Critical Play: Gone Home

Although Gone Home gives out an initial impression of being a horror game, the player will soon realize that it’s not the type of game that would give you jump scares. Sure, the occasional flickering of lights and the creaky house sets the generally mysterious ambiance, but the story of this game is far from that of ghost movies, where doors open suddenly and ghosts run toward you. Instead, the game is based on a solid narrative where the player has to solve the mystery of an unfamiliar, empty home.

Starting with a very ominous note (telling the player never to try to find her sister, Sam), he player has to go through the entire house to find clues of what happened to her missing family. As you go through room by room, you have to search through furniture to find any notes, message or photos that might give any clue to what happened. Through a very realistic voice-over and texts, the game slowly guides the player, providing a little more insight into the families history. Step by step, the player unravels the mystery that surrounds her sister — what happened between Sam and the family, her emotions, what she needed, etc. Through diaries, letters and notes, the player is able to better sketch the persona of the sister in question. It delivers a deeply personal and emotional story, one that the player will remember this game for.