Dear Esther: Landmark Edition

 PlayStation 4
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
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  1. 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. 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    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    … Expand
  2. gygessgygess
    Oct 2, 2016
    10
    Yes, in this game you will only have the controls of walking. However, it is much more about the experience. Controls should not dictate whether a game has an amazing story or not. Dear Esther's poetic story had me in tears by the end, because it gave me a better story than any other game has ever produced for me, ever. I played Everybody's Gone to The Rapture, Gone Home, and you can evenYes, in this game you will only have the controls of walking. However, it is much more about the experience. Controls should not dictate whether a game has an amazing story or not. Dear Esther's poetic story had me in tears by the end, because it gave me a better story than any other game has ever produced for me, ever. I played Everybody's Gone to The Rapture, Gone Home, and you can even include more popular AAA games like The Last of Us, the Half-Life series, whatever you want to name: no game has produced the emotions this game did. And it's not all very clear, a lot of that emotion isn't necessarily about the game, but it's also just thinking about your life, and the people around you.

    So yes, the input you have is where to walk. But the power you have is to look, see, hear, and experience what you do in this game. If you want something concise but powerful, only a few movies carry the emotional impact of Dear Esther.    … Expand
  3. thedaarkbatty
    Sep 21, 2016
    10
    I wished this game wasn't so long and too hard. I played for 30 minutes and could not put it down. The game does suck though but it's still very good.
  4. Nevergoalone
    Aug 10, 2017
    10
    Uma agradável surpresa. O texto e a música são simplesmente fantásticos. "Dear Esther" não é um jogo. É uma experiência emocional. É arte no seu mais puro estado.
  5. miczat
    Jun 5, 2021
    8
    Haunting. It's a story, a puzzling story, told as you traverse the island. I still listen to the soundtrack by Jessica Curry years later.
  6. Kesagake
    Jul 15, 2020
    8
    An interesting and unconventional game with a unique approach to storytelling. Not for everyone, but very well-crafted and worth it for those willing to slow down for a few hours.
  7. YoRHa_
    Feb 15, 2022
    10
    Эта игра - точнее даже сказать не игра, а визуальная аудио книга, очень любопытное произведение. Литературная проза в сочетании с визуальным артхаусом, так как это воспринял я. Эмоции она вызывает не детские, так что готовьтесь к душевным страданиям. В сочетании с визуальной составляющей и музыкальным сопровождением вызывает мурашки по коже. А загадочность повествования, погружает вас вЭта игра - точнее даже сказать не игра, а визуальная аудио книга, очень любопытное произведение. Литературная проза в сочетании с визуальным артхаусом, так как это воспринял я. Эмоции она вызывает не детские, так что готовьтесь к душевным страданиям. В сочетании с визуальной составляющей и музыкальным сопровождением вызывает мурашки по коже. А загадочность повествования, погружает вас в мысли самого автора данного произведения. Так что, это очень и очень игра на любителя. Но я доволен данным опытом и могу внести её в список искусно сделанных и запоминающихся работ нашего поколения.… Expand
  8. Shenandoah
    May 15, 2021
    9
    Unfortunately that game is too short. Anyway it was a great experience. Awesome visuals which remembers on a poetry. Very emotional story. There are just too less games out there which have such a background. Well done, thanks.

Critic Reviews

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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
  1. PSNStores
    May 3, 2017
    60
    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.
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  2. The Digital Fix
    Oct 26, 2016
    80
    A hauntingly immersive experience which may not be as exciting as the average game but four years on it's still a beautiful piece of art. If you haven't played it before now is the time to pick it up.
    Read full review
  3. 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.
    Read full review
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