Page 14 of 15
DEAR ESTHER
The scope of exploration in Dear Esther is very different from most (if not all) other games on this list, but as anyone who’s played the game would tell you, it’s worth experiencing at least once. Because this is, once again, the perfect marriage between gameplay and storytelling. As you explore more of its hauntingly beautiful island, you learn more and more about its deeply personal and emotional journey. Exploration is very much the point of the game, and there’s no strictly guided path for you to follow, which means that said exploration is always rewarded with meaningful narrative progression.
