Gone Home is an indie first-person interactive adventure game developed and published by the Fullbright Company. In the game, players take control of Kaitlin Greenbriar, a young woman returning home from a long trip in Europe to find no trace of her parents or sister. The game relies on the exploration of players as they move about the house and collect clues.
Kaitlin's parents inherited the secluded mansion in which the game takes place from a recently deceased uncle and have been living in it for about a year when she returns home. The game does a great job of setting the mood; the game takes place at night during a violent storm and the house is alive with creaks and moans as you move about. It provokes a very unsettling feeling as you explore and dive into various notes, drawers and cabinets all while hearing footsteps and creaky floorboards just behind you. It's incredibly eerie and had my hairs standing on end quite a few times. Gone Home is also great looking visually. It does a fine job of crafting realistic looking environments and objects, all of which you can investigate up close and maneuver as you search for clues.
Gone home takes place in the year of 1995; a blast to the past when I was still playing Super Nintendo games and watching VHS tapes. In Gone Home, you'll find stacks of VHS recordings of the X-Files and audio cassette tapes, also reminiscent of my childhood. The focus of solving the mystery however lies in notes, letters, journal entries and newspaper clippings scattered throughout the house. Scavenging for these items and trying to determine what they mean is the core of the game.
The notes do a great job of getting players to know Kaitlin's family, almost to a point where you feel you know almost as much as Kaitlin herself. As you hover over certain clues, Kaitlin will occasionally make some kind of comment or remark. For instance, discovering a dirty magazine belonging to her father hidden under some books will prompt an "oh gosh, dad" on screen. As a player, I felt somewhat the same way and it was fun to see Kaitlin's realistic reactions to some of her discoveries. Digging through her father's books and VHS tape collection, you'll learn very fast that he's a sci-fi junkie. Going through the belongings of the mom and sister reveal characteristics as well but I'll leave that for you to discover.
There is no fighting in Gone Home nor is there any use for weapons or a flashlight. You have a map and will find keys to unlock certain locked doors in the house or combinations to unlock various compartments. You use the intricacies and details of the house to learn about members of the family and search for clues to learn of where they are. This was one of my only gripes about the game. I didn't need any fighting or weapons but for an interactive story based game, I felt it was lacking any challenging puzzles. Anyone with a good sense of direction and the ability to read can play the game without any trouble. Maybe that's what Fullbright was going for though. A game that just about anybody could play and enjoy.
However, the play doesn't last long. Even after I took plenty of time to read every note and scrap of paper I found and search every nook and cranny of that house, I finished the game in just two hours. The other sad thing is that there isn't really any point in replaying the game; you won't experience anything different. Gone Home normally retails for twenty dollars (thankfully I bought it for eight) which feels like a lot for a two hour game, so be wary if you plan to purchase.
Now don't get me wrong. I really enjoyed the game despite the ease and the short play through. The game has a great story and a twist unlike any other game I've played before. It's unconventional but at the same time, refreshing and fun. Gone Home has a good message and it is definitely worth playing. I sat down to play for only a few minutes but found myself unable to put it down. I'd recommend playing it all in one sitting for the best effect. After playing, I'm looking forward to seeing more games from the Fullbright Company in this exploration style. I believe they executed it well, but they have the potential to do even better.
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