There is no clear indication as to when exactly games became an art form. Perhaps they always were. Great storytelling is nothing new to this medium, and it only grows stronger as the tools needed for its creation evolve. The love story in Gone Home is a rich one, told in earnest, and drenched in sentiment. (That’s a good thing!) However, it is the simplicity in which it is unveiled to the player where this game truly shines. I will do my best to avoid spoiling all the wonderful things this game has in store for you.

It’s June 7th, 1995. The player assumes the role of 21-year-old Kaitlin Greenbriar, who has returned to her family’s home in Oregon after a year abroad. Having taken a late flight to save money, its well into the night when she arrives at her family’s large Victorian style house. The rumble of a heavy storm sets your nerves on edge immediately as you begin your journey on the porch of the estate. The first thing you notice is a note on the door from your 18-year-old sister Sam telling you she has left home, and to not investigate the matter further. Red flags start to go up here. As you enter the house, you soon realize no one is home. The storm outside has knocked out the phone line. And being set in 1995, there will be no texting to aid you on your journey of discovery. Putting all these ingredients together, it could easily sound like the beginning of a horror game. It’s a dark and stormy night. You’re all alone in a vacant house with no working phone line. Surely, there must be wicked things lurking about behind closed doors waiting to grab hold of you and drag you screaming into the shadows? This is obviously not the case with Gone Home, yet the dimly lit halls and closed doors hold a wealth of secrets for the player to discover. Revelations waiting for reveal, to unfold and tell us the story of the Greenbriar family.

Nostalgia, if anything, is like a haunted house. Our memories act as ghosts that come and go, rattling their chains to remind us of the past. My enjoyment of Gone Home could be a little biased. Simple things such as SNES cartridges scattered about, and Kurt Cobain posters covering the walls were a delight to me. These various gold nuggets act as little windows into the childhood that made you the adult you are today. In the case of the Greenbriar family, their secrets are many. Along the way, you’ll discover letters, notes, drawings, and newspaper clippings that piece together the mystery. As you progress, you’ll hear Sam’s voice presented audibly, reading the various letters she’s written to you. These confessionals go right for the heart, revealing more and more detail of Sam’s star-crossed romance. Chris Remo’s delicate yet poignant musical score is a vital part of what makes this game work. It cuts right to the core of what the writers are trying to say.

Like everything about Gone Home, the game’s mechanics are simple yet smooth and refined. The exploration of the Greenbriar house is done so in a first-person perspective. Some of the more unfavorable, tongue-in-cheek comments about the game have referred to it as a “walking simulator.” There are those who have even gone so far as to say that Gone Home isn’t even a real game. I have trouble understanding that rationale. Is it because Kaitlin Greenbriar isn’t carrying a gun, capping baddies as they pop out from room to room? Is it because there is no leveling up of abilities or weapon mods? I’m not being cheeky. I’m asking with sincerity. I understand that art is subjective. You don’t have to like it. But to dismiss Gone Home as a “walking simulator” is akin to saying Titanic is “a movie about a boat.” I mean, it is. But there is so much more to it than that.

The developers at Fullbright should be commended. They are storytellers at their core. With Gone Home, they have managed to create a complex and subtly gorgeous tale that affects the player in ways few games have. The success of Gone Home has naturally fueled anticipation for their next release. I am very much looking forward to the company’s next outing, Tacoma, in 2017. Fullbright is a company with a unique and inspired vision, and I can’t wait for what they have to show us next.

Conclusion

Emotionally powerful and expertly told, Gone Home delivers a depth in storytelling that is rare in the medium.

9/10