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. Agarwel
    Aug 19, 2013
    6
    Ok. I will try to be fair with this game. It is a very good experiment. And I enjoyed while it lasted. But on the other hand. It is very difficult to call this even a game (note reading simulator maybe?). And mainly it takes to complete like 2,5 hours if you are checking everything. Plus there is basically no replay value. And the price is not adequate to this. My suggestion wait forOk. I will try to be fair with this game. It is a very good experiment. And I enjoyed while it lasted. But on the other hand. It is very difficult to call this even a game (note reading simulator maybe?). And mainly it takes to complete like 2,5 hours if you are checking everything. Plus there is basically no replay value. And the price is not adequate to this. My suggestion wait for price drop or some humble bundle, then get it really cheap and enjoy this experience for the price that corresponds the amount of gameplay.… Expand
  2. slashobeint
    Aug 21, 2013
    0
    Twenty bucks for a game that disappoints you to every corner of what you thought the game would be. Scary? Mystery? It's a story about a girl who has another cliche story that could be heard on TV.
    Good story? Buy a book which lasts more than 2 hours and probably would do a lot better.
    Gameplay? I thought the rotating function would come to good use. Well to beat the game, all you have    Twenty bucks for a game that disappoints you to every corner of what you thought the game would be. Scary? Mystery? It's a story about a girl who has another cliche story that could be heard on TV.
    Good story? Buy a book which lasts more than 2 hours and probably would do a lot better.
    Gameplay? I thought the rotating function would come to good use. Well to beat the game, all you have to do is pick up papers.

    See I thought the secret passages, the light popping ONCE was a change of pace, but what for? The story is mainly about your sister who ran away for a loved one. Did it matter that she was a lesbian? No. It was another cheesy love story. Don't buy this. Just watch/read twilight.    … Expand
  3. nutcrackr
    Aug 18, 2013
    7
    Gone Home is not a traditional game. Much like Dear Esther, it is a story experience. You return home after a trip abroad to find your parent’s house empty. Only by rummaging through items and letters will you reveal more about the Greenbriar family. Flickering lights and scratching behind walls produces an unsettling atmosphere. Gone Home allows your imagination to run wild with theories,Gone Home is not a traditional game. Much like Dear Esther, it is a story experience. You return home after a trip abroad to find your parent’s house empty. Only by rummaging through items and letters will you reveal more about the Greenbriar family. Flickering lights and scratching behind walls produces an unsettling atmosphere. Gone Home allows your imagination to run wild with theories, but the revelations are far less memorable. The experience takes 2-3 hours and there is little reason to revisit it. It is an intriguing premise, but one that does not reach excellence.… Expand
  4. prh99
    Aug 20, 2013
    2
    Bland and insipid, are the word I'd pick to describe Gone Home. It's seems to be another game from people who apparently have no interest in making games, there are no puzzles or enemies just exploring a deserted house, it is the bare minimum of interactivity to technically be called a game. The story, what there is of it, is presented in the most circuitous way possible and it's not allBland and insipid, are the word I'd pick to describe Gone Home. It's seems to be another game from people who apparently have no interest in making games, there are no puzzles or enemies just exploring a deserted house, it is the bare minimum of interactivity to technically be called a game. The story, what there is of it, is presented in the most circuitous way possible and it's not all that interesting or compelling. I really do not understand what the critics love about this "game". This should be called suburban exploration simulator cause it really does seem the creators stumbled on an urban exploration blog somewhere and though it would make a good game.… Expand
  5. flowww82
    Oct 23, 2013
    9
    I enjoyed the game from the first second, it really sucked me in and I played from beginning to end in one evening because I simply couldn't stop. I wouldn't call the game and adventure but I also can't think of another genre (without inventing one) that describes it better. This game isn't for you if you want to solve riddles or if you don't like to read because there are no riddles andI enjoyed the game from the first second, it really sucked me in and I played from beginning to end in one evening because I simply couldn't stop. I wouldn't call the game and adventure but I also can't think of another genre (without inventing one) that describes it better. This game isn't for you if you want to solve riddles or if you don't like to read because there are no riddles and there is a lot to read. (If you don't read the letters, notes, etc. that you'll find in the house, than you leave the game no choice than to be disappointing and boring for you.)

    You are "playing" a story that unfolds as you go and that's it... a story. For me the game lives from it's atmosphere and is ONLY driven by the players curiosity to find out what's going on. Are the parents murdered or simply gone shopping? Is your little sister kidnapped or at a friend's house? If you are not curious about what happened because you simply don't care... stop playing, this game is not for you then.

    Till the end of the game I didn't knew what the conclusion might be but when it finally came it left me very unsatisfied. I turned off the computer, went to bed and thought: "This is the end? Really?" For me it sucked... well, at first. Thinking about it I have to say... I was stupid. Because what I expected would probably have happened in every other game. The ending of the game just fits and it's good it ended the way it did.    … Expand
  6. slappycider
    Jan 13, 2015
    8
    I'm in extreme surprise after playing this game... I bought into the whole 'OMG IT'S TERRIBLE NOT A GAME WOOOW' thing and have hated this game ever since I heard about it... but I never actual got around to playing it. Now that I've played it, I can happily say that it's an emotional masterpiece that gets a lot more hate than it deserves. It hits close to home in quite a few ways andI'm in extreme surprise after playing this game... I bought into the whole 'OMG IT'S TERRIBLE NOT A GAME WOOOW' thing and have hated this game ever since I heard about it... but I never actual got around to playing it. Now that I've played it, I can happily say that it's an emotional masterpiece that gets a lot more hate than it deserves. It hits close to home in quite a few ways and definitely left me disturbed but overwhelmed with joy and relief.

    I'm impressed with you, Fullbright Studios. Quite a game you have here.

    The gameplay may not be for everyone, as it is mainly just an interesting medium of telling a story - but I bought into it and definitely enjoyed and immersed myself. It did kind of drag out though as I got to the second portion of the house with the kitchen and greenhouse... I feel like they could've packed a lot of that information in the basement or even in the first half of the house. But the way everything is revealed in a sequential order even though it's not linear is fantastic.

    But come on, only ONE Twin Peaks reference in the game? It takes place in the 90's... you scattered 50,000 X-Files tapes throughout the living room... but only one Twin Peaks piece? Ughhhh.    … Expand
  7. MaskedMetal01
    Aug 23, 2013
    7
    This game could have easily scored a perfect 10/10. The atmosphere is great, the sounds, graphics and overall has a spooky feeling to it. The story was nice and the voice acting was good.
    The game doesn't have much content though. It just lasted an hour for me, and I'm quite sure a speed run would only take a few minutes Like I said, the content is pretty tight. There were times I got    This game could have easily scored a perfect 10/10. The atmosphere is great, the sounds, graphics and overall has a spooky feeling to it. The story was nice and the voice acting was good.
    The game doesn't have much content though. It just lasted an hour for me, and I'm quite sure a speed run would only take a few minutes Like I said, the content is pretty tight. There were times I got startled even for the most littlest of things. And most of the stuff you find around in this game are useless and is just to kill time. But for the price, this game ain't worth it. A game that just lasts for half an hour or more, shouldn't be priced this high. I'm going with a 7/10 for Going Home.    … Expand
  8. BasiltheBatLord
    Nov 27, 2013
    5
    I am not against games as an art form or turning the world into the narrative, for example I was a fan of Dear Esther but this game just isn't really worth it. It accomplishes what it set out to do but it's ambitions aren't all that high. It's difficult to criticize it for what it is and what it meant to be. To put it very simply, it is Dear Esther in an enclosed game world andI am not against games as an art form or turning the world into the narrative, for example I was a fan of Dear Esther but this game just isn't really worth it. It accomplishes what it set out to do but it's ambitions aren't all that high. It's difficult to criticize it for what it is and what it meant to be. To put it very simply, it is Dear Esther in an enclosed game world and essentially without any of the mystery or intrigue. I just didn't find the story to be that remarkable and the ending of the game just left me asking "So...?" The game seems like it's trying to imply that you will eventually find something really interesting or shocking or something but it just doesn't happen. But again, it is difficult to criticize it when it seems to clearly have achieved what it set out to do. But really, it's not that remarkable at all. I'd say save your money.… Expand
  9. VidjaGames
    Jan 22, 2014
    5
    An OK but not great story with an OK but not great game mechanic. Those two things combine for a game that is rather bland. It gets some points for dealing with subject matter that isn't usually covered in video games but that's not enough to make it a good game.
  10. CJanrsgc
    Jan 21, 2015
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Gone Home, is a first person interactive story game set in year 1995, developed and published by The Fullbright Company. The player’s goal is to navigate Kaitlin Greenbriar, a 21 year old, through a mansion to finding clues. The game starts on June 7, 1995, when Kaitlin returns home to her family’s mansion in Arbor Hill, Oregon. When she arrives, she spots a note on the door from her sister, Samantha, telling her not to go looking for answers as to where she is. As she scouts out her new home, she realizes that no one is home. Where are her parents? What happened to Sam?
    The player takes control of Kaitlin, who can view objects in the game by picking them up and examining them. There is no direction given to you at all in the game, it’s an open world for you to discover, with much of the interactivity resting upon the player looking at objects and examining them on his or her own. The player does have a map, which they can access anytime in the game to see where they have been and where they are, some objects open new areas of the map for you, such as keys and old notes. The first puzzle in the game is to open the front door of the house. You are put in a small-enclosed space, which seems to be the front patio, the doors to the mansion are locked, and without direction, you must find the keys. Once the doors are open, you are submerged into the life of the Greenbriar family. For a game released in 2013, the design and graphics of the mansion and artifacts are at average. The developers who worked on Gone Home, also worked on a DLC pack for Bioshock II, and both show very similar art design and feel to each other.
    As you go deeper into the Greenbriar residence, you come across telephone messages, notes, and diary entries that give clues for you to unveil the dark corners of this family. You unravel the story of Kaitlin’s teenage sister coming of age, and the complicated details of your parent’s marriage. Kaitlin finds out through investigation that her sister is a lesbian, and has a girlfriend named Lonnie. As you uncover more of the map, queued narratives, voiced by Sarah Grayson (the voice of Samantha), start to play, unveiling the story of Sam and Lonnie, which eventually leads to the end of the game. The sound in this game is the most important factor. When you first enter the game it’s raining, you have no idea what is going on, you don’t know if this is suppose to be a horror game, or a murder mystery, you’re just put there. At first you feel a sense of fear, a fear of not knowing what’s to happen, and when you’re just casually strolling through the mansion, there will be a crack of thunder, put there to scary the bejesus out of you. The sound sets the mood; it creates mystery, causes you brain to come up with theories as to what is happening.
    Gone Home proves that a game focused on story and exploration, starring a non-traditional cast of characters can be quite enjoying. Even though I very much enjoyed this game, this may not be the game for the average gamer, but for someone like myself, who enjoys the combination of a good book and a video game, Gone Home is the perfect game. I would highly recommend this game, and give it a 9/10.    … Expand
  11. Restaalin
    Aug 26, 2013
    4
    I went into this game completely blind, having no idea what it is. When I started, I immediately recognized the similarities between this and Dear Esther. As I progressed through the story, I realized that there's no real puzzles. All the items you need to find are hidden, which makes it similar to Dear Esther in that it shouldn't really be classified as a game as It's more of anI went into this game completely blind, having no idea what it is. When I started, I immediately recognized the similarities between this and Dear Esther. As I progressed through the story, I realized that there's no real puzzles. All the items you need to find are hidden, which makes it similar to Dear Esther in that it shouldn't really be classified as a game as It's more of an interactive story, which I'd be okay with if it wasn't so simple. The length is another thing I find an issue. Upon completing the game for the first time, I went back and beat it again in literally 30 seconds, which is a problem. Games should never allow me to beat them in less than a minute if they're supposedly based on an emotional narrative. Overall, I enjoyed Gone Home. Those who watch it being played get the exact same effect as those who play it themselves, and I would not recommend it unless you're some civil rights person who's all about sexual equality.… Expand
  12. DrakeSays
    Sep 22, 2013
    9
    I have to laugh about how people complain about how the game plays. It isn't really much of a game in that sense, it's basically just walking from point A to point B and clicking on something. No, what makes this game truly great is the storytelling. The way they explain the story, and play with the players expectations is brilliant. While it isn't perfect by any means, i personally thinkI have to laugh about how people complain about how the game plays. It isn't really much of a game in that sense, it's basically just walking from point A to point B and clicking on something. No, what makes this game truly great is the storytelling. The way they explain the story, and play with the players expectations is brilliant. While it isn't perfect by any means, i personally think that it is much better than people seem to think it is, just if thought of in a different manner. If The Last of Us was presented in a similar way, would people be freaking out in the same way? I doubt it.… Expand
  13. JRC
    Mar 2, 2014
    5
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Oh splendid, I pay 20 dollars to play an one hour gameplay time, with the easiest puzzles ever and with a terrible story. Ok, it's an indie game, I give lots of support for indie developers, but really, 20 dollars. The gameplay, it's boring and have nothing out of the ordinary, it's just you all the time collecting papers that reveal the story, and worst, there is no obstacle, nothing that prevent you from achieving to the end of the game. And the ending is just stupid, you play it all just to know that your sister is a lesbian, wow.… Expand
  14. rmahjour
    Dec 15, 2013
    10
    Gone Home is a game about careful exploration and discovery. The main character is Katie Greenbriar, who’s recently returned from a year abroad. She arrives to a new house filled with artifacts about her sister and parents who have disappeared and are not at the house. Katie’s goal is to determine where her family is and what happened in the last year.

