Dear Esther: Landmark Edition

 PlayStation 4
Metascore
68

Mixed or average reviews - based on 21 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 10 out of 21
  2. Mixed: 9 out of 21
  3. Negative: 2 out of 21
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  1. DarkStation
    Oct 21, 2016
    40
    The game shines most through its aesthetics with impressive environments and an atmospheric score. Its lack of agency and action may bore players, especially if the confusing story doesn’t reach them.
  2. The Jimquisition
    Sep 24, 2016
    30
    Dear Esther may have played a huge part in the growth of interactive drama, but it remains an acorn compared to the trees it helped grow. It’s an ultimately shallow game, one that rattles off a story directly without any finesse or attempt to integrate it with the gameplay. Its disparate elements are boldly segregated, and there are none more filtered from the production than the players themselves.

User Reviews

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User Score
6.1

Mixed or average reviews- based on 63 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 21 out of 63
  2. Mixed: 27 out of 63
  3. Negative: 15 out of 63
  1. ragethorn
    Sep 26, 2016
    2
    I'm a huge fan of Gone Home, Everybody's Gone to the Rapture, Slenderman, and a bunch of these so-called "walking simulators".

    Gone Home    I'm a huge fan of Gone Home, Everybody's Gone to the Rapture, Slenderman, and a bunch of these so-called "walking simulators".

    Gone Home was great. It was filled with mystery, atmosphere and dread. Every clue you find puts another bad thought in your head.

    I was hoping Dear Esther, would be the same. It wasn't. Gone Home is a different breed. Everybody's Gone to the Rapture is developed by the same guys who made Dear Esther. It wasn't my favorite game but it was creepy and huge. The town looked like it was filled with secrets. I enjoyed it but I wouldn't replay it. Dear Esther isn't even that.

    I love shorts games but only if it does its job. The Park did its job. It's an interactive, hour long horror movie where you play the protagonist.

    Dear Esther is about an hour long, maybe 90 mins. You walk around an island triggering talking points to let you know you're going into the right direction. The graphics are sub-par but that's expected since it's an indie game.

    Controls are simple. There's only walk and zoom. Zoom doesn't seem to do anything. You don't bump into anyone or anything. It's just dull.

    The best moments of the game come when you enter a broken down cabin and your flashlight comes on. It reminded me of 11th Hour, an old PC CD-ROM game from the 90's.

    This game isn't for me. I need purpose in my short indie video games. Gone Home hit me hard. Everybody's Gone to the Rapture got emotional towards the end. Slender-Man terrified me, even with it's technical issues. Dear Esther isn't even interactive. I paid $11 to walk around a generic island for an hour and that's not fair.    … Full Review »
  2. SuperkenGaming
    Sep 20, 2016
    8
    Dear Esther
    A chilling Mystery
    Dear Esther is a walking simulator, or what I prefer to call a first person exploration game You play as.    Dear Esther
    A chilling Mystery
    Dear Esther is a walking simulator, or what I prefer to call a first person exploration game
    You play as. I’m not even sure...
    But its someone walking around a beautiful island that strangely feels so real…
    The sounds, the wind…
    The environment of Dear Esther is near perfect and so easily draws you in…
    As you explore the world you’ll Hear a narrator talking To Esther…
    There’s speculation of who Esther is, who this Narrator is and all of this is up for you to decide.. To draw your own conclusions of…
    And to prevent spoilers I will leave my speculation out of this review, as speculation I believe is where the most enjoyment of this experience is at…
    There are no puzzles here, hardly any hazards other than drowning or falling…
    you’re simply placed into a world to explore and feel…
    My only complaint of this experience is that the environment is not fully interactive…
    You’ll hear footsteps on the ground as you walk, but when you walk in water its feels like you are floating on top of it.. there is no sound which is all too noticeable and broke the immersion for me multiple times…
    I’m not sure how this was overlooked… but it definitely hurts the overall experience…
    Dear Esther is an enjoyable 1 and a half hours, you can even replay with directors commentary or fresh to see if you’ve noticed any subtle changes, which I definitely did as the game was designed to be slightly different each time you play…
    Will Dear Esther blow you away with its story, design, and visuals?
    Probably not. But if you’re a fan of mystery, or just want a calming environment to visit you owe it to yourself to pick this one up…
    I give Dear Esther an
    8.0/10    … Full Review »
  3. Alvokun
    Jan 21, 2017
    6
    I can perceive all the work behind the game, especially after listening to the director's commentaries, which I found quite interesting andI can perceive all the work behind the game, especially after listening to the director's commentaries, which I found quite interesting and -necessarily- enlightening. However, I cannot avoid feeling... indifferent to the game, but in a few exceptional occasions.

    I think I understood what must be understood in the game -which is not much, indeed-, but still, I just believe it does not transmit enough. It has some powerful symbols, good musical moments... but it never ends up shining completely.

    I guess it is worth trying, in any case. It may simply be a bit whimsical: depending on your mood the day you play it, you will love the slow pace and the symbolism or you will simply walk across the island almost for the sake of walking.    … Full Review »
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