Precisely, I don't understand why this game is getting such praise honestly. It was over in a hour and the story is as cliché as it gets.
Btw the story arc (if you pass me the term) that resonated more deeply with me was definitely the father one, themes such as mid-life crisis, shattering of one life long dreams, struggle to make sense of one's life etc just seem more interesting to me than some teen crush. I just wished that part was more developed.
I'll admit, I was initially let down, but appreciated what the game was going for.
So, I had my wife play the game, since she experienced something very similar and she's a child of the 90s, loves riotgrrl stuff, etc.
Long story short, she did some additional digging after beating the game and found this article which helped put the second story into perspective. Specifically, the story about the dad and the uncle which was a lot more subtle.
EDIT: I was also in the same boat as those who felt the story was done before in other media to death, so hopefully the above link may help. It's not a perfect game but at least the secondary story is a little more subtle (even if it's been done to death as well in other media).
I'm pretty sure that if you liked DE, you will like this game. I love both of them. Also, maybe a underdog but still great, The Path. I think I still got one in my Steam inventory, if you're interested.
The criticism that the story has been told many times before strikes me as strange, as I can't think of a story that hasn't been told many times before, and Gone Home's story is certainly different from the rather homogeneous narrative themes of most large-scale games. Nobody in the thread is claiming that the story conceit hasn't been done before, but it hasn't been done in an interactive space. To the point about the payoff being lacking, if Gone Home built to an incredibly dramatic resolution, there would be a large number of people (myself included) criticizing the narrative's need to unnecessarily up the stakes in a plot in which doing so feels unnatural, and I felt that the narrative's anticlimax of sorts made sense given the game's story.
I agree that the fact that the family's missing felt a bit unnecessary and ultimately unrealistic--
why would the parents not be home to welcome their daughter back after she's been abroad for over a year?
), but it does assist in setting up the expectation of a horror game, and while it makes little plot sense, I do think it's successful in setting up the game's atmosphere.
I'm curious as to why you think the narrative isn't true though.
Sorry, that was probably bad phrasing on my part, I meant it should not only ring true but also feel imaginative.
That being said, a few things seemed a bit contrived like the lack of a note from the parents, for example. And was there any explanation given why they moved into the new house at all except for inheriting it? Jan didn't like it (long drive to work), Sam didn't like it (new school), father didn't seem to like it either, if I remember correctly. Not a big issue though, maybe I just missed something.
As for every story having been told many times before, true, but what's the point of telling a story if you have nothing new to say or to add? Gone Home's story to me feels like something taken from 90210 and it could be something a teenager in the 90s might have experienced which obviously makes sense on a certain level (and also makes it true) but is it still relevant today? Is it supposed to only work with a certain nostalgia?
It's difficult setting any work of art in the relatively recent past when people still remember what it was like but what is being said has been told many too many times in a certain way.
And really the ending of the story, even though it's extremely effectively done, is straight up rom-com level stuff. I think they could have done something better than someone just changing their mind at the last second.
I think it's appropriate because it's a teenage love story. There's a good chance an 18 year old would do something this over dramatic. And if you drop the assumption that Sam and Lonnie lived together happily ever after forever it adds more to it. In reality, I doubt they drove off into the sunset... Imagine the shitstorm when the parents get back from the retreat, the usual transition of relationships after high school, etc
Focus less on the two getting together than coming to fully accept themselves. And anyway to me it was more Sams story than Sam and Lonnies
I would say that it is so emotional precisely because it is told that way. Contextual storytelling makes you connect the dots yourself instead of being a passive observer. I wish more of the game was told like that and less through text, although I understand it's a hard problem to solve.
Precisely, I don't understand why this game is getting such praise honestly. It was over in a hour and the story is as cliché as it gets.
Btw the story arc (if you pass me the term) that resonated more deeply with me was definitely the father one, themes such as mid-life crisis, shattering of one life long dreams, struggle to make sense of one's life etc just seem more interesting to me than some teen crush. I just wished that part was more developed.
