling. If Gone Home is anything, it's a glimpse into a future of entertainment where the task of thinking is given back to the viewer rather than the program maker. Gone Home tells a tail of familiar teenage development in a beautifully haunting way.It seems that a lot of people are missing the point of Gone Home. It's unfair to call this a game, it is truly a piece of interactive story telling. If Gone Home is anything, it's a glimpse into a future of entertainment where the task of thinking is given back to the viewer rather than the program maker. Gone Home tells a tail of familiar teenage development in a beautifully haunting way. Think of this in the same way as you would a thoughtful piece of television drama but with the magical twist that you're the director. Being able to dictate the pace and flow of the piece really does open up a whole new perspective in drama and I for one applaud the team behind Gone Home for being brave enough to complete this vision.
    Yes it has a step asking price, and frankly I think it's too high a price for most. However, ignoring the economics of the situation Gone Home gives me hope that 'gaming' can continue to become a medium more and more accessible but at the same time, more engaging and enlightening. Supporting this game (even with it's ridiculous asking price) gives hope to the medium.    … Expand
  3. Chabooski
    Aug 18, 2013
    9
    I am simply shocked at the number of low user scores. Perhaps 'Gone Home's incredible writing, beautiful story, great use of lighting, mysterious house full of secrets, and wonderful interaction aren't for everybody. But I found this game, apart from its short length, to be nearly flawless. Discovering new things about the characters and the house itself through the power of explorationI am simply shocked at the number of low user scores. Perhaps 'Gone Home's incredible writing, beautiful story, great use of lighting, mysterious house full of secrets, and wonderful interaction aren't for everybody. But I found this game, apart from its short length, to be nearly flawless. Discovering new things about the characters and the house itself through the power of exploration was a blast, and the story brought me to tears. A video game doesn't need explosions to be a wonderful demonstration of the medium. I would recommend this game to anybody, especially high school students and parents with teenage children. This game perfectly captured how it feels to be a teenager, how the 90's felt, and how awesome it feels to explore large houses during a thunderstorm. 9/10. If you don't like it, I believe steam is currently having a sale on Call of Duty (They aren't really, I was just being a clever douche).… Expand
  4. Magespower
    Aug 18, 2013
    9
    Gone Home is a game that wants to tell you a story and does so with such ease that you feel invested in it from the first journal entry till the last. In gone home you play as Kaitlin Greenbriar returning home after being abroad in Europe to find your house empty and your parents and sister Sam missing. Your goal is to solve the mystery of where your family has mysteriously disappeared to.Gone Home is a game that wants to tell you a story and does so with such ease that you feel invested in it from the first journal entry till the last. In gone home you play as Kaitlin Greenbriar returning home after being abroad in Europe to find your house empty and your parents and sister Sam missing. Your goal is to solve the mystery of where your family has mysteriously disappeared to.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

    +Godly amazing environment and story.
    -Short
    9/10    … Expand
  12. Elynora
    Aug 17, 2013
    10
    This was a very touching story, and like Dear Esther will have a lasting effect on me. I'm not sure why people complain that this 'shouldn't be a game'; as if it shouldn't exist as anything more than written text. Why not give it an atmosphere you can play through? I felt completely immersed, which is what I expect the creator of Gone Home was aiming for. I really enjoyed the subject ofThis was a very touching story, and like Dear Esther will have a lasting effect on me. I'm not sure why people complain that this 'shouldn't be a game'; as if it shouldn't exist as anything more than written text. Why not give it an atmosphere you can play through? I felt completely immersed, which is what I expect the creator of Gone Home was aiming for. I really enjoyed the subject of the story it wasn't what I was expecting when I first began to explore, but I was quite relieved that this didn't turn out to be another ghost/stalker story.… Expand
  13. Brandonb1
    Dec 26, 2013
    0
    This is not a game, this is a pretentious interactive lifetime movie. There are literately no game mechanics to speak of. The story telling is on the same level of deviant art fan fiction. Absolutely horrible, avoid at all costs.
  14. DMets27
    Dec 26, 2013
    1
    Can we stop with the obsession with this game? Gone Home has an interesting setup and completely falls flat after that. Sure the atmosphere is spooky but the game does nothing with it. I don't mind a game with minimal to no gameplay, such as The Walking Dead (which is amazing by the way), but Gone Home's story is very cut and dry, goes from point A to point B and then the game ends... INCan we stop with the obsession with this game? Gone Home has an interesting setup and completely falls flat after that. Sure the atmosphere is spooky but the game does nothing with it. I don't mind a game with minimal to no gameplay, such as The Walking Dead (which is amazing by the way), but Gone Home's story is very cut and dry, goes from point A to point B and then the game ends... IN UNDER 90 MINUTES!! Save your money and do not buy this "game"… Expand
  15. Mauraer
    May 31, 2015
    0
    If you enjoy pink haired hipster pretentious "art" pieces, passing as a videogame... you will enjoy this... else avoid at all cost...
    Not worth a penny
  16. DashingMT
    Oct 8, 2014
    0
    I've seen many a poor game in my day; none as poor as this.

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

    The best part is the fact that it cost me 19,99€.
  17. Frosty1979
    Jul 29, 2015
    0
    Played this because of the good reviews from professional sites. Geez, after playing this "game" I feel like the victim of a prank now.

    At first I thought it's some kind of horror game, but in the end it was just a little love story about your lesbian sister running away with her lover. Well great,,, what a wast e of time.
  18. douggernaut
    Jun 29, 2015
    0
    A lesbian coming of age story!! The very least they could do is tell you that. I heard stories of finding yourself alone in your home looking for your missing family. Sounded interesting..but no one would say anything more about it. Not what I was expecting. Feeling duped. If that is what you are looking for then enjoy! But it needs to be said out front...this is the story of a lesbianA lesbian coming of age story!! The very least they could do is tell you that. I heard stories of finding yourself alone in your home looking for your missing family. Sounded interesting..but no one would say anything more about it. Not what I was expecting. Feeling duped. If that is what you are looking for then enjoy! But it needs to be said out front...this is the story of a lesbian family member! That is all.… Expand
  19. FilipWiik
    Jan 28, 2016
    4
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Gone home

    Game review:

    Gone home was a game about a girl called Kaitlyn Greenbriar. She had been to Europe for a year. While she had been gone, her family had moved to this new house. But when she came home, there was no one there. The rain was pouring down and the wind was blowing.

    I think the main message in this game was to tell a short story about Kaitlyn’s little sister Samantha Greenbriar, and to show how to tell a short story in a game setting.

    The story is told in a chronologic order. With letters from Samantha every few months while Kaitlyn had been gone.

    It was quite a few important relationships in this game. Of course one of the relationships in the game was the family, but it wasn’t really the most important relationship in the game. In my opinion Samantha’s relationship to Loney was by far the most important in the game. But it also looked like Samantha had a pretty special relationship to her bigger sister Kaitlyn because of all the letters she wrote for her.

    Even though Kaitlyn is the controllable character in this game, I think that Samantha was the main person in this story. The reason I think Samantha was the main person is because the story told in this game was mainly about Samantha, and the whole point of the game was to find out about the story.

    I think the tone and setting in this game was quite creepy. With the empty house, the weather, all of the dark rooms in the house, and that the game was set in night-time made the whole setting both creepy and pretty mysterious.

    The gameplay in this game was at least in my opinion a bit boring. Without any action really happening and you just going around in a dark house all by yourself wasn’t the most exciting I’ve ever played. And I don’t know if it was the game or if it was just the computer I was playing on, but the frames per second rate seemed really slow and because of that the game had a lot of lag. And by doing nothing else than looking for letters and reading them made the game really bad in my opinion. But even though I wasn’t a fan of this kind of game, I could really see why some people would like it.

    If I were to rate this game I unfortunately wouldn’t be able to give it more than a 4/10.    … Expand
  20. thelion71
    Jul 20, 2015
    1
    The numbers first:
    Graphics - 2/10
    Story - 2/10 Voice acting - 4/10 I was honestly disappointed that this even has the title of game! It would be better defined as an interactive story and not a very good one at that. There are elements that seem wildly out of place and do not add anything to 'the story' at all. I was sure that I just was not getting what this was about, so I had two    The numbers first:
    Graphics - 2/10
    Story - 2/10
    Voice acting - 4/10
    I was honestly disappointed that this even has the title of game! It would be better defined as an interactive story and not a very good one at that. There are elements that seem wildly out of place and do not add anything to 'the story' at all.
    I was sure that I just was not getting what this was about, so I had two of my friends play it (both of whom are girls) and they also panned it.
    DO NOT BUY THIS GAME!    … Expand
  21. 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
  22. 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
  23. 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
  24. coustoe
    Jul 2, 2015
    1
    This isn't really a game, its just a boring marginal social justice story, it has no gameplay elements all yo do is walk around a house and find out that a girl has a lesbian lover and thats the story, no surprises twist interactive mutliple outcomes decisions nothing, this is not a game, and people who fall for this because the Social justice media tells them to like it are fools.
  25. thanatopsis
    Jan 3, 2016
    4
    This is a true walking simulator. If you like that sort of thing, you might like Gone Home.
    It might be worth $5, but no more. It takes no more than 2 hours to complete.
    I actually liked the way the story unfolds and how the locked rooms become unlocked little by little, but the story is not that compelling. What really annoyed me is that is has a sense of foreboding that just doesn't    This is a true walking simulator. If you like that sort of thing, you might like Gone Home.
    It might be worth $5, but no more. It takes no more than 2 hours to complete.
    I actually liked the way the story unfolds and how the locked rooms become unlocked little by little, but the story is not that compelling.
    What really annoyed me is that is has a sense of foreboding that just doesn't go anywhere. The dark rooms and thunder exist for no reason but to make you think something sinister might happen. And does it? Well yes: I spent $6 and two hours of my life on a walking simulator that went nowhere. It is pretty frightening to think people actually spent $20 on this and liked it.    … Expand
  26. filiphendrickx
    Jul 19, 2015
    3
    I only made a account on metacritic just to warn people of this game. Although it has a nice soundtrack and the intention of the game developers probably was in the right direction, the end results is an abomination. The gameplay is horrible (click on everything until you can proceed, even bad for a click and point), the story has a lot of red herrings and the game is just TWO hours long!I only made a account on metacritic just to warn people of this game. Although it has a nice soundtrack and the intention of the game developers probably was in the right direction, the end results is an abomination. The gameplay is horrible (click on everything until you can proceed, even bad for a click and point), the story has a lot of red herrings and the game is just TWO hours long! If this were a free game I would give it an okay score, but this isn't the case. This game gets a lot attention because of the 'deep message' it conveys to the player. But unless you're a homophobic red neck who still believes in male supremacy, you will find the story ( and especially the ending) not groundbreaking but boring as hell.… Expand
  27. reavor
    Nov 16, 2015
    4
    Severely overpriced for just about 1-2 hours. Not really a "game" since you can't loose. It's just an interactive story, although severely limited in it's interactivity. There was a lot of thought put into the story I guess, but not much more than that.
  28. Renovatia
    Dec 14, 2015
    3
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. This is graphically a lightweight (< 1.5 GByte) Adventure, but decently looking. One plays the character Kaitlin who returns home and is to explore why her sister Sam isn't there and why she left an awkward note.