    The narrative of the game is    Gone Home is a game about careful exploration and discovery. The main character is Katie Greenbriar, who’s recently returned from a year abroad. She arrives to a new house filled with artifacts about her sister and parents who have disappeared and are not at the house. Katie’s goal is to determine where her family is and what happened in the last year.

    The narrative of the game is through the eyes of Katie trying to figure out what happened to her sister after reading the note on the front door from her sister. Although, despite its initial setup, Gone Home actually tells several different stories. As you search through the dark and gloomy house, you uncover details not only about Sam's situation, but also about what has been going on with Katie's parents, and the home’s previous occupants, too. You'll get insight into the state of their marriage, obstacles in their careers and their interests solely from looking around. The many artifacts in the game allow the gamer to miss or ignore some details, which draws each gamer to their own conclusions. Therefore it is important to examine and read every object you can in the house.

    The graphics of the game are ok. The house is well rendered and lit in a way for you to feel the house is eerie and creepy. Although I wish there was more details with some objects I did not find graphics to be an issue. The music in the game is fantastic. The sounds of thunder, the creaky floorboards and doors keep you on the edge of your seat. As well the cassette tapes featuring bands such as Heavens to Betsy and Bratmobile give the real sense of the game's '90s Riot Grrrl setting. Lastly, the controls are simple, and it is easy to navigate with either mouse or trackpad and keyboard. The Fullbright Company made sure that the controls do not get in the way of the game and the unfolding of the story.

    Playing Gone Home was a new experience that I really enjoyed. Gone Home felt as if I was “playing” a novel. I would recommend this game to someone who would like to try a different type of game, and who enjoys adventures and stories.    … Expand
  15. theBJK
    Jun 8, 2014
    9
    First of all, this game is ONLY for who wants something more than a good story. So, if you want anything else, you won't like it, but if you are the right person for this game, you'll love it. At the beginning it could be a little slow, but when you start discovering what happened, you won't leave the pc. This game is poetic and moving, but not everyone (as you can see from the user score)First of all, this game is ONLY for who wants something more than a good story. So, if you want anything else, you won't like it, but if you are the right person for this game, you'll love it. At the beginning it could be a little slow, but when you start discovering what happened, you won't leave the pc. This game is poetic and moving, but not everyone (as you can see from the user score) can understand that. I read things like "at first i was excepting a murder and jumpscares but than it was boooooring". Well, than why did you buy it? The only reason why i don't give it 10 is the price, too much for a game like this, but if you find it in sale, just buy it.… Expand
  16. jmarshallca
    Aug 20, 2013
    9
    Apparently this is going to be one of those games that is destined to become intensely divisive. Like another not-quite-a-game, Dear Esther, it has such extraordinary narrative strength and a sense of atmosphere that it's more of a controllable story. Like Myst, one of the seminal first-person adventures, you're not presented with exactly what's going on in the game, but as you exploreApparently this is going to be one of those games that is destined to become intensely divisive. Like another not-quite-a-game, Dear Esther, it has such extraordinary narrative strength and a sense of atmosphere that it's more of a controllable story. Like Myst, one of the seminal first-person adventures, you're not presented with exactly what's going on in the game, but as you explore your large, empty house filled with secret passages and alcoves, you slowly start to piece together what's happening, culminating in a touching and well-developed conclusion. Even though we don't get to see the game's central characters, I really felt for them and hoped that they can find happiness in their uncertain future.

    Many people have expressed disdain for what this game has accomplished, but these people are probably one of the reasons the late, great Roger Ebert believed that games could never be an art form. Surely a loud and vitriolic chorus like this, who apparently have no tolerance of a game that unfold a drama in front of you instead of laying out a string of achievements to make you feel validated, makes it look like the gaming public want to decry the artistic evolution of their medium. Don't show them "Bientôt l'Été", whatever you do. These are people that would have thought "Birth of a Nation" shouldn't have been made, and they should keep making more Keystone Cops films. These are people that would have preferred to watch "The Brady Bunch Hour" instead of "All in the Family". These are people that wonder why Jackson Pollock paintings are so expensive.

    It may be strange to talk about the cultural reaction to a game instead of the game itself, but the truth is you ought to simply experience the game (though I don't blame you if you find $20 excessive) for its earnestness, immersive story and daring new approach to the adventure game, and video games don't exist in a vacuum. It's important to commentate on the culture that surrounds it, and in this instance, it's a culture that has acted with hostility against something it doesn't understand, citing reasons such as "bribing the press", "hipster conceit" and other flimsy arguments to make it sound like they're right and everyone else is wrong.

    Well, as someone who's enjoyed games like Dear Esther, Heavy Rain, El Shaddai and Flower, I know I'm not alone. Some of us are pleased to see video game culture starting to grow up, and it's up to us all to show that it'll take more than nagging skeptics to keep gaming as a disposable-entertainment medium. Gone Home is a modest game that unfolds into a beautiful story, and it mustn't be marginalized because it didn't give you a score, put walls in your way, or attempt to hurt you. This is one of the rare games that rethinks what a game can do, and it shouldn't be struck down and called a freak for that.    … Expand
  17. Disconnection
    Aug 18, 2013
    8
    Gone Home is exactly what I expected it to be. The game is like an audio book combined with an exploration game.

    The player starts in front of the house, and has to find out the story behind the character the player is playing. The story of this young woman is really well written. Also the voice acting is very nicely done and then I am not even talking about the atmosphere in the house.    Gone Home is exactly what I expected it to be. The game is like an audio book combined with an exploration game.

    The player starts in front of the house, and has to find out the story behind the character the player is playing. The story of this young woman is really well written. Also the voice acting is very nicely done and then I am not even talking about the atmosphere in the house. It has some kind of creepy feeling because of the storm passing over, but the music is very releaving and not creepy at all. The sounds in this game are very well done.
    The gameplay however is very short. In about 45 minutes one can discover most things about the family and the character. Which is a shame, because the developers and writers could have done so much more with the story. The interactiveness of the objects in the game are well implemented and very smooth. Many objects can be picked up and examined up close. And these objects have good detail as well. Which is another good point of this game.
    The developer really has taken much attention to detail in the game. Everything is related to the story and it really looks like the family just moved in. Also the graphics of the game are nice and the developer has used very soft colours in the textures and so on.

    Gone Home is not for gamers who want action, but want to discover, explore and want to listen/read a story. And for those players Gone Home is a really good experience. The developer has done a great job on making this story driven game. Is it worth the money? Yes, but only on discount.    … Expand
  18. DrMondo7
    Aug 25, 2013
    9
    A fresh take on interactive story telling. I didn't know what to expect, but I played the entire game in one sitting and couldn't stop. It was very touching, but also very heartbreaking.

    Ignore the low scores based of "length and price", these are not reflections on the quality and the game doesn't deserve such hate. Its funny to me that folks can love TellTale's The Walking Dead    A fresh take on interactive story telling. I didn't know what to expect, but I played the entire game in one sitting and couldn't stop. It was very touching, but also very heartbreaking.

    Ignore the low scores based of "length and price", these are not reflections on the quality and the game doesn't deserve such hate. Its funny to me that folks can love TellTale's The Walking Dead "Walking around and talking to people game" and gave it GOTY praise, but they can't give this one kudos for being effective on tugging at player's emotions and how it delivers effective storytelling?

    It was unique and fresh and I enjoyed the entire experience.    … Expand
  19. Killamonjaro
    Aug 19, 2013
    5
    After years of lurking on this website I have finally found a reason to make an account and submit a review. As most people, I did not know of this game until after it was released and put on steam at a discount. I was intrigued at the high sales count and looked into it further. Reading a couple reviews from legitimate gaming blogs/websites/forums it seemed everyone was flabbergasted byAfter years of lurking on this website I have finally found a reason to make an account and submit a review. As most people, I did not know of this game until after it was released and put on steam at a discount. I was intrigued at the high sales count and looked into it further. Reading a couple reviews from legitimate gaming blogs/websites/forums it seemed everyone was flabbergasted by this game. I instantly bought it right then so I wouldn't get spoiled by any of the story(I wanted to go in blind as most games are always spoiled by some idiots on the internet even when trying to read an innocent review).

    I jumped right into the game and got sucked in. The thunder the ominous house the emptiness all gave a feeling something bad was going to happen. The game designers even try to allude that something creepy is going on by adding thunder clashes right when you read something "important." as well as the characters you're looking into keep describing the house as a psycho house with a past that everyone is afraid of. This is all complete b.s. its a clean and jerk operation where I can see the designers wanted to give the feeling of creepiness with the subject matter not actually being creepy, or new, or thought provoking, or anything other than a creepy fantasy that someone had. They even went as far as to find a girl who can make it seem real. I feel like someone had a bad time at home and needed to get it out, therapy costs money so why not get it out and get paid for it?

    I kept wanting to like this "game" I really did. But once I finished it within the same few hours upon buying it i was horrified. The game finally got me at the end with the real scary part where you realize you spent $20 on a game that lasted less than most movies and has the story of an mtv 2 sitcom. NO REPLAYABILITY. NONE. ZIP ZERO. If you think once you know the end it makes the story different you're wrong and completely misinformed. You already know whats happening about 20 minutes into the game and it just drags the silliness out for a while to tease you with something supernatural or otherwise worth spending money on.

    Overal 5/10

    Graphics 6 I struggled to even give it a six. the lighting is horrible for a game thats supposed to be hell bent on being atmospheric. The only thing it did was allow me to light a room that i couldn't see a damn thing before. I kept hoping the shadows would play tricks on me but in the end it was my own minds eye adding to the suspense. the only good thing about the graphics is the attention to detail on some of the 90s items to give them an authentic feel.

    presentation 8/10 the way the story comes together is actually kinda nice. Which is why I kept wanting to like this game. It has a way of immersing you and dragging you in, really making you feel like kate trying to figure out what has happened to her family while she was away. I just feel like it was too easy to find everything. There were no real hurdles to jump in the noggin department when it came to puzzles. oh wait, there were no puzzles at all. just stroll down to the only areas you can access, and point and peck what you need to, move on.

    Sound 8/10 this is by far the best part of the game. The noises of the house and thunder plus the voice acting is great. I kept wondering why reviewers referred to it as the voice acting and not sam. because shes the only one who talks. its not acting its one character, they probably spent 90% of the budget and time finding the perfect character to voice it.

    controls 2/10 worthless, trite, and baseless. you walk around and pick stuff up, you dont really affect the world. the physics are whatever. I threw a plastic cup at a pillow and it bounced to the ceiling. the controls serve no purpose other than to drag you through the story.

    replayability 0/10 theres really no reason you should have this installed 2 hours after you buy it.

    Con factor 10/10 The designers did a really great job of putting you to the task of creating the atmosphere. They make it so you're left to your own devices at first, and then ruin it by pulling the wool back to reveal the public service announcement of a story. I officialy hate Gone Home(to my so called life)    … Expand
  20. WesZerker
    Aug 19, 2013
    7
    Gone Home was a fun experience but lacking enough content to make me feel its not really worth $20 us. The story got me involved, I wanted to find out what was going on. Even felt like everything that was happening was my characters fault. But it all only too me about 5 hrs and I took my sweet time. Its to short. The story focuses to much on one member of the family in theGone Home was a fun experience but lacking enough content to make me feel its not really worth $20 us. The story got me involved, I wanted to find out what was going on. Even felt like everything that was happening was my characters fault. But it all only too me about 5 hrs and I took my sweet time. Its to short. The story focuses to much on one member of the family in the progression of the game. Despite the fact all the family members have allot going on. Wouldn't have cost much and added much needed overall play time, If ALL the family members had a voiced part in the story.

    Another thing I though could have been better is the atmosphere. While its pretty decent as is, it could have been way better. Lighting is already a big part of the feel, why not use the lighting and shadows to cause a few jumpy moments?

    The house has no mirrors, even in places that should like bathrooms. (A mirror in a bathroom is even mentioned in the story but its not there.)

    Its a good enough game just wait for it to go on sale.    … Expand
  21. Dkashola
    May 24, 2014
    10
    This game isn't for everyone as you can tell by the polarizing 'User score distribution'; you'll either love it or hate it.

    With that being said, this is imo, what Dear Esther should have been. A story focused game that had a appropriate level of interactivity withing the world you reside in - not just walking around in a linear path. The story itself was sweet and enjoyable and I    This game isn't for everyone as you can tell by the polarizing 'User score distribution'; you'll either love it or hate it.

    With that being said, this is imo, what Dear Esther should have been. A story focused game that had a appropriate level of interactivity withing the world you reside in - not just walking around in a linear path.

    The story itself was sweet and enjoyable and I found myself internally cheering for 'Sam' often while uncovering the story.

    The only real critique I can give this game, outside of it just not being in the taste of most mainstream gamers, is the price of twenty dollars USD. However you want to look at it, that is a steep price for a game that should last you one and a half to two hours in playtime.

