Parent Game: Dear Esther
Dear Esther: Landmark Edition

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Summary

Dear Esther is a first-person game about love, loss, guilt and redemption. Driven by story and immersion rather than traditional mechanics, it's an uncompromisingly emotional experience.


Dear Esther: Landmark Edition Activation Instructions

Dear Esther: Landmark Edition Reviews & Ratings

70
Review by Tomle1202 [user]
March 19, 2022

Dear Esther raises so many interesting questions, not only in its narrative, but also in its design. I kept thinking about how wasted it wasDear Esther raises so many interesting questions, not only in its narrative, but also in its design. I kept thinking about how wasted it was to make this a videogame, but then again, what other medium could have made me feel the same way?

10
Review by Kinokee [user]
April 17, 2020

The game is unplayable for me due to a bug where things plugged into usb ports cause the camera to never stop spinning. Now it's a vomit simThe game is unplayable for me due to a bug where things plugged into usb ports cause the camera to never stop spinning. Now it's a vomit sim instead of a walking sim.

80
Review by Imrahil [user]
May 8, 2018

Dear Esther is a beautiful (if not short) game for the xbox one.While it is short, the hour and a half it took to play it was mostDear Esther is a beautiful (if not short) game for the xbox one.While it is short, the hour and a half it took to play it was most memorable, especially in the level 'the caves', where the game's beauty really showed, especially in a dark room. The soundtrack in this game is the perfect touch to the atmosphere and the story that eventually unravels, somber and empty yet at the same time a tinge of hope remains, and eventually appears at the game's close.The controls are simplistic as could be, which is a blessing and a curse, but I would say it definitely trends towards blessing in this game, as you're so busy taking in the area that more aspects of gameplay may bog down where the game is at its strongest, its experience.It's short, but that is actually advantageous with the simplistic control scheme presented within it. if it was any longer, though, it may start to feel dragged out.Nonetheless, it's a game i had a lot of fun with. Though it was brief, it was an all around enjoyable time, and a game that can easily be played again (and might even be better the second time around).

10
Review by Broyax [user]
March 5, 2018

Dans le créneau des simulateurs de promenade, Dear Esther est l'un des premiers à avoir lancé cette mode du jeu qui n'en est pas un -plus un-Dans le créneau des simulateurs de promenade, Dear Esther est l'un des premiers à avoir lancé cette mode du jeu qui n'en est pas un -plus un- mais devenu une sorte d'expérience très vaguement interactive. Il faut reconnaître un caractère délassant à ce genre puisque personne ne cherche à vous tuer et que vous ne devez tuer personne...Pour autant, on peut s'interroger sur l'utilité et la légitimité d'un "machin" comme Dear Esther, très court (peut-être deux heures en le faisant... deux fois) et carrément abscons puisqu'on y entrave pas grand-chose si ce n'est qu'il s'agit d'un "drame" et des divagations d'un névropathe dépressif sur son île écossaise.Pendant qu'on marche lentement (si on pouvait courir, on finirait ce truc en un quart d'heure...) la voix off à intervalles plus ou moins réguliers vient nous déballer son spleen souvent d'assez mauvais goût (tout le monde ne peut pas être Baudelaire mais tout de même) et clairement pleurnichard. Une musique pas très réussie du reste vient également de temps à autre nous vriller les esgourdes.Au moins, c'est très joli à contempler et ça tourne à 60 im/s : j'eus aimé de tels graphismes sur cet autre simulateur de marche qu'est Firewatch, lequel n'affiche que 16 couleurs jaunâtres qui rament... mais ressemble à un vrai jeu ou presque. Que le monde vidéo-pas-ou-peu-ludique est mal fait !Chère Esther donc, je t'écris de mon île où j'ai trouvé 3 pneus de bagnole : seraient-ce des indices ? PS : si tu pouvais m'envoyer un jeu vidéo bien sale où on décapite des zombis, ça m'arrangerait parce que je me fais bien chier ici. Bisous.

80
Review by ave [user]
January 2, 2018

To fully appreciate Dear Esther, you have to let go of what a game should be, and embrace the pacing.Things can be mysterious, but thereTo fully appreciate Dear Esther, you have to let go of what a game should be, and embrace the pacing.Things can be mysterious, but there is no mystery to solve. I think the most important thing is to not try to make "sense" of the island, but become like a paper boat on water, wander where the paths lead you, and feel different emotions.I think is not possible to fully experience the ending if you don't let go beforehand.

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Game Information
Release Date September 20, 2016
Publisher The Chinese Room, The Chinese Room, Curve Digital, Rob Briscoe
Content Rated T (Teen)
Game Modes Single player
Player Perspectives First person
Genres Adventure, Indie
Themes Action, Fantasy, Drama
Platforms PC (Microsoft Windows), Mac, PlayStation 4, Xbox One