    This game is about taking you through a story, and it's far less about challenging your intellect, trigger amazement or boost your adrenaline like many other adventure games do! Be prepared to read a lot, because that's how you learn about Sam.

    Fundamentally it's a typical 3d Adventure, but confined to a single house. You walk around and interact with items to learn more about Sam's story. As the story progresses, you'll find out Sam is a lesbian and she ran off to her lesbian friend to live with her.

    Gaming-wise I have only one beef: your efforts as a player are not very rewarding. You have to read a lot of text but not much leads to a anything. You only gained more knowledge. You have to pick up almost everything (there's a lot to pick up) in the hope to find a secret code or a hidden key. When you finally found something, you're happy for a few seconds but then eons of boredom starts again; picking up stuff endlessly and hoping you didn't miss a thing.

    The biggest beef I have is about what the game does and about what kind of persons are behind this game.

    First of all this game is clearly an effort to celebrate LGBT issues and the method used is the good old "feel pity for the person, and when the desired emotions have been set, one automatically likes that person for being gay". For example this has been done in the movie "The Imitation Game" as well. Both the events in the movie and the flow of the game is a preamble to promote the LGBT culture.

    And, as often the case, the people behind such undertakings find reasons to stir some drama and artificially create victimhood: they refused to showcase their game at "PAX Prime" because they didn't like the convention managers' opinions. They (managers) don't buy too much into the usual political correct propaganda and therefore they are, according to the makers of this game, homophobes, transphobes and you name it.

    All in all this game is a project by, and for Social Justice Warriors, but you are not to find out until you're halfway into the game. Better not pay for this. It only encourages SJW's. Stay away from their world and focus on achieving something in your life; like saving money to buy a non-political, more challenging and rewarding game.    … Expand
  29. mcullen98
    Dec 16, 2015
    6
    Being a mysterious adventure exploring a modern locale, Gone Home includes a story line of problem solving to find where the main character’s family is. Throughout the game the player will encounter many rooms and clues such as notes and other artifacts which help move the plot forward and ultimately lead to the final scene revealing the mystery previously unsolved. This game incorporatesBeing a mysterious adventure exploring a modern locale, Gone Home includes a story line of problem solving to find where the main character’s family is. Throughout the game the player will encounter many rooms and clues such as notes and other artifacts which help move the plot forward and ultimately lead to the final scene revealing the mystery previously unsolved. This game incorporates themes of other games, and adds its own refreshing sense of family and feminism, which makes it appealing to women as well as men, something most games are not able to accomplish.

    Gone home takes time and focus to understand the game fully, and creates a need for attention to detail such as music, lighting, and relating it to personal experience. Gone Home is designed to be fine combed which makes the game that much more intriguing. Considering that many people find this aspect of the game a bit tedious, it adds to the realism of it. One thing that is done very well is the level of low lighting they use which adds a feeling of mystery. The player is constantly stimulated with music which relate to the atmosphere of the house therefor drawing the player even deeper into it. Along with the music, the graphics create a very real feel for the player. If not played properly you miss most of the messages meant to be taught and therefor making the game much less enjoyable. Another aspect which was well established was the option to play Gone Home a second time with developer’s commentary, which explains problems which the developers had to overcome when creating the game, and developing a more in depth explanation of many rooms of the house. After playing this game I found myself feeling multiple emotions, however one which was the most apparent was the feeling of disappointment that it was over.

    Aspects of the game that could be improved are spread out among the entire game. One aspect which needs to be addressed is the direction given when playing the game. Understanding the game is supposed to be a free exploration for the gamer to experience, some guidance of where to go or what to see would be helpful. After talking to many people about the gameplay, they mentioned that they missed a few very important pieces of the game because they did not know they were a part of it. If the developers were to include a list of things needed to be accomplished, the game would be easier to understand. The objects being examined should be tweaked to allow collection of knowledge for everyone. Some of the letters or books were written in very neat, but hard to read cursive which restricted many people from understanding some of the clues.

    Overall the game itself presented the aspect of mystery, adventure and difficulty which will appeal to many players who enjoy story line games. The gameplay was enjoyable and aside from little tweaks, the game was well developed. Taking into account the difficulty of some aspects such as opening and closing doors, the developers made great use of coding to make the game the way it is. The story drew the player in, overall pleasing the senses of the player. I would recommend this game to people who strive for adventure and interest in knowledge of the game.    … Expand
  30. MaxDV
    Dec 16, 2015
    4
    Gone Home, a first person exploratory adventure game that allows the player to go through the family mansion. By family, I mean the Greenbriars. You play as Kaitlin who comes home from vacation to find her families house empty. The task of the game is to go through the story of tracing clues and ideas as to what has occurred to have no family there. The Game is created by the FullbrightGone Home, a first person exploratory adventure game that allows the player to go through the family mansion. By family, I mean the Greenbriars. You play as Kaitlin who comes home from vacation to find her families house empty. The task of the game is to go through the story of tracing clues and ideas as to what has occurred to have no family there. The Game is created by the Fullbright Company also famous for Minerva’s Den in BioShock 2.

    So, Gone Home allows you to go through your family mansion, which has many hidden secrets. The story of your family unfolds as you play the role of a detective figuring out different aspects of your family members lives. Oh and by family, I mean Terrence Greenbriar (your father), Janice Greenbriar (your mother), and your sister Samantha. All 3 of whom are not in your house and have left various pieces of their lives to be picked up and figured out by you. It’s a seriously cool twist of mystery and adventure.

    At many points in Gone Home, voices will speak to you. Usually it will be Samanthas or your own. After examining items or objects sometimes they will activate a voice recording that will normally tell you more information about whatever you’re on about. Walking through the house also gives a mysterious vibe as some lights are left on and off, and you have the power to turn on most lights open all doors and basically walk through the story. Without giving too much away you are taken through various past experiences that lead to future parts of the story and allow you to understand and appreciate the gameplay much more.

    In all honesty I myself did not enjoy playing Gone Home. I am not one for storyline exploratory games as they attract some for an exciting tale, they bore me. Gone Home had a lot I think that could’ve made the experience more fulfilling. A lot of what I found was boring useless achievements to figure out a story that didn’t reward you with anything at the end of the game. This is where the FullBright Company could have made a difference. Adding extra and bonus content and special unlocks to altar gameplay just makes everything more enjoyable. It allows the player to take exciting new approaches to games whilst enhancing the game itself for pure enjoyment.

    Overall Gone Home presented a fulfilling task of mystery and exploration. It created an environment of examination and thought rather then action and destruction. Gone Home gained much success but also much criticism from the gaming community. It is a fun slow paced game for those who look for more detail in a story mode, and will leave you wanting more!

    Thanks for reading!
    Max    … Expand
  31. Teo_Lien
    Jan 28, 2016
    4
    The story in the game is about a girl named Katie who is 20 years old. She has been traveling for about a year. When she comes home, her family isn’t there. Katie starts exploring the house to maybe find out where her family is right now. Katie finds a lot of information, and from that information she starts thinking about that they have moved. But moved without their stuff?
    The games key    The story in the game is about a girl named Katie who is 20 years old. She has been traveling for about a year. When she comes home, her family isn’t there. Katie starts exploring the house to maybe find out where her family is right now. Katie finds a lot of information, and from that information she starts thinking about that they have moved. But moved without their stuff?
    The games key message is about lesbians. How lesbians were respected in 1995 is not the same as in 2016. The game is trying to tell us about how hard it is to be a lesbian back in 1995. And according to the game that was not an easy thing.
    When you are playing the game you will play as a carracter called Katie. You cannot see your own bodyparts but you have a little dot in the middle of the screen which shows what you are pointing at. The game has good graphics but not the best. Some things just looks like a plastic bocks, like the sink. The sink looks like its’ plastic with white paint on it.
    The main character is Sam (Samantha), but we can not see her, we can only read stuff she left behind. You can hear it when Katie (the person you are) is reading the Journals. I think especially that makes the game a lot better.
    The game has a really realistic tone. You can hear the thunder when you are in the basement. The soundeffects is better than I expected. The ¨mood¨ in the house makes you feel a bit freaked out. All off the sounds makes the game a lot better.
    The gameplay is good. It has something that is good, but a lot is not very good. In my opinion the game could have been better. But in total the game was ok too play.
    For me I think this game should get a 4 out of 10.    … Expand
  32. zyzzbrahjesper
    Jan 28, 2016
    4
    Gone Home is a short story game about a girl named Katie Greenbriar coming home from school in Europe to an empty house. She finds notes and clues throughout the game to find out what happened to her family and why they moved.