    With that being said, if you really like story driven games and like to break away from the norm with your gaming It may just be worth a purchase,or in my case, play a friend's copy through Steam's Family sharing.    … Expand
  22. rubiksage
    Oct 25, 2013
    10
    OK...To review a game like Gone Home is like reviewing strange modern art. Where your principles of good and bad don't really apply. More specifically your principles of "enjoyment."
    IS GONE HOME FUN? NO. Is it enjoyable? YES.
    Gone Home I finished with a friend and we both cried man tears. I was amazed that a game that was everything I hated and yet impacted me so much. It was short,    OK...To review a game like Gone Home is like reviewing strange modern art. Where your principles of good and bad don't really apply. More specifically your principles of "enjoyment."
    IS GONE HOME FUN? NO. Is it enjoyable? YES.
    Gone Home I finished with a friend and we both cried man tears. I was amazed that a game that was everything I hated and yet impacted me so much. It was short, but concentrated. It was easy, but I didn't care. It told a story we all heard. But still kept you guessing till the very end. It has no replay value, but playing it once will touch you deeper than some movies and even a few books.
    Video games were created to be just that, GAMES! However there is this debate going around about video games potential to become 'art.' And that is why there is this split between the critics and the user reviews. Critics are evaluating Gone Home as a piece of art. While, the games are trying to find the game in Gone Home, and that's the problem. Gone Home isn't a game, it is work of art.    … Expand
  23. LukasH
    Dec 16, 2013
    9
    Gone Home is a 1st person video game created by The Fullbright Company that is based around a young woman coming home to an empty house. She has to go through the house, looking at different artifacts to solve the mystery of her missing family.
    I was impressed with how such a simple game kept me on my toes until the very end. I constantly found myself looking at irrelevant objects,    Gone Home is a 1st person video game created by The Fullbright Company that is based around a young woman coming home to an empty house. She has to go through the house, looking at different artifacts to solve the mystery of her missing family.
    I was impressed with how such a simple game kept me on my toes until the very end. I constantly found myself looking at irrelevant objects, believing it had something to do with the plot line. Being able to pick up everything possible, added a reality factor to the game, making the player feel like he/she is deciding what and what not to do. It felt like you were in the game. Yes, I know its an over used line to try and state a point, but it’s true. This game is very open. There weren’t a lot of hints so the player has to use their brains to get to the end of the game.
    What added onto the story is that it is an effortless game to play. The controls are easy, the sounds around the house are pragmatic and most of all, the graphics are good enough to examine specific artifacts. Each of these elements plays a huge role in this game. Without simple controls, players will get frustrated and demotivate themselves to play. With this day in age, everything has the best graphics and sound, so in order for Gone Home to compete with Call of Duty or The Last of Us, they had to “get to their level.” Each room is completely different and custom to specific characters. For example, the teenager’s room looks like a teenagers room.
    As the game progresses, the protagonist, Katie, begins to learn more and more about her younger sister, Sam. Through Sam’s journal entries, she is able to narrate her story. We are entered into Sam’s world through the eyes of the older sibling’s. Sam’s journal entries are what Katie follows to find out where Sam and her parents are.
    In conclusion, I would give The Fulbright Company’s Gone Home a 9 out of 10. The game was perfect in every way. It was one of the most realistic games I've ever played. The one part I disagreed about was the way it ended. I don't want to spoil it, but I felt that it could've ended with an explosion instead of a lit candle.    … Expand
  24. fittuner
    Dec 22, 2013
    9
    Gone Home is an excellent game that proves that games don't need to just be about killing. The game has actual depth, emotion, and a unique narrative method. I can understand why many would be upset with this game. the game is roughly two hours long, so the full price is a bit much. Thankfully, Steam is known for its sales. It is best to wait until it is marked down. Otherwise, it isGone Home is an excellent game that proves that games don't need to just be about killing. The game has actual depth, emotion, and a unique narrative method. I can understand why many would be upset with this game. the game is roughly two hours long, so the full price is a bit much. Thankfully, Steam is known for its sales. It is best to wait until it is marked down. Otherwise, it is a very simple and engrossing game that I found myself completely absorbed in. Once I started it, I could not get up. I had to finish it. I had to find out what happened. I had to experience it. Many take this game as an actual game. Gone Home is more of an experience than a game. It is an experience in atmosphere, character development, and (most importantly) emotion. This is a game of patience that requires attention. If you feel that video games truly are a form of art, Gone Home should be near the top of your list.… Expand
  25. Frangus
    Mar 24, 2014
    9
    I came into Gone Home with no real expectations, i had read a few things about how its not a game and it just crap. I remembered playing through Dear Esther, another "non game" as people like to call it, and hated it. Yes it was pretty but so boring.

    Gone Home is a totally different kind of "non game", it has a great story, amazing atmosphere and tricks you into thinking its a horror    I came into Gone Home with no real expectations, i had read a few things about how its not a game and it just crap. I remembered playing through Dear Esther, another "non game" as people like to call it, and hated it. Yes it was pretty but so boring.

    Gone Home is a totally different kind of "non game", it has a great story, amazing atmosphere and tricks you into thinking its a horror game with the big mansion and the constant thunder. I think you have to come into Gone Home with a open mind, or else you will be disappointing. Do it a late night, headphones on with sound cranked up, in the dark and i think you will have a amazing time.

    The Fullbright Company has crafted a truly amazing game, amazingly detailed, engaging story and a setting that you want to explore even though its a normal house. The work they have put into just the items and clues are masterful. I am not going to talk any about the story because i think you should discover that on your own.

    My reason for not giving it a perfect 10 is the price is even though it is a great game in my eyes, i think the original $20 is a bit steep. Realistically you have a 70-90 min experience which is $3.5 - $4.5 pr min.    … Expand
  26. chaser2099
    Aug 23, 2013
    6
    As someone who honestly enjoys a good playable story, this hits relatively high. The gameplay is smooth, the sound is smooth, everything regarding the game is smooth. Unfortunately, the game is quite short and on top of that, the story is a bit lacking at points.
  27. redconversation
    Feb 10, 2014
    9
    There are a lot of negative reviews suggesting Gone Home would do better in another medium, but it's definitely where it belongs. It's a fairly straight-forward interactive short story and while it has its limitations, it is the sort of game that needs to exist. It's easy to say the story is predictable but most are in the medium. It's a game for people who think games can be more thanThere are a lot of negative reviews suggesting Gone Home would do better in another medium, but it's definitely where it belongs. It's a fairly straight-forward interactive short story and while it has its limitations, it is the sort of game that needs to exist. It's easy to say the story is predictable but most are in the medium. It's a game for people who think games can be more than they are artistically.

    I'd recommend it for anyone with a soul.    … Expand
  28. felyxr
    Dec 31, 2014
    8
    I loved this game for the story, which was very interesting. It's actually what made me keep going through the game.

    But be aware that this is a game where you have to think a lot and that is slow. Don't play it if you prefer games that have a lot of action because you may find it boring. Otherwise, it is very well done and the story is very intriguing !
  29. Trashware
    Dec 28, 2013
    6
    Gone Home falls too short in terms of length and depth. The main story is allright but far from original. The sidestories will give you a nice view on who you are and who you live with, but it's all very simplistic and without many storylayers to peel. I guess I expected more depth in this game, there could be so much more going on. Questions remain unanswered, persons remain outlined butGone Home falls too short in terms of length and depth. The main story is allright but far from original. The sidestories will give you a nice view on who you are and who you live with, but it's all very simplistic and without many storylayers to peel. I guess I expected more depth in this game, there could be so much more going on. Questions remain unanswered, persons remain outlined but not much filled in (especially you yourself, as Katie).
    The exploring way of finding missing pieces of information has been done well and the voice acting is great. The house is big, there's a lot to see if you can stand the unnecessary messy state it's in. I liked rummaging through all that nostalgic 80's90's accessories and listening to the appropriately cringeworthy chickrock cassettes. And the main music is very nice as well come to think of it. There are many details in terms of design and stuff to be find, even though most of it is not of much practical use.

    All the pros and cons outweighing I would not recommend this game, unless you can get it very cheap. You might get disappointed if you're expecting as much as there has been said about it.    … Expand
  30. PerfectCritic
    Dec 22, 2014
    1
    ..in short...
    This is NOT A GAME..it's an interactive story.
    And mostly streamlined, there's no player choice, action or reaction and there's not any effect from the surroundings, you'll just be reading letters from all around the huge house.
  31. SweetrollJim
    Mar 12, 2014
    7
    Good game but definitely NOT worth 20 dollars. hour and a half worth of playtime at most so get it on sale or free even. Fairly interesting story but kind of a let down at the end, it will leave you wanting more. All in all: worth the experience but I'd never play it again.
  32. eternalsnows
    Oct 23, 2013
    6
    Gone Home is a difficult experience to describe, especially when it comes to recommending it to someone else. It's an interactive short story, and I do mean short. The script for the written notes and spoken dialog probably wouldn't amount to more than 10 pages. The characters are very broadly sketched with only the smallest hints of depth and complexity. The focus of the narrative is aGone Home is a difficult experience to describe, especially when it comes to recommending it to someone else. It's an interactive short story, and I do mean short. The script for the written notes and spoken dialog probably wouldn't amount to more than 10 pages. The characters are very broadly sketched with only the smallest hints of depth and complexity. The focus of the narrative is a really pretty mundane love story which presents little in the way of surprise.

    What Gone Home does well though is provide a powerful injection of 100% pure, high grade nostalgia directly into the bloodstream. Nostalgia both for childhood and adolescence in general and the 1990s in particular. A story for the ages this is not. A story for people who were teenagers in 1995? Yes. Maybe.

    The writing is good and the voice actor who played Sam did an excellent job. That, coupled with the introspective and tender mood, is enough to carry you through at least one playthrough (80 minutes for me). That said, there's certainly no reason to play again. In fact, when you start looking back over the experience you begin to resent the numerous red herrings whose sole purpose seemed to be to obscure the real focus of the story for as long as possible.

    In the end I found Gone Home to be atmospheric and touching in a simplistic way, but also fundamentally shallow. The asking price of $19.99 on Steam is way, way too high. I'd recommend purchasing only when a big sale comes along, and then only if you're a fan of this genre of entertainment.    … Expand
  33. J4MESOX4D
    Oct 28, 2013
    4
    I picked up Gone Home cheap after seeing rave reviews of the game and despite such a respectable price; it is apparent that such write-ups are inflated. The game is incredibly bland despite an intriguing and engrossing story. The atmosphere is tense and the setting superb but the overlay gameplay is extremely linear and most exploration is meaningless or pointless. The lack of depthI picked up Gone Home cheap after seeing rave reviews of the game and despite such a respectable price; it is apparent that such write-ups are inflated. The game is incredibly bland despite an intriguing and engrossing story. The atmosphere is tense and the setting superb but the overlay gameplay is extremely linear and most exploration is meaningless or pointless. The lack of depth really shows as you steadily progress to the finish in just a couple of hours. The latter part of the game feels extremely rushed as the intrigue declines and the narrative speeds up to a mediocre conclusion.

    It's a real shame as the potential here could've lead to a very broad and gripping story but many gamers will be disappointed that the final product is lacklustre at best. It's still a cheap indie game at best but I think the critics have been extremely generous in their scoring as Gone Home lacks in so many areas which could've been developed more in-depth to give a longer and more absorbing game. It's worth a fiver for a rainy weekend but don't expect too much in longevity or drama. A wasted opportunity of what was a promising concept.    … Expand
  34. fffred
    Oct 26, 2013
    6
    This story-telling game has an interesting story, and the theme is rarely seen in video-games. The tone, atmosphere and style are good and bring a new approach to this genre.

    But for 20 dollars, I expected to play more than 2 hours, and the technical realization was not satisfactory (mostly because of lags). On top of that, the game system becomes repetitive at the end of the two hours    This story-telling game has an interesting story, and the theme is rarely seen in video-games. The tone, atmosphere and style are good and bring a new approach to this genre.

    But for 20 dollars, I expected to play more than 2 hours, and the technical realization was not satisfactory (mostly because of lags). On top of that, the game system becomes repetitive at the end of the two hours of playing. The right price would be around 5 dollars.

    Last thing, even if the subject of this game is interesting and challenging, it could have been developed more, and could have avoided some clichés. I hope that this game will encourage such "serious" subjects to be developed.    … Expand
  35. JCee
    Dec 5, 2013
    4
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I've been looking for a game to play in-between my regular Sims/Skyrim sessions, and this looked like a decent one. I'm a 90's kid (born late 80's actually) and a sucker for "exploration/mystery" type games, plus the 50% Cyber Monday sale didn't hurt either. I played for 2 or so hours first day, and finally got the chance to get back in on Thursday, only to realize I was literally 10 minutes away from completing the whole thing. What a bummer! Seriously, if this game cost 2£ then great. But it was a whopping 8£ with a 50% sale. I have never paid that much for any game that is completable in under 3 hours.. The story was ridiculously predictable as well, I could already predict what was going to the main narrator and her secret friend 20 minutes into playing. I also don't know if it's just me and my machine, but in most rooms I'd get annoying neon-coloured glitchy flashing patches on objects and walls. 4/10… Expand
  36. lkelleher
    Dec 16, 2013
    8
    It’s refreshing to play a game like Gone Home, where the entire game is non-violent yet still intriguing, and draws attention from all types of gamers. The game plays like a movie that only focuses on character development, and the relationships between many of the characters. Being that I am not a gamer by any stretch of the imagination, the game still appealed to me because it really isIt’s refreshing to play a game like Gone Home, where the entire game is non-violent yet still intriguing, and draws attention from all types of gamers. The game plays like a movie that only focuses on character development, and the relationships between many of the characters. Being that I am not a gamer by any stretch of the imagination, the game still appealed to me because it really is different from many other games I have played in the past. This game appeals to a whole new gaming audience as well as the general gaming public.

