The narrative exploration game Gone Home invites players into the intimate setting of a family home in the 90s, where the story unfolds through a series of discoveries and revelations. It's a profound example of environmental storytelling that has shaped the genre of interactive storytelling.
Gone Home is an interactive exploration simulator that focuses on the aspects of storytelling and character development. In this game, players assume the role of Katie Greenbriar, who returns after a year abroad to her family's new home in rural Oregon. The house is empty, with her family seemingly vanished, leaving behind a series of clues that Katie must decipher to understand what happened during her absence.
The gameplay primarily involves exploring the house, which is filled with personal belongings and notes that help the player piece together recent events. The narrative unfolds through a non-linear progression, allowing players to discover the story at their own pace, driven by curiosity and the desire to connect the dots. There are no enemies or puzzles in the traditional sense, and the game heavily relies on environmental storytelling and the use of audio logs, letters, and other family artifacts to reveal its narrative layers.
Set in the mid-1990s, Gone Home captures the essence of the era with numerous cultural references embedded in the game's setting and objects. The game has been acclaimed for its immersive atmosphere and innovative approach to storytelling, as well as its sensitive treatment of mature themes. Developed and published by The Fullbright Company, Gone Home has been influential in the genre of story-driven exploration games since its release.