    The game is built in a way that makes you have to think and remember stuff like codes, clues and names etc. You really have to be on top and watch out for notes    Gone Home is a short story game about a girl named Katie Greenbriar coming home from school in Europe to an empty house. She finds notes and clues throughout the game to find out what happened to her family and why they moved.

    The game is built in a way that makes you have to think and remember stuff like codes, clues and names etc. You really have to be on top and watch out for notes and clues wherever you go in the house.

    There are some symbols throughout the game that plays a huge role in not only the story itself but also for the feeling of the game. There is placed a lot of Bibles around the house to show that the family is a pretty religious family. In a place in the map there is also pentagram to give that grimey/dark feeling to the game.

    There are a lot of people in the story but its only 3 people that really stand out from the rest, these can be called major characters in the story. These are Kaitlin Greenbriar (Katie), Samantha Greenbriar (Sam) and Yolanda DeSoto (Lonnie). Katie is Sam's big sister. Sam thinks that Katie is very cool but mentions several times that she misses her. Lonnie is Sam's friend and later turns into something more.

    The setting of the game is a dark romantic type setting. I think that the dark/grimey setting comes from the uncle which lived in the house before the family. The uncle, Oscar Masan, died in 1993 and willed the house to the Greenbriar family. Oscar was looked on as a creep by the town. Oscar Masan left many things in the house which is both creepy and dark. He left and pentagram and a note about him that he might have eaten another human being, just to mention a few.
    I think the romantic tone of the games comes from the relationship Sam and Lonnie had/have together.

    The music plays a huge role in the game. It helps to make some clips in the game very creepy and scary. Every time you found a vital thing in the story, you will get a piece of Sam's journal that will start to play automatic. In these journals you get to hear everything from Sam having no friends to Sam falling in love with her friend. I personally think that the journals play a huge part in the game.

    The gameplay in the game is that it is an easy game to get "used to". It is not a very long game, I wished that it would be even longer. But you always have to be alert on finding clues, notes, codes and keys.
    My experience with the game is that it wasn’t very long and that it was unclear sometimes. There were a few characters that they could have explained more, like Oscar Masan. I also think that they could have stretched the storyline a little more. It felt very short and they could have made it longer in my opinion.
    All in all I think this wasn’t a great game. For a game that costs $20 it wouldn’t be worth it, in my opinion. On steam most of the reviews doesn’t recommend it, and I wouldn’t nether. I would rate this game 4/10. I give the game this rating because even through it was very short I still enjoyed some of it. It would of course be a lot better if it was longer. I think that the storyline of the game wasn’t that interesting and exciting. It wasn’t very variety in the game and the storyline was pretty much the same throughout the game. You found out a few things throughout the game. But all in all I wouldn’t recommend this game.    … Expand
  33. jjuev
    Jan 28, 2016
    6
    Gone Home game review

    This is a short novel game. The game is about a girl named Katie that comes home after traveling and finds her family missing. She can’ find her parent or her sister Sam. She then decides to investigate the house and finds the shocking truth about her sister. The way the story is told is chronologic because you start from the beginning. You do see back on old    Gone Home game review

    This is a short novel game. The game is about a girl named Katie that comes home after traveling and finds her family missing. She can’ find her parent or her sister Sam. She then decides to investigate the house and finds the shocking truth about her sister.
    The way the story is told is chronologic because you start from the beginning. You do see back on old memories sometimes, and that is very good.
    The main character in the game is Katie. It is good that it is the sister who is there but actually it doesn’t matter who is the main character. I mean anyone could have been the main character. A friend, an uncle, maybe the mailman or some stalker. Just someone is in the house and investigates
    I think the area where the house is perfect. It is in no man’s land, it’s an old house and it’s raining. I mean I couldn’t be better because you wouldn’t have the same excitement if it’s in the city or it’s sunny or something like that.
    I don’t play so many games but I do believe that the graphics could have been better.
    This game is in the mystery genre because you would find any of those things in the game in a comedy or a romance.
    My experiences with the game was that it was really exciting. I was bored sometimes but it was fun.
    I give this game 6/10    … Expand
  34. KajaNerdal
    Jan 28, 2016
    6
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. This short story is about this girl, Kaitlyn, which comes home from her trip to Europe. When she comes home she finds that her whole family is gone. In the story you (Kaitlyn) are going to look for traces after your family and where they might can be.
    I think the main message in the game is that your family can be more unknown to you than you think. You can think that you know them very well, when they actually keeps a lot of secrets from you. It can be hard to live in a house that everyone thinks is “the crazy house” because of the earlier history from the house. The very main message is actually about the love story between Samantha and Lonnie.
    The way this short story goes is very chronologic, at least how I understood it, and I think that was great. The game was very exciting and I liked it when it got a little scary but still exciting. It was kind of hard to move the avatar because you couldn’t walk and change direction in the same time, you had to take brakes to change directions. It also were kind of hard to find the important traces so it took a while to really understand what the short story were about. I don’t think they used any symbols, at least I didn’t find any.
    In the game you’ll hear about your sister/Samantha, mom, dad, Lonnie and your uncle. There are a lot of different relations between all of them. Especially mom, dad, Samantha and Lonnie. The main character in the game is not actually in the game, but the game is about to find out where Sam, the main character is. I think the game is supposed to be romantic, and exciting in the same time, because it is a love story with some twists.
    If you are going to take screen-prints in the game I think that is kind of difficult because if you just do it as normal, you`ll get a picture of your home screen. The gameplay was great, but the graphic was bad sometimes, it had great sound effects which made the game more exciting.
    My experiences with the game was that the game was exciting, but I think you were way too free to go where you wanted, so you could end the game before you ever got a thing from the actual short story. But if you wanted to get the whole short story it could`ve taken hours before you`d end it.    … Expand
  35. maggaMLG
    Jan 28, 2016
    6
    It’s a story about a girl named Katie. This girl lives in a haunted house, she don’t know where why her family is gone.
    It’s June 6th 1995 and Katie just got home from a year in Europe. In this year have the family has moved out to a new house, but her sister wasn’t very interested to move in to this house. When Katie arrives to the house, it was very empty. Nobody was there. Katie is    It’s a story about a girl named Katie. This girl lives in a haunted house, she don’t know where why her family is gone.
    It’s June 6th 1995 and Katie just got home from a year in Europe. In this year have the family has moved out to a new house, but her sister wasn’t very interested to move in to this house. When Katie arrives to the house, it was very empty. Nobody was there. Katie is standing outside of the door with no keys, trying to figure out where the keys are. While you are playing this game you will maybe find out that there may be some lesbian girls in this story. You are going to find a lot of cassettes where Katie are talking about how it goes and other things in her life. Where she has been and what she has done in the last couple of days. There are many different rooms you may have to check out, where you will find other posted notes. You will find many
    The gameplay is kind of boring and the graphics could be better, but the graphics have nothing about the game to. But if you pay attention to the store it will be very interesting. At the start when you are outside the door you will find some posted notes, where you will get some help where you are going to.    … Expand
  36. hhjelmaas
    Jan 28, 2016
    6
    The year is 1995, Katie Greenbriar is 19 years old and she’s home from Europe. She arrives at the house in Portland at 1.15 AM and the rain is pouring. On the door it is a letter from Sam. As she comes home she finds out that nobody is home. Katie walks around the messy house on search for her family she steps over some tracks and letters about her sister Sam. She finds out things nobodyThe year is 1995, Katie Greenbriar is 19 years old and she’s home from Europe. She arrives at the house in Portland at 1.15 AM and the rain is pouring. On the door it is a letter from Sam. As she comes home she finds out that nobody is home. Katie walks around the messy house on search for her family she steps over some tracks and letters about her sister Sam. She finds out things nobody did know about Sam and where she might be. As she study the house more and more she also finds tracks of her family.
    I think the games key message to this game is to be who you are. You should trust yourself and you should not care about what anyone thinks about your but have your own opinions. It’s a lot to learn about this fantastic story.
    I did not see that many symbols in this game, but I did see the Bible which means they are Christians. Later in this game we can see that the parents are hardcore Christians.
    I think it is a weird contact between the people in this game. At the start of the game you will get so much information of some of them. It’s just weird. When you’re getting closer to the end you will understand more..
    The gameplay is good. The setting is easy to understand, and the music is great, so are the sound effects as well. It is best to play with a headset because you will get a total different experience of the game. In my opinion I think the graphics were **** Some places the shadows would be rough and blocky. I could easily glitch trough doors and they were some illogical placements of some of Sam’s letters. But the story in this game is good.
    My judgment of the game is that it is a good game. The story was fantastic but the graphics was the main reason why I did not like it. At the start I absolutely thought that this was an awful bad game, but later when I began to understand more I could not stop playing it.    … Expand
  37. 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.
  38. 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
  39. 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
  40. 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
  41. 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
  42. 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.
  43. 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.
  44. 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
  45. kiba95
    Jan 17, 2014
    0
    Most overrated and overhyped game of the year. Literally it doesn't deserve so high scores. The plot is not intereresting at all, after playing 30 minutes through - you already know the story. And the ending is just boring.
  46. x2495iiii
    Dec 24, 2013
    0
    Code-wise, it's poorly optimized, and the physics are poorly done. Not a game-breaker, nor is it unexpected, since it's an indie game.