    Gone Home truly is an exploration game. It is different from the plethora of exploration games that have preceded it in the sense that it explores something that many people would consider not worth exploring. It’s the subtleness of everything in the house building up and slowly becoming apparent to you as a gamer that really makes this interesting. From the second the game starts you’re left wondering where you are, why you’re there, and where everyone else is. Once inside you have to do your best to piece together the mystery that is this house and your family. Each character in the game has their own completely unique storyline, and as a gamer you can follow certain storylines or all at once. It’s the different storylines that continuously become more and more interesting as you go on that keeps players wanting more.

    There are many artifacts made by the game creators that help to reference and further establish a setting that I've never experienced before. The game is set in 1995. As you walk around the house you will find posters, video games, albums, and other historical references found in notes and letters. This too adds another dimension to the game. Whether it be the reference to a Pulp Fiction movie screening in a nearby theatre or the many references to the Riot Grrrl movement that was very prominent in that part of the U.S. at that time.

    Overall, I would rate this game an 8 out of a possible 10. Having said that, it wouldn’t necessarily be a game I would play again and I think this is where the game experiences its major fault. It really is a one-time deal with this game, with only few players venturing on for a second go. I would recommend this game to many of my friends because it is very interesting.    … Expand
  37. SweetRollsAhoy
    Dec 29, 2013
    5
    Here's the thing, when I first watched a friend of mine play through Gone Home from start to finish, it hit me it a very tender spot. I adored it. I cried. But after purchasing it myself and playing through it again, I realized how shallow it is.

    While it is debatable whether Gone Home is truly a "game", it is well know it is fully story based. I enjoy story games. I love more "artsy"    Here's the thing, when I first watched a friend of mine play through Gone Home from start to finish, it hit me it a very tender spot. I adored it. I cried. But after purchasing it myself and playing through it again, I realized how shallow it is.

    While it is debatable whether Gone Home is truly a "game", it is well know it is fully story based. I enjoy story games. I love more "artsy" games. However, I feel this one just is not as good as most make it out to be. Yes, it is very good with hitting one with nostalgia. Yes, it good with hitting you in the feels. Honestly though, that's it. And after the second time though it, I just couldn't connect as easily as I could before. I knew the entire story, I knew how it was executed, so there wasn't much left for me to do. There is little to no replay value. And for $20 as an original asking price for a 2 hour experience, it just truly isn't that worth it. I waited until it was on sale which I am grateful for.

    Don't get me wrong. The story is really good for it only being told through notes and journal's left for you to find, but I just wish there was more to justify it.

    I'm in a love/hate relationship with Gone Home. But in the end I just can't recommend it.    … Expand
  38. JNecov75
    Feb 17, 2014
    7
    This is a game that probably won't feel like a game for most. The voice acting was great and the story itself is one that I've never encountered in another game. While it was quite short (I beat the game with 101 minutes played on steam), it managed to have a few points where I wish there would have been less walking or backtracking, but this is really a minor complaint. The writing pullsThis is a game that probably won't feel like a game for most. The voice acting was great and the story itself is one that I've never encountered in another game. While it was quite short (I beat the game with 101 minutes played on steam), it managed to have a few points where I wish there would have been less walking or backtracking, but this is really a minor complaint. The writing pulls you in with several side stories, some of which you have to infer their meaning on your own. Even the main story may require some interpretation. I'll just say that everything isn't directly given to you, story-wise, if you don't pay attention to detail.

    The game play consists of traveling through the house and examining letters and other items. These things trigger audio messages of the player's sister and each one builds upon the last. By the end, I felt a series of emotions and had a few questions that the game just won't directly answer. But now I'm thinking about it and looking for other people's opinions. If a story having that kind of effect on someone doesn't make it a good story, then I don't know what does.

    That being said, there was probably ways that this could have been wrapped up tighter to my liking, but I'm sure that's not what the creators were going for anyway. All in all, it was a good use of 101 minutes.    … Expand
  39. PPartisan
    Feb 11, 2015
    9
    Very powerful game. I'll freely admit this isn't going to be to everyone's tastes, but I absolutely loved it. I would compare to Dear Esther, so if you enjoyed that, then I think it's safe to say you'll enjoy this too. In case you aren't familiar with Dear Esther, this game is unlikely to be like anything you've ever played before. Rather than a "game" in the traditional sense, this is aVery powerful game. I'll freely admit this isn't going to be to everyone's tastes, but I absolutely loved it. I would compare to Dear Esther, so if you enjoyed that, then I think it's safe to say you'll enjoy this too. In case you aren't familiar with Dear Esther, this game is unlikely to be like anything you've ever played before. Rather than a "game" in the traditional sense, this is a semi-structured, interactive story. You're roughly guided along a path, but along the way your own curiosity will allow you piece together the events that preceded your arrival. I feel it did this extremely well, so it gets a good score from me.

    This game had me hooked from the premise, "girl arrives home from a year abroad to find her house empty and family gone," and from there it never let me go. If this sounds boring to you, then the game isn't for you. If this has whet you're appetite though, then I think you'l love it.

    You spend your time in the game (I'd say between two to four hours gameplay) searching through the house, digging into the history of your family and the property, piecing together the bits of information you find into a narrative so that you can untangle the events that preceded to your arrival. The game helps you construct an image of the characters described along the way through discovered notes, newspaper clippings, sound-byte journals, audio cassettes and visual cues.

    If I could give one, very slight criticism, it was that I had a pretty good idea of what the ending was going to be a good time before it happened. However, there were enough up and downs along the way to keep me guessing. Overall a brilliant, subtle, and I would add very touching, that would be more accurately designed as an "experience" than a game. Brilliant work, well done.    … Expand
  40. possumboss
    Dec 15, 2014
    6
    Gone Home is a game about a girl named Katie who returns home from a year long trip to a new house. When Katie arrives she discovers that her family is not in the house and appear to be missing. Katie then searches the house to find clues to her family’s whereabouts. While Katie searches the house she uncovers shocking secrets about her family that have been carefully hidden for years.Gone Home is a game about a girl named Katie who returns home from a year long trip to a new house. When Katie arrives she discovers that her family is not in the house and appear to be missing. Katie then searches the house to find clues to her family’s whereabouts. While Katie searches the house she uncovers shocking secrets about her family that have been carefully hidden for years.

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

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

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

    Gone Home is an excellent experience. The story was compelling, the setting was unique, accurate and added a level of realness to the story. But to call it a video game is a stretch. The game is definitely good there is no question about that, but if one does a excellent first run through they will feel no need to play it a second or third time. A truly good game would compel the player to play more than once, it is a game you can come back to years later and still have the same experience as you did when first played. Gone Home doesn’t achieve this. I would still highly recommend this game though.    … Expand
  41. rwynn29
    Dec 15, 2014
    7
    The game “Gone Home” developed by The Fullbright Company uses a complex and developed story line as its main attraction. Players walk in the footsteps of Kaitlin Greenbriar as she comes home from a yearlong trip to find the new house, into which the family had moved into, empty. Through the course of the search through the house the character and player begins to uncover the events of theThe game “Gone Home” developed by The Fullbright Company uses a complex and developed story line as its main attraction. Players walk in the footsteps of Kaitlin Greenbriar as she comes home from a yearlong trip to find the new house, into which the family had moved into, empty. Through the course of the search through the house the character and player begins to uncover the events of the past year, a year she has missed. The discoveries slowly piece themselves together to explain the reason for her sisterís and parentsí apparent disappearance from the house.
    As a rule most games no matter how well designed have both their good and bad aspects, Gone home is no exception to this. The aspects that add to the game and make it an interesting run through are; the gameís interactive story, voice-overs and tangent stories. The game, which is centered on a rich and interactive story line, truly benefits from it. By generating a story line that can be revealed and played through in a few different ways but still leads to the same overall ending gives the player a feeling of greater control. To add to the experience the ways in which the voice overs which occur periodically at strategic points gives the game a more realistic feel as if the characters were real people enhancing the game play and overall story line. These aspects are then combined with a series of tangent stories that take place alongside the main story and can be unearthed and furthered throughout the course of the game. This I believe truly makes the game fun because it adds a series of extra layers that give more life to the game and donít truly end with a concrete answer keeping the player continuously guessing to their true meaning. Most important of all is that they do not clutter or subtract from the main story line of the game. The intriguing story and strategic use of voice-overs make the game a truly fun experience.
    Unfortunately there are some aspects to the game that are less than to be desired. Two specific things come to mind that are worth negatively critiquing; the brightness settings and the end of the game. Yes it is true that brightness settings can always be adjusted but overall the game has a rather dark vibe to it that understandably plays into the story thematic and adds to the game but it seems that at times even with higher brightness settings its difficult to see. Due to the difficulty of seeing objects I found that at times it was a chore trying to find objects in the semi darkness of the house. The second part that I found to be rather disappointing was the end. For such a build up in the game and all of the assumptions that one makes by the end, the ending chosen by the creators was rather bland and uninteresting. In my opinion the game could have been further enhanced with a more dramatic end, one that I was certain would happen when I reached the attic, but I wonít spoil the ending for you by telling you what doesn't happen. If the above listed things were to have been improved upon the game would be in my opinion a truly masterful work of digital and gaming art.
    Overall the game was fun and I enjoyed it. Though different from your everyday shooter with fast case action the story line was well thought out and interesting. I would recommend it to those that are more interested in the content of the game rather than looking for a way of killing a few hours with mindless game play due to the format of the game. If it were ever on sale I would tell people to try it out for they might like it, or not. The game is very specific in nature and hard to compare with an existing game due to its rather new look at what games should be and whatís more important, action and an okay storyline or a slower game with a well thought out story line.    … Expand
  42. TheWhiteShadow
    Dec 16, 2014
    8
    Gone Home is an independent first-person adventure game developed by The FullBrightCompany. It follows 21 year old Katie Greenbriar as she returns home after spending a year travelling Europe and tries to piece together what has happened to her family.

    The good: The game has an excellent atmosphere, and there is an impressive quantity of easter eggs and hidden backstory. Having to    Gone Home is an independent first-person adventure game developed by The FullBrightCompany. It follows 21 year old Katie Greenbriar as she returns home after spending a year travelling Europe and tries to piece together what has happened to her family.

    The good: The game has an excellent atmosphere, and there is an impressive quantity of easter eggs and hidden backstory. Having to search for clues in order to progress the narrative adds satisfaction to what could have been a straightforward narrative. The connections that can be drawn between these clues is truly impressive, as is the way the characters are so fleshed-out and rounded. Visuals and sound are simplistic, adding to the game's realistic feel.

    The bad: As good as the narrative was, it often felt like some extremely interesting characters were sidelined. Navigating feels somewhat clunky and slow, but this only comes during the occasional backtrack. Without spoilers, the ending is definitely polarizing, providing a satisfying conclusion to some (but not all) of the threads introduced in the game.

    Overall, Gone Home will appeal to those who enjoy games for the plot as much or more than for the gameplay. This is the kind of game that has to be played patiently; the player will only get as much out as they put in.    … Expand
  43. brendan1717
    Dec 16, 2014
    7
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. After a year abroad in Europe, Katie Greenbriar returns to the new house that her family has just moved into. Upon her arrival, she finds a note on the front door from her sister Sam, warning her not to go searching for the family. Once in the house, it is clear that there is nobody home. From this point on, it is Katie’s mission to find out where her family has gone.
    Overall, I believe that the greatest strength of this game is its plot. I thoroughly enjoyed looking through the various rooms and finding numerous clues that led me to the end of the game. I think that the allusion to external video games and significant figures makes the story more intertwined with the real world, causing the game to seem more realistic. Furthermore, I believe that although the game has a limited amount of story driven gameplay, it compensates through the various Easter eggs (such as the purple basketball) and deviating plotlines, which lead you to consider controversial theories. For example, consider the theory that Uncle Oscar abused his nephew Terrence, who is the father of Katie and Sam. Though never directly stating this theory, the creators of the game are able to lay the foundations for the player to make this interpretation.
    The mechanics of the game are actually quite good. Although the graphics are not amazing, they are sufficient for the user to easily play through the game without any issues. I don’t really think that it is necessary for the game to have top of the line graphics and visuals because aside from making the game more realistic, they don’t really serve a purpose. One of the stronger mechanical aspects of the game is the audio. Throughout various point in the game, you come across journal entries written (and dictated) by Sam. Instead of just finding pieces of paper with what Sam wrote in her journal, small sections are dictated after finding something relevant to that entry in the game. This is helpful because it adds emotion to the information Sam is providing.
    One of the weakest aspects in the game is the ending. I believe that the plot of the game is genuinely strong, and so the ending should do the plotline justice. However, I believe this is not the case. In my opinion, the ending should instill excitement in the player, especially since the game is based on the premise of mystery. I was left with a feeling of disappointment when I realized what had actually happened to the family, not due to the fact that they had been harmed, but due to the fact that the majority of the plot, including the link to Oscar, was of no relevance.
    Overall I enjoyed playing Gone Home and I would definitely recommend it to anyone who is interested in the mystery genre. The plot has extreme depth considering the total playtime given to the player, and the mechanics of the game are quite strong. With the exception of the ending, it is a great game.    … Expand
  44. justinconnell
    Mar 19, 2015
    8
    As we approach the second anniversary of Gone Home's release, I have somehow managed to dodge any major spoilers for this game. If you are fortunate enough to have the pleasure of playing through Gone Home under the same set of circumstances as I, you will be treated to a unique, multi-faceted story, that will keep you guessing from the start, all the way to credit roll. In an effort toAs we approach the second anniversary of Gone Home's release, I have somehow managed to dodge any major spoilers for this game. If you are fortunate enough to have the pleasure of playing through Gone Home under the same set of circumstances as I, you will be treated to a unique, multi-faceted story, that will keep you guessing from the start, all the way to credit roll. In an effort to praise this game without peeping even a fragment of a spoiler, all I can really say is this is a well written gem that can be played (and enjoyed), by all. Do yourself a favor, clear out an afternoon, put on your favorite headphones, and get to it.… Expand
  45. chumpwithnoname
    Apr 26, 2021
    0
    Absolutely boring cr@p full of sjw sexual agendas of a lesbian teenage girl. Writing is non-existent, it is utterly banal and boring.
  46. Broyax
    Apr 10, 2020
    0
    Qu'est-ce que c'est encore que ça... un simulateur de visite de maison ? ou le quotidien d'une ouvreuse de tiroirs ? d'ouverture d'armoires et d'allumage de lampes... aussi ! et ça raconte quoi au juste, on ne sait pas...

