![]() ![]() It tested whether a game which relied solely on interpreting a narrative without a definite answer, lacking any other mechanics or goals, could still be engaging and enjoyable. Dear Esther was one of four mods created for academic research on storytelling in games. Who is the narrator? Are the four characters named by the narrator four separate people, or are some people given multiple names? Are some characters figments of the narrator’s imagination? Are the narrator and the protagonist even the same person?ĭear Esther doesn’t provide answers. In fact, it lacks a canon narrative by design. Combined, these experiences lead to a lot of questions. Adding to this, chemical structures, electrical diagrams and fragments of bible passages recur and combine along the protagonist’s path. The eloquent, educated narrator becomes increasingly abstract and confused as the narrative progresses. Their tone can be called “poetic” or “pretentious”, depending on your taste in writing. ![]() The narrator reveals the broadest stroke of Esther’s story early on, sometimes in the first quarter of the game. Everything beyond that core fact is up for interpretation, as the voice-overs which provide the narrative are often symbolic or circumlocutory. I began the game assuming that I would be solving the mystery of what exactly happened to Esther, and who she was to the narrator. So I wasn’t sure what to expect from the game that brought ENGs into mainstream discussions. While I’ve played other Environmental Narrative Games before, I’ve somehow never played Dear Esther nor had its story spoiled. After walking into the ocean again to see if any of the environment changed as a result, and only unlocking an incongruous-seeming achievement for drowning, I start to actually play Dear Esther. As a result I discover some of the island’s mystery within seconds of playtime. My screen fills with indistinct images and pulses like a heartbeat, while the narrator’s own voice whispers “come back…”, before the protagonist reappears at the starting point. I promptly walk them into the ocean (for science, of course). Behind the protagonist is a short concrete path leading into the ocean. As Dear Esther begins, the protagonist stands at the entrance to a deserted island quickly revealed as being in the Outer Hebrides. ![]()
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