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Started By
Message
Thoughts on the Indie game "Gone Home"
Posted on 8/30/13 at 6:12 pm
Posted on 8/30/13 at 6:12 pm
I've noticed DieDaily has played it. How is it? No spoilers of course. 
3
Posted on 8/30/13 at 7:38 pm to The Dudes Rug
It's so hard to talk about it without spoiling it because for the most part the story *is* the game, but I'll do my best.
The game starts off with you, a young college student, returning home (really, your parent's home) from a long trip abroad. When you arrive it's storming outside and no one appears to be home. The rest of the game is you exploring the house, figuring out where everyone is, and piecing together clues that reveal what they've been up to while you've been out of the country.
It's played from the first person perspective and the gameplay is all about slowly exploring the house, picking up objects to examine them, and listening to what amount to audio logs.
I really liked it and the story, but there are many who won't because of the subject matter. Also, because of the time period it's set in I got kind of nostalgic playing it. They do a good job of making you feel like you are in the time period it's set in. They also subtly guide you through the house and story in a linear fashion, but it doesn't feel linear. I felt like I was choosing exactly where I wanted to go next.
If had to compare it to another game, I'd say it's very similar to "Dear Esther." However, I think it succeeds everywhere that game failed. Also, this same company made the Bioshock 2 DLC "Minerva's Den" which I've heard many people say is better than Bioshock 2's main campaign and just as good as anything Levine and company have made. I really want to check that out now.
The only reservation I have in recommending it to you, is the price tag. I think 20 bucks is too steep for a game that basically took me 2.5 hours to complete. $10 sounds about right.
I know I'm wordy, but I hope that helps.
(If anyone else has played it, I'd love to hear their thoughts on it.)
The game starts off with you, a young college student, returning home (really, your parent's home) from a long trip abroad. When you arrive it's storming outside and no one appears to be home. The rest of the game is you exploring the house, figuring out where everyone is, and piecing together clues that reveal what they've been up to while you've been out of the country.
It's played from the first person perspective and the gameplay is all about slowly exploring the house, picking up objects to examine them, and listening to what amount to audio logs.
I really liked it and the story, but there are many who won't because of the subject matter. Also, because of the time period it's set in I got kind of nostalgic playing it. They do a good job of making you feel like you are in the time period it's set in. They also subtly guide you through the house and story in a linear fashion, but it doesn't feel linear. I felt like I was choosing exactly where I wanted to go next.
If had to compare it to another game, I'd say it's very similar to "Dear Esther." However, I think it succeeds everywhere that game failed. Also, this same company made the Bioshock 2 DLC "Minerva's Den" which I've heard many people say is better than Bioshock 2's main campaign and just as good as anything Levine and company have made. I really want to check that out now.
The only reservation I have in recommending it to you, is the price tag. I think 20 bucks is too steep for a game that basically took me 2.5 hours to complete. $10 sounds about right.
I know I'm wordy, but I hope that helps.
(If anyone else has played it, I'd love to hear their thoughts on it.)
Posted on 8/30/13 at 7:41 pm to DieDaily
quote:
I think 20 bucks is too steep for a game that basically took me 2.5 hours to complete. $10 sounds about right.
That's my reason for not purchasing right now. I'm intrigued, but will wait out a sale.
Posted on 8/30/13 at 7:54 pm to sbr2
quote:
That's my reason for not purchasing right now. I'm intrigued, but will wait out a sale.
I was waiting for it to go on sale during the holidays but a good friend gifted it to me. I'll be interested to see what you, Dude, and others on this board think of it once it drops in price.
Posted on 12/8/13 at 2:17 pm to The Dudes Rug
So I finally got to play through it and I enjoyed it. It really plays with your adolescent-primal fears. I found myself finding relief to turn every light in the house on. There were several times where the suspense was building so much, I just knew there would be something to jump scare me, but it never happens, and you still feel that fear when entering a new room.
Spoliers below
I liked learning about all of the family members, but I'm a bit confused about the end. I'm not sure if its left up for interpretation or did something happen to Sam (suicide or ran away with Lonnie). And I assume the parents are gone on the camping trip.
Spoliers below
I liked learning about all of the family members, but I'm a bit confused about the end. I'm not sure if its left up for interpretation or did something happen to Sam (suicide or ran away with Lonnie). And I assume the parents are gone on the camping trip.
Posted on 12/8/13 at 6:06 pm to The Dudes Rug
**Spoilers, obviously**
It's been a while since I played through it so I don't remember the details but I interpreted it as Sam and Lonnie simply running away together, not wanting to share their specific whereabouts until they are a bit more settled.
The dad seemed to find some new success in his writing (the "You can do better" note really hit me) and the mom seemed to be focusing on her family again, rather than looking elsewhere.
What I love most about the game is exactly what you touched on. Everyone has explored a house by themselves in real life before and felt a little scared of what might be around the next corner. But that's it, no monster jumped out and most likely no terribly violent event was discovered. It was just creepy and unsettling all on it's own. This game plays with that. Because it's a video game, you have this expectation that something supernatural is going to happen, but it never does. For example, I love the moment you come upon a tub that appears to be full of blood spatters and then it's revealed it's simply hair dye from a few nights prior.
You go in expecting something way out there and instead get a very grounded, real story and a snapshot of life in the early 90's.
It's been a while since I played through it so I don't remember the details but I interpreted it as Sam and Lonnie simply running away together, not wanting to share their specific whereabouts until they are a bit more settled.
The dad seemed to find some new success in his writing (the "You can do better" note really hit me) and the mom seemed to be focusing on her family again, rather than looking elsewhere.
What I love most about the game is exactly what you touched on. Everyone has explored a house by themselves in real life before and felt a little scared of what might be around the next corner. But that's it, no monster jumped out and most likely no terribly violent event was discovered. It was just creepy and unsettling all on it's own. This game plays with that. Because it's a video game, you have this expectation that something supernatural is going to happen, but it never does. For example, I love the moment you come upon a tub that appears to be full of blood spatters and then it's revealed it's simply hair dye from a few nights prior.
You go in expecting something way out there and instead get a very grounded, real story and a snapshot of life in the early 90's.
Posted on 12/9/13 at 8:14 pm to DieDaily
I finished this around Thanksgiving and really really liked it. You both already said everything I liked about the game.
DieDaily: I played Minerva's Den and it was a neat story, but not as well done as Gone Home. Maybe the hype for that DLC got to me, but I thought Minerva's Den was good but not great.
DieDaily: I played Minerva's Den and it was a neat story, but not as well done as Gone Home. Maybe the hype for that DLC got to me, but I thought Minerva's Den was good but not great.
Posted on 12/10/13 at 1:04 pm to TomyDingo
bump
Posted on 12/10/13 at 1:51 pm to The Dudes Rug
Posted on 12/10/13 at 2:40 pm to TomyDingo
quote:
I played Minerva's Den and it was a neat story, but not as well done as Gone Home. Maybe the hype for that DLC got to me, but I thought Minerva's Den was good but not great.
Thanks for sharing. I still haven't played it but I was pleasantly surprised to find out it was added to the Steam version of Bioshock 2 for free. I plan to play it one day, but there's just so many more things I want to get to first (The Last of Us, Zelda: A Link Between Worlds, AC4).
If it makes an impression on my when I finally get around to it, I might make a new thread to discuss it. Maybe that will get a few people interested enough in it to give it a shot, assuming it warrants one.
I'm really curious to see what the "The Fullbright Company" develops next.
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