I don't think many people here think that the main story on its own is anything amazing or unique, but the story's impact will vary from person to person. It really depends on where you are in your life, your own past, etc. I personally don't think the main story is actually anything special, although some of it resonated with me. Its importance comes in that it's a game that explores these concepts in a grounded way. The interactivity alone changes things. The general premise of the story could make a horribly cliched film, and I would be among those that would criticize it. In fact, I believe if the game had less interactivity closer to something like Dear Esther, it would have failed as well.
I related to Terry as well. In fact, I guess you could say that there is a general theme shared by each character. It's been touched on before, but I guess you could say that every character is trying to find out what exactly is their "home", which I will define as where they belong, and their purpose. Sam's story is quite obvious so I won't go over it. Mt Heart Attack nails why Terry was interesting and follows this. Jan had the issue with Rick, and seemed to not be sure who she belonged with. Both Jan and Terry go to that therapy retreat to help figure their relationship out. Even Katie must be wondering where home is. She arrives at this strange new house, and her family seems like different people and have since moved on with their lives. She even doesn't have a room prepared to come back to. Everything is still in boxes and could just as easily be moved out somewhere else.
Upon rereading that, it all seems quite obvious and basic. It's kind of a bit too broad and I'm sure everyone realized this anyway.
To me, it's not so much that the story hasn't been told before--it has, obviously, and even to an extent in games. I think the crucial difference is in the details. The main story beats might be cliche, but how many stories do you read or see in film that, to pick a non-spoilery example, use Bratmobile for its soundtrack and to colour the story's characters? Naming names of other stories would be spoiler-ish too, but I'd argue that unless you're already exposed to certain subcultures with their own media, you probably can't think of that many.
I also think the above posters who say the story's about SAM, and not necessarily Sam and Lonnie, are spot on. It's Sam's perspective we're invited to share, and it's Sam who talks about discovering her sexuality and how important that is to her. Even if the "teenage love story" bit has been covered in games plenty of times--and it has, though almost always badly or at best unrealistically--the "fumbling with your sexual preferences" bit is not a particularly common gaming trope.
Also, while we're in spoiler territory: the most significant touchstone I could think of for similar stories was But I'm a Cheerleader, which to be fair I haven't actually watched.
Sorry, that was probably bad phrasing on my part, I meant it should not only ring true but also feel imaginative.
That being said, a few things seemed a bit contrived like the lack of a note from the parents, for example. And was there any explanation given why they moved into the new house at all except for inheriting it? Jan didn't like it (long drive to work), Sam didn't like it (new school), father didn't seem to like it either, if I remember correctly. Not a big issue though, maybe I just missed something.
As for every story having been told many times before, true, but what's the point of telling a story if you have nothing new to say or to add? Gone Home's story to me feels like something taken from 90210 and it could be something a teenager in the 90s might have experienced which obviously makes sense on a certain level (and also makes it true) but is it still relevant today? Is it supposed to only work with a certain nostalgia?
It's difficult setting any work of art in the relatively recent past when people still remember what it was like but what is being said has been told many too many times in a certain way.
I agree with your point about the house, and all of the timing feels way too convenient.
I think the fact that the story is interactive makes it new, but I'll admit that I'm not viewing Gone Home on its own in that regard, but also as a foundation for more games that explore unconventional themes. To your question of whether or not the game's narrative is relevant,
20-40% of homeless youth are gay, and considering the amount of gay youth in general is somewhere between 5-10%, I think it's fair to assume that there are a large number of gay teenagers who either leave or are kicked out of their home due to their sexuality
, so as to whether or not the central issue in Gone Home is something that people still experience, it's certainly still a very real and relevant issue. To your point, Gone Home is rather romantic, but looking at Gone Home not just as a lone game but as a foundation for more games of its genre, video games are going to have to have their
Rainbow Boys
before they get their
Dancer from the Dance
or
Giovanni's Room
. The audio log structure is one that could have been used to great effect to explore questions of
internalized homophobia
, and in that regard there are certainly quite a few missed opportunities. However--and I think this is true for a large number of people who enjoyed the game--a
gay coming-of-age
story was so far from what I was expecting from a creepy, unnerving exploratory game that I do give the game a bit of a pass for attempting to a tell a story that hasn't been told in a game that's of this level of polish.
