i thought that the game was being played through the narrator's eyes as he/she is dying, and what we're seeing is some sort of visual hallucination conjured up by a brain that's slowly losing more and more oxygen whilst all sorts of memories are being dredged up from its' depths to fuel the hallucinatory world, with the most recent memories (car crash, hospital) being the most pervasive.
they always say that your life flashes before your eyes before you die, but i've never heard anyone say that those flashes make any kind of sense.
I was reading some reviews earlier today and some were very critical about the playlength in comparison to the price. As a customer, Do you think that it was well worth the money?
It really does depend on what you take away from the experience. If you understand going in that it's not a game but a story you can move around in, and the playing conditions are right than it can be a pretty awesome experience. Ultimately it's value won't really be apparent until you play it so... that maybe doesn't answer your question? The environment porn is pretty fantastic to.
-edit-
I'm also pretty sure that we've all spent at least as much on movies that were neither as long or as engaging.
Just finished the game
Dear Esther, its the purest and most honest art form I ever seen related to 3d gaming. without having mechanic and game design interference ... ( very bold decision tho)
my english is not that decent to crack all the meaning of those words, in my perspective this game is a bit scary, could lead someone to suicide lol ... XD
I was reading some reviews earlier today and some were very critical about the playlength in comparison to the price. As a customer, Do you think that it was well worth the money?
In regards to the price point, I bought it out of sheer appreciation for Robert's work, having been amazed since he posted the very first pictures of his work on the (then) mod. I don't see any "revolutionary" aspects about the story/gameplay that the PR touts it has. It's rather boring at times, but the language is pretty and the music nice. Otherwise, all it is a series of scripted hallways, nothing more. The Stanley Parable was arguably more of a game.
Tried to buy it, but Steam kept rejecting my card because my address was somehow not the same as the one my bank thinks is correct? Weird, because I compared it directly to my statement, and.... it's correct.
I don't know. It's a pain, though, because I really want this.
my god that was a fantastic visual journey. the music was really moving and definitely recommend playing it with the subtitles turned off. phenominal lighting and texture work, probably the best organic environments ive seen, the chaotic detail of hundreds of rocks and stalactites, and the huge amounts of foliage just felt so natural. Really awesome.
NOTE: There's spoilers in my comments on Dear Esther below.
Briscoe's environment work was stellar. There's no questioning that. My reference folder filled up nicely while playing through the game - thank you for that!
I did, however, not get on with the experience itself to well. I'm hesitant to write that I wish Dear Esther had more objective gameplay, as it feels very much its a story being told through the videogame medium and nothing more, I will write this: I wish it had more objective things to do. Something simple as 'Collect 100 red stones' even. Why 100 red stones? Who knows? I don't.
I like to think that all game designers aim to have their games played more than once; that there'd be a reason for someone to come back to the game once they've beaten it. I suppose the expectation with Dear Esther was that people would want to go back to the game to get more of the randomly queued narration to learn more of the story and check out more of Robert's work. Right now its only the latter bit drawing me back when I do wish it were both the experience and the setting.
I felt I learned enough of the story to piece it well enough together and satisfy what I had just experienced. Going through it again at that pace and hitting on more random narrations isn't that appealing. I've read a couple of story theories online that I really have no reason to go through it again for its story. I doubt that's a mutual feeling amongst everyone who's played it, but that's certainly how I feel.
It goes without saying that Dear Esther is a pretty abstract experience. And while I can appreciate the sense of unease and uncertainty I do wish the experience had some contrasting moods along the way. While visually different, even part of the story through the caves gave off the same vibe as the island: More unease and uncertainty. Perhaps it was so the bit at the end had an even stronger emotion tied but there was never really a sense of clarity when I was hoping there would be.
I liked Dear Esther and would recommend it to any gamer looking a something different, obtainable and visually stunning videogame experience. I was just personally hoping for little more than a story experienced through the first person perspective.
I fucking loved the game, music, narration, style (arts a given). Its my personal hope that more designers take this route instead of acting like the most games can hope to achieve is to be fun and addicting... meth is fun and addicting I hear.
but I do think that people getting worked up over the price have a point. especially considering they made their money back in 5 hours, couldn't they just have charged 5 dollars and made their money back in 10 hours instead?
again love the game... still have to go back and play some more to understand the plot.. like... at all.
especially considering they made their money back in 5 hours, couldn't they just have charged 5 dollars and made their money back in 10 hours instead?
lol. Whos going to pass up having having more profits because a few people complain about the price-point. Obviously its not that big of a problem or it wouldn't have achieved that.
but I do think that people getting worked up over the price have a point. especially considering they made their money back in 5 hours, couldn't they just have charged 5 dollars and made their money back in 10 hours instead?
again love the game... still have to go back and play some more to understand the plot.. like... at all.
