There are many different corners of my review that I can start on. Sometimes a literal corner, sometimes looking for just the right picture to spruce up the article with.
For this one my first step was to scroll down to one of the corners and write down 10/10.
Welcome to Gone Home.
There are many different corners of my review that I can start on. Sometimes a literal corner, sometimes looking for just the right picture to spruce up the article with.
For this one my first step was to scroll down to one of the corners and write down 10/10.Welcome to Gone Home.
My History / I've gone home too!
This game wasn't really on my radar until it made a bit of a splash upon release.
Suddenly people were talking about what the definition of a game is, and if Gone Home still counts as one. I perked up wondering what the fuss was about, gathered that it was 'just' about walking through a house and lost interest again. No complex RPG mechanics, no alien planets, hard pass.
Friends that did take the dive (I almost forgot, also no cool water physics!) came out thoroughly impressed though, and I got quite curious what the fuss was about. Not quite curious enough to get it, but two Christmases after the game came out I was subtly encouraged by one of said friends when I got gifted a copy.
And then I played it and understood.
Reassurance: As you might have noticed, I'm not really going into specifics here. The idea is that the whole triangle review will be spoiler free and then I'll have a short aside where I talk about the things I want to talk about that I wouldn't have wanted (and didn't have) spoiled on my playthrough.
Plot summary / So there's this girl that goes home...
Kaitlin Greenbriar returns home from a year abroad. It's a bit of a peculiar homecoming though, it's a stormy night and it was a late flight so she took a cab up to the house by herself. A house that she doesn't know because her parents decided to move while she was away. To make matters even more disconcerting nobody appears to be home.
So Kaitlin explores the strange house filled with furniture and other items she does know well and tries to find out where her parents and younger sister are.
The house is clearly inhabited by her family, maybe a bit more messy than she expected, but where is everyone?
Corner 1: Adventure 6.5/10 / "The Psycho House Girl."
- 🚀 You're exploring an unknown environment, not sure of the next thing you'll find.
- 📋 It's just a 90s family home though, this isn't really a grand adventure.
- 🚀 As you make your way through the house you do find a number of journal entries from your younger sister, Sam, that describe her adventures of fitting in at a new school.
- 🚀 You're exploring an unknown environment, not sure of the next thing you'll find.
- 📋 It's just a 90s family home though, this isn't really a grand adventure.
- 🚀 As you make your way through the house you do find a number of journal entries from your younger sister, Sam, that describe her adventures of fitting in at a new school.
Corner 2: Smart 7.5/10 / "Just like I was talking to you."
- 💡 Other than the home being huge for 4 people (10+ rooms!), it's impressively normal and doesn't succumb to so many videogames' inclination of unrealistic space.
- 💡 There is a deception going on in the game, and it's impressively pulled off.
- 💤 - however, this might give some players the wrong impression.
- 💡 The narrated journal entries are very well timed, yet still feel reactive.
- 💤 At times it's not super clear where to go next.
- 💡 Other than the home being huge for 4 people (10+ rooms!), it's impressively normal and doesn't succumb to so many videogames' inclination of unrealistic space.
- 💡 There is a deception going on in the game, and it's impressively pulled off.
- 💤 - however, this might give some players the wrong impression.
- 💡 The narrated journal entries are very well timed, yet still feel reactive.
- 💤 At times it's not super clear where to go next.
Corner 3: Heart 10/10 / "I've known since, like, She-Ra."
- 💖 <piles of spoilers, please see the section below the triangle if you don't care about spoilers or already played the game>
- 💖 It's tricky to give character to what is (save for the opening voicemail) a silent protagonist, but a lot of items and notes you find have little commentary from Kaitlin, imbuing her with personality.
- 💖 Sam on the other hand has a bunch of narrated journal entries, and all of them are excellent.
It's not often that I've given out a perfect score for a corner, and this is the first time for the Heart corner.
That should be a pretty high score, let's see...
- 💖 <piles of spoilers, please see the section below the triangle if you don't care about spoilers or already played the game>
- 💖 It's tricky to give character to what is (save for the opening voicemail) a silent protagonist, but a lot of items and notes you find have little commentary from Kaitlin, imbuing her with personality.
- 💖 Sam on the other hand has a bunch of narrated journal entries, and all of them are excellent.
It's not often that I've given out a perfect score for a corner, and this is the first time for the Heart corner.
81.73
Oh wow, it even breached into the 80s, impressive. Not super surprising though, I basically recommend this game to anybody. Not quite as universally as Stacking, but it's close.
Maybe next I'll cover another game that tugs at some heartstrings...
Now, about those spoilers...
FINAL WARNING
Only select the following block when you want to read spoilers or (preferably) have played the game:
So, there is no spooky reason for the house to be empty. The parents are out on a couples retreat to patch up their spotty marriage, leaving the house to Sam (which is why it's in a bit of disarray) who stormed out of the house earlier that night to go see a friend... well, I say friend, more like crush-and-then-girlfriend who at the last minute gave up her dreams to be with Sam instead. This revelation comes at the crescendo of a set of journal entries that show Sam being sad about it, after players have finally gotten access to the attic. It was very ambiguously set up, and it very much foreshadowed that you might be about to find your dead sister up there. This total turnout, full of joy and catharsis is what gives this game its 10/10 in heart. Its strength is ridiculous, and to experience it unspoiled has been one of my most memorable gaming experiences to date.
Maybe next I'll cover another game that tugs at some heartstrings...
Now, about those spoilers...
FINAL WARNING
Only select the following block when you want to read spoilers or (preferably) have played the game:So, there is no spooky reason for the house to be empty. The parents are out on a couples retreat to patch up their spotty marriage, leaving the house to Sam (which is why it's in a bit of disarray) who stormed out of the house earlier that night to go see a friend... well, I say friend, more like crush-and-then-girlfriend who at the last minute gave up her dreams to be with Sam instead. This revelation comes at the crescendo of a set of journal entries that show Sam being sad about it, after players have finally gotten access to the attic. It was very ambiguously set up, and it very much foreshadowed that you might be about to find your dead sister up there. This total turnout, full of joy and catharsis is what gives this game its 10/10 in heart. Its strength is ridiculous, and to experience it unspoiled has been one of my most memorable gaming experiences to date.
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