I realize that in talking about Gone Home, I'm speaking less about the game itself and more about where it fits into video game narratives as a whole, and I can certainly understand that for those who don't have a vested interest in the (admittedly niche) realm of
gay representation of video games
, Gone Home's central plot is fairly conventional when taken on its own, and especially in comparison to mediums that have explored this specific story for the past few decades.
I've just completed it and to be honest, I didn't like it.
To me, it was pointless. Walking through a house picking up scripts etc then the game ends.
I can understand to some extent why people liked it, but it wasn't for me.
I guess, going into this game with no idea what it was about other than knowing it was a 'horror' game didn't help either. Throughout playing I was awaiting the moment for something sinister or scary to happen, to which nothing happened.
A friend streamed it and finished it in 2 hours and I watched it all, I'm going to buy it because I like to support these kind of games. It's a bit short and doesn't really have any replayability for a 20 buck game, but it's still a nice game.
Well this just passed AC3 as my most disappointing game of the generation. What a piece of garbage. All that work into creating one of the more unique and realistic settings ever seen in a game and they decide to not make it an actual game. Just wander around and pick crap up while hearing a terrible coming of age story narrated over the top. What a waste. This should have been a first person adventure game, not this hot trash. I wish I could get a refund.
Chris Remo's score was great. Only thing worth it in this game.
Well this just passed AC3 as my most disappointing game of the generation. What a piece of garbage. All that work into creating one of the more unique and realistic settings ever seen in a game and they decide to not make it an actual game. Just wander around and pick crap up while hearing a terrible coming of age story narrated over the top. What a waste. This should have been a first person adventure game, not this hot trash. I wish I could get a refund.
Chris Remo's score was great. Only thing worth it in this game.
Well this just passed AC3 as my most disappointing game of the generation. What a piece of garbage. All that work into creating one of the more unique and realistic settings ever seen in a game and they decide to not make it an actual game. Just wander around and pick crap up while hearing a terrible coming of age story narrated over the top. What a waste. This should have been a first person adventure game, not this hot trash. I wish I could get a refund.
Chris Remo's score was great. Only thing worth it in this game.
I've just completed it and to be honest, I didn't like it.
To me, it was pointless. Walking through a house picking up scripts etc then the game ends.
I can understand to some extent why people liked it, but it wasn't for me.
I guess, going into this game with no idea what it was about other than knowing it was a 'horror' game didn't help either. Throughout playing I was awaiting the moment for something sinister or scary to happen, to which nothing happened.
Puzzles? I was expecting there to be puzzles in this. I got excited when I saw the locker thinking the fingers of the actresses were gonna be a puzzle. But nope just more wandering and you get the code. They could have just written this as a short story and it would have been the identical experience. Why they went through all the work of making a meticulously detailed and realistic house then didn't put a game in it I will never know. If the story had been good would have helped, but its just generic shy girl coming of age after a move. The stuff with the dad and uncle was better told but its barely in the game.
I thought of another positive, the Phaedrus joke was pretty good if your a thumbs listener.
i wish there were a tad more incidental puzzles with no bearing on a main goal or success or failure, maintaining the absence of generic game mechanical contrivances.
but something like filling a glass with water at the fridge, throwing away and replacing a toilet paper roll, just because, wouldve been neat.
loved this video game a lot. can't wait for a second playthrough.
Just finished and really enjoyed it. Played in one siting, save for a smoke break between exploring the first floor and getting to the second floor. I had a few questions that may be covered in the thread, so I apologize of they are-
1.
So it's implied that Jan cheated on Terry with Rick, right? Or at least came close to doing it? There was the note from Carol about how he and his out-of-town girlfriend weren't that series, even though they got married, and then one of the last things you read is the brochure for couples therapy, which reveals where Jan and Terry are during the events of the game, and thus Sam's departure with Lonnie.
