Developed by The Fullbright Company
Published by Midnight City
Released for Xbox One (1/2016)
Also on Linux/Mac/PC/PS4
Gone Home, originally released for PC in 2013, was a pioneer in the genre we know today as the "walking simulator." Gameplay basically consists of walking around, interacting with stuff (like doors, drawers and cabinets) and listening to the story unfold through narration. While the environment is quite detailed, gameplay compared to most other games is a bit limited and I can imagine this will turn off a large majority of players out there. Just looking at a sampling of the user reviews on the Microsoft Store (link below) I saw nothing but one-star reviews and a bunch of disappointed players. I came into Gone Home with zero expectations and downloaded the game for free as one of the Games with Gold offerings at some point, and I'll tell you now I didn't really think it was all that bad...but at the same time it wasn't really great either.
Presentation-wise, Gone Home: Console Edition is basic and to-the-point, and the game is easy for anyone to get right into and start exploring. There are a couple of options such as adjusting your brightness, field of view or inverting your directions. Before starting a game, you have the option to enable modifiers. There are several different modifiers, some of which allow you to start with all lights on, all doors unlocked or even listen to developer commentary. They're definitely a nice addition and help to add a little replay value for anybody who wants to play through the game again. The house you'll explore isn't quite a mansion, but it's definitely a bit more spacious than anything most of us regular folks will ever inhabit. The house has two floors, a basement and an attic for you to rummage around in. The attention to detail throughout the house is impressive, and you have the ability to pick up and examine many of the objects scattered about. Examining most of the items will do nothing to progress the story, but it does help add to the immersion. You're also able to turn on light switches and lamps you'll find throughout the house.
As you explore the house you'll find several notes from a journal, several of which when read will activate a voice memory, where your character will narrate the story of two young ladies falling in love. You'll find maps which reveal some secret spots and a few areas can't be accessed until you've found the proper key to unlock the doors. Some of the journals, of which there are twenty-three, are a bit hidden but can be found if you search diligently. One of the journals is a secret but again, if you search around thoroughly you might figure it out (or just look it up on the webs). Playing this game as an old male did feel a bit creepy at times snooping through a young girl's drawers and searching through their private belongings, like you're some kind of peeping tom or something.
Gone Home is a rather brief experience. Even without using a guide, most players will complete the game within an hour on a first playthrough. There's even an achievement for beating the game in under one minute, so obviously once you know where you're going the game can be completed in a hurry. Gone Home is cool for what it is and narrates a story to the player effectively, though the experience is a bit forgettable mostly just due to the game's incredibly short length. The game tells a competent story of a young woman discovering her sexuality (it's very tame so if you're expecting any naughty details you'll be let down), though I imagine the same-sex relationship and the fact it's from a girl's perspective will be enough to deter a large majority of the male player base. The voice acting is excellent and the content well delivered, however as stated before the short length and super-simple gameplay prevent the title from making much of an impact. You'll be finished with the game and moving on to the next so quick you'll barely remember it even happened! If the story content, simplistic nature and super-short length of the game doesn't bother you then you may want to give Gone Home a shot, at the very least it's a super-easy & quick 1000 gamerscore.
Gone Home was also slated to release for the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and the Wii U, but these versions were all cancelled before they saw the light of day, presumably due to underwhelming sales of the PS4 & Xbox One releases.
Final Verdict: Gone Home is the original "walking simulator" game where you walk around and explore a decent sized house while uncovering a love story. The game is simple and very brief, but does a good job executing what it sets out to do.
Related Links:
The Fullbright Company Developer Website
Buy Gone Home: Console Edition - Microsoft Store
Gone Home: Console Edition - GameFAQs
Gone Home: Console Edition Achievement Guide - XboxAchievements
Gone Home: Console Edition - True Achievements
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