    Nostalgia-wise, it got some things wrong, like the model of the old SNES cartridges. Again, not a deal breaker, but notable, since a key to triggering nostalgia is getting the details right. The big disappointment is the poorly thought out storylines.    Code-wise, it's poorly optimized, and the physics are poorly done. Not a game-breaker, nor is it unexpected, since it's an indie game.

    Nostalgia-wise, it got some things wrong, like the model of the old SNES cartridges. Again, not a deal breaker, but notable, since a key to triggering nostalgia is getting the details right.

    The big disappointment is the poorly thought out storylines. There are three (excluding the player) family members, each seemingly with their own stories, but only one of the three stories is properly fleshed out, since it's the focus of the vast majority of the game. The other two are ambiguous at best, and since most of the clues deal exclusively with the largest of the three storylines, the other two seem neglected. Furthermore, the "main" story plays out like a Hallmark movie, or one of those "very special episodes" of the old 90's sitcoms. It may speak to some, but to others, it's a bland, over-taught moral lesson that doesn't provide the motivation necessary to keep listening, let alone finish a game.

    I'm not surprised that most critics, with their collective emphasis on maintaining good PR and requirement for pandering to the lowest common denominator, have simultaneously jumped on this shallow vehicle of a game. I am surprised by how far they've taken it, however. This game is, at best, decent. A 60 if you're feeling optimistic, a 40 if you're not. It certainly isn't worth a GOTY award. But regardless, the world of video game journalism seems to have let down their followers in this respect. Perhaps out of fear for their own careers, they have given this game praise it does not deserve and misled their followers into expecting more from this hollow shell of a game.

    If there was ever any doubt in my mind that the integrity of the average video game journalist was next to non-existent, seeing it sold here for the price of a flimsy, political plot-device removed it.    … Expand
  47. andycted
    Dec 26, 2013
    0
    This is the most insulting way I've been conned into spending 6€ for anything. The 'official' reviews are obviously either biased or something worse, because there is no way one would appreciate this.
    I agree with some who said the reviews tell more about gaming journalism than they do the actual game. In fact, I think I won't buy a single 'real game' ever again.
    This is the most    This is the most insulting way I've been conned into spending 6€ for anything. The 'official' reviews are obviously either biased or something worse, because there is no way one would appreciate this.
    I agree with some who said the reviews tell more about gaming journalism than they do the actual game. In fact, I think I won't buy a single 'real game' ever again.

    This is the most amateurish, cringeworthy nonsense that I happened to see on a monitor. It would be offending to read it, but having to 'play' though it was so disgusting that words and comparisons fail me.

    If you enjoy rummaging through an empty house filled with memories of a typical grunge/new wave problematic teenager girl, to the point of some idiotic and ineffective innuendo, you must be either:
    a) a very bored teenager (nothing wrong with it, but I think you could find the flatness of the story annoying)
    b) a new wave/grunge/etc hipster who when sees 90's stuff goes berserk and has Sonic Youth posters on the wall (you know the 'we killed our parents' one)

    It's not a bad game. It's a bad idea and a worse execution. It's uninteresting, boring and plain pretentious to the point it becomes offensive to anyone intelligence. It's like supposing you've got so little to do, that you better spend time piecing together a B-class teenage romantic novel, masqueraded as a mystery.

    It's not that, like some 'journalist' said "something different". Whatever it is, it's useless, meaningless and it's not different: it just tries to be different and fails miserably, becoming nothing.

    It's not a game. And no, the story isn't interesting. It's stupid and very very shallow.

    Donkey Kong had a better story    … Expand
  48. berpoloo
    Dec 26, 2013
    0
    This is a barely interactive story. People have been sold a bill of goods by reviewers who have missed the point of what they are supposed to do, review a game based on its quality, not on its message or for what it is. Basically people have seen this in film for a long time now where films are overly praised by critics and even given awards because a certain group feels "noble" pattingThis is a barely interactive story. People have been sold a bill of goods by reviewers who have missed the point of what they are supposed to do, review a game based on its quality, not on its message or for what it is. Basically people have seen this in film for a long time now where films are overly praised by critics and even given awards because a certain group feels "noble" patting themselves on the back for praising such material and then basically think that others who are less enlightened than they are should view said material. Basically the way many religions work. Its just very misguided because people want objective reviews, not ones based on political bias. I personally have no issues with the issues of sexuality, I'm probably pro everything they are, but I don't need to be patronized to and be told I have play something because they think its good for me, not because it has objective quality. Basically, don't lie to me just because you think its for a good cause. That kind of thing is never justified.… Expand
  49. GoWeegee
    Jan 14, 2014
    1
    I bought this game and bought into the hype that surrounded it. And it was sorely disappointing. It has great atmosphere, but it doesn't do anything with it. No twists, and what little build up there is comes to a very poor payoff. If you want to get an atmosphere of a home, go save yourself 20$ and go around your own house and pick up random objects for 2 hours. You won't be missing much.
  50. BookCheri
    Jan 30, 2014
    0
    A complete waste of an hour and a half of my half. The only reason people would give this game a 10 (or even anything over a 1) is because of the lesbian storyline. There's no reason to rate a game based solely on the storyline. Despite the graphics being TERRIBLE the game was horribly lagging (and my system can play newer games fine). There was also no real gameplay. To just wander aA complete waste of an hour and a half of my half. The only reason people would give this game a 10 (or even anything over a 1) is because of the lesbian storyline. There's no reason to rate a game based solely on the storyline. Despite the graphics being TERRIBLE the game was horribly lagging (and my system can play newer games fine). There was also no real gameplay. To just wander a house reading memos and listening to voice-overs. There is no mystery to solve (well, I guess there is a mystery about the parents, but you never solve it). Everything is laid out for you in memos. There's no skill required at all. It makes this thing (I can't bring myself to call it a game), mind numbingly boring. On behalf of Oregonians everywhere I apologize to anyone who wasted their $20 on this mess. Seriously, don't buy this. Don't even waste your bandwidth downloading a pirated copy. It isn't worth it. Learn from my (and many others) mistakes. Avoid at all cost. Want a coming-of-age gay story, pick up a book. Want a fun game, play anything but this.… Expand
  51. Falcus_
    Dec 23, 2013
    0
    This whole game's success is because muh feminism and muh LBGT.

    Why no games about divorced fathers living in a rented flat and struggling to live because needs to pay wages? Why no games about a man convicted with a fake rape accusation? Why no games about men losing jobs after coworker pretended he molested her? Why no games about men working an entire life for their family just to    This whole game's success is because muh feminism and muh LBGT.

    Why no games about divorced fathers living in a rented flat and struggling to live because needs to pay wages?
    Why no games about a man convicted with a fake rape accusation?
    Why no games about men losing jobs after coworker pretended he molested her?
    Why no games about men working an entire life for their family just to have his wife destroy 30 years of honest work in a month?
    Why no games about women using guilt to manipulate children into religions or other ideologies?

    This whole game's success is just a byproduct of the current society's hypocrisis.
    Makes you think to what low point we have come.    … Expand
  52. veetor
    Jan 29, 2014
    0
    If you've never read a book before, then you'll probably be amazed at the depth of storytelling in this first-person house snooping simulator as you spend two hours listening to a teenage girl whine about how hard life is.
  53. NoMoreNiceGuy
    Dec 21, 2013
    1
    So i've heard great things about this game from reviews and dcided to try it. Trash, thats it. You arrive to an empty house and have to walk around and find hidden rooms and letters, it's boring, no puzzles or gameplay at all. The first 5 minutes i was neutral, it wasn't boring but not fun, then after 7 minutes i had to endure to complete the game, waste of time, the only reason someoneSo i've heard great things about this game from reviews and dcided to try it. Trash, thats it. You arrive to an empty house and have to walk around and find hidden rooms and letters, it's boring, no puzzles or gameplay at all. The first 5 minutes i was neutral, it wasn't boring but not fun, then after 7 minutes i had to endure to complete the game, waste of time, the only reason someone would buy this is if level 1 tetris is to hard for them… Expand
  54. eljayson
    Jan 23, 2014
    1
    This is the worst attempt of a game I have ever played in 25+ years of gaming. Critics want to give the creators a medal for the agenda in this game which is homosexuality, like these game developers discovered it exists or something. It is nothing close to a game, it contributes nothing new to any genre and most importantly, it is not worth the value for your hard earned money. Stay awayThis is the worst attempt of a game I have ever played in 25+ years of gaming. Critics want to give the creators a medal for the agenda in this game which is homosexuality, like these game developers discovered it exists or something. It is nothing close to a game, it contributes nothing new to any genre and most importantly, it is not worth the value for your hard earned money. Stay away at all costs, or wait until it costs 99 cents. What a forgettable and pretentious experience.… Expand
  55. Nowak
    Jan 6, 2014
    2
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I completely don't get those positive reviews. They may show how low level of narrative is satisfying game critics. I don't treat this as a game, it's not. It's sort of a virtual novel. But novel written by 19 years old ambitious but mediocre student. Nobody would print a book with story like this. And movie would be booed for sure. I don't get that special pregnant-women-like treatment.
    Why game critics need so little to get excited? Look at critics score (around 85) and gamers (50).
    It says a lot about standards.
    Going back to the game itself.
    Retro environment is ok. Especially for hipsters but it's fun to see vhs with x-files on it. Misleading side stories are ok, they give something to keep You going to that completely predictable and infantile ending. She is a lesbian? Really?! Whoa! Sixth sense all over again.
    And...? Story should start here.
    Two points for expanding virtual novels world. But it's still like Harlequin in world of literature.    … Expand
  56. Shinobi-Kunz
    Aug 3, 2014
    0
    Biggest act of betrayal from critics ever. Giving a game perfect score or anything close to a perfect score just because it deals with gay rights is not just deceitful, dishonest and suspect but is also perverse, not for the subject matter but for the bull#&$ pc way you've handled a professional job. I can no longer rely on professional reviews to make a judgment on if I will make a gameBiggest act of betrayal from critics ever. Giving a game perfect score or anything close to a perfect score just because it deals with gay rights is not just deceitful, dishonest and suspect but is also perverse, not for the subject matter but for the bull#&$ pc way you've handled a professional job. I can no longer rely on professional reviews to make a judgment on if I will make a game purchase,

    Thankfully we have user reviews on Metacritic which I WILL be using to avoid "games" like this in the future as I would AIDS. Although even with that you need to make sure it's not corporate shills typing their one off review with a 9/10 attachment, or some delusional art student, who's only game consists of this, pacman and portal. . You're not fooling anyone guys.