2.
Is it possible to experience any of the creepy supernatural phenomena outlined in Sam and Lonnie's ghost hunting diary?
3.
There's a small hallway offshoot in the basement that had a safe in it that I never found the combination for, and the same hallway leads to a room with a broken light, some lumber, a small wooden horse toy, a note about alcohol orders from prohibition, and what appears to be a re-bricked wall (perhaps implying a passage is behind the bricks that was used to smuggle alcohol during prohibition?). Is there anything of interest down there? What's in the safe? Can you fix the broken light? Can you get into the passage?
4.
Also, I considered the drawing of the ghost with the glass of milk in the ghost hunting journal to be a direct reference to the Thumbs guys, and I really enjoyed picking out Chris, Nick, Jake, and Sean's names in the credits.
Edit with regards to the second question I asked:
The only creepy thing I experienced, aside from the general atmosphere at different moments in the game, was when you pick up the little wooden crucifix in the first hidden passage, the light goes out if you've turned it on, and you can't turn it back on afterwards. Thought that was a nice touch
To your question of whether or not the game's narrative is relevant,
20-40% of homeless youth are gay, and considering the amount of gay youth in general is somewhere between 5-10%, I think it's fair to assume that there are a large number of gay teenagers who either leave or are kicked out of their home due to their sexuality
, so as to whether or not the central issue in Gone Home is something that people still experience, it's certainly still a very real and relevant issue.
Fair enough, although my question about relevancy was aimed more towards the story than the issue itself. The story is being told like it would have been told twenty years ago, just kind of interactive this time, but in the end there's basically nothing that couldn't have been done in a movie or a novel. From a game that relies so heavily on its story, I would expect that it either uses the interactivity to tell the story in a very different way than before or that it at least offers a new take on the subject. But Gone Home more or less hits the same plot points in a similar way any other medium has -- and, thinking about it, I'm not entirely sure what the point was of setting it in 1995, if it wanted to say something about current issues, other than it being a convenient way to take cell phones out of the equation.
Admittedly, I kind of "knew" beforehand where the story was going since the developers kind of spoiled it themselves when they announced not to attend PAX because of the themes Gone Home is dealing with, although I had never really expected a horror game but, if anything, something more along the lines of the exploration parts in Shenmue.
It would be great if the game encouraged other developers to explore more unconventional themes in video games too though.
Just finished and really enjoyed it. Played in one siting, save for a smoke break between exploring the first floor and getting to the second floor. I had a few questions that may be covered in the thread, so I apologize of they are-
1.
So it's implied that Jan cheated on Terry with Rick, right? Or at least came close to doing it? There was the note from Carol about how he and his out-of-town girlfriend weren't that series, even though they got married, and then one of the last things you read is the brochure for couples therapy, which reveals where Jan and Terry are during the events of the game, and thus Sam's departure with Lonnie.
2.
Is it possible to experience any of the creepy supernatural phenomena outlined in Sam and Lonnie's ghost hunting diary?
3.
There's a small hallway offshoot in the basement that had a safe in it that I never found the combination for, and the same hallway leads to a room with a broken light, some lumber, a small wooden horse toy, a note about alcohol orders from prohibition, and what appears to be a re-bricked wall (perhaps implying a passage is behind the bricks that was used to smuggle alcohol during prohibition?). Is there anything of interest down there? What's in the safe? Can you fix the broken light? Can you get into the passage?
4.
Also, I considered the drawing of the ghost with the glass of milk in the ghost hunting journal to be a direct reference to the Thumbs guys, and I really enjoyed picking out Chris, Nick, Jake, and Sean's names in the credits.
Edit with regards to the second question I asked:
The only creepy thing I experienced, aside from the general atmosphere at different moments in the game, was when you pick up the little wooden crucifix in the first hidden passage, the light goes out if you've turned it on, and you can't turn it back on afterwards. Thought that was a nice touch
I'm not entirely sure what the point was of setting it in 1995, if it wanted to say something about current issues, other than it being a convenient way to take cell phones out of the equation.