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

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

    De toute façon, j'ai pas pu visiter très longtemps, car le jeu plante à chaque fois... c'était pourtant pas trop vilain pour une petite daube indé roulée sous les aisselles. Mais que voulez-vous, quand ça veut pas, ça veut pas... premier jeu qui fait ça depuis des lustres ! c'est parce qu'il veut aller tout de suite dans le vide-ordures ; sa maison, c'est le vide-ordures !    … Expand
  47. IRMacGuyver
    Nov 20, 2019
    0
    This doesn't even qualify as a game. All you do is read notes left around the house. The only reason people give it good scores is an attempt to "validate" it's themes. Guess what? We had lesbians in video games back in the 90s we didn't have to make a big deal out of it and they actually had good gameplay. Look up Fear Effect and it's sequel if that's all you want to see out of a video game.
  48. emilytropic
    Oct 29, 2021
    0
    Steve Gaynor, founder super-vocal and militant SJW behind the studio was removed from his leadership after numerous of his own female employees accusations about creating a toxic environment. Working for him was described as: "working for a high school mean girl. His go-to weapon was to laugh at people's opinions and embarrass them in front of other people."

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

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

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

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

    This game has proven to have no staying power, is never seen on best-of lists anymore, and is not revolutionary in the least. All it did do was expose the fact that reviewers are more interested in tripping over themselves to appear more woke than any serious criticism.    … Expand
  49. dakan45
    Aug 22, 2013
    0
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. The so called "critics" need to check their state of minds.

    Dear critics, we turn to you to infrom us about games, when a game gets 9.5s we assume that we MUST play this game and it somehow revolutionizes gaming.

    The game costs 20 bucks, its a linear story based fps exploration game inside a house. You move around and pick up objects and twist them around, then you hear an audio log and you continue doing that till you get to the last one and the game ends.

    That is the essential gameplay, The graphics are pretty good and the game is optimized but its not a "game"

    Its a tech demo.

    Reviewers will tell you that the story is pretty good, yet its a about a lonely girl who thinks she is a lesbian when in reallity she never had a boyfirend so she justs runs away with another girl who actually is a lesbian, thats it, not much of a resollution either, yet it gets 9.5 and most importantly it costs 20 bucks.

    The consumer is ripped off 20 bucks for 1 hour and a half of linear exploring in a tech demo, rather an actual GAME.

    There are far better GAMES to play for 15 bucks, shadowrun returns,rise of the triad, call of juareze gunsliner, hell even mars war logs.

    Sure they have flaws, but they are GAMES with GAMEPLAY and the reason they are criticized by reviewers and have lower scores is because the so called "critics" criticize the flaws in their GAMEPLAY since this game has no gamplay whatsoever and you keep moving in a linear fashion and pick up objects and examine them, there is no gameplay flaws to criticize so that gives them 10/10.

    That is the truth and it hurts but this notion that the less gameplay the game has and less complex it is, the better, has to stop, or we will be playing movies instead of games pretty damn soon.

    The user score shows that the so called "critics" should og and criticize movies instead and not games.    … Expand
  50. jayturner
    Oct 5, 2013
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. It's rare when I am completely surprised by a story in any medium. This a game that has been masterfully crafted to convey a powerfully emotional story, whilst throwing you completely off the scent on what you expect to happen. I loved the atmosphere this game creates with the most simple of storytelling aides: light, sound and the player's own mind.

    P.S. Soundtrack-wise, I loved the cassettes dotted around with its 90s punk on.    … Expand
  51. rempuia
    Aug 20, 2013
    5
    Got this game after seeing good reviews, but i was surprised and shocked when i completed the game, in disbelief i opened metacritic again n saw the low user scores which didnt surprise me, its a shame that games like this actually gets released, its way toooo short, the story is cool and all but it could've been fine for one single episode of a tv series, not for a game jeeeezz.
  52. wanderjahr
    Sep 14, 2013
    9
    Gone Home is a poignant interactive story with one main story line and a few subordinate story lines. Game play mechanics are simple enough, almost akin to a standard adventure point-and-click, and some would argue that's exactly what Gone Home is. They wouldn't be wrong for saying that. It's a bit more than that though. The entirety of the game (which lasts around four hours) takes placeGone Home is a poignant interactive story with one main story line and a few subordinate story lines. Game play mechanics are simple enough, almost akin to a standard adventure point-and-click, and some would argue that's exactly what Gone Home is. They wouldn't be wrong for saying that. It's a bit more than that though. The entirety of the game (which lasts around four hours) takes place in a suburban home. The story unfolds as you walk around the home and find fraudulent artifacts which stitch the relevant story lines together.

    Mood is key in Gone Home. 90's kids will love this game as 90's ephemera is all over the place. Grunge rock, X-Files, a Twin Peaks-esque vibe is channeled with a Pacific northwest setting. VHS tapes and mix-tapes are laying around waiting to be viewed or listened too. A rainstorm rages outside. All of this could easily become cliche in the wrong hands, but is executed tactfully in Gone Home.

    Game play is almost non-existent. Think Dear Esther in terms of interaction with the game world. What it lacks in game play it more than makes up for with a compelling mystery and story. To say much more would be to spoil the game somewhat. Simply know that this is more an interactive story before committing to Gone Home. The story is satisfying and definitely worth your while.    … Expand
  53. Bestpony
    Oct 17, 2013
    9
    There's a group of people like me who have been yammering for years about the untapped narrative potential of games. These people will be delighted with Gone Home. Admittedly, it's more of a proof of concept than an actual game, and it's ugly, clunky, and overpriced. But it's very well-written, the voice acting is excellent, and if you're wired the right way, this small, ordinary story canThere's a group of people like me who have been yammering for years about the untapped narrative potential of games. These people will be delighted with Gone Home. Admittedly, it's more of a proof of concept than an actual game, and it's ugly, clunky, and overpriced. But it's very well-written, the voice acting is excellent, and if you're wired the right way, this small, ordinary story can be incredibly affecting. It lingered with me long after I finished playing. And, perhaps most importantly, Gone Home does prove something: that you can use games to deliver a narrative that would not work in any other medium. Watching a film about someone rummaging through an empty house would be a dreadful experience but doing it yourself makes all the difference. I sincerely hope that Gone Home will be an inspiration for other developers to pursue and expand this genre.… Expand
  54. Vercalos
    Sep 1, 2013
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I think Gone Home is a fantastic game. First, the atmosphere, even with nothing actually in the house to jump out at me, I had moments where I nearly jumped out of my seat, because I thought I heard something. Despite the house being empty of any living(or dead) beings, the atmosphere of the home alone was enough to be unsettling, while at the same time familiar, with all the bits and pieces of 90's paraphernalia scattered about the house. The story was one I found to be heartwarming, and at times sad. I'll admit there were moments when I cried during a few parts, and was absolutely terrified when I got to the entry that said "I'll be waiting in the attic."… Expand
  55. HapexIndustries
    Aug 18, 2013
    7
    Certainly enjoyable, an excellent example of adventure gaming in first person, and a decent story but... 2 hours of gameplay? Zero replayability? That's fine too, for 5-10 bucks, but 20$ is just too much for a one time experience like this. Amnesia (or the sequel) is the same price and offers so much more, as do many other first person or adventure games.

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

    I liked this game, I really did, and I don't want to come down on it too hard, but... again, two hours of non-replayable gameplay is just not enough for the price tag. I hope the developers make more games like this; maybe they can release them cheaper using the same engine? I hope so because I will not be purchasing any of their releases at full price after this.    … Expand
  56. Ghasemn
    Aug 22, 2013
    10
    What is the most fun of playing adventure games? you'll have to put everything you knew away because GONE HOME is not a usual video game that my come every year. games like this- i you find of course- is what called "Art Game" and that's true because of the story. story of GONE HOME is not an excuse for gameplay or something like that. its the reason. the reason you should play GONE HOMEWhat is the most fun of playing adventure games? you'll have to put everything you knew away because GONE HOME is not a usual video game that my come every year. games like this- i you find of course- is what called "Art Game" and that's true because of the story. story of GONE HOME is not an excuse for gameplay or something like that. its the reason. the reason you should play GONE HOME is story and in the end; story give you an important better-than-jewelry gold reward. it's a story about love, and it's not the matter of ages and gender... it's about love.… Expand
  57. playfreely
    Aug 25, 2013
    10
    Many of the other user reviews I've read are very clearly submitted by people who haven't played Gone Home, many of which are perversely proud of that fact. While Gone Home isn't a perfect game, the 3.5 hours I spent with it were immersive, nostalgic, and hit surprisingly close to home. I honestly wouldn't award it a perfect score, but I am doing so to offset the goons who are submitting aMany of the other user reviews I've read are very clearly submitted by people who haven't played Gone Home, many of which are perversely proud of that fact. While Gone Home isn't a perfect game, the 3.5 hours I spent with it were immersive, nostalgic, and hit surprisingly close to home. I honestly wouldn't award it a perfect score, but I am doing so to offset the goons who are submitting a score without having experienced the product itself.… Expand
  58. Mizuki1408
    May 5, 2014
    10
    The first game since "The Cat Lady" that has hit me this hard emotionally. I personally loved it and thought it was a great little story that many of us can relate to. When we were younger, more innocent, many of us have had a love that seemed eternal. This is before we realize all the responsibilities and things that change with adulthood. As such, many cases of "young love" are tried andThe first game since "The Cat Lady" that has hit me this hard emotionally. I personally loved it and thought it was a great little story that many of us can relate to. When we were younger, more innocent, many of us have had a love that seemed eternal. This is before we realize all the responsibilities and things that change with adulthood. As such, many cases of "young love" are tried and unfortunately do not last. I spent the entire game hoping for a happy ending, that maybe for once, love can prevail above all.… Expand
  59. LinusBeagle
    Feb 4, 2014
    10
    I debated about buying this game for months because of the wide disparity in reviews, which was ultimately why I ended up buying it; why was there so much disagreement I wondered? Now having spent the last few days with it I understand. You will either love it, or hate it, period.

    I loved it, in fact I was quite haunted by it and have re-visited the home dozens of times since    I debated about buying this game for months because of the wide disparity in reviews, which was ultimately why I ended up buying it; why was there so much disagreement I wondered? Now having spent the last few days with it I understand. You will either love it, or hate it, period.

    I loved it, in fact I was quite haunted by it and have re-visited the home dozens of times since finishing it (yes it is a very quick play, about 2-3 hours). Had I learned everything there was to learn about the family? Had I found every clue? Discovered every Easter egg? (No spoiler alerts here but there are a few excellent ones!) I needed to be certain and so I have returned, over and over again, to what has become so familiar to me that I have to keep reminding myself the characters don’t actually exist; yet in my mind they seem so real. I’m sure I know them, the house as familiar as the one I grew up in...

