Gone Home Reflection

Gone Home was one of the more intriguing games I’ve played so far. Right from the start, I felt a mysterious and eerie vibe just from reading the letter from Sam taped to the front door. I thought this was a great way to start the game because the player is immediately hooked by the ambiguity presented in that letter.

The game takes place in the aftermath of Sam’s escape from her unwanted reality. This reverse chronological structure is the first I’ve experienced in a game and its effects on the gaming experience is monumental. All I was thinking of was where’s the next clue or hint? The fact that there were also multiple locked doors at the start of the game pushed me to keep playing so that I could somehow discover what was being hidden.

The series of Samantha’s journal entries or letters addressed to Kaitlin also provides a unique narrative experience. Each letter exposes some kind of detail pertinent to the big picture, especially those messages that uncovered the mother’s affair and the father’s terrible childhood. This also ties into how the player must explore the house and find those clues that reveal crucial details about what happened while Kaitlin was absent. The freedom to roam around and make one’s own decisions during this game enables the player to take one’s time and absorb everything. In conclusion, Gone Home was a tragic but complete video game, one I won’t forget.