I have to disagree with alot of what people said in this thread, or at least of what I read.
I personally thought the game had one of the better told stories of this generation.
Just because the story in and of itself wasnt inherently new, doesnt make it a bad story.
Almost everything you hear or see has already been done. Maybe in a different way, but something that is completely original is rather rare.
The story of Sam is a simple one, but that comes naturally, given the way the story is told.
I was moved by her experiences, partly because I lived through some of those things myself.
What I think is the greatest accomplishment of this game is, is that it made me feel happy for two characters that I havent ever met, never see, apart from some pictures and I was never involved in their fate, I was simply going through some stuff and got attached to them.
And I can't stress enough how important it is that the player is not influencing their lives, you are not feeling anything because you did a good job, but because you just experienced a truly touching story (well at least some did).
Its amazing how much characterization has been put into this game. Maybe alot of people just didnt put the effort into it to see it.But just take those letters, or actually more like pieces of paper that lonnie and sam exchanged during school. Their handwriting, all those small pictures they drew onto it to make it more personal.
Its crucial that you take your time with the information you are being presented and the way it is presented in. The game stands and falls with you having empathy for those characters. I can see that not everyone can relate, but many might not even be trying.
At least I felt that I have a very good picture of who lonnie and sam are, just based on the way they communicated with each other.
I cant really put my finger on it, but I just felt moved by it and I am kinda suprised so many other people simply arent. Just because its not a horror game, doesnt have any mistery or supernatural shit going on.
I enjoyed finding out about normal peoples life and being in love for the first time as a teenager is part of that. Just like marriage or job problems.
I want more of these kind of stories. Even the fact that they only tackled problems like social pressure and sexual confusion in the background was a pleasant change.
Every human being struggles with sexuality in his or her life, homosexuals more than heterosexuals, because apparently some people still think its "not normal".
But I think the game did good by only addressing these problems on a side-note (literally), because when you are in love you dont give a damn about what other people think. You try to be happy. And thats what the two are doing. The story focuses mainly on the good side of being in love as a teenager. No melodramatic bullshit, no forced social commentary, just two people trying to be happy and finding their places in live, sometimes life doesnt have to be as complicated as we like it to make.
In the end I connected to all characters and was moved by each story, Sam's in particular. Its a good thing they didnt bother implementing half assed game mechanics just to make it gamy. Also puzzles would have felt out of place. Nobody hides his stuff in a way that you only find it my solving some arbitrary puzzle. The game is what it is, an experiment in environmental story telling and I for one enjoyed the heck out of it.
If someone likes the way Bioshock, TloU or Fallout tells a story through its environment, but finds the gameplay needlessly in the way of the story or even irritating, then this is for you.
Edit:
I just read that someone would have like it more if Sam commited suicide ... seriously? You gotta be fucking kidding me. Someone dying because he/she didnt get together with his/her teenage love is more an good ending, than those people simply being happy together? Why does it always have to be extreme, I just dont get that part.
To put it in other words. EVERY story can be great, no matter how simple it is, no matter how often it has been told. The only important thing is the human element. Any cliché villain can be great, as long as he is portrayed as someone you genuinely disagree with. (doesnt mean he has to be super duper evil --> good example would be the Joker in the Dark Knight).
And again, I personally liked those two characters, due to the way they were presented. But thats probably due to the fact that I had somewhat similar tendencies during my teenage years and therefore connected better with them than some other people could.
I'm not entirely sure what the point was of setting it in 1995, if it wanted to say something about current issues, other than it being a convenient way to take cell phones out of the equation.
Because if it were set in 2013 all the letters and correspondence would be taking place over e-mail and Facebook. It would basically just be Gmail: The Game.
are rarely if ever the main subject of a videogame, and are often a tertiary sideplot at best -- usually in some cornball Japanese RPG about saving the land of Mystaria from the Dark Witch or something.
