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dkirschner's Dear Esther (PC)
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| [September 23, 2012 09:10:01 AM]
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This was an interesting tour of a secluded island. I've mixed feelings. I played the 1.4 hours of this earlier in the week and have been thinking about it since then, mostly trying to figure out the story. No conclusions have been forthcoming. As everyone has no doubt read, Dear Esther is less of a game and more of an interactive story. I would argue that when you play it you quickly develop a goal - explore the island - and the game quickly provides you with a reason to do so - listen to the story. If you consider navigation an obstacle, then there are constraints too. You can't wander anywhere you like, and are quite funneled toward where you're supposed to go. I say this because I never got 'off track' for more than a few minutes. So off you go, exploring the island and getting random story bits at predetermined spots.
The story made no sense to me until about halfway through when the narrator finally drops something that sounds factual and unambiguous, though whether it was is anyone's guess (actually, lots of people have been guessing over on the Steam forums and elsewhere). Lots of things in the story I'm unsure of, and I'm not even sure that I am sure of the things I thought I was sure of earlier. I thought I might trek over the island again, but after a week of mulling over my first experience, I don't really care to. It's a sad story, and the way I read it it's a cathartic ending, kind of uplifting but in a tragic way. Make sense? I have a feeling there's a lot of metaphor. The scribbling on the rock across the island is some indication of this, but I don't understand most of those references. I'm unsure of the characters and their relationships. Even that basic understanding is lacking for me. I thought I knew for a moment, but whatever I've come up with doesn't hold up when I think about it.
The island itself is gorgeous. Actually I felt like a tourist more than anything, F12 Steam Camera around my neck. I took about 40 screenshots. And although wandering the island was nice, I fully admit I was bored. Looking at scenery and listening to sparse artsy narration is only so exciting. So thumbs up for the length of it, appropriately short. IF you were to play through a second time, I expect it would be slower, paying more attention to detail and actively looking for story hints scattered around the island.
It would have been funny if there was a zombie. Just one zombie. It would have wrecked the mood and made no sense, but I would have been amused.
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dkirschner's Dear Esther (PC)
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Current Status: Finished playing
GameLog started on: Tuesday 18 September, 2012
GameLog closed on: Sunday 23 September, 2012 |
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This is the only GameLog for Dear Esther. |
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