    Great idea, horribly delivered, the dialogue wasn't even good, the best friend subplot felt disjointed to the narrative, I mean I could go on and on and on.

    The atmosphere was great if it was a horror game as the blurb would lead you to believe, but it isn't, it's just a disappointing walking simulator that does ABSOLUTELY NOTHING to entice you. Thankfully the game only clocked in at an hour. First, (and hopefully last), game I will ever truly regret buying, leaving me with an awful taste, a slightly more full rubbish bin, and a lasting wish that I had some recourse for restitution i.e. a f$&**^ refund. Seriously, frak this game and all the reviewers.    … Expand
  57. Gioray
    Sep 22, 2013
    0
    Shameful display of what video games have turned in recently. Most of objects in game look like filler. Yes, there are notes papers anything you can read but can I use pens, highlighters? I could manage to find a way to microwave myself a bucket of ice-cream. So called "interactive enviroment" doesnt live up to its name, the game is basically walk-and-read which makes it quite simillarShameful display of what video games have turned in recently. Most of objects in game look like filler. Yes, there are notes papers anything you can read but can I use pens, highlighters? I could manage to find a way to microwave myself a bucket of ice-cream. So called "interactive enviroment" doesnt live up to its name, the game is basically walk-and-read which makes it quite simillar to run-and-gun games mechanics wise (if there were any...). Story is trivial, the only "new" feature is trendy "homosexual" theme. Writing is "why?.."-grade. Last but not least: horrible optimisation. Game took 2 gb of ram, I had fps spikes in some areas… Expand
  58. alexania
    Dec 28, 2013
    0
    Luckily I got this "game" on a Steam special. I normally believe the story to be the most important part of a game, but there's no game here. Added to that the story is lame and I've read Sweet Valley High books with better plots. The writers were smart though cause this ~10 page story (didn't really keep track) woulf never have got anywhere as any other medium.

    If I could score it less    Luckily I got this "game" on a Steam special. I normally believe the story to be the most important part of a game, but there's no game here. Added to that the story is lame and I've read Sweet Valley High books with better plots. The writers were smart though cause this ~10 page story (didn't really keep track) woulf never have got anywhere as any other medium.

    If I could score it less than 0, I would.    … Expand
  59. Avadon
    Oct 3, 2013
    1
    Decent voice acting doesn't save this game. I'm fine with exploring a house and discovering a story by piecing together scraps of info, but even that task was too challenging for the developers, who had to also use a voice-over of some sort of diary which you haven't found yet, which makes no sense in the context of the game. You had to piece together things in games like Myst too, but atDecent voice acting doesn't save this game. I'm fine with exploring a house and discovering a story by piecing together scraps of info, but even that task was too challenging for the developers, who had to also use a voice-over of some sort of diary which you haven't found yet, which makes no sense in the context of the game. You had to piece together things in games like Myst too, but at least you weren't interrupted by a voice from the sky spouting drama and exposition and trying to fill in wholes in the story, what the hell? This is a game made by elitist idiots who think themselves "above" making an actual game, their only end goal is to tell a story that might have been provocative and ground-breaking if this was the 1950's, but it's 2013, nobody is shocked that you are homosexual and it doesn't make your life any harder or easier or anything other than anyone else's, you are not special and nobody cares about your overinflated drama. Avoid this at all costs, it's just a waste of time.… Expand
  60. Hupples
    Jul 7, 2014
    2
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. -TL;DR- Spoiler Free
    Rating: 2/10
    It is barely a game, and there are better stories out there more worthy of your time and money.
    It is about two hours long.
    -TL;DR- Spoiler Free

    Actual Review
    -Objective- Spoiler Free
    In Gone Home you come home from a journey to Europe to find your family home empty. You then wander around the house picking up things trying to find those that trigger auditory journal entries from your younger sister or give clues to where other entry triggering items may be. There are also subplots about your mother and father which do not have auditory journal entries. After one to two (realtime) hours of searching the house you discover why your family is not present, the screen fades to black, music plays, and credits roll.
    -Objective- Spoiler Free

    -Subjective- Spoilers
    The stories told in Gone Home are generic. They may seem unique to people who only play video games, but such stories have been told before, with superior presentation, and superior depth in other artistic mediums. The main story is focused on the player character's younger sister. PC's younger sister has a hard time making friends and gets in trouble with authority figures because of teenage angst. It is then revealed that the younger sister is a homosexual, and the rest of the story is about her romantic involvement with another teenage girl. PC's parents deny their daughter's homosexuality and ground her for a month and disallow her girlfriend being alone with her with closed doors afterwards. Naturally the younger sister dislikes this because she is unable to see her girlfriend for a month and afterwards they would not be able to have sex. Then younger sister and her girlfriend will have to break up because of reasons, but then because of feelings they decide to stay together and drive away together, which is why neither of them are at home.
    The dad is a struggling author.
    The mom works in the forest.
    They have relationship problems and head to a couples retreat, which is why neither of them are home.
    Little sister's former male friend took his SNES back after finding out she is a lesbian, leaving PC with no games at all in the house. Thanks a lot, you jerk.
    -Subjective- Spoilers    … Expand
  61. dande48
    Nov 27, 2013
    1
    First off, I just wanted to say I tried this game because I love non-conventional games with a great story. I knew that Emily Carrol's wife worked a lot of this game. I love Emily Carrol's stories, and have read a bit of what her wife wrote and really enjoyed it. I thought I would really enjoy this, especially since it's got some high praising reviews. And there were some really goodFirst off, I just wanted to say I tried this game because I love non-conventional games with a great story. I knew that Emily Carrol's wife worked a lot of this game. I love Emily Carrol's stories, and have read a bit of what her wife wrote and really enjoyed it. I thought I would really enjoy this, especially since it's got some high praising reviews. And there were some really good qualities to this game, such as the graphics, and the voice acting.

    Here are a few things I wish I had known. First, the main storyline is LGBT based, geared towards seeking understanding from those who are straight. I am guessing this is why it got so many positive reviews (if you hate LGBT propaganda, people assume you're a narrow-minded, homophobic bigot). But it was so focused on the lesbian aspect of it, that it detracted with what might've been an incredible story. I mean, if you were to replace the lesbian couple with a straight one, the story would've been a dull, overly dramatic teenage love story (think Twilight). As for the story itself, there is wonderful voice acting with a lot of emotion (Twilight itself was very well written, in my opinion. But the story, and practically everything else about it sucked). The story was just too predictable. I was hoping for quite a bit more. I mean, it started off pretty fantastic. The lights flicker in the home, there are secret passages and corridors and there are few hints to a haunting, which make it very eerie in the beginning. You hear a lot about the rest of the family, such as a deceased uncle who used to own the place. But none of that is explained, or seems to be anything but an incomplete side story to the lesbian action.

    The story is so predictable, I didn't expect it. And gosh, can I say it again, it is TOO teenage-lesbian-love focused!!!!! I mean, the one thing that did turn me for a loop was wandering into a bathroom and finding splotches of blood on the bathtub. Is this ever explained? Nooo... I'm trying not to include any spoilers, but there is no record of anyone bleeding in a tub!!! There are also eerie moments, where there are creeks here and there, and the attic looks downright horrifying with the red lights signaling that the dark room is in use. Throughout the whole story, you're expecting some tragedy and deeper plot. I mean, you're searching your new home for a trace as to where your parents and sister have gone. Turns out, your parents have left for a perfectly reasonable and well needed "break" to help sort things out.