And I think you'd be hard pressed not to find at least a half-dozen TV Tropes in the plotline of any major book, TV show, or videogame. The use of a trope is hardly grounds for dismissing a plot entirely.
Joshimuz is currently streaming his search for the secret final journal in preparation for an all-journals speedrun. He's being egged on slightly by the developers over Twitter. http://www.twitch.tv/joshimuz
Kind of felt like an interactive book, or something. You're absorbing the story in an organically unfolding manner (cept for the gating), and that the story is presented in videogame form enables you to let it do so at your own pace, leaving room for you to think and kind of puzzle things together and guess where things are heading. It's very engaging. And sort of creepy, in that old mansion, alone in the dark way. They did well with the sound design and making the house itself a character, in a manor of speaking. Hoho.
I was bummed you couldn't interact with pens and whatnot beyond rotating them around and looking at them. Granted it is worth looking at most of the stuff since the art is so immaculate. But I wanted to write stuff and whatnot. Got upset when I didn't have to rewind the tape when I put it back in. That's not how tapes work dammit!
As a game there's not a lot to it, but it's a pretty cool piece of storytelling.
Oh and August continues being fuckin' rad. Lots of games being released and I don't think a single one so far has been worse than good. And lots being really good and/or really interesting. Papers, Please and Brothers being my favorites. By far the best month of the year.
I have to disagree with alot of what people said in this thread, or at least of what I read.
I personally thought the game had one of the better told stories of this generation.
Just because the story in and of itself wasnt inherently new, doesnt make it a bad story.
Almost everything you hear or see has already been done. Maybe in a different way, but something that is completely original is rather rare.
The story of Sam is a simple one, but that comes naturally, given the way the story is told.
I was moved by her experiences, partly because I lived through some of those things myself.
What I think is the greatest accomplishment of this game is, is that it made me feel happy for two characters that I havent ever met, never see, apart from some pictures and I was never involved in their fate, I was simply going through some stuff and got attached to them.
And I can't stress enough how important it is that the player is not influencing their lives, you are not feeling anything because you did a good job, but because you just experienced a truly touching story (well at least some did).
Its amazing how much characterization has been put into this game. Maybe alot of people just didnt put the effort into it to see it.But just take those letters, or actually more like pieces of paper that lonnie and sam exchanged during school. Their handwriting, all those small pictures they drew onto it to make it more personal.
Its crucial that you take your time with the information you are being presented and the way it is presented in. The game stands and falls with you having empathy for those characters. I can see that not everyone can relate, but many might not even be trying.
At least I felt that I have a very good picture of who lonnie and sam are, just based on the way they communicated with each other.
I cant really put my finger on it, but I just felt moved by it and I am kinda suprised so many other people simply arent. Just because its not a horror game, doesnt have any mistery or supernatural shit going on.
I enjoyed finding out about normal peoples life and being in love for the first time as a teenager is part of that. Just like marriage or job problems.
I want more of these kind of stories. Even the fact that they only tackled problems like social pressure and sexual confusion in the background was a pleasant change.
Every human being struggles with sexuality in his or her life, homosexuals more than heterosexuals, because apparently some people still think its "not normal".
But I think the game did good by only addressing these problems on a side-note (literally), because when you are in love you dont give a damn about what other people think. You try to be happy. And thats what the two are doing. The story focuses mainly on the good side of being in love as a teenager. No melodramatic bullshit, no forced social commentary, just two people trying to be happy and finding their places in live, sometimes life doesnt have to be as complicated as we like it to make.
In the end I connected to all characters and was moved by each story, Sam's in particular. Its a good thing they didnt bother implementing half assed game mechanics just to make it gamy. Also puzzles would have felt out of place. Nobody hides his stuff in a way that you only find it my solving some arbitrary puzzle. The game is what it is, an experiment in environmental story telling and I for one enjoyed the heck out of it.
If someone likes the way Bioshock, TloU or Fallout tells a story through its environment, but finds the gameplay needlessly in the way of the story or even irritating, then this is for you.
