There are a style of games that are becoming increasingly popular, especially on markets such as Steam, however people constantly use the same complaint about them in order to try to stop the game being as amazing as it deserves to be. That complaint is that there is no gameplay, that it isn't a game because you don't actually do anything. Now I'll agree that the term game does have to be used loosely around these experiences, but I prefer to use the term 'Interactive Story' for them. Not only because they deserve a genre in the gaming world but because the only entertainment medium these experiences would actually work in is gaming.
Gone Home belongs to this niche genre and alongside examples such as The Stanley Parable, is one of the best story driven experiences on the market.
Katie is a young woman who returns home after a years backpacking across Europe. However when she arrives at the family home in the middle of a violent thunderstorm, the house is not only empty but in a untidy & strange state.
You find a handful of notes from your sister Sam, talking about her year and at first these seem unconnected. However its not until you begin to delve deeper that you realise that these notes form a story, a story we can all relate to because at some point we have all been a teenager. We have all felt unappreciated, misunderstood, like doing something stupid and having to face the consequences and above all found that someone that finally understands who you are and loves you for it.
It deals with some pretty big issues to do with family, friends, love, school, jobs. All the things that are the big things in your life when you're a teenager and the things that really only affect a teenager.
If you put yourself back to when all you cared about was getting homework done, going to a movie with friends and hoping that special someone would smile back when you met each others eyes then you'll be able to relate to Gone Home and it becomes a very personal experience.
It keeps you guessing right until the end and when it does end, you feel happy because you know what it feels like to have done the same thing.
As mentioned before, Gone Home has not real gameplay to it. Your purpose is to walk around the empty house searching for notes left by your sister. Occasionally you'll find a key to unlock a door to a new part of the house but its all in moderation. You'll need to be patient, unlike Stanley Parable's extremely short length and high replay value, and Dear Esther's near infinite playability cycle, Gone Home is a 2 hour single time experience. There are no secrets to find and there are no alternative story paths. Once you're done you've seen it all, you might go back an play it again at a later date if you enjoy it but its very much a one trick pony as it wont have anywhere near the same effect the 2nd time round.
The game runs off the engine used in Amnesia: The Dark Decent so the game looks good and runs well, however can be a bit of a strain on older computers despite it not being overly graphically intensive.
Due to this engine, the game has excellent sound quality and cant help but create a eerie and sometimes unsettling atmosphere.
The voice acting makes the game, if the voice actors had been bland the game would have flopped however the voices of Sam, Lonnie & Katie bring the world to life and make the experience extremely engaging.
Its a short review I know but Gone Home is something that if you talk about too much you'll give it's best secrets away. If you are a fan of the interactive story genre then Gone Home should be a no brainier buy for you, however you'll need to ask the question if the price tag is worth the one time experience.
The only question left to ask now is, what is in the attic?
Gone Home – 8/10
+Engaging Story
+You Can Make It Personal
+Excellent Audio Quality
-A One Time Experience
