Gone Home’s world building is sublime. Purely with interactable objects in your family home, that you find abandoned on your return from travelling around Europe, the game manages to tell so many rich and relatable stories. Most of these stories have satisfying arcs as you discover more and more of the house’s secrets. I love how interacting with certain items triggers wonderfully voice acted audio diaries from your sister and how a series of letters details the downward spiral of your Dad’s failed writing career. The house itself is rich with detail and has a spooky, ominous tone which I personally would’ve liked the game to lean more into, as this aspect of world building is just brushed aside towards the end of the game. I also would’ve appreciated more complex interactions with the environment, perhaps with puzzles to open up different areas of the house. Regardless, the game’s narrative is fantastic and for the short time it took me to complete, I was completely lost in this incredibly well-crafted experience.

2013 Ranked
Indie Recommendations