My thoughts on What Remains of Edith Finch [PC Version]

[Originally written on 12 Apr 2020]

 I just finished playing this game and…I don’t know, it’s very, very different from all the games I’ve played in my life so far.

It’s a peaceful game, to use a crude term. It’s a huge departure from all the action- packed, adrenaline fuelling games that I’ve recently played. And it really reminds me of the Dream Chronicles series. The music, the environments, the voice overs, everything…even the way the story is narrated.

There’s not much to do in the game. It’s not like those strategy games where you have to think about your next moves, or like an action – adventure game where you have to punch your way out of a sticky situation, or even like a puzzle game where there  are neither enemies nor friends but just mind – numbing puzzles. There’s nothing of that sort in Edith Finch and yet it feels enjoyable.

It’s what you might call a “Walking Simulator”, where you just walk, explore your surroundings and interact with the objects around you. Sounds pretty boring, but Edith Finch is far from boring. Even though the story it tells holds very little intrigue, and absolutely no elements of suspense and mystery, it engages the player through its environments, and the way the narrative is unfolded. You really feel as if you’ve literally stepped into the shoes of the narrator, and how you control the game reflects the story that is being narrated.

It’s really difficult to describe what I feel without giving away spoilers, but the game is immersive in the truest sense of the word. You live the game. You really live the game. And it really helps that the game is played in the first person, otherwise it wouldn’t have been as effective.

Edith Finch is a prime example, a paragon of how to tell a story through a game. You would expect such a game as this, whose sole purpose is to narrate a story, to have a good story. Surprisingly, the strongest suit of Edith Finch is not its story but its design. The environments feel realistic, and significantly contribute to the whole mood of the game. The slow, gentle music, too, plays its part. Crystal clear voice overs bring familiarity to the characters. Smooth gameplay ensures a well – connected chain of events without any glitches. And I’m aware this sounds more like a newspaper advertisement of the game but this is how it really is, and these little elements of the game are worth mentioning, because they combine to make a short, simple and sweet game.

You might be left with a lot of questions after completing the game, but, like the stories that comprise it, Edith Finch wants you to be imaginative and build your own world on top of its stories. It has taken a lot of creative liberties, and the creativity is what makes it so enjoyable.

It’s a worthwhile experience, stepping in the shoes of Edith Finch as she revisits her ancestral house to find out about her family’s history. As she discovers tidbits of information about each of her family members, the player feels more and more drawn and connected to the Finch family. The house itself is so big that it feels like a castle, and so richly designed that it may, actually, be called a modern castle of sorts. The secret passageways are very skilfully placed, and this is where the simplicity of the game builds a headache free experience as the player does not have to roam around, searching for the next secret doorknob or key or an entrance-disguised-as-a-bookcase; the game guides the player really well towards the next section of the house.

Its visuals are truly beautiful. Each element of this game fits together like piece of a puzzle. Please do give it a try. It’s a short game, but its effects are truly lasting.