Just FYI: I say the music in Barbra's section is a "nod" to Halloween, but to be more clear, I am pretty sure that's just the exact theme song. They had gotten the rights to use a few songs and that is one of them.
I've heard of this game, good things. My New Years game is Syberia III, I don't have a great computer so it is kind of wonky, but as far as the story goes I like it so far ...What...
I definitely agree with the "unsettling and a bit melancholy" experience. Not everyone is necessarily the victim of their own stories. In a lot of the Finch's stories joy, sadness, and loneliness go hand-in-hand. The ones that resonated with me the most was Milton and Lewis' stories. Something about getting so caught up in your daydreams that you may one day disappear completely is very relatable to me. Definitely of my favorite interactive stories that I've gone through, and I'm glad you liked it too.
I've seen video game snobs say that this should have been a movie or a book rather than a game and to that I say no. No no no no no no no no no HELL no. The Finch house is a place that NEEDS to be explored for one's self. I would not have been so enraptured by the dragon slide if I had not stumbled upon it and gasped at the sheer absurdity of it. The feeling of dread from Barbara Finch's room just wouldn't feel the same if I were watching someone else stand in it than if I were doing it myself. None of these characters' stories would have resonated half as well if it weren't for the fact that for every single one you WERE them. Enough of this "not a real game" bullshit. Not every movie is an adrenaline pumping action fest and you know what? Not every game needs to be either.
That's stupid. Why would it be better as a movie or a book? The only reason anyone knows of this game is because of innovative ways it uses gameplay to tell stories. This simply couldn't be replicated in a movie or novel. If anything, this game is an argument that story-driven games can be more than just a bunch of cutscenes, or endless pages of non-interactive text and pictures.
Well there were a lot of complaints that it was too linear. A lot of people comparing it to Gone Home and saying GH was better because it was more free form. Tho honestly I prefer Finch because its production value blows GH out of the water. I also think it's a bit more of that gate keeping attitude you know? People just don't like these narrative driven games and they think that if it doesn't have enough "gameplay" it shouldn't be considered a game. Which just exposes that they have a very limited idea of what gameplay is. i.e. shooting stuff until it dies.
As someone who dabbled in game design/game writing/narrative design - nonlinear stories are HELL to pace properly. On one hand it sounds like it'd be logical for a game like that with a bunch of disparate stories, but you also need to include the fact that emotions and tension should ramp UP with each story until the climax. That's really hard to pull off, and a linear narrative will almost always be paced better.
Not to mention the glut of nonlinear open world games that have flooded the market recently ARE getting slammed for not being paced very well. I loved Gone Home sure but as had been pointed out (though I think it was a really stupid thing to get mad about) you could actually beat that game in five minutes by stumbling on the secret passage. And depending on what rooms you went to the story would sometimes be told out of order.
Myself, I would've used example of Batman: Arkham Asylum (expertly paced instant hit) compared to pacing of Arkham Knight (a goddamn sidequest-riddled mess), but yeah.
The analysis Edith Finch is worth a look. Joseph Anderson, if you can get into the long winded critique-UA-camrs, has a very interesting video on the game that jumps into the world of the Finches are explores their struggles, giving insight on the characters and showing why the story it tells is so well-crafted and finely tuned. Bit of a shameless plug for Joe, but when I think of Edith Finch I think of that video. Great video as always.
I’ll admit, this game made me tear up but more because I thought the ending was beautiful and uplifting than out of sheer sadness. If you haven’t played The Unfinished Swan from the same developer, you really should. Especially since they confirmed there’s a major connection between the two games, which enriched both experiences for me.
What Remains of Edith Finch is probably one of my favorite games ever . it was a game that affected me in a lot of ways . the theories and just their death stories are wonderful to explore . it is truly one of the most innovative storytelling i've seen recently
I was one of the people who found it sad. The stories resonated with me so much, there are many tales about getting lost in something that isn't real and that is something I've struggled with for a very long time. I loved this game. I also felt melancholy with all the children's bits, I had and still have an extremely overactive imagination so all their stories just seemed so familiar yet so far away. As for Barbara I think what happened is her boyfriend accidentally killed her, so when we see the falling it's actually her that did the falling. I just think it's all very straightforward stories with a lot of the mystery happening cause people are not sure what actually happened. All in all, lovely game, lovely stories and I'm glad you enjoyed it as well!
yeah it was a really cool, if sad, not only games, but stories. i wish more studios took the risk of trying to do things like this. not copy it, but take inspiration from it.
My theory is that the family isn't cursed. I think Finches are just a family of very smart, creative people who, by chance, all died tragically. So many of the stories use fantasy and storytelling to soften the blow of an otherwise tragic event and I think that's ultimately the theme of the entire game. It's about how people use stories and fantasy to deal with the tragic, unpredictable, and unfair nature of reality. "The family curse" is just another such story.
thanks dad jk thought it'd be funny to say that lol. but yeah i agree if this was a family in real life people would just assume they were crazy or something, but i really like the way this game's story is presented and wish there were more games like it
I played this around the time it came out and bought it on a whim, solely based on, I think, one youtube video of the first section. It was really great, and probably the best "walking simulator" I've ever played. A lot of them just sort of push you through a story without really giving you much to do. What Remains of Edith Finch realised *this is a video game; the whole point is interacting with it.*
There is no more interactivity than a book; the only interaction is virtually figuring out what you have to do to get the page to turn. It doesn't qualify as a game at all. It's at best a visual novel with a unique interface.
