Dear Esther Review - Poetry In Motion

A review of Dear Esther would be impossible without a discussion about what a video game is. Are video games simply experiences? Or is it the interactivity that makes something... a 'game'. This makes this particular review challenging since Dear Esther is quite clearly an experience that has very little(if none at all) interactivity. First for some background. Dear Esther was a Half Life 2 mod that has been developed into a standalone experience recently by thechineseroom(the modders that have turn game designers).

In Dear Esther, you play an unknown disembodied character. As you travel around the island of Habridean, an island that you seemed to be shipwrecked and trapped on, you get bits of narration from a mysterious unnamed character that relates to that particular spot you are at. These narrations sometimes go back to the narrators past as he recounts fragments of his life and introduces other characters like Donelly. All these narrations are for an Esther, possibly a love interest of the narrator.

While the game is linear, it offers some different paths.

Gameplay consist of using the WASD and mouse to move around the island. As you reach certain points in a level, you get rewarded with audio narration which elaborates on the story and the journey of your character.  Hardly any gameplay at all, but this isn't so much of a flaw for Dear Esther. Clearly Dear Esther is intended as an audio visual experience with very little interactivity(other than moving your character around). There are many routes and ways that you could travel across the island which often means that you'll discover narration that you have never heard the first time you 'played' through the game.

Dear Esther is not an open world sand box game. Using the Source Engine, the 'game' is divided into 4 levels, each with a clear starting and ending point. The paths of exploration are linear but with branching paths that encourage replays. It's doesn't offer as much freedom as say an open world game, but will at least offer an extra hour of looking out for new areas to explore.

Lots of looking into the horizon from high up. If you have vertigo... be warned

Even though Dear Esther is powered by the Valve's Source Engine, it is one of the best looking PC games I have ever seen. Much of its beauty comes from its serene and peaceful design of the island. It's not about how high tech the engine is but the realism in the environment. Waves gently crash into rocks, the grass sways in the wind, moss grows on rocks, the moon glows beautifully overhead, caves have mysterious glowing art in them. I half expected a bunch of natives to jump out from behind the stalagmites and having a rave. Textures are very high resolution which I think is the key to Dear Esther's almost photo realistic quality.

Accompanying the amazing visual quality is a subtle and low key sound design. To bring the visuals to life, you hears the sound of the waves, birds, the wind blowing across the environment and the creaking of old ships crashed into the shore. The audio visual element of Dear Esther really carries it well and puts it forth as an experience you don't normally have with video games. Like the subtitle to this review, Dear Esther is poetry in motion.

There are some amazing lighting effects... bring out the glow sticks! It's a rave!

Conclusion

Overall, I thought the writing, which for a game like this; is probably really important, was quite good. The narration was low key, suitable to the entire tone of the game(which was melancholic and moody) and equally evocative. It evokes a solitude, a beauty in the seclusion of the island, and its narration. Dear Esther may not be for everyone; if you're looking to get your frag on and shot stuff, this is not the game for you. But if you're looking for a beautiful emotional journey on an incredibly impressive looking island that touches you, this might be an experience worth having. It's quite abstract and you might not get what the game is trying to say, but part of the wonder of such 'games' is the discussions and debate it generates once you're done with it. What did you think of Dear Esther?




Pros:

• Amazing high resolution graphics and textures
• Great sound design
• Haunting atmosphere and ambiance

Cons:

• Certainly not for everyone as it lacks gameplay
• Might be too abstract for some
• Short

Verdict: Poetry In Motion But Not Everyone Is Into Poetry