    ***WARNING, SPOILERS***
    Here is what you discover about your sister. She's 16-17, moves into a new neighborhood with a new school. She is dealing with teenage emotion, and feels like everybody hates her, and her parents don't understand what she's going through (again, Twilight, anyone?). She falls in love with (not a vampire) a lesbian, they have sex, lie to their parents, write love letters, lead some teenage anarchy rebellion protest at school that gets them suspended, she tells her parents (they just don't understand!), tragically their lives go separate ways (she gets accepted into a college writing program, and her lover joins the army), after a few days apart they realize they just can't live without each other and decide to run away. It was an awful story. If it was a straight boy and a girl, it would be awful. But apparently because it's got LGBT in it, that makes it good? I don't think so. I want any LGBT out there to know that while I don't understand all that you go through, I think many of you are wonderful people and I wish more people could see past that. However, I think there are better ways to reach understanding and acceptance. I didn't want a game focused on it. I don't think it leads to greater understanding to focus on it in a teenage, mushy, sexually hyper story. I mean, everyone knows what it's like to fall in love for the first time as a teenager. You're obsessive, your hormones are raging, and unless your careful you do stupid things. I didn't feel that way at the time, but I am so grateful I had parents who knocked some sense into me, and would "tread upon my rights as a human being" to keep me from being an idiot. I also have to attribute some of this to the saving grace of God. As an older brother I would hands down be furious if my teenage sister lied to our parents, had sexual relations with anyone at all, threw out her future and then ran away! We've all felt like our parents were restricting us, telling us what to do, who didn't understand the power of love, who were upset and in shock because they didn't understand (gay or not)... it makes for a bad story, albeit one we can relate to.

    1 star for Emily Carrol's wife. You both do great work. I loved the graphics! I love the emotion. But still the story and game play was sub par. I know you can do better.    … Expand
  62. New_World_Chaos
    Dec 26, 2013
    2
    One hour of gameplay for 20 dollars. This game is a joke, and you could save your money by simply watching a let's play on Youtube. The story is decent, but it's not worth the price.
  63. killeryams
    Dec 27, 2013
    4
    This game makes for mixed feelings. From an artistic standpoint and the way the game goes about telling the story I may be hard pressed to not give it a 9 or 10. That being said from a video game standpoint, I settled on a 4. It's short, expensive, and at the end of the day is better suited as a youtube video than a game by itself. Interesting story, not what I expected but at the endThis game makes for mixed feelings. From an artistic standpoint and the way the game goes about telling the story I may be hard pressed to not give it a 9 or 10. That being said from a video game standpoint, I settled on a 4. It's short, expensive, and at the end of the day is better suited as a youtube video than a game by itself. Interesting story, not what I expected but at the end of the day, this is worth it for $5 or so. $20 and you'll be left feeling robbed.… Expand
  64. ChanTheMan36
    Dec 29, 2013
    3
    Do not play this game expecting a gripping story or a complex plot. The gameplay is the only thing that this game had going for it, and the gameplay consisted of walking, reading, and moving small objects. The best parts was the ability to pick up most objects, and the navigation of the map. On the other hand, the downsides dominated this small list of good things. The plot was ok, but notDo not play this game expecting a gripping story or a complex plot. The gameplay is the only thing that this game had going for it, and the gameplay consisted of walking, reading, and moving small objects. The best parts was the ability to pick up most objects, and the navigation of the map. On the other hand, the downsides dominated this small list of good things. The plot was ok, but not exciting, really. There was nothing surprising and it was stereotypical of the time and setting. Some of the mysteries are unsolved, and there is not a satisfying closure. The game is extremely short, which actually does it justice because if you paused playing, you might think there is something exciting to be seen next time you play. That is not the case. I finished this game in just under 2 hours. I do not recommend it and I am glad it was no more than 10 dollars.… Expand
  65. oldpj100
    Mar 10, 2014
    1
    Nice graphics and attention to detail but ridiculously short. No way was is worth 20 dollars. If it was longer it would have been a great game. Compare it to similar old games like Titanic, story out of time, which is now years old and played on machines with a fraction of the capability of modern machines, this is a poor attempt. Unless you have money to burn, don't bother.
  66. thepedrovital
    Jun 28, 2014
    4
    Beautiful story and nice references, but it fails on what is the most important in games: Being fun to play. Gone Home is boring, it could have puzzles or something to make it fun, but it doesn't.
  67. all5gearz
    Jan 26, 2014
    3
    Ok graphics. Almost spooky. interesting. Open another drawer. Storyline shock. Offended. Bored. Still Bored. Offended Again. To Plot, or not to Plot..., Wait, that's the end? No, really that's it? Check for passing time... 2.5 hrs. Should have went bowling.
  68. supez64
    Sep 1, 2013
    0
    Wow. Adventure game my ass. This is There is no gameplay, and the story is mediocre. It seems to be getting praise because it involves LGBT rights. Well, I think I may get some sewage, unload it on some toilet paper with "LESBIAN" written on it, put it for sale, and proceed to be called the future of cuisine.
  69. goOpey
    Sep 2, 2013
    0
    Unbelievably pretentious interactive story packaged as a video game, purely to reach a broader audience. Luckily I didn't lose my $20 to this gimmick (I played through with a friend; he, however, DID lose on this purchase). Still, I'd like the two wasted hours of my life back.

    The spooky, haunted vibe throughout the narrative the only interesting element in this failure is just a    Unbelievably pretentious interactive story packaged as a video game, purely to reach a broader audience. Luckily I didn't lose my $20 to this gimmick (I played through with a friend; he, however, DID lose on this purchase). Still, I'd like the two wasted hours of my life back.

    The spooky, haunted vibe throughout the narrative the only interesting element in this failure is just a veil. Yes, I'm aware that The Fullbright Company was very upfront when I came to the gameplay mechanics and features they implemented. I was aware of the lack of ANY enemies or zombies or hordes that may have been creeping around every corner. Still, half of the narrative was devoted to exploring this seemingly haunted house, only to completely ignore the need to wrap up this storyline in any way.

    The interactivity isn't clever. It isn't unique. It isn't fun. After about five minutes picking up EVERY object at random in the house, it's impossible to not get bored. And unfortunately, that's the ONLY strand of gameplay to the entire game. Painful.

    If this and the added multitude of other poor user scores are still not enough to convince you to stay away, PLEASE divert to YouTube and watch a Let's Play instead. It doesn't matter which user you pick to watch, as each will prove to be just as un-entertaining as the last and you can then at least see the narrative for yourself and decide that an average 4.9 user score is accurate. Seriously, I'm trying to save you 20 bucks.    … Expand
  70. Keirnoth
    Aug 28, 2014
    0
    Something that strips away all that we expect of video games that contain mechanics and leaves it bare with just a weak, trite, and overhyped "narrative". Here's the problem with this "game", there are actual games that present a compelling narrative FAR BETTER than this and also are fully fleshed out titles (Deus Ex: HR, rummage around Adam Jensen's apartment and you get to learn aboutSomething that strips away all that we expect of video games that contain mechanics and leaves it bare with just a weak, trite, and overhyped "narrative". Here's the problem with this "game", there are actual games that present a compelling narrative FAR BETTER than this and also are fully fleshed out titles (Deus Ex: HR, rummage around Adam Jensen's apartment and you get to learn about his past). There's an entire genre of point and clicks that do it far better than this, and there are even some third person games similar to this that offer a far more compelling plot (the recent Sherlock Holmes game that allows you to play it like a third person game or switch to a point and click style).

    Get this game if it goes on sale - the critic reviews vs. the user feedback should show you how messed up the game industry is - take everything you read with a grain of salt, including my own review.    … Expand
  71. WomZombie
    Dec 1, 2013
    3
    What a mystery! I don't mean the story, I mean why some reviewers have given this game a high score.

    It's too basic, lacking action, not scary at all, very short, and the story will likely only strike a chord with teenage girls going through sexual identity issues. Perhaps this is the reason why some reviewers have been kind, because it gives you a kind of "creepy house game" with some    What a mystery! I don't mean the story, I mean why some reviewers have given this game a high score.

    It's too basic, lacking action, not scary at all, very short, and the story will likely only strike a chord with teenage girls going through sexual identity issues. Perhaps this is the reason why some reviewers have been kind, because it gives you a kind of "creepy house game" with some "notes on young lesbian lovers". It's a strange mix, seemingly forced together, but is awkward as a result.

    There's some enjoyment to be had with exploring, but soon it becomes apparent that there's nothing much happening with this "game" and that it's basically just a boring story told via a simple "pick up this key"... "walk upstairs"...."open door"... the end.

    Anyone who describes this game as "art", either doesn't get out enough, or doesn't know what games are capable of, or has an agenda to push this game for whatever reason. This game could have been a lot more. It feels like level one. Now, where's the rest?    … Expand
  72. WireRage
    Mar 13, 2014
    4
    I walked in expecting a psychological horror and what I got was a 3-hour lesbian love story. I'm pro-gay rights, but this was advertised as a horror game. The highlight of the game was steggy.
  73. Drekassn
    Dec 26, 2013
    4
    I'm not going to say this "isn't a game" like lots of other people here. Art/mood/atmospheric stories are just as worthy as "games" as the shooter kill-em-all games they churn out near endlessly. In fact, most of my favourite gaming experiences are games with a similar emotional and atmospheric tone to them. But this game in particular, in my opinion, was poorly executed.

    Let me    I'm not going to say this "isn't a game" like lots of other people here. Art/mood/atmospheric stories are just as worthy as "games" as the shooter kill-em-all games they churn out near endlessly. In fact, most of my favourite gaming experiences are games with a similar emotional and atmospheric tone to them. But this game in particular, in my opinion, was poorly executed.

    Let me explain. The game begins in a foreboding way, entering an empty old house in the middle of a storm, one of the first clues involving a young girl crying over an answering machine. As you go on, the mood continues its intriguing pull, taking you through a father obsessed with conspiracy theories, the brief story of the "ghost" of the house, and other dark family secrets that could really go anywhere. As you follow the clues you gradually discover the sister's lesbian relationship and the trials they go through until you reach the very end, an attic surrounded by red lights with a note saying "Do not enter when lights are on". What horrible thing awaits you here? With all the buildup it's bound to be something intriguing.

