Gone Home is a unique new entrant in the increasingly popular "interactive story" sub-genre. The closest comparison I can make is to Dear Esther, in that both games aren't really games, and involve piecing together a story by observation. However, there is much more to Gone Home than simply walking a linear path. Instead, you have complete freedom to explore an extremely detailed environment. The game takes place in the mid-1990s, and you play as a college student who returns home from a year abroad to find her home empty. What happened to her parents and sister? It's up to you to find out. But there are no "puzzles" to be solved, and no other game-like elements to speak of. You simply explore the house at your own pace and investigate. Many objects can be picked up and examined, and you will find letters and tapes (it's the 90s, remember?) strewn about that contain clues about what's been going on since you left. Aside from one major story through-line involving your sister (that is chronicled via voice-over journal entries), piecing together the rest of the story is left up to you - like, in your actual brain - not as part of any gameplay mechanic. Essentially, how much you get out of the game depends purely on how much investment and deduction you put into it. If you aren't interested in non-game games or story-based games, there isn't much I can recommend here, as ultimately, there just isn't much to it, aside from that. But if you are open to these new types of gaming experiences, this is a great one. The house, its secrets, the characters... they all work. There are a ton of little things to discover and piece together about the story, and it's a really memorable experience... at least, it is while it lasts. And that is my only main criticism of the game - the length vs price issue. The playtime will depend on how deliberate you are in exploring the environment and how much you care about the story. But I'd say it can probably be completed in anywhere from just a couple of hours (if you only do the bare minimum of investigating), up to 3-4 hours (if you are anal and OCD like me). And when you consider that along with the $20 price tag, it's hard for me to fully recommend. If it were $10 and you are the kind of person who is open to these types of games, I'd say buy it without a second thought. But $20 seems just a tad too steep to me (and trust me, it pains me to say that, as I absolutely loved the game). I don't personally have any regrets buying it, but if you're on the fence, I'd say hold off until a sale. Price aside, Gone Home is a really well-done gam--- sorry, I mean "interactive STORY" --- and a great new addition to this sub-genre.

Gone Home is a unique new entrant in the increasingly popular "interactive story" sub-genre. The closest comparison I can make is to Dear Esther, in that both games aren't really games, and involve piecing together a story by observation. However, there is much more to Gone Home than simply walking a linear path. Instead, you have complete freedom to explore an extremely detailed environment. The game takes place in the mid-1990s, and you play as a college student who returns home from a year abroad to find her home empty. What happened to her parents and sister? It's up to you to find out. But there are no "puzzles" to be solved, and no other game-like elements to speak of. You simply explore the house at your own pace and investigate. Many objects can be picked up and examined, and you will find letters and tapes (it's the 90s, remember?) strewn about that contain clues about what's been going on since you left. Aside from one major story through-line involving your sister (that is chronicled via voice-over journal entries), piecing together the rest of the story is left up to you - like, in your actual brain - not as part of any gameplay mechanic. Essentially, how much you get out of the game depends purely on how much investment and deduction you put into it. If you aren't interested in non-game games or story-based games, there isn't much I can recommend here, as ultimately, there just isn't much to it, aside from that. But if you are open to these new types of gaming experiences, this is a great one. The house, its secrets, the characters... they all work. There are a ton of little things to discover and piece together about the story, and it's a really memorable experience... at least, it is while it lasts. And that is my only main criticism of the game - the length vs price issue. The playtime will depend on how deliberate you are in exploring the environment and how much you care about the story. But I'd say it can probably be completed in anywhere from just a couple of hours (if you only do the bare minimum of investigating), up to 3-4 hours (if you are anal and OCD like me). And when you consider that along with the $20 price tag, it's hard for me to fully recommend. If it were $10 and you are the kind of person who is open to these types of games, I'd say buy it without a second thought. But $20 seems just a tad too steep to me (and trust me, it pains me to say that, as I absolutely loved the game). I don't personally have any regrets buying it, but if you're on the fence, I'd say hold off until a sale. Price aside, Gone Home is a really well-done gam--- sorry, I mean "interactive STORY" --- and a great new addition to this sub-genre.