Sad Games You Aren’t Playing - Dear Esther

Games are not usually thought of as emotion-provoking (unless that emotion is “controller-smashy”) but there are a surprising number of plot-forward games designed to bring out a laugh… or a cry. 

And no, I don’t mean crying because you’re so frustrated at this one platforming level. I hope you’ve got your hanky ready, because this is part one of my series on Sad Games. 

Dear Esther just barely fits into the definition of a “game,” since mostly you just walk around a grey, lifeless island. Fun! 

No, not really, but it definitely is an experience. As you explore (since that’s the only thing you CAN do) a narrator gives you fragmented pieces of story. At first, you have no idea going on and just wander aimlessly, but as you keep exploring you learn more and more about the island and its lonely inhabitant.


*****more after the break******

This is the game equivalent of whatever bleak modern novel you were forced to read in high school. Thankfully, this type of narrative is way more palatable when you aren’t compelled to take a test on the material. 

 There are plenty of hidden secrets and details that are easily missable, so it’s likely that each player would have a different experience.

Book clubs, even the serious kind with questions and actual discussions, could totally play this game-- it’s an audiobook, with visuals.

The atmosphere in this game is unmatched, and even if you dislike the narrator and/or his story, you’ll still feel compelled to tie all the loose ends together. It’s short and beautiful, and an experience like no other game. If nothing else, it’s a pretty great Cavern Tour Simulator. 

Just have a palate cleanser handy afterwards: I recommend Peggle.

SAD LEVEL: Gloomy  

-The Dungeon Dame