All about the feelings, not a review.
Has anyone ever told you a story that made you catch yourself daydreaming multiple times? This game did that to me… What Remains of Edith Finch sets the bar for the definition of gaming and storytelling to an abnormally high level, and reformulates classic video games as a whole.
In other words, do you know that feeling when you feel so comfortable and cozy at home? That’s the same feeling I had throughout the entire game. For example, I always feel that way during Christmas when there’s an incredible atmosphere, and I play games on my PC while eating cakes with one hand 😀 This is the definition of a unique game called What Remains of Edith Finch. The graphics definitely played a role, as they made it pretty damn well, and everything looks like a fairy tale in which you play the main role.
Every person’s story is a masterpiece in its own right, waiting to be explored.
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Is this game a “Walking simulator”? No, it’s not like Fortnite, where you have action throughout the entire gameplay, but this is something completely different… This game aims to evoke a series of emotions, feelings, and thoughts in you, which you will carry with you long after finishing the game. It tells you its incredible story through your mini actions 🙂
Crackling of the fireplace and feeling of unknown, that is definition of this unique game called What Remains of Edith Finch. Since the very beginning until the end you can feel it and just love it. It’s an astonishing game and an incredible experience.
If you haven’t played the game, here is a brief introduction if you have just click here:)
What Remains of Edith Finch is a game that needs to be introduced, as it is not entirely mainstream, and not everyone may know about it. I also discovered it only recently, and I consider myself a hunter of unique and original games.
In short, it is a captivating story of a large family, told through your gameplay and non-gameplay actions (sometimes leaving you in awe). And that’s why I say “non-gameplay” because don’t expect any complicated gaming mechanics. It’s so simple that it’s genius, and at times, I felt like I was watching a movie while playing a game. However, it’s definitely not a walking simulator! As I’ve mentioned before, it’s a unique game with a unique style of gameplay and controls, and it worked incredibly well for me!
- Real he me fond show gave shot plan
- So insisted received is occasion
- Oh smiling amiable am so visited cordial in offices hearted
Where the hell is everyone? And why are there suitcases everywhere? – this is not a description of the movie Home Alone 😀
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The story takes place in the middle of nowhere in the woods 😀 You find yourself in front of a huge, weird, run-down building that is made up of several mini-houses, kind of like mini-rooms. You play as the great-great-great-granddaughter (I don’t really know how many “greats” there are) who uncovers what happened to her family members in this quite creepy mansion. Where the hell is everyone? Why is there such a mess in the garage, did they move somewhere? And why are there suitcases everywhere? – this is not a description of the movie Home Alone 😀
Unexpected masterpiece
Throughout the game, you have almost complete freedom of movement and there’s no rush. You uncover the story, and the game follows your lead. As you progress through the individual family members’ stories, you discover that you’re dealing with a curse that causes strange deaths in your family. It’s like reading a book, with each family member’s life being a separate chapter. You’re the reader and don’t have much influence on the story, only actively observing the interactions in the game, solving mini-tasks, and so on. But don’t worry, it’s far from boring. Sometimes it’s really funny, and the game’s peculiar gameplay mechanics work brilliantly.
I won’t spoil the end, but it’s an unexpected conclusion that you won’t even be able to guess.
Feelings and opinions
If I had to divide my feelings about the game, it would be as follows:
- Fear and thriller-horror elements
The entire pleasant charm of the plot was shrouded in a dark veil, which didn’t really bother me. The atmosphere was occasionally intense and kept me slightly on edge, but nothing too scary 🙂
- Mystery and undiscoveredness
The inability to finish until you figure out what’s going on and where it all ends, and the whole point… The game gradually reveals more and more, only in small pieces.
- Game mechanics
The controls are unique, extremely simple, and perfect 🙂
- Story
The person who wrote the script for this game deserves a medal. The individual mini-stories are engaging and brilliantly crafted.
The feeling of uniqueness created by all the aforementioned aspects together with the plot is what makes this game a perfect masterpiece. It’s like creating a virtual reality without VR. I felt like I was truly the main character in body and soul, but without the passing of real-time.
I have to say that is really strange when you’ve been playing games for 10 years and you feel like nothing can surprise you anymore, but it still does…and BRUTALLY! It’s not the graphics or gameplay, but the story and atmosphere that I feel first when I hear the name of this game. It’s been almost a year since I
FAQ (Answers and Questions )
Is What Remains of Edith Finch a horror game?
Yes and No. it depends on you and your level of fear 😛
When answering ‘yes’, you must understand it in a completely different sense than classic horror games like Resident Evil or Amnesia. I would rather compare it to a very subtle thriller/drama. WROEF has no intention of scaring the player with simple jump scares and keeping their heart rate high throughout the entire gameplay. It doesn’t need to do that, as it has a brutal atmosphere, which was the main driver of the game’s ‘scariness,’ and of course, the mini scary stories of the characters only add to its strength. However, I definitely wouldn’t define it as a horror game (at least not for me, although yes, I did have a few close calls :D)
Is it a game that can be played more than once?
Yes, definitely. Although the ending of the game will be the same, it is definitely worth replaying for the mini-stories of the family members. It may also provide a better understanding of the overall story, as I believe the authors often hid deeper and more meaningful ideas behind metaphors and symbols. Personally, I know I missed a lot of things and perhaps did not fully understand everything, so I plan on replaying it for sure!
Is it scary game?
Yes and no. As I mentioned earlier, the whole game has a delightful and fairy-tale-like quality, but it is wrapped in a certain creepy package. This is due to both the story and the incredible atmosphere, which is not always that cozy Christmas feeling 😂 Everyone has a different understanding and definition of fear, so it will be generally difficult to categorize it, but for me (as a scaredy-cat), I would rate it more as a non-scary game.
