[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.
Comments
Post a Comment