I paid over 10 dollars to see that piece of shit new underworld movie on a cheap night. normallly tickets for 1hr20 mins of grabage i dont bat an eye, so I was more than satisfied by owning the game and its 2+hrs playtime with fantastic art. I can play through it any time i want again and look at it as inspiration. value is subjective ofcourse but for me, I know how many meh movies Ive seen for 15 bucks vs owning a gorgeous piece of art (wouldn't call it a game really) for 10. for Me I look at it as simply an artistic expression in a different medium.
I paid over 10 dollars to see that piece of shit new underworld movie on a cheap night. normallly tickets for 1hr20 mins of grabage i dont bat an eye, so I was more than satisfied by owning the game and its 2+hrs playtime with fantastic art. I can play through it any time i want again and look at it as inspiration. value is subjective ofcourse but for me, I know how many meh movies Ive seen for 15 bucks vs owning a gorgeous piece of art (wouldn't call it a game really) for 10. for Me I look at it as simply an artistic expression in a different medium.
ok first underworld:
I saw that with my GF who works at a movie theater so I got in for free but yeah if I had to pay for that I'd be pissed too.
Second: I MYSELF would pay full price for that game($40-60). and you would too. hell most of anyone on this forum would, because the art is so fantastic. but game-press, casuals, regular gamer-types see this as a one time, 2 hour game play experience.
All I'm saying is they have a point and their allowed to feel that they didnt get $10 worth of game-time.
Brisco has crafted an amazing experience, and it's quite an immersive and haunting one too. The environment art is this is astounding, you can almost smell the sea air.
I knew nothing about this game until I heard it mentioned on the crunchcast. I can see where a lot of people would think that the game isn't worth its $10 price tag. I played through it in one sitting and I'm a slow gamer, one who tends to noodle about in every nook and cranny I can find.
Personally I thought it was very much worth the money. I appreciate beautiful environmental art, but it was the experience I most enjoyed. Dear Esther reminds me of an old game called The Dark Eye, in which you re-enacted the stories of Edgar Allan Poe. In that game, as opposed to Dear Esther, you interact with the environment to cue the voice overs and progress the story instead of just wandering around. I really enjoyed the experience of both and I think there's room in today's game market to include more heavy storytelling.
As for what I made of the game itself
Playing through I saw myself as Esther. I think that's partly because the narrator addresses his thoughts to Esther and because, as a girl, I'm quick to jump into the idea of a female protagonist. The whole thing felt very contemplative, with the ending of jumping off and finding yourself as a seagull, it felt like a kind of Last Walk.
The narrator is dead, and so is Esther. They were together once, perhaps they died together, perhaps not. I imagined the island to be a space between worlds, a journey these two people (and the others mentioned in passing) undertook before moving on. They are gone now and the land is bare but they left little pieces of themselves.
Just played it because I bought it with the humble bundle.
The island seems to be limbo or symbolic, it sounded like the character visited the island before, there was a car accident and a drunk, I feel they are related. Ester died in the car crash, and I think your character died in the wreck as well and was revived, I think there was a line about him being at the before, and there as a defibrillator.
There also seems to be a lot of guilt your character is carrying, and emotional and physical baggage, I feel like after the car crash your character was addicted to pills, obsessive, and ill. And he came to the island to be set free/die.
Apparently those chemical signs are alcohol, I'm not sure what the transistor wiring diagrams were for though.
There seemed to be a slight battle between science and religion as well, there was a few Bible verses, the Bible on the ground, and talk of religious people.
I wish the ending faded away the sounds, I sat there for 2 minutes thinking like you are probably suppose to, then I noticed the sounds were still going, and I waited 2 more minutes to see if anything else would happen. Ended up alt tabbing and googling to see if there was anything else. I feel like if the sounds would slowly fade out over 3 minutes you'd know there was nothing else.
Finished the game, beautful! Great ending. I was completely and utterly blown away by the environments.. I know everything was photo sourced..but god damn if it wasn't the most beautiful game you can have my leg.
I wish there was a breakdown on how the cliffs were done...it would help me a lot. -_-
Just finished the game and its great experience! The black screen at the end had me waiting awhile and pressing a bunch of buttons. I found out that you can quick save, so I did just that and returned later. Once I loaded up the quick save again....it was pretty interesting, I wonder if it was done intentionally?
I recently played through the game again but this time with the Oculus Rift.. I shit you not, ive been motion sick for 2 days now hah!
Seriously though.. the sense of scale and space with the Oculus when you are in the cave section is outstanding... It really does show off peoples environment art and its lovely to feel... not just see
Replies
they always say that your life flashes before your eyes before you die, but i've never heard anyone say that those flashes make any kind of sense.
-edit-
I'm also pretty sure that we've all spent at least as much on movies that were neither as long or as engaging.
Dear Esther, its the purest and most honest art form I ever seen related to 3d gaming. without having mechanic and game design interference ... ( very bold decision tho)
Dear Esther has reached profitability. It took 5 hours, 30 minutes.