What specifically did I not like?
I really try and think… still thinking… but I can’t think of anything, really. If I’m honest, my first thought was the shortness of the game’s story, but I quickly dismissed it, as maybe that’s what made this game such an incredibly unique piece of art! So, it’s kind of awkward to say, but really nothing 🙂
How did it start?
I really didn’t know what I was getting into, but right after the first few seconds of the game, I knew that this was going to be something different… something unique. At the beginning, I really couldn’t tell if I was playing or just watching a movie, but when I was able to look around with the mouse, I knew this was going to be a game for me. They did it almost seamlessly without any pause or division between the intro cutscene and the actual gameplay, it was beautiful 🙂
The best moment / part of the story and game?
The end of the game and the beginning of the game, but the whole uncovering of the individual fates of family members and the pursuit of the end 🙂 was an amazing ride.
The best surprise in the game?
- Ending
I was really expecting a SPOILER (happy end) and a completely different ending. I just love games like this, where I know I don’t know how it will end 😀 (what a sentence lol). But the end of the game didn’t give me a chance and I absolutely didn’t expect it or even have a clue. I mean, everyone probably has theories and feelings during any game about how it will all end (at least I always imagine and anticipate the plot). But this game is different, it’s just unique until the very end 🙂
- Fun
I really thought it was going to be a walking simulator game, where I wouldn’t do anything but look and click the mouse on “next”, “next”, and so on. But no, the gameplay style really fit me with everything.
- Music
Until now, I didn’t really realize the music or soundtrack in games. However, this game made me pay attention to it because the music in WROEF was simply amazing and complemented the atmosphere.
What did I do right before finishing the game?
When I realized that the end of the game was approaching, I wanted to stop and catch my breath. I kept telling myself that this couldn’t be the end…(it’s like Christmas, you don’t want it to end either), so I forced myself to pause by pressing the ESC button and looked at the menu…I’m not kidding. That’s when everything started to make sense to me and I had goosebumps, but at the same time, I couldn’t help the tears that welled up in my eyes…
How did I come across this game?
Wow, I think it was during a Steam sale week 😀 I’m not kidding…but I honestly don’t remember exactly how I came across it. But for sure, it was through my constant search for unique games 🙂 (like Gone Home, for example).
How long is this game?
The story is very short and focusing on the main goals, it shouldn’t take you longer than 2 hours to complete. If you concentrate on all interactions and want to finish it 100%, count on at least 2.5 to 3 hours (if you’re skilled, then less). I’m a very slow and explorative player, and I thoroughly enjoyed WROEF, taking me a relaxed 3 hours to finish (and at least 20 minutes were spent admiring the atmosphere and graphics – meaning I stood in the garden and looked at that creepy mansion :D). However, I definitely missed or overlooked something, and it would be worth playing it again.
Does What Remains of Edith Finch have a secret ending?
I have come across this many times on the internet, but I did not have any secret ending and I was not able to find out about it either 🙁 However, I do not exclude the possibility that such an ending exists. From this game, I would not expect anything else, it would be just another positive surprise. So it sounds amazing, and if anyone has any explanation or tip, please share it here!
Is the game what remains of Edith Finch Based on a true story?
No, it is not based on real events of one family. Although who knows… maybe something similar happened at some point, but officially nothing like that has been confirmed, fortunately…
Can you miss things in What Remains of Edith Finch?
Yes, some details may escape your notice, for example, the telescope through which you can look at the sea and the cemetery. There are also many different interactions around that you can go through and not notice. It’s not the kind of game that holds your hand… if you don’t discover or miss something, it will stay that way. You can even stand in one place for several hours and nothing will happen in the game, you won’t die of hunger (although I haven’t tried). However, this is a great reason to replay the whole game multiple times. Therefore, I recommend to those who have finished it to check out a well-written article about achievements and make sure you have managed to obtain and discover everything 🙂
On which platforms you can play What Remains of Edith Finch?
The game was released for PC (Microsoft Windows), PlayStation 4 and Xbox One in 2017, for Nintendo Switch in 2019, for iOS in 2021, and for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S in 2022.
What Remains of Edith Finch 2 or new What Remains of Edith Finch in 2023?
In September 2022, an update (not a remaster) was released for PS5 as an upgrade for owners of the game on PS4 🙂 and Xbox Series X/S. It includes an upgrade to 4K resolution with 60 frames-per-second, so at least something. All of us who played it would probably love to see a part 3, but nothing like that is happening yet (at least I’m not aware of it). The point of the whole story was somewhat revealed and I don’t see much chance or continuity for a sequel, but I can imagine a similar style of gameplay with other stories.
Final evaluation
It is truly incredible what the developers managed to create. It is a brilliant masterpiece that I recommend to everyone who hasn’t played it yet. And to those who have already finished it, I recommend playing it again… you have definitely missed something, and even if not, you will want to experience the atmosphere again 🙂 I also plan to dive into it at least once more 🙂
Which games are similar to What Remains of Edith Finch?
Do you want more games like What Remains of Edith Finch? You should try this:
Games that I have played and know have evoked similar emotions 🙂
- Gone Home
- Firewatch
- The long dark
- Life is strange
Games that I haven’t played, but people say they are a good alternative to WROEF:
- The Stanley Parable
- Soma
- The Vanishing Of Ethan Carter
- Everybody’s Gone to the Rapture
- Journey
- Inside
- The Wolf Among Us
- Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons
- Oxenfree
- Road 96 (In my bucketlist)
- Tacoma
- Dear Esther