    Nope. All that you find in the attic is a saccharine "twist" ending where the sister's girlfriend realizes she wants to be together more than any of her other life aspirations and they run away together. None of the foreboding atmosphere, the unsettling clues, any of it, pays off whatsoever. All of the families problems are resolved in a sugary sweet success and everyone goes home (yuk yuk) happy.

    Now, I feel I should clarify that I am very much pro-gay relationships. But basically, I felt betrayed by this game. It's like following an engaging abduction mystery only to find out that the victim wasn't kidnapped at all and was simply off visiting her mum in the next town. You shouldn't have to hijack another genre and pretend your game is one thing and then shift towards something else at the last minute in order to make it seem more compelling a story than it actually is. All of the red herrings just really made the ending feel cheap and essentially made all of the buildup and excitement I'd been feeling disappear in a disappointing huff. The story was not deep or profound. It relied on faking an atmosphere in order to get a point across that, these days, I don't really think needs to be snuck in under the radar anymore.

    The disappointment alone means I cannot in good faith recommend this to anyone else.    … Expand
  74. GodOne
    Feb 7, 2014
    1
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. This game i pure crap, sorry is only crap without a game. Nowadays web hype lets sell very well also the pure crap. The story is ridiculous, thunders and bolts and a raining night are there only to allude something is wrong. Yes everything is wrong this "game" or better this interactive romance is boring, and short. Where the **** is the good story? Knowing your sister is lesbian and go away with her gf the day you come back at home after years from Europe? Is this a good ****ing story? If you like to read old book covers, tickets and 3 pages max notes with boring stuff this is your game.

    I hope people saying this is a good game are paid from the producer of this game otherwise they are totally dumb.    … Expand
  75. Bimbleton
    Sep 16, 2013
    4
    It's an interesting improvement on the "Dear Esther" Formula, you walk through very linear path without any challenge or exact goal set, other than getting the game over with. The game has a sort of mediocre plot, all the characters are extremely flat except the pink haired (who I've already forgotten the name of due to the game barely keeping my attention) I'm actually pretty sure allIt's an interesting improvement on the "Dear Esther" Formula, you walk through very linear path without any challenge or exact goal set, other than getting the game over with. The game has a sort of mediocre plot, all the characters are extremely flat except the pink haired (who I've already forgotten the name of due to the game barely keeping my attention) I'm actually pretty sure all the hype around this 2 hour piece of that feels more like a tech demo, is because the game thinks it's being controversial with the lesbian but honestly it isn't. The biggest drawback is there isn't a sprint button so I had to drag myself slowly around this mansion house listening to drawn out monologues about a teenager experiencing hormone changes. I kept on thinking I might encounter another character or something throughout the game with the lightning and empty house building up suspense, but no the entire game is you walking around a dumb house for 2 hours. The Shrek Gameboy game tops this … Expand
  76. krautinger
    Oct 3, 2013
    3
    This is a wonderful story, well-told in nice, quiet moments.
    BUT IT IS NO GAME AND HAS NO THRILL AT ALL!

    Having said that, I can recommend the game for everyone who has watched "Tree of Life" and actually enjoyed it.
  77. Marine
    Oct 25, 2013
    2
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. It's not a game, it's an interactive-story. All you do is to rummage your family's belongings to discover what happened. In the game, everything suggest to hide an unexpected, dramatic and emotional secret. But it doesn't

    Seriously, this game is a waste of time    … Expand
  78. mirta000
    Nov 9, 2013
    2
    Gone home is way overpriced and over-hyped.
    I finished the full game in 2 hours. Decided to take it in as an experience. After all when you came in you knew that you will be wandering around a house, collecting mementos and learning about your family. No surprise here, right?
    However what you didn't know is that most of its focus will be about your sister. You get to sort of find out    Gone home is way overpriced and over-hyped.
    I finished the full game in 2 hours. Decided to take it in as an experience. After all when you came in you knew that you will be wandering around a house, collecting mementos and learning about your family. No surprise here, right?
    However what you didn't know is that most of its focus will be about your sister. You get to sort of find out what happened to your parents, but I swear, like 80% of all notes I found was about your sister. The thing is it's not even something secret that you find out. The very first thing that you find is essentially her admitting that she is gay. Guess what's in the other notes? "I am gay. I am gay. I love a girl, etc". Is it really a topic that needs this much awareness?
    If you're making an exploration game deal in a variety of subjects, present a variety of lives with different problems, not all black and white either, because that's how life goes.

    Also if you're a European you might not find this game as enjoyable, because it is mostly dealing in American problems.    … Expand
  79. Xerxes72
    Nov 27, 2013
    4
    Slow-paced, exploration-heavy adventure games are among my absolute favorite, so I was positively thrilled during the first half or so of Gone Home. It sports decent graphics, terrific atmosphere, great voice acting, and a sleek, totally immersive interface that lets you examine almost every object. Add a deserted old house that you're free to explore at your leisure, a creepy subplotSlow-paced, exploration-heavy adventure games are among my absolute favorite, so I was positively thrilled during the first half or so of Gone Home. It sports decent graphics, terrific atmosphere, great voice acting, and a sleek, totally immersive interface that lets you examine almost every object. Add a deserted old house that you're free to explore at your leisure, a creepy subplot involving the previous owner, and we're all set for great adventure!

    If only. After an hour or so, I noticed that not much had happened in the way of actual gameplay. Reading notes and documents had been so entertaining, I didn't mind much. But then I started getting the sinking feeling that the game had no intention of delivering on its promises. It wasn't developing into a fully fledged adventure (the inclusion of a limited inventory with completely useless "items" notwithstanding) as I had hoped. Instead, it was morphing into something else.

    In a nutshell, the game is an ambush. It is arguably not a game at all. It is, shockingly, a political piece, as carefully and deliberately conceived as it is blatant and ultimately inept. I cannot offer more details without spoiling things, so let's just say that the game's "story" starts veering into "young adult" fantasy territory and it just doesn't let up, right up to the laughable and cringe-worthy finale. Look for no twist, redemption or arc here this is as stereotypical as it gets. In spite of the short length and the overused "lost journal" device, the game even finds the time to take a couple of potshots against a few organizations and institutions; I'll let you guess what its predictable targets are. It's simply hard to believe. Frustratingly, the aspects that COULD have worked beautifully are quickly tossed aside so as not to distract from the main payload.

    This is the game's death knell: I'm all for sacrificing gameplay in favor of a compelling story. But Gone Home has neither. You keep waiting for the game to start, and by the time you realize where this is going you've long grown tired of checking every item and opening every panel in search of the next scrap of paper.

    As for the story, the designers' agenda permeates the proceedings so thoroughly that you'll likely to be pinned as something or other if you find any fault with it. I may applaud the designers for trying, and for having their heart in the right place, but this is clearly not the way to go. The proof is in the pudding: replace the (non) novelty aspect of the story (i.e., its main gimmick, the one that keeps hitting you over the head) by a more "classical" take, and I have little doubt that you'd be seeing very different ratings from most critics. The last image after the credits is actually enlightening; it tells you that the designers really believe all the trite pap their characters are forced to spout, write and do, with nary a hint of humor or self awareness.

    Bottom line: Gone Home feels like a prototype of an adventure/horror game, temporarily populated with a token teenage story and little more. It is, in fact, a very nice prototype. I enjoyed its best bits, but the overall package is a huge disappointment, and in many ways an outright cheat.    … Expand
  80. arandomguy
    Nov 28, 2013
    4
    First of all, this is not a game. Just a beautiful love story about blah-blah-blah... There are some things that make a game playable. Not a single one in that story, i prefer to call it "a story". If you're looking for something to spend a few hours without any challenges for your brain, this is a perfect choice. They told us there are many mysteries and things to investigate and explore.First of all, this is not a game. Just a beautiful love story about blah-blah-blah... There are some things that make a game playable. Not a single one in that story, i prefer to call it "a story". If you're looking for something to spend a few hours without any challenges for your brain, this is a perfect choice. They told us there are many mysteries and things to investigate and explore. Well, the only one secret still remains unsolved, why did i buy that?… Expand
  81. Haru24
    Dec 1, 2013
    2
    Great atmosphere, great premise...but turned into wasted potential. The story builds you up over the very brief hour or so of gameplay and drops you with only some of the details of the side plot, which was quite honestly the plot that pulled me in, and a fairly lackluster ending to the main plot. The graphics are enough to get by, but really leave you wanting. I honestly thought this mayGreat atmosphere, great premise...but turned into wasted potential. The story builds you up over the very brief hour or so of gameplay and drops you with only some of the details of the side plot, which was quite honestly the plot that pulled me in, and a fairly lackluster ending to the main plot. The graphics are enough to get by, but really leave you wanting. I honestly thought this may have bee built on the half life 2 engine when first seeing it. This team worked on AAA productions before forming their studio. That they would allow themselves to make something of this quality was really a let down. All in all, the buildup is exciting, but the letdown of the lost side plot and $20 price tag left a horrific taste in my mouth.… Expand
  82. Joeberto
    Jan 7, 2014
    3
    Joeberto's Short Review -

    If you want to watch a movie then rent a Dvd.

    Game's interaction very low.

    Duration of the entire game, 1 hour (a movie is longer).

    Graphic [mid-low].

