“A deserted island…a lost man…memories of a fatal crash…a book written by a dying explorer.”
What started off as an experimental Source Engine mod in 2008 found some indie funding and was developed into a full game – though to call it a game in the traditional sense may only serve to frustrate some gamers.
The game is a ghost story, told from the first-person perspective – you find yourself on a desolate island which is open for exploration, and you’re posed with the questions of what’s going on, why you’re there, and who you are.
There are no enemies to blast away, no puzzles to solve, and no items to collect. That’s because Dear Esther’s aim isn’t to challenge you, or make you do anything in particular – its aim is to tell you a story in a unique way.
It’s not an alien concept either, there are many games out there that do something similar.
What Dear Esther does want to do however, is draw you into the world it paints around the story it’s telling – and what a stunning world that is.
Through exploring the island, at key points a new segment of the story is activated and gets narrated.
While the story of the titular Esther is sure to be intriguing, you’ll probably be more captivated by the visuals on display.
It’s no wonder the game won the award for Excellence in Visual Art at the 2012 IGF awards, which happened at GDC 2012.
Experimental indie games that place a strong focus on narrative over gameplay aren’t everyone’s cup of tea – but forget about frivolous “can games be an art” discussions; from what we’ve seen, Dear Esther isn’t a game that needs to be played, it’s a game that needs to be experienced.
If that tickles your fancy, you can get the game on Steam for $9.99 (about R75).
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Reading this reminds me of Mechanarium and Samarost a bit. Even though those were puzzle games, they did tell a nice story without one written or spoken word. Might give this one a shot.