Dear Esther: Landmark Edition

Throughout its very short 90 minute run time, Dear Esther creates an atmospheric and engaging experience that begs you to keep playing. If you’ve played it before though, the director’s commentary is all that’s new for the Landmark Edition.

While it lacks the same emotional presentation of games like Journey, or the same consistently compelling narrative of games like Gone Home or The Stanley Parable, Dear Esther’s exceptional writing and soundtrack help the title overcome these flaws, providing a worthwhile journey for those willing to take it.

Dear Esther has grand ambitions. On one hand, these were achieved. On the other, Dear Esther never reaches it full potential and results in a game that’s good, not great.

Dear Esther isn’t a groundbreaking experience, but it did help pioneer more games in its genre. It will take you a little under 2 hours to complete the game’s four main areas, but it is a game that you might want to play again upon completing it to further understand its plot. The Director’s Commentary will add another playthrough for those looking for an interesting background on how the game was created and its inspirations.

Like a cryptic film, you’ll probably find yourself finishing a playthrough and heading to Google to search ‘Dear Esther meaning'.

It may have been something special back in 2008, but it is definitely showing its age — especially when compared to The Chinese Room’s later releases, Esther falls dramatically short of modern expectations.

As a fairly big defender of the "walking simulator" genre, I feel really let down by Dear Esther. It needed more of something, whether it be a better story, more gameplay than wandering, or more interaction with the island. Definitely needed more than a feeling of "huh" when it ended.