    Take a chance, if you love it the game will stay with you long after you are done playing it; if you hate it, hey it’s only twenty bucks.    … Expand
  60. Jaymundo87
    Mar 12, 2014
    9
    It may have taken me a long time to get around to finishing Gone Home but damn am I glad I did. I cannot recommend this game enough (If you can call it a game). The story is immerse and very powerful, the sense of everything clicking into place and revealing the truth as you explore the expansive house is the driving force. While the story may become predictable towards the end it's stillIt may have taken me a long time to get around to finishing Gone Home but damn am I glad I did. I cannot recommend this game enough (If you can call it a game). The story is immerse and very powerful, the sense of everything clicking into place and revealing the truth as you explore the expansive house is the driving force. While the story may become predictable towards the end it's still gripping and beautiful, the voice acting is haunting yet warm at the same time and the ambient sounds of the storm outside caught me off guard more than once, the beautiful story works well in contrast to the creepy and empty feel of the environment. Gone home is proof that a different idea will work in the gaming world and is a strong shout from the indie scene. While there may be limited replay value I would strongly suggest you should play through it at least once.… Expand
  61. gkessel
    Jun 12, 2014
    9
    If you grew up and/or raised teenagers in the late 1980's to early 90's you will probably have a lot to relate to here. If you can relate to this story and it clicks, you will absolutely love it. I think this is the reason for so many low user review scores. This game will probably not meet expectations for anyone born later than 1985, as today's current generation may be unable toIf you grew up and/or raised teenagers in the late 1980's to early 90's you will probably have a lot to relate to here. If you can relate to this story and it clicks, you will absolutely love it. I think this is the reason for so many low user review scores. This game will probably not meet expectations for anyone born later than 1985, as today's current generation may be unable to appreciate the glee of going back in time and reliving a very special period in recent history. In this "game" you are essentially playing through a short story. This story brings us back to 1995 and takes place in a single night at the Greenbriar family's new home. The game is more of a storytelling simulation than a proper game and will take most players approximately 2 hours to complete. In those couple of hours I laughed, I cried, I felt suspense and fear for the family, and especially the sister's, well-being. By the end of the story I genuinely cared about the Greenbriar's and their stories outcome. For me, more interactive objects, more storytelling details and slightly better graphics would have probably earned this title a 10/10.… Expand
  62. Kenmei
    Aug 18, 2013
    7
    Be prepared for what you're getting into here. This is not a game. It's an interactive story and a very good one at that. I very much enjoyed the subject matter and the direction the game went. I won't spoil anything here but know that there will be quite a few people who won't agree with where this game went. That's just human nature. But you'll know going into, if you have a faint ideaBe prepared for what you're getting into here. This is not a game. It's an interactive story and a very good one at that. I very much enjoyed the subject matter and the direction the game went. I won't spoil anything here but know that there will be quite a few people who won't agree with where this game went. That's just human nature. But you'll know going into, if you have a faint idea of what the game is about, if you'll like this game or not. I do feel like this "game" is a bit overpriced at 20 bucks as it's literally just a story and nothing else, especially for the length (barely an hour and a half long). But it's a very nice, thought provoking story. It's truly a nice surprise to see how far media has gone in the last few years when dealing with certain kinds of subject matter and this is no different. However, this is still being billed as a "game" when it should have been more of a book than anything else. I can't give anything about a 7 to something that pretends to be a game and isn't one.… Expand
  63. SteelCard
    Aug 22, 2013
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Gone Home is a video game that is triumphs in tapping into the one thing we all seem to share an imagination gone wild in the face of uncertainity. It's an experience all of us likely had at some point in our lives you're home, alone, with the sounds of a creaky house settling, maybe with or without a nasty storm outside. Any sound, any shadow evokes a response of fear when, in reality, the logical side of your brain knows there is nothing there. Gone Home takes all of that and wraps it up into one fantastic package.

    The setting of Gone Home immediately forces gamers back into that lonely situation just described. The raging storm coupled with a creaky old house that is immediately dubbed the "psycho house" immediately forces our minds to jump to the wildest of conclusions, much like any time you were home alone as a kid. Also, the fact that you're playing a video game certainly helps, as there are very few games that do not have some sort of fantastical moment associated with them.

    And despite pouring everything on with the setting and entertainment medium, the developers keep trying to convey the same message over and over again: you're letting your imagination run wild, and there is typically a perfectly good explanation for everything. The bathtub is the perfect example of this. Who didn't see that and immediately think "Oh there it is! There's the first clue to this murder mystery!" when all it was was a hair dye job gone awry? And then there is the parent's messy room. You probably thought "Oh! They had to hurry out of here! See! Something nuts happened!" when, really, they're probably just lazy slobs. (How else can you explain a family who still has moving boxes in their entry hallway nine months after moving in?) Then we start seeing things about a possible affair, leading to "OF COURSE! THE DAD MURDERED THE MOM!" when of course they're just gone for the weekend. By this point, if you believed any of the occult stuff was going to go anywhere, well, I don't know what to tell you.

    Of course, all of this doesn't really feel clear until making it to the attic. Personally, my heart was pounding as I raced to the attic, expecting full well to see something horrific b/c, well, it's a video game. Then, nothing. And it all made sense at that point. Of course! I let my imagination run wild! We all did! This game might as well have been called "Occam's Razor."

    All the while, learning about the four family members is a fascinating character study that all of us can likely relate to personally. I would say all of us have experienced feelings of sibling jealously, not understanding our parents/kids, work frustration, relationship frustration, or living up to impossible expectations. This could be an entire other story.

    Judging this game by the graphics or gameplay is, frankly, unfair. It shouldn't even be part of the grading scale on a game like this. Movie and music reviewers have had to learn this in the past, and video game reviewers are just starting to scratch the surface of it. When I evaluate a game, I ask myself "Did the developer achieve their goal? And was their goal one worth striving for?" In the case of Gone Home, I say yes.

    Gone Home takes some of our most base expectations of the world around us and the video game medium and shines a light on them in a way most of us have never experienced. Sometimes, the simplest answer is the correct answer. No, that creaky floorboard isn't a murderer who crawled through the window. Stop letting your imagination get the best of you.    … Expand
  64. Truology
    Aug 23, 2013
    10
    This is the most beautiful game I have played in my entire life. I thought I knew what emotions a video game could give me when Mordin died in mass effect. And this orchestral game made me feel for the characters in a way that made Joel and Ellie's relationship in Last of Us seem like something you would find in a gears of war game. Honestly, this game is the next gen point and clickThis is the most beautiful game I have played in my entire life. I thought I knew what emotions a video game could give me when Mordin died in mass effect. And this orchestral game made me feel for the characters in a way that made Joel and Ellie's relationship in Last of Us seem like something you would find in a gears of war game. Honestly, this game is the next gen point and click adventure. Every cliche you think it would fall into it does not. It is absolutely beautiful. Now people have a right to their opinions, but I do not understand people disliking this game. This is the interactive story-telling at it's finest. If you are looking for a combat game go play Battlefield or Skyrim (not being disingenuous I love both of those games the latter the most) but if you want to play a game where you get a story as beautiful as the Last of Us but distilled to a point that every action grips at your heart, and no zombies just real beauty this is your game. If I paid $60 for this game I would be just as happy, this isn't a great "Indie game", this is just a great game period, no modifiers needed.… Expand
  65. Swenomorph
    Aug 25, 2013
    9
    This is a game which, probably, you will either love, or hate.

    Your parents and younger sister (Samantha) have moved into an atmospheric old mansion, while you (Katie) have been traveling Europe. You arrive to this new home, only to find your family missing. As you navigate the mansion, you reveal insights into the lives of your family members by examining every day objects and reading    This is a game which, probably, you will either love, or hate.

    Your parents and younger sister (Samantha) have moved into an atmospheric old mansion, while you (Katie) have been traveling Europe. You arrive to this new home, only to find your family missing. As you navigate the mansion, you reveal insights into the lives of your family members by examining every day objects and reading notes left by them.

    What drives the game forward is your personal desire, as a player, to explore this home, and uncover who your parents and sister are, and why they are not there. Sure, you can quickly learn how to open the locked doors, and find out the answers, but then, you will miss the details necessary to make the characters come to life.

    In some sense, it is fair to compare this game to a book. The true experience is found between the lines. Here, it is found in your own relation to the characters, as you infer their traits and aspirations from the environment, and, inevitably, draw from your own personal experiences. However, Gone Home differs from a book, in that it lets you decide where to look next, which provides an immersive presence. This showcases the unique expressiveness of the gaming medium.

    If you possess the patience and interest to really probe into these characters, you have here a short yet rewarding emotional journey. Otherwise, this is just an empty house, and a simple love story.    … Expand
  66. DolkaCritic
    Aug 21, 2013
    10
    Just... Incredible. I started the game and thought it would be scary... Then, I got so enthralled into Sam´s story, that I´m just out of words. It´s not a game per se, it´s an experience and a beautiful story.
  67. Pocahawtness
    Aug 26, 2013
    10
    Without a doubt, the best interactive story that has been produced.
    At the risk of stereotyping, this isn't your average young guys game. It doesn't have the latest high tech graphics or sound. There isn't much screaming and at least 10% of the cast survive. Hardly much fun then. Well no, it isn't, because "fun" isn't a word I would use to describe this game. If fun is what you want then    Without a doubt, the best interactive story that has been produced.
    At the risk of stereotyping, this isn't your average young guys game. It doesn't have the latest high tech graphics or sound. There isn't much screaming and at least 10% of the cast survive. Hardly much fun then. Well no, it isn't, because "fun" isn't a word I would use to describe this game. If fun is what you want then buy something else. This game is a wonderful experience. Unfortunately, the story is so critically important to the game, if you even find out what genre of story it is, then you have started to spoil the experience. It's best played with no knowledge or expectations. If I have a criticism, it is that the game is very short for the money. But hey, in my opinion it's worth it. Can I recommend it? Yes. Completely. It's the Marmite of the gaming world. You will love it or hate it. Just on the off-chance you love it, it's worth the risk.     … Expand
  68. TheWolfbat
    Sep 22, 2013
    10
    If you are looking for a game purely based on gameplay, this is not the game for you. That doesn't stop this game from being amazing. This game is more of an interactive story than a game, but whatever the hell it is, it is brilliant. The focus of the game is to explore the house you've come home to, and find out why no one is home, which is a lot more interesting then it seems. This gameIf you are looking for a game purely based on gameplay, this is not the game for you. That doesn't stop this game from being amazing. This game is more of an interactive story than a game, but whatever the hell it is, it is brilliant. The focus of the game is to explore the house you've come home to, and find out why no one is home, which is a lot more interesting then it seems. This game tugs at your emotional chords like no other I have ever played, and by the end of it, you will not know whether to cry or just sit there with heart warmth. The downside to this game is it's replay value is nil, as by the end of it you know the story. That being said, on your first playthrough, explore EVERYTHING, and find as many of the bonus information as you can. I hope you enjoy the game, but just be aware that if you're not invested in story, it may not be the thing for you.… Expand
  69. culturerevolt
    Oct 23, 2013
    10
    One of the best experiences I've had from a game. When they say there is no fighting or puzzle solving they mean it and, in my opinion, adding any of that to this game would have ruined everything. Without distractions I was able to completely immerse myself in this game, feeling what the character may have felt at that moment. I was emotionally invested. This game is about story andOne of the best experiences I've had from a game. When they say there is no fighting or puzzle solving they mean it and, in my opinion, adding any of that to this game would have ruined everything. Without distractions I was able to completely immerse myself in this game, feeling what the character may have felt at that moment. I was emotionally invested. This game is about story and immersion, period. If you are into those things check it out.… Expand
  70. PeterRJG
    Aug 22, 2013
    7
    Great story, like most people say, but it's too short and for about three hours play time at maximum (to say nothing of the lack of replay value), it's not worth $17.95 or whatever Steam wanted for it. For $5 like Dear Esther was, then yes, this game would rate a 9 or a 10. But yes, if you like stories of empowerment and self-discovery, this game is right up there.
  71. PizzaWizard
    Aug 24, 2013
    6
    The best way to describe this is as a virtual easter egg hunt. Instead of easter eggs you find story fragments, you assemble them together in your head to paint a picture, like putting together pieces of a jigsaw puzzle. Sure, you don't need every jigsaw puzzle piece in order to understand what the big picture is but some are more vital than others.

    What will determine how much you like    The best way to describe this is as a virtual easter egg hunt. Instead of easter eggs you find story fragments, you assemble them together in your head to paint a picture, like putting together pieces of a jigsaw puzzle. Sure, you don't need every jigsaw puzzle piece in order to understand what the big picture is but some are more vital than others.

    What will determine how much you like this game is how much you like the stories. Two of the stories are delivered very well. You have to put the pieces together on your own which makes them very intriguing. The other story is the one the game dedicates itself to most. It is pretty heavy handed and is the most poorly delivered and the least interesting. This is where the game failed with me. If you are annoyed by teenage infatuation then this isn't for you. If you love the 90s and lifetime dramas then you'll be all over this.

    6/10 for an interesting idea that could have communicated an interesting story but failed    … Expand
  72. simmins5467
    Aug 25, 2013
    7
    For me I thought it was Okay.
    Not great, but also not the abomination people are trying to make it out to be.
    Other than the main journal story which came across as underdeveloped, cliché, and uninspired, I actually found the house engrossing to search and read through and explore. I thought it was pretty atmospheric, additionally, I actually liked the supplemental material about the    For me I thought it was Okay.
    Not great, but also not the abomination people are trying to make it out to be.
    Other than the main journal story which came across as underdeveloped, cliché, and uninspired, I actually found the house engrossing to search and read through and explore.

    I thought it was pretty atmospheric, additionally, I actually liked the supplemental material about the father, and mother and was more invested in the notes left behind about the father, his failing career as a writer and possible hints at a past affair with another woman.

    It's a shame the whole thing got bogged down in a side story about her sister, that may have been interesting as a side story, but not the main story.

    I also didn't see the point of setting the game in the middle of a severe storm, it didn't add tension and was a major missed opportunity for dramatic tension.

    As a game it could have worked if the house was more complex and the focus being changed in the story.

    If game developers and gamer really wish to elevate the medium to the level of art it takes a level of seriousness in the story. This has been done maybe one or two times in the history of the medium. but this is not one of those occasions. For any game like this that wishes to be taken in as an experience and wants to tell a story, these should all be viewed under a light similar to a movie. And in that regard, this was a very bad made for TV movie. It's great that devs are trying to push the medium in new directions, but these devs clearly need to take some of those creative writing classes that were being advertised to the main characters sister.

    As for gamers, and I think this is true in this case on Metacritic, really need to stop loving something just for the sake that it's doing something different. Different good, and this is true in the case of Gone Home

    Better writing would have definitely saved this game, but as it stands it's just a sub-standard video game plot trying to pass it self as some Higher Art.

