Dear Esther
If you enjoy a walking sim, then you probably want to give Dear Esther a look, considering it’s in many ways responsible for the modern genre. Released in 2012, the game drops you onto a gorgeous but seemingly abandoned island with little in the way of a goal. As you walk around, you uncover bits of information about a small cast of characters you’ll never actually meet.
The game is a somber and meditative experience, one that ties together its threads into a fuzzy story about the unhappinesses we experience in life. What works so well about Dear Esther is how its narrative becomes less clear the deeper you go, forcing you to make your own conclusions about what is going on. And while the game’s overall vibes might make you worry it could tip over into horror, this really is just a walk… even if you see something mysterious in the distance.