In regards to the price point, I bought it out of sheer appreciation for Robert's work, having been amazed since he posted the very first pictures of his work on the (then) mod. I don't see any "revolutionary" aspects about the story/gameplay that the PR touts it has. It's rather boring at times, but the language is pretty and the music nice. Otherwise, all it is a series of scripted hallways, nothing more. The Stanley Parable was arguably more of a game.
I don't know. It's a pain, though, because I really want this.
Briscoe's environment work was stellar. There's no questioning that. My reference folder filled up nicely while playing through the game - thank you for that!
I did, however, not get on with the experience itself to well. I'm hesitant to write that I wish Dear Esther had more objective gameplay, as it feels very much its a story being told through the videogame medium and nothing more, I will write this: I wish it had more objective things to do. Something simple as 'Collect 100 red stones' even. Why 100 red stones? Who knows? I don't.
I like to think that all game designers aim to have their games played more than once; that there'd be a reason for someone to come back to the game once they've beaten it. I suppose the expectation with Dear Esther was that people would want to go back to the game to get more of the randomly queued narration to learn more of the story and check out more of Robert's work. Right now its only the latter bit drawing me back when I do wish it were both the experience and the setting.
I felt I learned enough of the story to piece it well enough together and satisfy what I had just experienced. Going through it again at that pace and hitting on more random narrations isn't that appealing. I've read a couple of story theories online that I really have no reason to go through it again for its story. I doubt that's a mutual feeling amongst everyone who's played it, but that's certainly how I feel.
It goes without saying that Dear Esther is a pretty abstract experience. And while I can appreciate the sense of unease and uncertainty I do wish the experience had some contrasting moods along the way. While visually different, even part of the story through the caves gave off the same vibe as the island: More unease and uncertainty. Perhaps it was so the bit at the end had an even stronger emotion tied but there was never really a sense of clarity when I was hoping there would be.
I liked Dear Esther and would recommend it to any gamer looking a something different, obtainable and visually stunning videogame experience. I was just personally hoping for little more than a story experienced through the first person perspective.
but I do think that people getting worked up over the price have a point. especially considering they made their money back in 5 hours, couldn't they just have charged 5 dollars and made their money back in 10 hours instead?
again love the game... still have to go back and play some more to understand the plot.. like... at all.
lol. Whos going to pass up having having more profits because a few people complain about the price-point. Obviously its not that big of a problem or it wouldn't have achieved that.
I paid over 10 dollars to see that piece of shit new underworld movie on a cheap night. normallly tickets for 1hr20 mins of grabage i dont bat an eye, so I was more than satisfied by owning the game and its 2+hrs playtime with fantastic art. I can play through it any time i want again and look at it as inspiration. value is subjective ofcourse but for me, I know how many meh movies Ive seen for 15 bucks vs owning a gorgeous piece of art (wouldn't call it a game really) for 10. for Me I look at it as simply an artistic expression in a different medium.
I saw that with my GF who works at a movie theater so I got in for free but yeah if I had to pay for that I'd be pissed too.
Second: I MYSELF would pay full price for that game($40-60). and you would too. hell most of anyone on this forum would, because the art is so fantastic. but game-press, casuals, regular gamer-types see this as a one time, 2 hour game play experience.
All I'm saying is they have a point and their allowed to feel that they didnt get $10 worth of game-time.
Why u hating?!
and game? Well I like the novelty of it but game it is not.
Personally I thought it was very much worth the money. I appreciate beautiful environmental art, but it was the experience I most enjoyed. Dear Esther reminds me of an old game called The Dark Eye, in which you re-enacted the stories of Edgar Allan Poe. In that game, as opposed to Dear Esther, you interact with the environment to cue the voice overs and progress the story instead of just wandering around. I really enjoyed the experience of both and I think there's room in today's game market to include more heavy storytelling.
As for what I made of the game itself
The narrator is dead, and so is Esther. They were together once, perhaps they died together, perhaps not. I imagined the island to be a space between worlds, a journey these two people (and the others mentioned in passing) undertook before moving on. They are gone now and the land is bare but they left little pieces of themselves.
There also seems to be a lot of guilt your character is carrying, and emotional and physical baggage, I feel like after the car crash your character was addicted to pills, obsessive, and ill. And he came to the island to be set free/die.
Apparently those chemical signs are alcohol, I'm not sure what the transistor wiring diagrams were for though.
There seemed to be a slight battle between science and religion as well, there was a few Bible verses, the Bible on the ground, and talk of religious people.
I wish the ending faded away the sounds, I sat there for 2 minutes thinking like you are probably suppose to, then I noticed the sounds were still going, and I waited 2 more minutes to see if anything else would happen. Ended up alt tabbing and googling to see if there was anything else. I feel like if the sounds would slowly fade out over 3 minutes you'd know there was nothing else.
I wish there was a breakdown on how the cliffs were done...it would help me a lot. -_-
Seriously though.. the sense of scale and space with the Oculus when you are in the cave section is outstanding... It really does show off peoples environment art and its lovely to feel... not just see