Speaking of games that can’t be classified, why isn’t there a catchy name for games that are very heavy on story side, but light on the gameplay? Usually they get lumped in with “adventure” games, which I think does a disservice to the game, having to live up those legacy expectations of obscure puzzles and “PICK UP rubber chicken with a pulley in the middle”. |
These games aren’t visual novels either, which also have a very well-defined format (usually involving anime waifus). If MOBAs and Metroidvanias can have a consistent designation, why not these games?
This week’s game is Gone Home, which belongs to the only subspecies of this genre with an actual amusing nickname: walking simulator! True to the slightly-pejorative nickname, in the game you walk around a lot. Billed as an “interactive exploration simulator” (IES? not catchy) Gone Home is the story of an empty house and all the secrets it hides.
Without resorting to spoilers, in the game you’re a bit of a detective, examining all the junk left lying about. Letters, ticket stubs, notes passed in school, mixtapes, post-it notes, anything and everything lying about could potentially be part of one of many stories.
Some of the junk is just junk, but even that stuff helps to set the nostalgic mid-90s scene. Audio logs fill in the blanks of the main story, a-la-BioShock (not a real surprise, considering the team behind Gone Home also created DLC for BioShock 2).
Some of the junk is just junk, but even that stuff helps to set the nostalgic mid-90s scene. Audio logs fill in the blanks of the main story, a-la-BioShock (not a real surprise, considering the team behind Gone Home also created DLC for BioShock 2).
Even if you’re like me and don’t care for the “teen romance” plot in Gone Home, there’s plenty to poke at that isn’t related to the hormonal teen girl that lives in the house. What really intrigued me was what the parents were up to in their spare time, and the past of the house. The setting itself is also spooky, with creaking floorboards and flickering lights. It’s not a full-on horror game, but I’d definitely recommend playing it in the dark.
I’m one of those that picks up every stupid item in open-world RPGs, so Gone Home was a fantastic playground where I got to do just that. If you absolutely must have a jump button, feel free to pass on this one. Next week, I’ll feature a game where there will be plenty of jumping and shooting things, don’t worry.
Watching taped episodes of the X-Files,
The Dungeon Dame
The Dungeon Dame