Edit:
I just read that someone would have like it more if Sam commited suicide ... seriously? You gotta be fucking kidding me. Someone dying because he/she didnt get together with his/her teenage love is more an good ending, than those people simply being happy together? Why does it always have to be extreme, I just dont get that part.
To put it in other words. EVERY story can be great, no matter how simple it is, no matter how often it has been told. The only important thing is the human element. Any cliché villain can be great, as long as he is portrayed as someone you genuinely disagree with. (doesnt mean he has to be super duper evil --> good example would be the Joker in the Dark Knight).
And again, I personally liked those two characters, due to the way they were presented. But thats probably due to the fact that I had somewhat similar tendencies during my teenage years and therefore connected better with them than some other people could.
I was not saying I wanted for there to of been a suicide pact, I am saying it was what I was being led to, the locked Attic door, the forbidden love, the love of her life leaving, also it made no sense the parents going away, they were expecting their daughter back (according to the calendar) and they had just found out their teenage daughter was gay and having liaisons with her "friend", the parents sent her that letter saying she was grounded and was not allowed Lonnie into the house with closed doors anymore... yet they take a holiday?
Also the ending was the least plausible as they had no money, nowhere to live, and Lonnie would of been declared AWOL from the army, I appreciate young kids in love don't always think about practicality but still.
I was not saying I wanted for there to of been a suicide pact, I am saying it was what I was being led to, the locked Attic door, the forbidden love, the love of her life leaving, also it made no sense the parents going away, they were expecting their daughter back (according to the calendar) and they had just found out their teenage daughter was gay and having liaisons with her "friend", the parents sent her that letter saying she was grounded and was not allowed Lonnie into the house with closed doors anymore... yet they take a holiday?
Also the ending was the least plausible as they had no money, nowhere to live, and Lonnie would of been declared AWOL from the army, I appreciate young kids in love don't always think about practicality but still.
It's made pretty clear in the note on the front door and the guest room that Kaitlin arrived on very short notice.....probably not enough time to cancel or re-schedule their vacation. And the fact that Kaitlin is there to look after her sister while they are gone is all the more reason for them to leave.
As for the Army, all Lonnie has to do is show up with her girlfriend and she gets pretty quickly discharged under Don't Ask Don't Tell. They've got a car and they've got friends -- not much else is really needed on the short term.
I was not saying I wanted for there to of been a suicide pact, I am saying it was what I was being led to, the locked Attic door, the forbidden love, the love of her life leaving, also it made no sense the parents going away, they were expecting their daughter back (according to the calendar) and they had just found out their teenage daughter was gay and having liaisons with her "friend", the parents sent her that letter saying she was grounded and was not allowed Lonnie into the house with closed doors anymore... yet they take a holiday?
Also the ending was the least plausible as they had no money, nowhere to live, and Lonnie would of been declared AWOL from the army, I appreciate young kids in love don't always think about practicality but still.
I went up and in the very back of my mind was that fear that she might have commited suicide (because the lights were turned on, which is a sign that someone had been up there, though Sam clearly said she went away right in the begining of the game, so she couldnt have been up there in the first place. Natuarlly I had forgetten about her message on the front door by the end of the game).
I was immensely relieved when I found out she wasnt there. Again, I really began to like her and identified with her. And I just felt happy for the two, which is an emotion so rarely portrayed in games, you know, not being happy for yourself because you got that awesome +3 icesword, or because you gave that noob a headshot. I simply felt happy for two complete strangers because I thought they deserved it and in that way I was probably as irrational as they were.Its a good thing that the game made me feel that way.
For the parents: In the game it is being stated that you come home earlier than expected, because apparently you went out of money (and had to get a cheap ticket to Amsterdam and then back home). The parents werent expecting that and had already made plans for their "holiday" (its also marked in the calendar). Thats by the way the reason why your own phone call was still on the mailbox, the parents werent home when you called them, so was Sam. Also Lonnies message on the mailbox really got me when I heard it after playing through the game the first time. You finally understood what it meant and I thought it was very touching.