These first person narrative-melancholy games usually bore me immediately because they end up being just copycats of a very basic sad tearjerk story. But Edit FInch was so good at playing with gameplay mechanics and meta levels of narrations, I loved it to death.
Ahh!! So glad you reviewed this game! I played for the first time in 2020, so I’m way behind, but it’s unlike any other game I’ve played. In regards to Barbara’s death, I like to think the hook man was real! Maybe he whiffed the first swipe at killing her and merely snagged her ear, but found his mark on the first second landing a killer blow. Her body tumbled through the balcony railway, and the killer drug her off to who knows where. Walter would have had the perspective to see all of this happen, setting up his story. As for the boyfriend, perhaps he was also a victim of the hook man which would explain why he too vanished, and where he went while Barbara was waiting so long for him to return, prompting her to leave her room.
Honestly, I was intrigued by most of the stories, especially the grandmother's as it cuts off early. But man, Gregory was the one that got me choked up. I knew where it was going as soon as it started, and since I help care for my nieces and nephews, I just felt awful. Made me feel like it was my fault the baby died.
I think the ones that hurt the most were Milton and Lewis, because I guess I related to them the most. These were kids with creative-driven aspirations, who if they'd been able to capitalize on that, they would've had a chance to express themselves to the world, and yet that was all cut short. Though, I'd say that Gregory was also particularly terrible, with the great juxtaposition of the kid's imagination and his own death. The voice actors in this deserve a lot of praise, as does the entire team that produced it, really.
Thanks for doing this video! I only just now discovered it, and I'm always very happy to see videos talking about it. It's one of my favorite games of the last decade.
I’m so glad you covered this, it was one of my favourite games last year. I love how they managed to tell each story in a slightly different way and the way text appeared (and disappeared) on screen was always interesting. Also, secret passages in houses are always satisfying and the way we are lead through the house is great.
it's my number one game of 2017. even considering persona 5 and breath of the wild. i get what you mean about the emotional content of the game. i think a lot of people judge emotion in a game by whether or not it made them cry. but i think edith finch is far more complex and ambiguous thematically. it left me with a more complex range of emotion, the baby scene was particularly effecting. i remember a mortician's tale being praised for its interesting take on death, i think edith finch is the same. the story is tragic and melancholy...but it's not grim. baby gregory drowns in a bathtub but it's presented almost joyously. i played it with a smile on my face...then paused the game and left the room.
It's a truly stunning game... it's sad, melancholy, wondrous... an entire range. And it's amazing how an item then had significance. Seeing the kite in the room after experiencing that story, for example. And I saw a rubber duck in a shop and I messaged me friend that I was thinking about Gregory. It's amazing how a game can get into your mind like that. Truly wonderfully executed.
Hard to believe that game is a year old now, or nearly. Little Nightmares will be hitting the first anniversary mark soon too. These were two Indie games that got me through a period of loneliness during my gap year before starting graduate schools, or let's plays of them anyway as I do not own a PS4 or Xbox. I liked the epistolary narrative style and how each dead relative offered different sections of the "cursed" history of the Finches. It broke my heart to learn that Edith, our guide through the whole thing, died before even seeing us, the protagonist. And it's weird because you play in first person as her during the game.
I too liked Lewis' story the most. It is Storytelling at it's very best. I connected and related to what he went through the most. And how it also covered the history of gaming in a way was amazing. What Remains of Edith Finch is definetely some of the best storytelling ever across all art forms.
Roses, have you played The Sexy Brutale? It seems like it's right up your alley, and I'm curious to hear your thoughts on it if you have. I'm so glad you covered What Remains of Edith Finch. I thought this game was just amazing, and it's cool to see it get more attention.
my favorite part of the game. is the character bedroom's I love their designs and how they show a lot of character even though we don't meet them alive
I would say that the game as a whole didn't make me sad. None of the individual stories made me sad, although there were certainly some other emotions going around. A large part of that, I think, is that I knew they were all dead. However, I did get sad when I found out that Edith died, because I had hoped that the end of the story would be her telling her child about the family and how they were going to break the curse.
Ho-Ly Crap. That Barbara segment has gained a whole new level of appreciation from me now. I played it some years ago but now after reading 40+ Issues of 1970s DC comic’s anthology comics (yes that’s detective comics comics comics) I can fully marvel at how good a pastiche that segment is in regards to those. Everything from the malicious narrator/framing device to that page with the patches. It’s incredibly on point and you can tell somebody really passionate worked on that segment.
I highly recommend watching a video called The Villain of Edith Finch. It's a really interesting analysis of the the story. It's a long video, but oh so engaging.
God I loved this game. I played it to the end on Xbox Gamepass, then immediately bought it and played it again. It made me feel emotions, which is no small task.
Also I have to say I agree totally about finding this and gone home a bit scary, at least at first. I went in not knowing much about either game so exploring these big creepy houses was spooky.
