#6 - Gone Home


Platform I played on: PlayStation 4
Available platforms: PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Steam
Developers/Publishers: The Fullbright Company, Majesco
Length: 3 hours

Story:
In Gone Home, you assume the role of Kaitlin who has returned home for a visit. Unfortunately, it seems no one else is around. On top of that, you find some vague, cryptic messages left by your little sister, Sam. Your goal is to find out what exactly has been going on since you went on your European adventure. Where is your sister? What happened to her?

Gameplay:
Another "walking sim" style of game. In Gone Home, you explore the home of Kaitlin's family, trying to piece together what happened. You'll also need to find specific clues in order to advance to other areas of the house. You can examine and interact with objects, and you'll also be able to find journal entries left by Sam, which you can listen to any time from the menu. You'll also get a map so that you won't get too lost in the giant house.



Environment:
The game takes place in a single house. A big house, sure, but one house nonetheless. Gone Home tries to spread it out by opening up more of the house to explore as you go along, but you will just be traveling from room to room. The biggest variance is the way the rooms are decorated differently and what you can find in them. It also takes place in a single night, so nothing really changes much within the environment, although minor changes do happen when you get the necessary information.

Ambiance:
The ambiance is pretty good. There's definitely that air of mystery to it and at times it even feels a bit scary. Being alone in a big house at night, wondering where everybody is. But it also does a good job of helping us see what Sam went through by providing key music to play and having her voice over her journal entries. I could kind of feel the sadness and the happiness associated with the different rooms while exploring.



Choices:
Again, not really much here. Just going along with the story and uncovering it at your own pace.

Puzzles:
Not many, but there is trying to collect everything and find combinations to locks and that kind of stuff. Nothing major here either.



Cons:
-Super short
-Not much variance
-Space feels limiting

Pros:
-An interesting and touching story
-Good ambiance
-Looks good
-Good voice acting

Overall:
Gone Home gets a lot of praise so I was a bit worried that it would be overrated and I would find myself disappointed. While I don't think it's AMAZING, BEST GAME OF THE YEAR, ALMOST PERFECT like some reviews seem to think, it was a really enjoyable experience that felt very grounded and down to earth. Even if you haven't personally faced the struggles presented in the game, it still feels relatable and the characters seem very real. While it's by no means a perfect game, and is probably quite boring for anyone who doesn't like the "walking sim" style of game, I had such a good time with it, I played it twice in two days.

Verdict:
It's okay to leave the lights on all over the house