    Don't buy it.
  83. Kion00
    Aug 7, 2014
    0
    This game is extremely tedious, predictable and the story, being the driving point of the game, was to basic and lacked creativity as it were to realistic and did not have any interesting twists or turns. This game definitely does not deserve the awards awarded to it but does have beautiful sounds and visuals which aid to create an eerie atmosphere. The story was revealed well (doesn'tThis game is extremely tedious, predictable and the story, being the driving point of the game, was to basic and lacked creativity as it were to realistic and did not have any interesting twists or turns. This game definitely does not deserve the awards awarded to it but does have beautiful sounds and visuals which aid to create an eerie atmosphere. The story was revealed well (doesn't mean it has a good story). So if you like games that describe boring love lives this is for you! But otherwise don't purchase this game it is a waste of your time. I gave this game a 0 as felt only really the story mattered as it was the driving point in the game, which I would rate a 0.… Expand
  84. FauxEden
    Oct 30, 2014
    0
    Less of a game than The Vanishing of Ethan Carter, and also worse. Basically a short film with no plot to speak of and no game play other than walking around, makes you wonder how this is even a game.
    10/10 - Polygon
  85. Fossa
    Apr 3, 2014
    2
    I decided to give this game a shot because of the polarized reviews it received, Gone Home has universal critical acclaim but is the subject of much scorn from the gaming community.
    In Gone Home you are cast as Samantha, who has just arrived home from an overseas trip.
    Gameplay consists of walking around and hunting for objects in the environment, occasionally one of these objects will    I decided to give this game a shot because of the polarized reviews it received, Gone Home has universal critical acclaim but is the subject of much scorn from the gaming community.
    In Gone Home you are cast as Samantha, who has just arrived home from an overseas trip.
    Gameplay consists of walking around and hunting for objects in the environment, occasionally one of these objects will trigger an audio clip read from a diary. The rest of the story is told through text (letters, invoices ect) and left up to the player to slowly decipher.
    There is a decent amount of detail in the house, almost every draw and cupboard is usable and more often than not filled with something to read or a piece of 90's nostalgia, if you didn't grow up in that era then most of the references will be lost on you.
    I approached Gone Home with an open mind to give it a fair go, with the intention of playing it through thoroughly, but that experience was cut short when I accidentally stumbled across the endgame state, before uncovering the whole picture. Even after reading everything I came across, I couldn't form much of an interesting story, or any explanation for why the house was empty. Then the thing just ended.

    I'm sure your first reaction is "you played it wrong" but I don't feel that's fair. I was punished for exploring an area of the game intently, something that should be met with reward. This is just bad game design at fault; a combination of items should be necessary to achieve the endgame state to avoid reaching it prematurely.

    I don't know if a could have enjoyed gone home if things went differently, I'm a huge fan of old school adventure games and not one to rate anything lower for focusing mainly on story, but for me, this wasn't much of anything.

    I give Gone Home two stars for trying something different, but overall its an overrated piece of crap.    … Expand
  86. DocR
    Apr 27, 2014
    2
    Gone Home game - 20$
    Can of lighter fluid - 15$
    Metal garbage can - 25$ Watching a game that wasted 2 hours of your life burn to hell - Priceless On a side note, it did manage to create an amazing environment to lure you in. However, the praise ends there. Do yourself a favor and don't buy the game. If you did by accident, instead of playing it, have more fun by burning the game onto    Gone Home game - 20$
    Can of lighter fluid - 15$
    Metal garbage can - 25$
    Watching a game that wasted 2 hours of your life burn to hell - Priceless

    On a side note, it did manage to create an amazing environment to lure you in. However, the praise ends there. Do yourself a favor and don't buy the game. If you did by accident, instead of playing it, have more fun by burning the game onto a CD and then lighter fuild-ing the hell out of it.    … Expand
  87. WilliamDHD
    May 21, 2014
    1
    Basically, you walk around a big house collecting notes that tell you your sister is gay. Should be called ''Big house full of not so subtle clues that your sister is gay simulator, also, light switches''
  88. sky999999
    Jul 11, 2014
    0
    Gone Home is a game that attempts to be art, and in its endeavours forgets to be a game. Its interactivity is limited to moving around and looking at objects, making it nothing more than a walking simulator. In fact, Gone Home cannot be considered a video game in many respects. As a game, it is definitely not worth playing. Gone Home serves as proof that video games should not try to be art.
  89. RosstheBoss0
    May 7, 2015
    1
    Frankly a supreme warning, this game is simply walking around a house for 20 mins, while you listen to a girl tell you why she's not home, where it then ends. Nothing special, at all, this game is over hyped beyond belief most likely for its support by "feminist" and "lgbt" groups, whether or not they think its good representation, it by no means makes a good game.

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

    Barely worth £4 or $6, it really isn't.    … Expand
  90. rayban
    Sep 6, 2013
    0
    The fact that this game has a 90% from critics is really going to have me second guessing any future reviews i read, in this game you literally do and accomplish nothing. A ridiculous waste of money.
  91. SirGalaaz
    Oct 31, 2013
    0
    If you like to spend time clicking stuff, reading letters and listening to a stupid teenager audio tapes, this is your game. The critics cheated me, I never was so regretful buying a game.
  92. NFFNSNC
    Nov 27, 2013
    0
    Gone Home has to be one of the most overrated indie games this year. It does nothing new or innovative. It's an interactive story, but the story is just another generic teenage lover story with a predictable ending.
  93. Anderalmighty
    Jan 5, 2014
    0
    This game needs a page long rant about miss-leading advertising and what constitutes mystery thriller content. Sufficed to say that the critics are full of it. This game is garbage. Don't waste your money.
  94. firehead
    Aug 28, 2013
    0
    honestly one of the worst games ever made, a crime to the industry.
    firstly it has no gameplay whatsoever, it's just walking around, looking at things, walk around some more.
    the story is also ridiculous and has many loopholes. do not trust anyone who rated this game good. they played it because they are social justice morons who read about it on their transgender rights blog and rated    honestly one of the worst games ever made, a crime to the industry.
    firstly it has no gameplay whatsoever, it's just walking around, looking at things, walk around some more.
    the story is also ridiculous and has many loopholes.
    do not trust anyone who rated this game good. they played it because they are social justice morons who read about it on their transgender rights blog and rated it highly for the simple reason it has a lesbian in it.
    terrible, awful, a crime to humanity. whoever thinks this is art, or a game, or even a good concept in the first place should be locked in a cell for their crimes.    … Expand
  95. eddn
    Aug 28, 2013
    0
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I'm so, so pissed off upon finishing this game. Not for the gameplay I actually like just rummaging the house leisurely, but, whoever thought the story is extraordinary clearly never reads any single literature in their life. This is twilight v.2, except instead of edward there is lonnie (dangerous vampire boy/bad punk girl). sam just gives up all of her life, future and family just like that for her. And then they live happily ever after just like that?? Is there anyone here really thinks it could work!? Hah! I would like to see the sequel where sam comes home brokenhearted to her parents house

    This is a short story not a game. I wouldn't mind paying 5$ for this, but for 20$ write something better will you.

    And of course the price tag 20$ just screams of taking money as much as they can because the dev knows people will buy this thing for being "progressive" game.

    I would be more inclined to think they actually try to bring positive light into the game industry if the price is 5-10$, equally compared to the game length.

    As it stands, it's all about the money.    … Expand
  96. leaveit
    Oct 2, 2015
    0
    Essentially a book with a boring old Seventh Heaven story and a clumsy interface for turning the pages. The "game" can literally be beaten in 1 minute.

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

    UPDATE: The developers have banned me from the Steam forums for summing up the game in 3 words when prompted: "People Buy Anything." Seeing as how this violates neither the Steam rules nor any local rules, and no reason was given other than action being taken on that post (which was then deleted), I can only conclude that the developers either do PR censorship/cleanup or trawl ancient forum threads - this one was at least 3 months old at the time - to reassure themselves or immaturely silence their detractors. So bravo, Fullbright, you managed to do exactly what Derek Smart is infamous for doing but without catching any flack for it.    … Expand
  97. ugurano
    Oct 12, 2014
    0
    terrible game, screen ingame looks awesome, but the gameplay 2 hours, and ending lol

    pleas no buy this scamm game, its not good, worst game i ever see it from indi
  98. vivian_james
    Sep 28, 2014
    0
    This is not a game, it's an insult. The 'story' is simple, linear, cliched and soulless. The visuals are barren. Where is the tension? Where are the textures? Why would anyone pay any money for what could just as easily be experienced by means of a YouTube "Let's Play" installment?
  99. dopelcat
    Sep 3, 2013
    0
    Absolutely disgusting. For starters, this "game" doesn't even have much gameplay. Instead it focuses on "story", but the story is just awful. It manages to be both cringe-worthy and boring, which is a feat that I thought to be impossible to achieve, but Gone Home proved me wrong. You can buy a box of paper clips and have more fun with it than with Gone Home.
  100. jderbs
    Sep 3, 2013
    0
    Thank goodness I looked at metacritic and not just critics' reviews as I thought I was losing my sanity. Every site is raving about this game and I found it a complete and total waste of $20.00. First off, it's extremely short. My steam logged just over an hour for me to finish the ENTIRE game. Secondly, the story was not something I cared for whatsoever and wasn't ground breaking inThank goodness I looked at metacritic and not just critics' reviews as I thought I was losing my sanity. Every site is raving about this game and I found it a complete and total waste of $20.00. First off, it's extremely short. My steam logged just over an hour for me to finish the ENTIRE game. Secondly, the story was not something I cared for whatsoever and wasn't ground breaking in any way shape or form. The only interaction you have in this game is scanning through objects and listening to diary entries. It feels like a fourth of what a complete game should be.

    If this game was 5 dollars it MIGHT be worth the purchase. For the 20 the developers are asking it's highway robbery. Whoever at that company got critics to write RAVING reviews to get schmucks like me to purchase it should get a medal. What a waste of time and money.    … Expand
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
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