Wow... that game looks amazing. I have very little experience with the Interactive Novel genre. I've only played Life is Strange and Gone Home (just played Gone Home for the first time last night). I'm definitely going to pick this up for either the Xbox or PC. Thanks for the great video. :)
There's a theory I read about that it was actually WALTER who killed Barbara - but not on purpose. It was an accident: Walter felt bad for his big sister not being able to go to the convention because she had to babysit him, and after hearing Barbara and her boyfriend trying to get Barbara to scream, decided to help out by trying to scare her too... but when he did by luring her upstairs, Barbara stumbled back, tripped on her skates and fell off the balcony, landing on the glass coffee table and breaking her neck. When Edie and Sven arrived home, they got what happened out of Rick and Walter, but they decided to cover things up in order to protect Walter (making up a break-in and buying off Rick for silence - or possibly even threatening to frame him for Barbara's death; the latter would work to explain why Rick disappeared), and the comic was made to give Barbara one last shot at stardom, which was what she wanted. The parents wanted their daughter's memory to go out in a blaze of glory. Notice how when Edith is going around the house, you can actually see the damage made to the second story balcony, which matches up with what happened in the comic. That's more or less confirmation that *somebody* fell off it... but then there's the fact that in the music box, there's no blood stain where Barbara's ear was allegedly left. True, it could have been cleaned, but I got the impression from the comic that the ear was left in the music box for a long while, which would have allowed the blood to stain... and yet, when we look at the box as Edit, it's spotless. Like there never was a bloodied ear to begin with, as if that was just a sensationalized detail thrown in. Another detail to consider is that, when the hook-man in the comic first appears, he comes around the doorframe from the right - and yet, right before the player goes into Walter's room, it's clear that there's no way the hook-man could have been down that part of the hall, since Molly's room was locked (the comic even notes how it hadn't been opened in years) and there was no other place to hide. The hook-man just literally appears out of nowhere... as if that were a subtle hint that there never was a hook-man to begin with. This theory would also still fit in with Walter being so traumatized. He was devastated and guilt-ridden over causing his big sister's death, not to mention unable to cope with it, so he bought into the story of Barbara being murdered by somebody else (notice how when Walter thinks about the incident, he says "Whatever killed Barbara..." Even though he was there that night and likely saw what happened or at least saw the killer, he acts as if he's not sure what happened that night... as if he blocked the real memory out). Back to the music box, there's an awful lot of emphasis on it in the comic. True, it helps the player proceed further in the game, but why in-universe would Edie have put so much focus on it? And what's more, the comic also takes the player/reader down to the fridge that would eventually become the entrance to the bunker. It's almost as if Edie were laying hints as to where to find Walter... and that's what I myself theorize. On the comic's cover, it says that it was published on Halloween 1961, a whole year after the Barbara's death (also, for what it's worth, Calvin died on Sep 21, 1961), so it's possible that Edie and Sven were planning to build, had already built, or were in the middle of building, the bunker for Walter to hide in, humoring his need to hide away (and possibly humoring their own need to protect their remaining children). My theory is that Edie had the comic made for 2 reasons: 1) to give Barbara's final moments a star-making role as a tragic heroine trying to protect her little brother (there's an optional line when you're playing as Barbara, when she goes into Molly's room and approaches the window, the narrator says that Barbara just couldn't abandon Walter; as if Edie wanted Walter to understand that his sister forgave him) 2) to lay hints for how to get into the basement in case something should happen to herself and Sven, so that somebody would be able to find Walter and look after him
Hello Pushing Up Roses! I played this game and absolutely loved it. You're right about the game design / storytelling. Beautifully executed, creative, all done without fluff. A short but extremely memorable game. Anyone who enjoyed games like Firewatch, Gone Home, etc. will most thoroughly enjoy this game. A joy to play.
The following took place in my head at around 04:37 after you remark "and I say outloud....": " 'You're in a graphic novel.'The green light washed the lies away. My whole life was just frames, words hanging in the air like bubbles. I was in a graphic novel. Funny as Hell, it was the most horrible thing I could think of." Thanks for introducing me to this game Roses! I'll check it out!
Have you tried or heard of Stories Untold? It does some very interesting things that I don't really want to say what, because I fear it may dampen the experience of it. I will say that, despite what you may think of it at first, you definitely want to play it through to the end, as each episode is kind of its own unique game, and there is a larger purpose for everything. The first episode is more horror-based, but after that, it's more sci-fi, but again, there are reasons for it. I really don't want to say anything more than that.
I honestly thought that Stories Untold blew it in the final chapter. It would have been great just as a series of unconnected (or are they?) creepy short stories. But the final chapter was beyond heavy-handed, pretentious, and basically just bashing the audience over the head with its SO IMPORTANT MESSAGE. Ugh. I mean, they were so hamfisted about it that I was honestly expecting a twist on the twist. But no. They tell the player exactly what's really going on an hour before the game is done, then keep dragging things out anyway.
I played this right after something pretty sad happened to one of my siblings (nothing major, just stupid angstiness they should have grown out of by now), and I feel like it helped me feel better about it
i liked this game alot, i played it three times, 2 on my own, and one as a shareplay with a friend, which i'd never done before, or since, but that's another story. anyway, i think more game studios could learn a thing or two from this game in how it delivered its story, and how even though it wasn't a AAA title, it still looked good
I just played this recently as well, great game, though looking down and being able to see ediths body gave away one of the spoiler reveals towards the end.
I really hadn't heard anything about this game until really late 2017 for some reason. Thank you for explaining what it's about and why it is viewed so highly by the people I did hear about it from. Once I get some extra cash (after paying off Christmas debt, lol), I may pick this game up!
This game was wonderful! The storytelling was beautiful and the house was wonderful. My only (very minor) gripe was that you can't interact with many objects in the house.
Mist was scary! LOL Even though I knew there was no combat or chance to die, it was so atmospheric and had a feeling of eeriness and dread laced through it.
After people play this game I feel like Joseph Anderson "The Villain of Edith Finch" video is a great way to get some realistic ideas on what happened.
Great video as always!!And i realized,that you didn't make a review of "The Longest Journey",how could you?one of the greatest adventure games ever, got to be reviewed by you!!
