So this is my first game review, I hope I don't ruin it. Honestly I'm a bit clueless on what to do, but according to another review all I have to do is tell how the gameplay flow and add this comment and that comment in the middle. After that close that with a conclusion and a score. Yes, a freaking SCORE. You know I never score any material on my review, I just give you my comment. Ugh I hate score. Anyway here's the review.
P.S. : I'm completely clueless on what I have to do so I stop, this is gonna take awhile. Oh I'm watching some news and they use a game music as bgm. I know it's not important.
*Warning this review represent my opinion only feel free to post yours
Yupz that's the trailer. Dear Esther is an indie game developed by thechineseroom and I would say an adventure exploration game. It features minimal interaction, no menu, and technically no gameplay, that's why I said it's more to the explorative game. Dear Esther has been debated on it's validity as a game and what I'm gonna tell them is "define a game" or "if it's not a game then what?" Enough with the debacle let's get it started.
Dear Esther opens up immediately in the land (without main menu) Hebridean and there's this narrative from a man technically talking to what seems to be his wife name Esther with a sad haunting piano at the background. Okay it's a first-person and now most people think the person in the island is either Esther or the man. I personally think it's Esther, why? We'll get to that later. After the narrative done you are free completely free (not a typo) to do anything aka explore the island. As you explore there are some places that when you visit them, there's another narrative being told. Let me warn you it contains a lot of hard vocabulary, at first I thought it was my lack of english understanding that prohibits me, but some people said it's kinda thesaurus word so yeahhh.
This land is really yours to explore that's why maybe the order of your story will be different with your friends although in the end all your goal is the same which is to reach the lighthouse. Oh and beware you maybe miss some narrative if you just straight to the lighthouse, maybe the extra narrative is not really important but it helps you to comprehend the story. Oh and I suggest if you don't have an elephant brain (like my goldfish brain) you better write it, take a picture, whatever just to make sure at least you remember the main thing.
It's an exploration narrative game, but if you look at the big picture there's really no gameplay and maybe just maybe they intent to do it like that because this game doesn't have this kinda main menu. Its job is to make the story shine and I know some game elements will make the story struggle to be told. The story itself is captivating and it tells a mystery surrounding this person Esther and what did happen to her. I really think that the mystery choice is wise because it will make us the player at least sit (and play) until the end. As I said before the highlight is the story that's why gameplay kept limited.
Despite the story being the highlight, I would say the light goes to the cinematography. The real power of the game is its place, it's really beautifully detailed, the sea, the sky, the plants, the cave, and even the littered beach hahahaha. The color palette looks like some noir movie and it gives us the hauntingmystery feel and at some point I'm sure few of you will feel scared. So props to the cinematography. The music and sound is close as being the winner which composed by Jessica Curry good ob girl the Ost is so spicy and hot. The opening track makes a statement what will the game be, they keep it simple with piano and some strings, lots of minor key so the sad gloomy aura is really felt. The sound editing also did a good job, mostly it's only silence with sea sound or water droplets. This land is inhabitant, there's no sound of insect or bird singing, not even an owl at the night. There's only one eagle in the game and it's really refreshing because all of it just gives the lonely feel and the silence really scary.
I guess that's all I can say about this game I don't want to tell you what's happen at the lighthouse (at least not here) because I won't spoil the game and you'll miss the fun. That's why I think I will interpret the story in the paragraph below and if you don't want some spoiler skip the paragraph below.
-SPOILER-
Yupz in this paragraph I will give you my interpretationof this game. For me the story goes like this, Esther Donnely is in a coma because of an accident caused by someone named Paul and her husband is in somekind faith pilgrimage.You can see in the cave there's painting, and it's a neuron which is a nerve cell, and we know that brain is the central nerves system that's why I think she's in coma and usually family will tell everything for a coma patient . It is said the island itself is himself or mind or heart whatever and we played as Esther which journeyed through our husband stories and experience and misery I think. You can say he's in a desperateseekingtruth state based on how gloomy the island, his narrative etc. That's why the last scene when we fall (honestly I'd rather say that we fly) is a metaphor that our husband had been sincere and he's whole heartedly accepting what happens. That's my interpretations, well I hope I explain it correctly and clear hahahaha.
Conclusion
I really don't like scoring something, because in the end everythings up to your taste and I love this game, I really really love it. That's why I'll describe its pros and cons. This game is very story driven game, the story contains a lot of mystery and it's almost had no gameplay so it can be a little boring. However, the scenery is amazing, the musics are captivating and it only takes 2 hours at maximum (I'm a slow player that's why it takes 2 hours). Oh and I also don't like this what everybody called "replay value". A good game will attract the player to play it again despite zero extra things at the second play. Yupz I write it in bold because think something like FF7, Shadow of the Colossus, people playing it again because it's so good it deserve second play. Yupz that concludes all and I'm sorry if there's anything wrong with my review, it's my first game review and I only express my opinion.
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