Dear Esther is incredibly short.

[blockguy123]

I finished the game in about 58 minutes (total time I played)
and about 1/4 of that is just me exploring. It was pretty beautiful though.

[Ad Bot]

[Marcem]

I feel that you missed the point of the game.

[blockguy123]

I feel that you missed the point of the game.

I guess I did. I couldn't quite understand it.

[Amerax]

I feel that you missed the point of the game.

There is no point of the game, lol. You just walk around.

[dkamm65]

There is no point of the game, lol. You just walk around.

It's a story first, an experience second, and a game distant third.

[Comatose]

It's a story first, an experience second, and a game distant third.

This may be, but the story is very bland. Almost as bland as the game. For a story driven game to be interesting, the gameplay needs to represent that. Otherwise it becomes a "roam until you can finish" game.

[Operator¹]

EVERY GAME NEEDS SWORDS GUNS VIOLENCE PUNCHING KILLING ENEMIES

[Cargøn]

EVERY GAME NEEDS SWORDS GUNS VIOLENCE PUNCHING KILLING ENEMIES

Every game needs some form of interest

[Doughboy]

Thomas was Alone had a fantastic story with unbelievable narration

Dear Esther was boring

[dkamm65]

This may be, but the story is very bland. Almost as bland as the game. For a story driven game to be interesting, the gameplay needs to represent that. Otherwise it becomes a "roam until you can finish" game.

I wouldn't even call it a story-driven game.

The world in Dear Esther is like the pages the words of a book are written on. Their purpose is as a medium to deliver the story to the reader. As you move through the world, the story is given to you a page at a time.

[Menen]

Dear Esther is just Walking: The Game

[Linkusofepica]

Dear Esther is just Walking: The Game

It would be awesome with a NES PowerPad

[Comatose]

I wouldn't even call it a story-driven game.

The world in Dear Esther is like the pages the words of a book are written on. Their purpose is as a medium to deliver the story to the reader. As you move through the world, the story is given to you a page at a time.

I can understand this. But there has to be more than that for the game to be fun; to be even considered a game. There must be mechanics to keep the player engaged, otherwise it's just a chore to play and endure.

[slimabob]

I personally thought it was a superb game, you get really drawn into the environment and the story the narrator was telling, and it had me wanting to explore the island more and more until I'd finished the game.

However, I can see how some people may have found it boring- though I never did.

[Brickman]

It took me about 1:40 to complete because I wandered around everywhere, and I really found myself engulfed by the story and visuals. I was not bored at all.