I've watched multiple let's plays of this game (Jacksepticeye's and Geek Remix's) and I'm still really intrigued by it and want to show it to more people, and play it myself eventually. I just haven't bought it yet, lol.
Dude I just just finished playing this game tonight not 10 minutes before you posted this video. Weird... I'm not sure the ending was worth it, maybe you'll be able to convince me it was good?
i suppose i know what you mean, in that the ending was just as somber and meloncholy as the rest of the game, but i think it might've felt weird if it ended happily. i don't think about teaching us a lesson, like some games, or throwing random stories or concepts at us, for the sake of being interesting, it felt more like it was a story that the developers wanted to share, which i like
6 years ago but whatever my Barbara theory is that Rick and her got in a fight that went to far and he shoved her, she tripped on the rollerskate, and fell off the balcony
If you want more games that are scary but not in a jumpscare way, I highly recommend the works of Kitty Horrorshow, especially her duology Chyrza and Rain, House, Eternity, which are particularly not horror-y. That said I think that you're never sure if you're getting a horror game or just a kind of eerie game actually makes her games scarier
Great review Roses! Just out of curiosity, have you ever played any of the Her Interactive mystery adventure games? They're very atmospheric and have great stories and characters. From that series, I highly recommend some of the more darker scarier ones, especially Legend of The Crystal Skull, which I feel is definitely up your alley. Takes place in New Orleans and involves skeleton men and exploring around a huge graveyard. Keep up the great work!
Played it, I was compelled every step of the way. Here's my hypothesis. The Finch Family themselves aren't cursed. The house is. Almost every death happens in or around the house. Empty it out and BURN IT DOWN!
Good hypothesis but no, because first, Dawn (Edith's mother) died in another city and 2nd, during the time the game takes place, Edith (our character) was 22 weeks pregnant, and later she died while giving birth to his son, Christopher, at the age of 17.
Tales from the Crypt show was actually adaptation of a classic horror anthology comic book of the same name (where Cryptkeeper also served as a host). So the entire segment is a big reference to TftC.
I love this game. I wish there could be another one. ;-; Just dunno how. I guess it would have to be a prequel or about the son, so maybe? Very cool video!
crying isn't weak friend, weakness is being sad and wanting to cry, but being too afraid to appear weak to let the tears flow, which is what i usually do.
I tried to play this a few months ago, but there was a glitch during the part where you have to take a picture of the girl and I couldn't continue. :( I've been meaning to watch a playthrough of the game on UA-cam since but I had forgotten... I'll come back and watch this once I've done that.
In the fantasy, you aren't just leaning forward. When you re-enter that part of the fantasy you go into this first person mode where you are walking down a long stretch. Lewis was no longer attached to reality, he likely was walking around the factory mindlessly and a different, more lethal machine was likely the cause of his death, not the little fish guillotine. The machinery is everywhere in the factory, not just where Lewis is working.
There's another game from this developer that takes place in the _Edith Finch_ universe. It's a first-person puzzle game with a progressive story. (Sorry. My Internet connection is garbage right now, so I can't search for the details.)
Just FYI: I say the music in Barbra's section is a "nod" to Halloween, but to be more clear, I am pretty sure that's just the exact theme song. They had gotten the rights to use a few songs and that is one of them.
I've heard of this game, good things. My New Years game is Syberia III, I don't have a great computer so it is kind of wonky, but as far as the story goes I like it so far ...What...
Unless they changed one key of the music, I am totally sure that is the music from Halloween.
I definitely agree with the "unsettling and a bit melancholy" experience. Not everyone is necessarily the victim of their own stories. In a lot of the Finch's stories joy, sadness, and loneliness go hand-in-hand. The ones that resonated with me the most was Milton and Lewis' stories. Something about getting so caught up in your daydreams that you may one day disappear completely is very relatable to me.
Definitely of my favorite interactive stories that I've gone through, and I'm glad you liked it too.
I've seen video game snobs say that this should have been a movie or a book rather than a game and to that I say no. No no no no no no no no no HELL no. The Finch house is a place that NEEDS to be explored for one's self. I would not have been so enraptured by the dragon slide if I had not stumbled upon it and gasped at the sheer absurdity of it. The feeling of dread from Barbara Finch's room just wouldn't feel the same if I were watching someone else stand in it than if I were doing it myself. None of these characters' stories would have resonated half as well if it weren't for the fact that for every single one you WERE them. Enough of this "not a real game" bullshit. Not every movie is an adrenaline pumping action fest and you know what? Not every game needs to be either.
That's stupid. Why would it be better as a movie or a book? The only reason anyone knows of this game is because of innovative ways it uses gameplay to tell stories. This simply couldn't be replicated in a movie or novel. If anything, this game is an argument that story-driven games can be more than just a bunch of cutscenes, or endless pages of non-interactive text and pictures.
Well there were a lot of complaints that it was too linear. A lot of people comparing it to Gone Home and saying GH was better because it was more free form. Tho honestly I prefer Finch because its production value blows GH out of the water. I also think it's a bit more of that gate keeping attitude you know? People just don't like these narrative driven games and they think that if it doesn't have enough "gameplay" it shouldn't be considered a game. Which just exposes that they have a very limited idea of what gameplay is. i.e. shooting stuff until it dies.
As someone who dabbled in game design/game writing/narrative design - nonlinear stories are HELL to pace properly. On one hand it sounds like it'd be logical for a game like that with a bunch of disparate stories, but you also need to include the fact that emotions and tension should ramp UP with each story until the climax. That's really hard to pull off, and a linear narrative will almost always be paced better.
