Why I didn't like Dear Esther, but you might.

[Eris Nightshade]

I wanted to write this thread so as to tell you the negatives, but also why this game really should be played at least once.
Now a review of Dear Esther is truly not going to help distinguish if you should buy it or not. There are different opinions and the game is very polarizing. Some consider this a masterpiece, while others consider it trite. I'm a rare exception who thinks theres good and bad in Dear Esther.

The good: The imagery is very immersive and nice to look at. You will find yourself looking at the scenery in disbelief that this was made in source. It is truly an immersive experience and shouls probably be played for that alone.

The bad: The story is very disjointed and dissapointing. The game builds up kind of a sense of mystery but fails to truly deliver. The main reason is the fact that lines of the story are random. If you don't know why this would be a bad thing, randomizing a story through a generator dillutes and disjoints the story as a whole, and the ending is always the same. The random generation adds lines to the game that are unresolved. I'm not going to tell you the story cause I want you to play this. I want you to experience a true sense of immersion and I have a feeling telling you what it's about will hamper on your decision to purchase/play Dear Esther.

Now why do I feel like this game is important to play if the story is ♥♥♥♥♥? Because the environments are amazing, also because you might like it where as I didn't. A review of this game isn't helpful so take the bad with a grain of salt. You might find it very enjoyable. Play the source mod first though to determine if its worth dropping your money on. I got DE with a humble bundle for a buck so I feel like I got my moneys worth.

[illgib]

One word: The ending it's not always the same, you get a whole different feel every playtrought, due the random lines system. The scene is the same, the words and moods absolutely not.

[Eris Nightshade]

Publicado originalmente por illgib:

One word: The ending it's not always the same, you get a whole different feel every playtrought, due the random lines system. The scene is the same, the words and moods absolutely not.

Heh I never thought of it that way. Puts a new perspective on the ending. Thanks dude ^^.

[illgib]

I had two playrought, and watched my gf, so i've seen it three times so far. I got two "happy ending" and one "really sad" one. But i managed to skip most secondary roads in my second playtrought, i got a couple of new lines and a more arsh general feel. It's random, but anyway it can fit every pieces at their places. The story is one, but the feels are different every time. Give it a deeper try.
For sure it's something to remember and talk about even after the ending. Not very common in videogames!

[Eris Nightshade]

I think I shall when I get the time.

[Maverick]

On the bright side, you can reluctantly jump full of sadness or free your spirit gladly...

Either way, you finish as no more than a seagull. :)

[Eris Nightshade]

Publicado originalmente por Maverick:

On the bright side, you can reluctantly jump full of sadness or free your spirit gladly...

Either way, you finish as no more than a seagull. :)

....Dude spoilers XD.

[SeriousCat]

I didn't even know there were different endings.

Must. Replay. Dear Esther.

[Eris Nightshade]

Publicado originalmente por SeriousCat:

I didn't even know there were different endings.

Must. Replay. Dear Esther.

Not neccessarily different. Just the feeling you have by the end of it is different each time.

[illgib]

Publicado originalmente por keozeo:

Publicado originalmente por Maverick:

On the bright side, you can reluctantly jump full of sadness or free your spirit gladly...

Either way, you finish as no more than a seagull. :)

....Dude spoilers XD.

Not really, just symbolism.

[Eris Nightshade]

Publicado originalmente por illgib:

Publicado originalmente por keozeo:

....Dude spoilers XD.

Not really, just symbolism.

Guess you're right there.

[Raz]

~Possible spoilers~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

From my playthrough I got the impression that I was the drunk driver that wasn't watching where I was going and got the other 2 killed, and that I was wandering this island in a depression looking for a way to off myself, while looking over wreckage and things to remind myself of what I did and remorse for being the only survivor.

I read a seperate playthrough that said the other guy was the drunk driver, and that it was his fault that everyone died, and that the island was like a limbo sort of thing.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~End of the spoiling~


I really dig the ambiguity of it all, leaving it up to interpretation and really making you think.
I've never played a game before that just left me... staring at the screen with my mouth open.
It left me speechless.

Well worth the money, I think.

[[UFO] rad87gn]

The scene when under water during the caves is random too.

[illgib]

Publicado originalmente por rad87gn:

The scene when under water during the caves is random too.

Why?

[Eris Nightshade]

Publicado originalmente por illgib:

Publicado originalmente por rad87gn:

The scene when under water during the caves is random too.

Why?

I acctually didn't know that *shrugs* and who knows?

[illgib]

It's a scripted scene, depicting the Sanford intersection where the incident occured, some sort of a day dream.