Tempted to buy this due to the praise from reviewers, but hesitating because of people here saying they don't get it. That and I don't really have any money right now. If someone were to gift me a copy though...
Tempted to buy this due to the praise from reviewers, but hesitating because of people here saying they don't get it. That and I don't really have any money right now. If someone were to gift me a copy though...
hm, if you end up liking the game is highly subjective, I have given my reasons as to why i like it above.
To get enjoyment out ofthe game you have to like this certain kind of storytelling.
If you dont mind games not having to much traditional gameplay or action you'll be fine. But dont get me wrong I wouldnt call Gone Home a non game like Dear Esther. Its more than that.
Secondly you need to be able to feel empathy. Most of the things will be going on in your head, alot of stuff isnt laid out for you. Imho its a strenght of the game, but reading up on some reviews and comments on the game I get the feeling not everyone is able or willing to do so. It also explains why some apsects of the game seem irritating or not thought out, when in reality there is an explanation for it withing the game. Just dont rush through it within an hour (it took me 3).
I'm not criticizing these people, its just a possible explanation why the game receives very mixed reviews.
You simply need to accept that this is a very grounded story about normal people and that your part as a player has no outcome on the story whatsoever. Also gameplay is limited to exploration, its basically skyrim without fighting.
Maybe get it discounted, but get it and dont get spoiled too much
they know she's coming back 'sometime in June', but they don't know when precisely, only that she'll call ahead and tell them. And they booked the retreat probably a while before that.
Tempted to buy this due to the praise from reviewers, but hesitating because of people here saying they don't get it. That and I don't really have any money right now. If someone were to gift me a copy though...
If your on the fence don't buy it. Wait for a sale. How much do you want to hear a story narrated to you as you wander around a meticulously detailed digital house?
Personally, I think the experience of discovering for yourself whether or not you like Gone Home is worth the asking price. But I'm also deathly scared of spoilers. And if you're in this thread already you've probably had your expectations managed in such a way as to rob you of what I experienced going in completely blind.
Just played through this... only really ended up missing the story behind what Cth linked to.
I enjoyed it. Couple of particular comments I have...
The biggest thing I was impressed with was
the ability to create that "ghost story" suspense with nothing more than kids being kids in an old house. I mean, at one point you find the note that says "supernatural activity found = 0") but yet if you have not had the game spoiled, it still feels like it's hinted at. I thought that was a pretty powerful tool with how they executed it.
To me the story
was what it was. I wasn't blown away by the main focus being a girl finding her first real love that happened to be the same sex. Sure, it's nice to see. I guess when it comes to games, I personally critique the story the same way I would have as if it was a movie. I'm more impressed when people take a mechanic in games and use it to tell that story.
Basically some condensed thoughts, most previously said:
1.
I do think the house felt a bit too digital, wasn't quite lived in enough. Being able to open all the drawers and stuff was amazing, but more things would have made it feel a bit less empty. Super minor complaint though.
2.
By far my favourite thing was multiple narratives, discovered without the use of audio logs. I love all the stories in the game and I think this was pulled off best.
3.
I didn't see the crucifix/lightbulb scene. Might have to go back and check that out tomorrow (it's 4am now so I don't particularly want to scare myself on purpose)
It's far from my Game of the Year, but it does some interesting stuff and I just hope we get more story exploration games like this in the future. If the combat-less Bioshock Infinite: Burial At Sea DLC is as good as this, I'll be one happy chappy.
Oh, and though I do feel its kinda expensive, I don't regret buying it. Anyone who correlates Time with Gameplay Hours doesn't realise what a horrific world of bloated, padded shit we would have if price points were directly related to gameplay hours.
There's nothing wrong with a story being low-key as long as it rings true, is imaginative, or has something to say, but at least to me that wasn't the case with Gone Home. The stakes are there (my whole family seems missing!) but resolution and payoff are lacking, and it's a story that has been told many times before. Maybe there's some personal history in there but that doesn't change its issues.