Not to mention the glut of nonlinear open world games that have flooded the market recently ARE getting slammed for not being paced very well. I loved Gone Home sure but as had been pointed out (though I think it was a really stupid thing to get mad about) you could actually beat that game in five minutes by stumbling on the secret passage. And depending on what rooms you went to the story would sometimes be told out of order.
Myself, I would've used example of Batman: Arkham Asylum (expertly paced instant hit) compared to pacing of Arkham Knight (a goddamn sidequest-riddled mess), but yeah.
The analysis Edith Finch is worth a look. Joseph Anderson, if you can get into the long winded critique-UA-camrs, has a very interesting video on the game that jumps into the world of the Finches are explores their struggles, giving insight on the characters and showing why the story it tells is so well-crafted and finely tuned.
Bit of a shameless plug for Joe, but when I think of Edith Finch I think of that video.
Great video as always.
Worthless Narrator just watched it, thank you!
Justin Tomlinson np :)
Worthless Narrator me and my gf just played and beat the game earlier today and that video is a must watch.
I watch that video once a month, lol
That's a great video too tbh. First one of his I ever watched
I’ll admit, this game made me tear up but more because I thought the ending was beautiful and uplifting than out of sheer sadness.
If you haven’t played The Unfinished Swan from the same developer, you really should. Especially since they confirmed there’s a major connection between the two games, which enriched both experiences for me.
thanks you for hinting me Into this game I love Edith finch but didn't knew about a sister game. :)
So they want you to buy more games to learn the story. Great.
What Remains of Edith Finch is probably one of my favorite games ever . it was a game that affected me in a lot of ways . the theories and just their death stories are wonderful to explore . it is truly one of the most innovative storytelling i've seen recently
I was one of the people who found it sad. The stories resonated with me so much, there are many tales about getting lost in something that isn't real and that is something I've struggled with for a very long time. I loved this game. I also felt melancholy with all the children's bits, I had and still have an extremely overactive imagination so all their stories just seemed so familiar yet so far away.
As for Barbara I think what happened is her boyfriend accidentally killed her, so when we see the falling it's actually her that did the falling. I just think it's all very straightforward stories with a lot of the mystery happening cause people are not sure what actually happened. All in all, lovely game, lovely stories and I'm glad you enjoyed it as well!
yeah it was a really cool, if sad, not only games, but stories. i wish more studios took the risk of trying to do things like this. not copy it, but take inspiration from it.
My theory is that the family isn't cursed. I think Finches are just a family of very smart, creative people who, by chance, all died tragically. So many of the stories use fantasy and storytelling to soften the blow of an otherwise tragic event and I think that's ultimately the theme of the entire game. It's about how people use stories and fantasy to deal with the tragic, unpredictable, and unfair nature of reality. "The family curse" is just another such story.
thanks dad jk thought it'd be funny to say that lol. but yeah i agree if this was a family in real life people would just assume they were crazy or something, but i really like the way this game's story is presented and wish there were more games like it
I played this around the time it came out and bought it on a whim, solely based on, I think, one youtube video of the first section. It was really great, and probably the best "walking simulator" I've ever played. A lot of them just sort of push you through a story without really giving you much to do. What Remains of Edith Finch realised *this is a video game; the whole point is interacting with it.*
There is no more interactivity than a book; the only interaction is virtually figuring out what you have to do to get the page to turn. It doesn't qualify as a game at all. It's at best a visual novel with a unique interface.
These first person narrative-melancholy games usually bore me immediately because they end up being just copycats of a very basic sad tearjerk story. But Edit FInch was so good at playing with gameplay mechanics and meta levels of narrations, I loved it to death.
I agree with that first sentence...
Ahh!! So glad you reviewed this game! I played for the first time in 2020, so I’m way behind, but it’s unlike any other game I’ve played.
In regards to Barbara’s death, I like to think the hook man was real! Maybe he whiffed the first swipe at killing her and merely snagged her ear, but found his mark on the first second landing a killer blow. Her body tumbled through the balcony railway, and the killer drug her off to who knows where. Walter would have had the perspective to see all of this happen, setting up his story. As for the boyfriend, perhaps he was also a victim of the hook man which would explain why he too vanished, and where he went while Barbara was waiting so long for him to return, prompting her to leave her room.
Good theory but there wasn't any mention of blood on the flooring, maybe the hookman pushed Barbara off the railing and they started fighting outside?
Honestly, I was intrigued by most of the stories, especially the grandmother's as it cuts off early.
But man, Gregory was the one that got me choked up. I knew where it was going as soon as it started, and since I help care for my nieces and nephews, I just felt awful. Made me feel like it was my fault the baby died.
At about 1:30 I had to stop the video since you had peeked my interest enough to go and buy it. Thank you. :)
Same here
Same, Thank you PUR
I think the ones that hurt the most were Milton and Lewis, because I guess I related to them the most. These were kids with creative-driven aspirations, who if they'd been able to capitalize on that, they would've had a chance to express themselves to the world, and yet that was all cut short. Though, I'd say that Gregory was also particularly terrible, with the great juxtaposition of the kid's imagination and his own death.
The voice actors in this deserve a lot of praise, as does the entire team that produced it, really.
Always appreciative on this kind of videos. The story gave a sense of nostalgia and the constant wonder of how the main character feels.
It's worth a second play through to see all the details you missed like which room edith sr. put gregory's plaque on
Thanks for doing this video! I only just now discovered it, and I'm always very happy to see videos talking about it. It's one of my favorite games of the last decade.
