Katie Greenbriar has just returned home from a year abroad, but instead of being greeted by her family she finds a mysterious note from her sister Sam and an empty house. Something’s definitely off. In order to find out where they are, Katie will have to find clues in everyday objects and piece together the events of the past year.
Despite this simplistic concept, Gone Home provides a realistic view into the complexities of the Greenbriar family.
Because mysterious notes totally stop people from digging deeper. . .
Just for a moment, imagine what people could discover about you by snooping around your room. For me, someone would easily see my favorite console games, books, and nerdy obsessions. With a little more digging (read: opening visible files), anyone could find my passport, private letters, and bank account info. Luckily, society hates a snoop.
Gone Home invites us to shed that snooping stigma and investigate everything. And I mean everything. Picking up sarcastic homework assignments, TV guides, and mail through point-and-click mechanics reveals the inner workings of each family member or hints at where they might be. And Oh My Glob, the 90’s artifacts (X-Files, SNES, Lisa Frank, anyone?) wonderfully build the environment.
Lisa Frank: the epitome of 1990’s elementary school “must-have” accessories
Shortly after entering the Greenbriar house, Katie begins discovering pages of her sister’s journal, revealing Sam’s coming-of-age narrative. Sam’s voice rings true as an angsty 90’s teen who is just trying to find her place in the world. I’m purposefully being vague here—the true joy of this game is experiencing her story as it unfolds.
To guide players through the game, the developers at The Fulbright Company employed some locked doors and hidden keys. This worked well for the pacing, but honestly the key placement seemed highly out of place for this realistic world. I was left wondering if I missed an explanation somewhere.
While I greatly enjoyed this gaming experience, I don’t believe it’s for everyone. I highly recommend Gone Home to anyone who loves narratives, leading ladies, realism, and non-traditional gaming experiences. If you like more of the shoot-em-up, rough-and-tumble action or super scary horror game varieties, please be advised that Gone Home is not one of those. There are some spooky elements, and definite tension, but no action to be seen or quick reflexes needed here.
Pictured: Dark, spooky basement with creeptastic secrets
Playing through at only 3 hours, with low replay value (there are definitely more secrets to uncover with the right motivation!), the $20 sticker price is a bit high. I recommend catching it on sale or as part of a bundle.
8/10
Additional spoiler-filled thoughts below!
REPEAT: SPOILERS, SPOILERS, SPOILERS
Welcome to the spoilers! If you have not completed Gone Home, I advise not reading this section. The game will lose much of its tension, charm, and enjoyability if you continue. You have been warned…
One of the most refreshing aspects of Gone Home was Sam as the unlikely protagonist. This is the first time I have encountered a realistic lesbian main character, where any lesbian characters I had seen before were purely for lewd viewing. I was highly impressed by the sincerity from Fulbright. I see this as a great step forward for an unrepresented demographic in gaming.
Small details like this photo tenderly represent Sam and Lonnies relationship
The Greenbriar parents, however, have become a point of contention for me. The mother feels like she’s only there to propel the rocky marriage and fuel the household drama. She doesn’t have a strong personality or real presence in the house, which is just a shame.
The father, Terry, on the other hand, is felt throughout the house with his scattered books and notes. Frustratingly, he feels unresolved, especially in context with Oscar. Throughout the house there are odd tidbits that link them together, including the obituary, letter, and basement. Each has a darker tone, like something happened but no one is willing to flat out discuss it. Was it drugs? Was it abuse or molestation? I’m not convinced on either of these yet, only that another playthrough might reveal these answers.
Measuring growth spurts in the creepy basement? Yeah, nothing weird here at all
