While there is very little to do here, the player is still interacting with the world. As I've pointed out, the player just walks as he soaks in the environment and listens to a character speak about his background and hike on the island. Let's address the concern that this isn't a game.

And it is in this utter simplicity that many are confused about what this game is, while some other players are actually overwhelmed with a feeling akin to what an eleven-year-old boy feels like when opening an issue of Playboy Magazine for the first time. Indeed, all the player does in Dear Esther is walk and look, nothing more. I could almost forget to mention what the player actually does, and my description above would still provide a comprehensive summary of the player experience. When there is no music the aural experience is supplanted by a wealth of sound effects, from waves clashing against beach rocks to wind gusts brushing against tall grass as they find refuge inside the peaceful embrace of a cave's comforting womb. The music, which presents itself with the same frequency as the narrator's dialog, is expectedly effective at adding to the feeling of desolation, somberness and the infrequent discomfort. As already stated, the island is desolate, with subtle hints of land once occupied. Additionally, the environment is gorgeous and serves the purpose of giving the player a sense of place. As the player progresses in the game, the audio reveals details about the narrator's past and/or experiences on the island, which are intriguing at best and efficient at worst. The writing, while often indulging in prolix speech that lessens the plausibility of the narrator's feelings of sorrow, is pleasant to listen to. The player won't run into other characters during his journey across a desolate island as his only companion are pieces of occasional dialog often directed at 'Esther,' left behind by a well-voiced character that has traversed the environment earlier, which trigger as the player arrives at different points of interest. The game succeeds at setting a mood of loneliness and gloom.

By far, the strength of Dear Esther.įirstly, there is validity to some of the praise Dear Esther has received.

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