I’m so glad you covered this, it was one of my favourite games last year. I love how they managed to tell each story in a slightly different way and the way text appeared (and disappeared) on screen was always interesting. Also, secret passages in houses are always satisfying and the way we are lead through the house is great.
it was a great game
it's my number one game of 2017. even considering persona 5 and breath of the wild.
i get what you mean about the emotional content of the game. i think a lot of people judge emotion in a game by whether or not it made them cry. but i think edith finch is far more complex and ambiguous thematically. it left me with a more complex range of emotion, the baby scene was particularly effecting. i remember a mortician's tale being praised for its interesting take on death, i think edith finch is the same. the story is tragic and melancholy...but it's not grim. baby gregory drowns in a bathtub but it's presented almost joyously. i played it with a smile on my face...then paused the game and left the room.
It's a truly stunning game... it's sad, melancholy, wondrous... an entire range. And it's amazing how an item then had significance. Seeing the kite in the room after experiencing that story, for example. And I saw a rubber duck in a shop and I messaged me friend that I was thinking about Gregory. It's amazing how a game can get into your mind like that. Truly wonderfully executed.
Hard to believe that game is a year old now, or nearly. Little Nightmares will be hitting the first anniversary mark soon too. These were two Indie games that got me through a period of loneliness during my gap year before starting graduate schools, or let's plays of them anyway as I do not own a PS4 or Xbox.
I liked the epistolary narrative style and how each dead relative offered different sections of the "cursed" history of the Finches. It broke my heart to learn that Edith, our guide through the whole thing, died before even seeing us, the protagonist. And it's weird because you play in first person as her during the game.
I too liked Lewis' story the most. It is Storytelling at it's very best. I connected and related to what he went through the most. And how it also covered the history of gaming in a way was amazing. What Remains of Edith Finch is definetely some of the best storytelling ever across all art forms.
I love this game so much. Just a beautiful piece of art.
Roses, have you played The Sexy Brutale? It seems like it's right up your alley, and I'm curious to hear your thoughts on it if you have. I'm so glad you covered What Remains of Edith Finch. I thought this game was just amazing, and it's cool to see it get more attention.
my favorite part of the game. is the character bedroom's I love their designs and how they show a lot of character even though we don't meet them alive
I would say that the game as a whole didn't make me sad. None of the individual stories made me sad, although there were certainly some other emotions going around. A large part of that, I think, is that I knew they were all dead. However, I did get sad when I found out that Edith died, because I had hoped that the end of the story would be her telling her child about the family and how they were going to break the curse.
Ho-Ly Crap. That Barbara segment has gained a whole new level of appreciation from me now. I played it some years ago but now after reading 40+ Issues of 1970s DC comic’s anthology comics (yes that’s detective comics comics comics) I can fully marvel at how good a pastiche that segment is in regards to those. Everything from the malicious narrator/framing device to that page with the patches. It’s incredibly on point and you can tell somebody really passionate worked on that segment.
One of my favorite games, finishing it is the worst part. I’ve played it 2 times now and it’s just such a gripping story that pulls your heart strings
I highly recommend watching a video called The Villain of Edith Finch. It's a really interesting analysis of the the story. It's a long video, but oh so engaging.
God I loved this game. I played it to the end on Xbox Gamepass, then immediately bought it and played it again. It made me feel emotions, which is no small task.
You finally made a video about What Remains of Edith Finch!
I saw a play through of this. it was a nice experience!
Also I have to say I agree totally about finding this and gone home a bit scary, at least at first. I went in not knowing much about either game so exploring these big creepy houses was spooky.
Wow... that game looks amazing. I have very little experience with the Interactive Novel genre. I've only played Life is Strange and Gone Home (just played Gone Home for the first time last night). I'm definitely going to pick this up for either the Xbox or PC. Thanks for the great video. :)
have you played Soma? it was also really good, though its more horror.
Wow. The joy in your voice as you detail what you got from this is quite moving in itself. Fascinating look at the game!
There's a theory I read about that it was actually WALTER who killed Barbara - but not on purpose. It was an accident: Walter felt bad for his big sister not being able to go to the convention because she had to babysit him, and after hearing Barbara and her boyfriend trying to get Barbara to scream, decided to help out by trying to scare her too... but when he did by luring her upstairs, Barbara stumbled back, tripped on her skates and fell off the balcony, landing on the glass coffee table and breaking her neck.
When Edie and Sven arrived home, they got what happened out of Rick and Walter, but they decided to cover things up in order to protect Walter (making up a break-in and buying off Rick for silence - or possibly even threatening to frame him for Barbara's death; the latter would work to explain why Rick disappeared), and the comic was made to give Barbara one last shot at stardom, which was what she wanted. The parents wanted their daughter's memory to go out in a blaze of glory.
Notice how when Edith is going around the house, you can actually see the damage made to the second story balcony, which matches up with what happened in the comic. That's more or less confirmation that *somebody* fell off it... but then there's the fact that in the music box, there's no blood stain where Barbara's ear was allegedly left. True, it could have been cleaned, but I got the impression from the comic that the ear was left in the music box for a long while, which would have allowed the blood to stain... and yet, when we look at the box as Edit, it's spotless. Like there never was a bloodied ear to begin with, as if that was just a sensationalized detail thrown in.
Another detail to consider is that, when the hook-man in the comic first appears, he comes around the doorframe from the right - and yet, right before the player goes into Walter's room, it's clear that there's no way the hook-man could have been down that part of the hall, since Molly's room was locked (the comic even notes how it hadn't been opened in years) and there was no other place to hide. The hook-man just literally appears out of nowhere... as if that were a subtle hint that there never was a hook-man to begin with.