    Pros:
    Good atmosphere
    Side plot very interesting
    Interesting house to play around in

    Cons:
    Simplistic Main Plot
    Lack of Complex Puzzles    … Expand
  73. Ubermensch72
    Oct 24, 2013
    5
    Gone Home has an excellent story, I dare say its one of the better love stories I've ever heard but that's the only thing this game has going for it. The game is very short and offers no replay value whatsoever. The mechanics are solid but limited in that you can pick things up, read them and then put them back down and that's it. It's definitely a good game but I wish I had only spentGone Home has an excellent story, I dare say its one of the better love stories I've ever heard but that's the only thing this game has going for it. The game is very short and offers no replay value whatsoever. The mechanics are solid but limited in that you can pick things up, read them and then put them back down and that's it. It's definitely a good game but I wish I had only spent 3 dollars on it instead of 10.… Expand
  74. Flaxdal
    Dec 15, 2014
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. The game Gone Home, produced by The Fullbright Company is about a 19-year-old girl that returns from Europe to find that her family life is turned upside down. As Katie you have to investigate unknown territory of your new empty mansion and find out what happened to your family.
    One big pro of the game was that it was a 3D environment with a first person point of view. Typically what I find with detective style games is that you are standing still, looking out into an open room and can only progress in a certain chronological order after clicking the right objects. This game gave this genre a new style; it allowed for free exploration and allowed the player to move at his or her own pace. Free exploration is something I really like in a game, so this aspect is a big plus. It made the player feel more immersed; another aspect is that you can take different routes to completing the game so everyone’s experience is different.
    The graphics and audio were gorgeous; this added to the overall atmosphere and again, really changed the genre. If the player is in the right atmospheric setting, this changes the way you experience the game. When I played I was in my room with the lights out and with my surround sound headphones. This added a huge new level of realism and the way it changed the game for me is it made me take in the surroundings and feel very absorbed in the world of Gone Home. The voice work was amazing in this game and having a high quality headset really lets you appreciate what is being said and how much work they put into the game,
    Last but not least, the plot of Gone Home. The game did a good job of adding side stories and background information that the player could investigate if they’re motivated to do so. Although the game is mainly about Sam, the player could learn a whole lot about characters like Terrence, Oscar and Janice but it did not come as easily. One thing that I noticed is that you barely learn anything about Katie. Typically in games the person you are playing as is the protagonist but in this game I felt that Katie did not have much depth, she just seemed like a pawn that you use to learn about Sam.
    Personally I enjoyed the game, I got it for free and I could see why people would be upset having to pay such a hefty price for a short game. I would recommend it to people if they were looking for something to do on a rainy day.    … Expand
  75. chillwill
    Dec 16, 2014
    9
    Gone Home is a brilliantly thought out video game that exposes the life of a troubled family in the ‘90s and the rebellious nature of teenagers. Kaitlin Greenbriar returns to Oregon after a year touring abroad in Europe, expecting her younger sister and parents to greet her at their new home. However, Kaitlin arrives only to find a suspicious note on the front door, and her family missing.Gone Home is a brilliantly thought out video game that exposes the life of a troubled family in the ‘90s and the rebellious nature of teenagers. Kaitlin Greenbriar returns to Oregon after a year touring abroad in Europe, expecting her younger sister and parents to greet her at their new home. However, Kaitlin arrives only to find a suspicious note on the front door, and her family missing. Throughout the duration of the game, Kaitlin attempts to piece together different artifacts and clues left around the isolated house in order to conclude the reason behind her family’s mysterious departure.

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

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

    Although a short endeavor, Gone Home contains a very elaborate storyline that can be savored by the player. The game was very enjoyable not only because of its creative story, but because of the fantastic audio and visual effects that give the player a sense that they are trapped in the game too. Gone Home is a strong recommendation for those that like a thrilling mystery, a great audiovisual experience, and enjoy the elements of an open world game.    … Expand
  76. harrylund123
    Dec 15, 2014
    9
    Gone Home by the Fullbright Company is a video game that tells the story of a girl, Kaitlyn Greenbriar, coming to her family’s new home after a year of back packing to find that her family is missing. Through clues that she finds around the house, she begins to put together the shocking tale of what happened to her mother, father, and younger sister.

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

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

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

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

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

    In conclusion, Gone Home is a brilliant game, and can be a great experience for a certain type of gamer. This may not be the game for the average FPS gamer, but for someone who has enjoyed the narrative aspects of a game, and wants a combination of a good book and an interactive video game, Gone Home is an absolutely fantastic game for that.    … Expand
  77. holland23
    Dec 30, 2014
    10
    Fantastic experience. Notice i called it an experience and not a game. You have to enter playing it with a completely open mind to appreciate it - it's not like what you're used to. Very well told story that piques several emotions wonderfully.
  78. EthanO
    Jan 5, 2015
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Gone home, a game created by the Fullbright Company, shows the true brilliance of non-violent first person adventure games. The game brings you into the mind of Katie Greenbriar and forces you to think and use your mind to solve puzzles and unwrap the mysteries within the game. Now, let’s start exploring.
    The best part about this game, I believe, is the real life connection’s that are made throughout the game. The Fullbright Company really did well by creating references and objects that resemble real life things. Throughout the game you pick many items, from brochures to Mexican skulls this game has it all, but the items that are the most interesting are the ones that are real. Another fun thing about the game was the weirdly satisfying feeling of being able to snoop through someone else’s things. It’s almost like you as a person are the one that is finding the combination to a safe to unlock it and the secrets inside. The further I progressed into the game the more emotionally attached I felt.
    The worst part of this game would be the game speed. The game can be completed on average in about 2-3 hours, which is a decent amount of time to be playing a game on your laptop. Also the movement of your character in the game is very slow and there is no option to sprint or move any faster. With the long competition time and slow movement it makes this a very tedious game to play, and at points boring. Another thing about the game is the quality of the graphics and attention to detail. The graphics are alright; I believe Fulbright could have put a little more effort into this section of game development; especially considering the game was created in 2013. The game does have the option to change your resolution settings but anything about the lowest resolution created in game lag and long loading times.
    Overall I would definitely recommend this game to others, however, not to everyone. Firstly, I would not recommend this game for any teenager because the style of gameplay would not satisfy the growing video game market for teenagers. However, I would recommend this game to anyone who has passed through their years of being a teen because this game makes a lot of connections to the past, especially 1995, which is the year the game supposedly takes place. Another reason is because the game requires a lot of thinking and puzzle solving which is the non-violent substitute for TDM and Domination. All things considered I believe that Gone Home is unquestionably worth a shot.    … Expand
  79. oraymw
    Aug 21, 2013
    10
    Gone Home is what I imagine that William Faulkner would have created if he had made video games. You really should not be put off by the mediocre overall user score. This is an art house game, but it is truly incredible. The voice acting is superb and the aesthetics are spot on. The nostalgia made me feel like I was in my own house, growing up in the nineties. There were moments ofGone Home is what I imagine that William Faulkner would have created if he had made video games. You really should not be put off by the mediocre overall user score. This is an art house game, but it is truly incredible. The voice acting is superb and the aesthetics are spot on. The nostalgia made me feel like I was in my own house, growing up in the nineties. There were moments of suspense, and you spend a good part of the game afraid, but everything you do in the game ends up turning into this beautiful mosaic that will stay with you for a long time after you finish it. Games have potential that no other art form as, because of interactivity, and Gone Home is a game that capitalizes on this, and provides an incredible experience that helps you walk a mile in someone else's shoes.… Expand
  80. guydudebro
    Aug 21, 2013
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Sure are a lot of haters on here. First of all, this is most definitely a game. It's a linear game for sure, but it's still a game, and a great one at that. What's the difference between this and most adventure games? You click on or interact with every object you can find until something fits your puzzle and you move on. This game is no different in that aspect. Where it obviously differs is its narrative method, where it succeeds in conveying a unique (for videogames, anyway) and engaging story. The game does a fantastic job of capturing what it would really feel like to come home to a large, empty house for the first time. I think about how I would adapt this game in another medium. The book, and now film, "The Perks of Being a Wallflower" immediately comes to mind, as it is similarly a teenager's coming-of-age story set in the 90s, where the main story is told through letters (or journal entries in Gone Home). However, neither a film or a book would ever be able to capture the feeling of walking down an unlit hallway in search of a light switch, uncovering clues about how great of a student and athlete you were in high school compared to your sister, stumbling across details about your parents' strained marriage, or even just a walking through the greenhouse at night while the rain falls outside, punctuated by an occasional clap of thunder. This game was truly one of the most unique emotional experiences I have ever experienced in medium. The only thing I found a bit far-fetched was how everything was just strewn about the house like that, especially Sam's stuff. She had notes of paper in practically every single nook and cranny in that gigantic house. The mother also did poor job of hiding her affair. Also, the $20 price tag is a bit steep for this game. $10 bucks would've been the perfect price for this type of game. My suggestion for anyone wanting to play this game is to wait for a sale.… Expand
  81. Thornblade
    Aug 27, 2013
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. what's the matter with the player reviews?
    Are you guys serious? This is not a freaking a-dime-a-dozen-warfare-terrorist-attatck-shooter.
    It's a game that has the extremely rare ability to create feelings in the player. I took my time to explore every nook and cranny for 3hrs during a rainy summer evening. The mood this game creates is just unbelievable. Although I'm a heterosexual male, the love between those two girls is something that touches you you get to want the world to understand them.
    Anyways, enough with the spoilers. This is NOT a game for kids/people with low IQs or those who are just un-cult you guys can go shoot the pew-pew fps games of which there are thousands.
    For the others it's a sublime assault on the feelings. Too bad there are not many like it.    … Expand
  82. twisted_words
    Aug 19, 2013
    10
    I really enjoyed this. It's not going to be interesting for everyone but I loved slowly combing through the empty house, piecing together the mystery of where the family had gone. The separate threads of each character were incredibly immersive even though I was just picking up receipts, letters, pizza boxes. I have never seen a game environment tell such an engaging story. The sister,I really enjoyed this. It's not going to be interesting for everyone but I loved slowly combing through the empty house, piecing together the mystery of where the family had gone. The separate threads of each character were incredibly immersive even though I was just picking up receipts, letters, pizza boxes. I have never seen a game environment tell such an engaging story. The sister, Sam's, story is incredibly heartfelt and the voice-acted diaries are very high quality. It is a very short game, but I would compare it to a good novel. I felt quite satisfied after finishing it. There is also the novelty of such a well realised physical environment that is so familiar no caves or fantasy kingdoms or WWII bunkers, but the sort of home many of us might have grown up in (okay maybe the richer half). I found myself opening the dishwasher, pulling out the rack, and then stacking the cups in the kitchen cupboards because I can do that in a game now, and not to fill some sort of predestined game task, but because I wanted to see if I could. I can't wait to see where these sorts of games end up.… Expand
  83. dolphan
    Jul 22, 2015
    8
    I know that most people hate this game due to its outrageous asking price (Yes, $20 IS a ripoff I must agree) for such a short game, but I enjoyed the setting of the game, despite the rather lacking story. I would say that at less than $10, it may have gotten better reviews, so I personally believe you should only get it on sale, although this game isn't for everyone.
  84. ekolet
    Aug 20, 2013
    10
    I gave it a 10, my actual score would be 9.6 but i guess I cannot do that.
    If the game was a littlebit longer with some unexpected plot twists, it would be an instant classic. But still its a great game with an unique style and story, godlike voice acting (best I've ever seen since the Last of Us) and amazing atmosphere. Definitely better than garbages like mass effect or dragonage with    I gave it a 10, my actual score would be 9.6 but i guess I cannot do that.
    If the game was a littlebit longer with some unexpected plot twists, it would be an instant classic. But still its a great game with an unique style and story, godlike voice acting (best I've ever seen since the Last of Us) and amazing atmosphere. Definitely better than garbages like mass effect or dragonage with their long but repetitive unimaginative dumbed down gameplays.    … Expand
  85. The_Mak
    Aug 21, 2013
    9
    Judging from other user reviews, this game isn't for everyone especially if you're main concern with a game is all-out action. If, however, you respect a game's atmosphere and narration, this is among the best games I have ever played. Some may say it is just pointless exploration and it is just a movie in a game. But Gone Home tell its story like only a game can, full of emotion thatJudging from other user reviews, this game isn't for everyone especially if you're main concern with a game is all-out action. If, however, you respect a game's atmosphere and narration, this is among the best games I have ever played. Some may say it is just pointless exploration and it is just a movie in a game. But Gone Home tell its story like only a game can, full of emotion that can't be replicated in the form of cinema. Perhaps the price is a bit excessive for a short, two-hour game, but when you consider the price of a cinema ticket and popcorn, I believe you are definitely getting value for money for such an emotional journey.

    This game was not created for outstanding gameplay and graphics or starting WWIII; rather, it presents a house and story full of life, amazingly conveyed in such a short time    … Expand
  86. RecoveryRx
    Sep 18, 2013
    9
    Uh oh people there is no one to blow up or kill game must be horrible! And there aren't npc's to interact with? oh my god that's unbelievable?!?! Just reading most of the terrible reviews paints a picture of how pathetic most gamers are that can't see outside of their tunnel vision of what a game has to have in it to be enjoyable. This game is like a work of art, and it extremelyUh oh people there is no one to blow up or kill game must be horrible! And there aren't npc's to interact with? oh my god that's unbelievable?!?! Just reading most of the terrible reviews paints a picture of how pathetic most gamers are that can't see outside of their tunnel vision of what a game has to have in it to be enjoyable. This game is like a work of art, and it extremely engaging and interesting. The story is very unique and it tells a few other stories along with the main one. Very good game and I highly recommend… Expand
  87. Frogacuda
    Aug 21, 2013
    10
    Gone Home may not deliver what many are expecting. Some argue that it is not a game at all, and yet the way it tells its story is utterly unique to games. This is not "interactive fiction," nor is it cinematic, because it doesn't ape other media. Instead, it plays to the strengths of the medium in a way that makes its admittedly simple story more emotionally resonant than it would haveGone Home may not deliver what many are expecting. Some argue that it is not a game at all, and yet the way it tells its story is utterly unique to games. This is not "interactive fiction," nor is it cinematic, because it doesn't ape other media. Instead, it plays to the strengths of the medium in a way that makes its admittedly simple story more emotionally resonant than it would have otherwise been.

