![]() There is a pretty big cave level, and as I was going through it I kept thinking, "Dang, if only Skyrim looked this amazing!" It pretty much blows anything I’ve seen in terms of computer game graphics out of the water. And I am not just talking about the scenery, which is gorgeous and deserves special mention. It would not have surprised me if it poured out of my monitor down onto my desk. There is not much to do, but let me tell you, Dear Esther is dripping with atmosphere. So it sounds like the gameplay is pretty terrible? Yes and no. I once played a shooter called IGI which was built on a flight simulation engine and the movement here felt like that, a little bit too smooth to be mistaken for actual walking. It’s more like hovering over the ground, like your feet are just a few centimeters above the terrain. How I longed to be able to sprint, just once. You can’t even control your walking speed, which is painfully slow on some of the longer paths you have to travel. There are no puzzles to solve or books to read (other than if one has a page open that you can peek at) and although the island allows you to explore different areas as much as you want, you are pretty much penned into a linear path that is not too difficult to discover. It will prevent you from dying, though you can’t really die, so I guess it really isn’t too helpful. It’s helpful though if you walk down an abandoned dock and slip into the water. And there is also a Swim Up button, which defaults to Q, though there are only two points in the game where you actually need to use it. You can also zoom in to see something like a faded photo more clearly by pressing the left mouse button. You can move forward or backward or strafe, and the mouse lets you look around. It’s possible I think that the game might mean different things for different people, though I think I eventually understood what was going on. Or I should say, you might be able to tie it all together. The messages aren’t really helpful though as they often quote a Bible verse or say something that makes little sense, though you will eventually begin to tie it all into the plot of the story, even the chemical formulas. Sometimes the empty paint cans are lying nearby. Messages and chemical formulas are painted on the walls of the few dilapidated buildings you happen to come across, penned in phosphorescent paint. There is ample evidence that other people have been there before, though you seem to be the only current resident. ![]() This probably gives you the first clue that all on the island may not be what it appears. If you stay too long you drown, but are revived by the narrator saying "Come Back" and end up close to where you entered the water. If you go down into the water, it’s all black and you can’t see anything. You begin the game standing on a stone causeway that extends down into the water, with a lighthouse sitting behind you. I guess it would be fair to call the place hauntingly beautiful. The island has a rich history of death and decay, with more than one wrecked ship littering its shores, which fits perfectly with the bleak landscape. It reminded me a lot of what Myst or Riven would be like if all the puzzles were removed. You basically wander all over, and under, the island while the unnamed narrator randomly talks about different things in a rather melancholy tone. It’s more like an interactive story with game elements, but even that isn’t a good description. ![]() The first thing I have to mention is that Dear Esther is not really a game. So if you haven’t given it a try, and you happen to have a similar taste in games as me, you may want to check it out. And I don’t think a lot of people probably know about it. The only reason I am reviewing it, given that it’s a year old at this point, depending on how you count from the original mod or the remake, is that it’s probably one of the most unique game experiences out there. I didn’t know a lot about it, but exploring a deserted island in the Hebrides chain, off the coast of Scotland, seems like something I would enjoy, so I gave it a try. Originally created as a mod to Half-Life 2, it was remade and released as a full game in 2012. I was browsing across Steam and happened to come across a game called Dear Esther. The Chinese Room Dear Esther Is Like Nothing Else You’ve Played ![]()
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