This theory would also still fit in with Walter being so traumatized. He was devastated and guilt-ridden over causing his big sister's death, not to mention unable to cope with it, so he bought into the story of Barbara being murdered by somebody else (notice how when Walter thinks about the incident, he says "Whatever killed Barbara..." Even though he was there that night and likely saw what happened or at least saw the killer, he acts as if he's not sure what happened that night... as if he blocked the real memory out).
Back to the music box, there's an awful lot of emphasis on it in the comic. True, it helps the player proceed further in the game, but why in-universe would Edie have put so much focus on it? And what's more, the comic also takes the player/reader down to the fridge that would eventually become the entrance to the bunker. It's almost as if Edie were laying hints as to where to find Walter... and that's what I myself theorize.
On the comic's cover, it says that it was published on Halloween 1961, a whole year after the Barbara's death (also, for what it's worth, Calvin died on Sep 21, 1961), so it's possible that Edie and Sven were planning to build, had already built, or were in the middle of building, the bunker for Walter to hide in, humoring his need to hide away (and possibly humoring their own need to protect their remaining children).
My theory is that Edie had the comic made for 2 reasons:
1) to give Barbara's final moments a star-making role as a tragic heroine trying to protect her little brother (there's an optional line when you're playing as Barbara, when she goes into Molly's room and approaches the window, the narrator says that Barbara just couldn't abandon Walter; as if Edie wanted Walter to understand that his sister forgave him)
2) to lay hints for how to get into the basement in case something should happen to herself and Sven, so that somebody would be able to find Walter and look after him
Hello Pushing Up Roses! I played this game and absolutely loved it. You're right about the game design / storytelling. Beautifully executed, creative, all done without fluff. A short but extremely memorable game. Anyone who enjoyed games like Firewatch, Gone Home, etc. will most thoroughly enjoy this game. A joy to play.
Loved this experience, I am reluctant to call it a game, but I played through it several times and absolutely reveled in every moment.
Wow, this game looks amazing! Need to find a let's play now, wish I had a PS4!
This is rly old bit its on switch and Xbox and computer as well probably
Woo! I love this game so much! It's absolutely one of my all-time favorites.
I've not played this one, but does sound like a worthwhile game/interactive novel.
The following took place in my head at around 04:37 after you remark "and I say outloud....":
" 'You're in a graphic novel.'The green light washed the lies away. My whole life was just frames, words hanging in the air like bubbles. I was in a graphic novel. Funny as Hell, it was the most horrible thing I could think of."
Thanks for introducing me to this game Roses! I'll check it out!
I loved this game and was so excited to see you'd covered it! My running Barbara theory is the boyfriend! It's a pretty common theory I'm sure.
Have you tried or heard of Stories Untold? It does some very interesting things that I don't really want to say what, because I fear it may dampen the experience of it.
I will say that, despite what you may think of it at first, you definitely want to play it through to the end, as each episode is kind of its own unique game, and there is a larger purpose for everything.
The first episode is more horror-based, but after that, it's more sci-fi, but again, there are reasons for it. I really don't want to say anything more than that.
I honestly thought that Stories Untold blew it in the final chapter. It would have been great just as a series of unconnected (or are they?) creepy short stories. But the final chapter was beyond heavy-handed, pretentious, and basically just bashing the audience over the head with its SO IMPORTANT MESSAGE. Ugh.
I mean, they were so hamfisted about it that I was honestly expecting a twist on the twist. But no. They tell the player exactly what's really going on an hour before the game is done, then keep dragging things out anyway.
I played this right after something pretty sad happened to one of my siblings (nothing major, just stupid angstiness they should have grown out of by now), and I feel like it helped me feel better about it
you sum up my thoughts quite perfectly on this game, I even had that moment in Barbara's story where I was expecting it to go forward on it's own
The concept sounds amazing!
My favourite game of last year with my favourite new (to me) content creator of last year.
Great video.
bruh where has this video been during my edith finch obsession
I preordered this and I love it I bought it pretty much on everything I own
i liked this game alot, i played it three times, 2 on my own, and one as a shareplay with a friend, which i'd never done before, or since, but that's another story. anyway, i think more game studios could learn a thing or two from this game in how it delivered its story, and how even though it wasn't a AAA title, it still looked good
This Game looks amazing! Thanks PUR :)
So glad to see you review this game! I think it's very underrated
I watched part of a let's play of this. It's a bit dark for my tastes but I can appreciate the style of the game and the work that went into it.
I just played this recently as well, great game, though looking down and being able to see ediths body gave away one of the spoiler reveals towards the end.
I stoped watching mid video, I really want to play it myself now. Love you Roses, I hope you feel better.
I really hadn't heard anything about this game until really late 2017 for some reason. Thank you for explaining what it's about and why it is viewed so highly by the people I did hear about it from. Once I get some extra cash (after paying off Christmas debt, lol), I may pick this game up!
Thank you, this tipped the scales for me. I’ll pick up the game next paycheck.
What was your favorite game of 2017? @PushingUpRoses
*checks description* I have ascertained that this video is indeed about What Remains of Edith Finch. Now resuming slumber module
This game was wonderful! The storytelling was beautiful and the house was wonderful. My only (very minor) gripe was that you can't interact with many objects in the house.
I really loved this game.
Finally watched this video. I put it on hold until after I played the game.
Very good game and nice video review.