    Games often struggle with storytelling because gameplay convention limits the kinds of stories you can tell. Narratives fall apart as they give way to zombies, ghosts, and robots consistently in order to give players something to shoot. Gone Home toys with these expectations, and is filled with a sense of foreboding and dread, but rather than giving in to these gamey impulses, it uses that sense of urgency to help build a connection to the unseen cast of characters that have vanished from this house.

    It's a two hour game, almost devoid of challenge, and without replay incentives, but I think it's a mistake to divide a game's price by its length to determine its value. Gone Home offers something unique and tells the kind of story that most games never would. Stop reading, check your expectations at the door, and open your mind. This is not one to miss.    … Expand
  88. tumbleweeds
    Aug 24, 2013
    9
    Gone Home has a very touching story which moved me close to tears a few times, and I think it manages to not tip over the edge of being too sentimental, although it's a close call in a few parts.
    I understand people bashing the game for not having actual gameplay, but you can't judge all games from the same criteria. Looking at what the game (or, more accurately, interactive story) tries    Gone Home has a very touching story which moved me close to tears a few times, and I think it manages to not tip over the edge of being too sentimental, although it's a close call in a few parts.
    I understand people bashing the game for not having actual gameplay, but you can't judge all games from the same criteria. Looking at what the game (or, more accurately, interactive story) tries to accomplish it does it very well.    … Expand
  89. akarnokd
    Aug 17, 2013
    7
    The story is good, the exploration is exciting, but at the end, it just ends. It reminds me of Dear Eshter, but with more paths and more things to interact with. With so much stuff laying around, this could have been a first person adventure game with puzzles and secrets. Anyway, it feels like a good experience and a bit overpriced.
  90. GStack13
    Aug 18, 2013
    9
    In the last few years, games have taken to using exploration as a storytelling tool. Whether it be the audio diaries found in Bioshock or the various letters seen in The Last of Us, developers are realizing that oftentimes exploration and discovery can paint a better picture of the world than dialogue can. With Gone Home, The Fullbright Company takes this idea and runs with it.

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

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

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

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

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

    Gone Home is a game that makes us rethink the definition of a videogame. It's story is novelistic in nature, and its gameplay consists only of exploring a house void of people. Yet in the way that only the best art can, it does so much by doing so little. This is a game that will keep you thinking long after the credits roll, and one you won't forget anytime soon. Highly recommended, go buy this game now!    … Expand
  91. Ryha2000
    Aug 27, 2013
    10
    Gone Home is a great game. Full stop. Yes, it is a game. It's not a shooter, it's not an action game, it's not a survival horror game. But it IS a game. Saying it's not a game is like saying that a movie isn't a movie because it doesn't have explosions or car chases. It may not be your kind of game, or a game you are comfortable with... but it IS a game. And it does the things it isGone Home is a great game. Full stop. Yes, it is a game. It's not a shooter, it's not an action game, it's not a survival horror game. But it IS a game. Saying it's not a game is like saying that a movie isn't a movie because it doesn't have explosions or car chases. It may not be your kind of game, or a game you are comfortable with... but it IS a game. And it does the things it is trying to do with grace and assurance.

    I am amazed at how negative the player response to the game has been... I think there are three reasons.

    1. The price. The game is going for $20 and it's a short game... between 90 minutes and 3 hours. That makes it shorter than most movies and for the first time we are being asked to pay more per hour for a game than a movie! Oh man the gall! How dare they! ...well they do dare and I think in this case it's on purpose. It's an ok thing to make an indie game that is revolutionary and then give it away because 'you know it's not a 'real' game... but to make a indie game that refuses to meet player expectations, to do it well with polish style and impact... and then to DEMAND that players acknowledge it's worth by asking them to pay a premium for it... it seems that that is not ok with a lot of players. I guess it's fair to want a longer game for your money. For me, well I say rock on, I got what I paid for.

    2. Presentation. The game presents like it's going to be a survival horror game. It plays with that expectation. Even new video game players feel it and say things like 'This is creepy, I think something is going to jump out at me!' The game wants you to feel that, but the game is not 'about' that, it's about atmosphere not monsters. Getting upset at that is like getting mad because your psychological drama didn't turn out to be a horror movie. I guess being upset at this is fair enough, if you don't like the games actual genera then I can see feeling tricked by it's atmosphere. That does not make it a bad game, it just means you don't like that kind of game.

    3. Subject matter. I won't spoil but a lot of the user reviews have a layer or discomfort or fear surrounding the subject matter of the game. I love it, and I love that it has gotten under these gamer's skins even if they would deny that. The gentle honest subtle presentation of the subject matter is the first time it has been addressed that way in games, and really one or the few times we see it addressed that way in media at all. You may not like the story, fair enough. Perhaps you should ask yourself why you don't like it. Despite what you may be telling yourself it's not because it's shallow, poorly told, or because (and one reviewing player actually said this) because 'the textures are bad'.

    In any case I hope you take the time to decide for yourself. I think in 20 years people will be looking back at this game as one of if not the moment games grew up.    … Expand
  92. neffy
    Aug 31, 2013
    9
    Gone Home is not action-packed, but it is gripping. The excellent voice acting and atmospheric design pull you in to the touching story and keep you wondering what happened to these people you've never met but feel like you know. The gameplay is not difficult, but neither is it mindless. The game gives you just enough guidance to keep you on track while giving you the freedom to feel likeGone Home is not action-packed, but it is gripping. The excellent voice acting and atmospheric design pull you in to the touching story and keep you wondering what happened to these people you've never met but feel like you know. The gameplay is not difficult, but neither is it mindless. The game gives you just enough guidance to keep you on track while giving you the freedom to feel like you're in control.

    I have one complaint that keeps this from being a 10. $20 is a lot to pay for a game that took me 4 hours, and I probably spent more time exploring than most would. There is no replay value. I will still give it a 9, though, because as much as I may have preferred to pay less, I definitely don't regret buying this game. It's a one-of-a-kind experience, and I'll probably remember it much longer than the last movie I paid for.    … Expand
  93. HazardXMediaz
    Sep 15, 2013
    10
    This isn't a game. This isn't a movie. This is an experience. Taking the role of Kaitlyn Greenbriar you arrive at your home in April of 1995 after a whole year in Europe. During that past year many things have happened which may change all character's lives forever. You must read notes and listen to dialog as you attempt to piece together one of the most realistic and most heartwarmingThis isn't a game. This isn't a movie. This is an experience. Taking the role of Kaitlyn Greenbriar you arrive at your home in April of 1995 after a whole year in Europe. During that past year many things have happened which may change all character's lives forever. You must read notes and listen to dialog as you attempt to piece together one of the most realistic and most heartwarming stories of our generation. The notes are beautifully written. The voice acting is top notch. The environment around you greatly reflects on the story revolving around it. Although the textures could have been worked on a bit more, there is no arguing that the game's style looks exactly how it would have during the year in 1995 and there are no reasons why the textures take away from the experience as a whole. This world is highly interactive which adds to the overall immersion, even if the interactions are just opening doors and panels or turning off lights, all of these interactions really add to the beautiful story telling that this game has. As the story grew deeper you found yourself really beginning to grow attachments for these characters and you want to know more about their very interesting lives. Although the game does come short to about 2 hours of total playtime during a first playthrough, there are still so many things around the house that you may have missed that you may want to go back and play it again. For a price of $20 this is without a doubt a game that is worth playing.… Expand
  94. Lambo442
    Jan 2, 2014
    10
    Although it's very short I found this game to be fun to play and very touching in the end. It's also a great reminder that a fun and rewarding game doesn't have to involve killing stuff
  95. naroom
    Dec 9, 2013
    10
    This was a game experience that was unlike anything I've ever had. It has a very human story that haunted me afterwards. I couldn't stop thinking about the game when I'd finished it. This game is a work of art.

    I recommend you read as little as possible about this game before playing it. It's very easy to read something that would spoil the experience of the game. After playing it,    This was a game experience that was unlike anything I've ever had. It has a very human story that haunted me afterwards. I couldn't stop thinking about the game when I'd finished it. This game is a work of art.

    I recommend you read as little as possible about this game before playing it. It's very easy to read something that would spoil the experience of the game.

    After playing it, though, I recommend reading some of the analyses of the game that various bloggers have posted. This game has an emotional depth that's just unheard of, and it's difficult to understand the whole thing on one play-through. So, save your reading about the game until after you've played it.    … Expand
  96. kylejack
    Oct 24, 2013
    10
    This is a great game. It doesn't have the feel of any game I've played since 11th Hour, though less about solving puzzles and more about exploring a family's problems and relationships.

    I beat it in about 2.5 hours, and I wouldn't say it has much replay value, but it was going for 10bux, and I felt it was a phenomenal value.
  97. Razbeary
    Jan 14, 2014
    10
    A clear cut 10, and here's why:

    I approached the game knowing nothing of it, aside that it had gotten good reviews from critics I respect. If anything that makes it harder for a game to fly by well for me. Well the moment the game started I was mostly curious to see where it would lead. I'd try go through every bit of content for clues... The sound effects in this game makes out    A clear cut 10, and here's why:

    I approached the game knowing nothing of it, aside that it had gotten good reviews from critics I respect. If anything that makes it harder for a game to fly by well for me. Well the moment the game started I was mostly curious to see where it would lead. I'd try go through every bit of content for clues...

    The sound effects in this game makes out atleast 40% of why it scores so well with me, its a frightening lonesome experience at first, but as you grow used to your enviroment you are more at home.

    The fact that the game never gives you your goal, but the fact that it lets you realize yourself as the game progresses makes it so much more believable in the kind of story-setting it provides.

    I think the story in itself in this matter is irrellevant, it could just as easily have been a story about something completely different, but presented in a similar matter the game would still have been as good.

    As a challenge to the production company, I'd like to see the complete opposite of this story for their next game.    … Expand
  98. Nyaos
    Aug 20, 2013
    8
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I can truly understand where the negative reviews are coming from. While I thought that the atmosphere created was haunting and incredibly detailed, I too felt a little disappointment when I saw the calendar and realized that the parents were simply out of town. The game sets itself up as a horror adventure game. Dead of night, abandoned mansion with a haunted history, in the middle of a severe thunderstorm. It's perfect!

    The story told is truly beautiful and touching, I felt connected to the characters in a way in which I thought was incredible, despite the game only being about 2-3 hours if you take it slow. It's just disappointing in ways, because I think we all wanted to find the parents murdered in the basement, or the Sam hanging in the attic. Not for any morbid reason, that is simply how the game sets itself up.

    What the game ultimately becomes is a wonderful lesson on keeping calm in a strange situation, and waiting for the truth to emerge. I still really enjoyed this game, I just am writing because I sympathize with the people that felt let down that the game's dark and creepy tone became all for nothing.    … Expand
  99. UjuidarEhcram
    Nov 6, 2013
    7
    Gone Home is an adventure game where you play as someone coming home to a new house after spending time in Europe, only to find that nobody's home to greet you. The dark house with creaky floorboards and faulty electrical wiring makes it pretty spooky, and sets a dark tone that makes you wonder: was everyone just busy that night, or is there something happening in the shadows? As youGone Home is an adventure game where you play as someone coming home to a new house after spending time in Europe, only to find that nobody's home to greet you. The dark house with creaky floorboards and faulty electrical wiring makes it pretty spooky, and sets a dark tone that makes you wonder: was everyone just busy that night, or is there something happening in the shadows? As you explore the house, checking out objects and reading letters, you start to catch up on what happened in the year the protagonist missed, leading up to the secret behind the empty house.

    Maybe I'm overselling it. I certainly enjoyed exploring the house and piecing together the puzzle, but this is definitely an artsy sort of game, and it's definitely not for everyone. The game is slow, and you do little besides explore and read. But, the story is itriguing and the house is pretty realistic, so if you do enjoy exploring and reading, you may really enjoy this game.

    The controls are done well. There's generally no music, though you can listen to a few casettes you find along the way. The sound is pretty creepy between the thunderstorm and the house's noises. The entire experience is really short; I finished it in 2.5 hours.

    For such a short game, I don't think I could recommned it at all for $20, but this would be a great game to pick up on a Steam sale. I enjoyed it, and fans of exploration-based games will enjoy it, but Gone Home won't be worth it to you if you are impatient or have a short attention span.    … Expand
  100. Jacer200
    May 17, 2014
    7
    This is a good little interactive story. The graphics are good and the single voice actor gives her character some soul. In my opinion interactive stories are a genre of gaming like RTS or RPG to first person shooters. But it is very niche. Only buy this game at under $10 because of the length per dollar you get.
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Awards & Rankings

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

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
86

Generally favorable reviews - based on 56 Critic Reviews

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