Also played - Gone Home (downloadable, PC)
Gone Home is purely exploration. There is no combat, no puzzle-solving, no decision-making. It took me a while to adjust to this, since EVERYTHING about the game's setting and tone screamed survival horror. I felt uneasy and nervous, wondering if a monster or crazed killer would pop up. I made myself scared by not remembering whether or not I closed doors.
So, what happened to Kate's family? Were they ambushed by home invaders, abducted by aliens, killed by zombies, raptured into heaven?
None of the above. Kate's parents are off on a couple's counseling retreat. Kate's teen sister, Sam, has run off with her girlfriend, Lonnie.
That's it. And I am SO RELIEVED.
Granted, this is a bittersweet ending. The parents are going to be very upset when they learn their daughter ran away (and robbed them in the process). It's unclear how much of their disapproval is due to Lonnie's femaleness or Lonnie's influence. The teen lesbian couple didn't end in suicide or insanity (yay!!) but what the hell are they going to do with themselves? Lonnie is now AWOL, and Sam is forsaking a major career-building opportunity. I hope the kids will be alright, but they ARE acting like stupid kiddies.
If there were any supernatural elements in this game, I didn't find them. If Uncle Oscar is a ghost, he never appeared to Kate. If HE was a serial killer or held some other dark secret, I never found it. The game's mystery seemed to revolve entirely around Sam. As soon as she started describing Lonnie - pink hair, looks good in uniform, plays Street Fighter, I thought to myself - she's crushing! And I was right. And Lonnie reciprocated. Good for her! This game was worth playing just for an lesbian storyline that doesn't end in tears.
Sam's story is fleshed out through voice excellent acting. The parent's plot threads, unfortunately, did not receive as much attention. Their situations are silently and slowly revealed through the paper trail around the house. Dad is a "failed" writer - he published only two novels during the 70s and since then relies on his technical writing for income. He's become frustrated. Mom is a forest conservationist, and is well regarded. If *she* has any issues is vague (or perhaps I missed some things). She might be getting fed up with her husband, but I found no evidence of such. I found an invitation to attend a concert with a male colleague - perhaps I am supposed to suspect her of cheating. BUT MARRIED PEOPLE ARE ALLOWED TO HAVE FRIENDS OF BOTH SEXES FOR CRYIN OUT LOUD!
I appreciate the "twist" of how the house is empty for very mundane reasons. I do think it involved Parental Idiot Ball - you're going away for five days, when you supposedly grounded your teen daughter? Seriously? You expect her to keep put? AND you pick a time frame that overlaps with when your other daughter is returning from a year abroad? That seems like really poor planning. I didn't get a sense that the marriage counseling was urgent. Once again, perhaps I missed something.
Gone Home is very short. It's possible to end the story in minutes - and you would get the gist of it. I see the asking price is $20, which is way too high for so little content. It was more of an interactive short story than a game, similar to visual novels. I found the $5 I paid worth it.
So, what happened to Kate's family? Were they ambushed by home invaders, abducted by aliens, killed by zombies, raptured into heaven?
None of the above. Kate's parents are off on a couple's counseling retreat. Kate's teen sister, Sam, has run off with her girlfriend, Lonnie.
That's it. And I am SO RELIEVED.
Granted, this is a bittersweet ending. The parents are going to be very upset when they learn their daughter ran away (and robbed them in the process). It's unclear how much of their disapproval is due to Lonnie's femaleness or Lonnie's influence. The teen lesbian couple didn't end in suicide or insanity (yay!!) but what the hell are they going to do with themselves? Lonnie is now AWOL, and Sam is forsaking a major career-building opportunity. I hope the kids will be alright, but they ARE acting like stupid kiddies.
If there were any supernatural elements in this game, I didn't find them. If Uncle Oscar is a ghost, he never appeared to Kate. If HE was a serial killer or held some other dark secret, I never found it. The game's mystery seemed to revolve entirely around Sam. As soon as she started describing Lonnie - pink hair, looks good in uniform, plays Street Fighter, I thought to myself - she's crushing! And I was right. And Lonnie reciprocated. Good for her! This game was worth playing just for an lesbian storyline that doesn't end in tears.
Sam's story is fleshed out through voice excellent acting. The parent's plot threads, unfortunately, did not receive as much attention. Their situations are silently and slowly revealed through the paper trail around the house. Dad is a "failed" writer - he published only two novels during the 70s and since then relies on his technical writing for income. He's become frustrated. Mom is a forest conservationist, and is well regarded. If *she* has any issues is vague (or perhaps I missed some things). She might be getting fed up with her husband, but I found no evidence of such. I found an invitation to attend a concert with a male colleague - perhaps I am supposed to suspect her of cheating. BUT MARRIED PEOPLE ARE ALLOWED TO HAVE FRIENDS OF BOTH SEXES FOR CRYIN OUT LOUD!
I appreciate the "twist" of how the house is empty for very mundane reasons. I do think it involved Parental Idiot Ball - you're going away for five days, when you supposedly grounded your teen daughter? Seriously? You expect her to keep put? AND you pick a time frame that overlaps with when your other daughter is returning from a year abroad? That seems like really poor planning. I didn't get a sense that the marriage counseling was urgent. Once again, perhaps I missed something.
Gone Home is very short. It's possible to end the story in minutes - and you would get the gist of it. I see the asking price is $20, which is way too high for so little content. It was more of an interactive short story than a game, similar to visual novels. I found the $5 I paid worth it.