LOVE this game (and your channel)! - When anyone asks me for a game suggestion I point them to this gem because of its universal appeal :)
wow, i never actually thaught of Luis's death to be a Factory accident, its amazing how differnt interpritations happen while playing stories.
Lewis killed himself. He just did
@@silentj624 exactly!
I loved this game. Awesome storytelling.
Mist was scary! LOL Even though I knew there was no combat or chance to die, it was so atmospheric and had a feeling of eeriness and dread laced through it.
Just saw this video, went to look for the game on PSN, turns out to free with PS Plus membership right now. Yessssssss
Have you finished it yet?
@@Minotaur1975 Oh yeah as soon as I got it. It was very good
After people play this game I feel like Joseph Anderson "The Villain of Edith Finch" video is a great way to get some realistic ideas on what happened.
I just finished the game and can finally watch this video :)
Engagement boost powers ACTIVATE!
This game was honestly something truly special so it was nice to hear Roses talk about it.
Great video as always!!And i realized,that you didn't make a review of "The Longest Journey",how could you?one of the greatest adventure games ever, got to be reviewed by you!!
This game is connected to The Unfinished Swan, Milton's disappearance is explained a tad bit more in that game.
I like this game and Firewatch so much. Your thoughts on both are lovely thank you
I've watched multiple let's plays of this game (Jacksepticeye's and Geek Remix's) and I'm still really intrigued by it and want to show it to more people, and play it myself eventually. I just haven't bought it yet, lol.
Dude I just just finished playing this game tonight not 10 minutes before you posted this video. Weird... I'm not sure the ending was worth it, maybe you'll be able to convince me it was good?
i suppose i know what you mean, in that the ending was just as somber and meloncholy as the rest of the game, but i think it might've felt weird if it ended happily. i don't think about teaching us a lesson, like some games, or throwing random stories or concepts at us, for the sake of being interesting, it felt more like it was a story that the developers wanted to share, which i like
6 years ago but whatever my Barbara theory is that Rick and her got in a fight that went to far and he shoved her, she tripped on the rollerskate, and fell off the balcony
This game looks quite interesting another great video Roses love your content happy new year
Awesome game! I will definitely give it a play through.
Great video. Not my type of game but you nearly convinced me to try it.
This really reminds me of Gone Home
If you want more games that are scary but not in a jumpscare way, I highly recommend the works of Kitty Horrorshow, especially her duology Chyrza and Rain, House, Eternity, which are particularly not horror-y. That said I think that you're never sure if you're getting a horror game or just a kind of eerie game actually makes her games scarier
I love this game so much
Great review Roses! Just out of curiosity, have you ever played any of the Her Interactive mystery adventure games? They're very atmospheric and have great stories and characters. From that series, I highly recommend some of the more darker scarier ones, especially Legend of The Crystal Skull, which I feel is definitely up your alley. Takes place in New Orleans and involves skeleton men and exploring around a huge graveyard. Keep up the great work!
Played it, I was compelled every step of the way. Here's my hypothesis.
The Finch Family themselves aren't cursed. The house is. Almost every death happens in or around the house. Empty it out and BURN IT DOWN!
Good hypothesis but no, because first, Dawn (Edith's mother) died in another city and 2nd, during the time the game takes place, Edith (our character) was 22 weeks pregnant, and later she died while giving birth to his son, Christopher, at the age of 17.
Also Milton isn't actually dead, the game is connected to The Unfinished Swan.
The pumpkin comic book guy sounds like an imitation of the Tales From The Crypt show story teller.
Tales from the Crypt show was actually adaptation of a classic horror anthology comic book of the same name (where Cryptkeeper also served as a host). So the entire segment is a big reference to TftC.
You are great
I also thought Gone Home was pretty scary until I figured out what was going on.
I interpreted Barbara's death as a crazy fan broke in and killed her, that or she got into a fight with her BF wich escalated in him killing her.
I love this game. I wish there could be another one. ;-; Just dunno how. I guess it would have to be a prequel or about the son, so maybe? Very cool video!
Based solely on your review, I purchased this game today. :D
This game makes me cry...a lot
But that's mostly because I'm weak
crying isn't weak friend, weakness is being sad and wanting to cry, but being too afraid to appear weak to let the tears flow, which is what i usually do.
I tried to play this a few months ago, but there was a glitch during the part where you have to take a picture of the girl and I couldn't continue. :( I've been meaning to watch a playthrough of the game on UA-cam since but I had forgotten... I'll come back and watch this once I've done that.
You should play Gone Home, as it is similar to this game.
If the Cannery machinery is to Lewis's right side and a small hole in the wall of the machine how does leaning forward get him killed?
In the fantasy, you aren't just leaning forward. When you re-enter that part of the fantasy you go into this first person mode where you are walking down a long stretch. Lewis was no longer attached to reality, he likely was walking around the factory mindlessly and a different, more lethal machine was likely the cause of his death, not the little fish guillotine. The machinery is everywhere in the factory, not just where Lewis is working.
PushingUpRoses ah cool. Thanks for the feedback. You're awesome and your channel is amazing.
There's another game from this developer that takes place in the _Edith Finch_ universe. It's a first-person puzzle game with a progressive story.
(Sorry. My Internet connection is garbage right now, so I can't search for the details.)
Mick Six "unfinished swan" I believe
www.giantsparrow.com/games/swan/
Would have loved to see you do a let's play.
I love this game
Watching this later after I played the game. :)
Looooved this game. Only nitpick is that some of the stories are small to non existent, like the view-master one.