The game is a collection of small stories describing the life of the Finch family and succeeds in telling them - each story has a different and a unique perspective on how it's told and keeps the player engaged as they wander around the abandoned house of Finches. It's one of the most incredible storytelling games I've ever seen and it's a game worth experiencing for yourself.
25 Reviews
A Masterpiece in Storytelling
rgme13 June 2017
What can i say? This game is groundbreaking, when it comes to storytelling. It fits smaller stories into a main story - A cursed family. You follow their story all the way from Norway to this modern day and age.
One of the best games in the last 20 years of gaming industry.
One of the best games in the last 20 years of gaming industry.
The Story in Incredible
bighornstake1 August 2019
I'm a big fan of the story here. The game play is really intriguing and I've never really played anything like this before. I bought it on sale and would have paid full price now knowing what it was all about. I recommend this game to any casual gaming fans that aren't looking for combat in their games. Playing it is kind of sad but also relaxing so 10/10
Exceptional game
nightcrow447 April 2019
There are times when I game just tears at your heart strings and this game is one of them. The game (without giving any spoilers away) is a collection of short stories about the Finch family's life and death. It's a 2 hour masterpiece with great pacing and just the right length. If they tried to have a regular length game it would have suffered. The best part of the game besides the story is the variations on the gameplay from comic books to playing as animals it works. You are never bored. This game although short is a must have for anyone who loves stories in your game.
So Very Sad....
eskimosound31 March 2020
I broke my ribs so had some time to play some games and increase my gamerscore...along with the Life Is Strange Series, I played this...
It's not so much as a game as just a walkthrough of a house with you having to do certain things in order to progress (look through spyholes, open doors etc..)
But it's the story, the so very sad story that compels you to continue...
It's different and excellent but above all else, it's very, very, very sad. :(
What happened here?
Collvpsy20 June 2019
As you see in the headline, a question. But one that you'll keep asking yourself everytime an event takes place in this game. What remains of Edith finch is a strongly-narrative game that manages to keep you interested in the story to it's very last bit and you'd still be a little bit confused, the game introduction doesn't really give you an explanation on what's happening but in a really good way, and the way you visit other characters rooms to see their stories from their own perspective is a unique experience and i've never seen a game pulls that out as good as this one does, the visuals and the voice acting were on an incredibly and surprisingly good level and one I certainly didn't expect, my only problem with this game is that it doesn't give you more freedom which i felt was needed sometimes but that's still debatable due to the fact that this is a narrative game.
You should definitely try What remains of Edith finch as soon as possible.
A Thoroughly Imaginative Storytelling Experience
jdarley-366221 March 2018
What Remains of Edith Finch is very similar in some respects to Giant Sparrow's previous game, The Unfinished Swan. It's more of an interactive narrative than a game in the traditional sense, with the player being guided through a story and being unable to fail through their actions.
It consists of a carefully weaving path detailing the stories of members of the Finch household through a series of flashbacks. Each is markedly different in style, reflecting the individuals whose story it's portraying. It's heartfelt, joyous and somewhat sad at the same time - an incredible experience.
It consists of a carefully weaving path detailing the stories of members of the Finch household through a series of flashbacks. Each is markedly different in style, reflecting the individuals whose story it's portraying. It's heartfelt, joyous and somewhat sad at the same time - an incredible experience.
Just Enjoy The Story
gotskeelz5 July 2020
This is not your standard game composed of many challenges in order to get to the end.
I went into this game with no idea of what to expect. You begin by exploring the Finch household. The graphics are great and the color palettes intentionally chosen in each scene to portray the mood of the mini-story. Initially, I was looking around trying to collect various objects thinking this would be one large puzzle. However, the game is fairly linear and directs you through several mini challenges. The "game" is not meant to be a game in the classic sense where something you do earlier will have repercussions later (i.e., save items to buy or open something later).
All I will say is that spend the time to explore the house and go slow as you proceed through the challenges. Do not view this as a regular game, rather one large story that is giving you insight into the characters without explicitly telling you their personalities and relationships with others. It is remarkably well done. You gain insight of the family's dynamics through the most unexpected ways. Take the time to look at the photos in the house and see the true dynamic of the family.
Like many others, this is a masterpiece of storytelling. It is not your standard PlayStation (or Windows) game. Even spending the time to look around, the game play averages about four hours. Think of it like an interactive movie.
After I completed the game for the first time, I went back and played it again just explore more. It is a great story. Yes, it is very sad but when you play it again, you will better see how Edith (main character) has always seen the world.
I went into this game with no idea of what to expect. You begin by exploring the Finch household. The graphics are great and the color palettes intentionally chosen in each scene to portray the mood of the mini-story. Initially, I was looking around trying to collect various objects thinking this would be one large puzzle. However, the game is fairly linear and directs you through several mini challenges. The "game" is not meant to be a game in the classic sense where something you do earlier will have repercussions later (i.e., save items to buy or open something later).
All I will say is that spend the time to explore the house and go slow as you proceed through the challenges. Do not view this as a regular game, rather one large story that is giving you insight into the characters without explicitly telling you their personalities and relationships with others. It is remarkably well done. You gain insight of the family's dynamics through the most unexpected ways. Take the time to look at the photos in the house and see the true dynamic of the family.
Like many others, this is a masterpiece of storytelling. It is not your standard PlayStation (or Windows) game. Even spending the time to look around, the game play averages about four hours. Think of it like an interactive movie.
After I completed the game for the first time, I went back and played it again just explore more. It is a great story. Yes, it is very sad but when you play it again, you will better see how Edith (main character) has always seen the world.
WHAT REMAINS OF EDITH FINCH: House of Mystery & Memory
Jinxxa_Wolf4 November 2019
WHAT REMAINS OF EDITH FINCH was a very well done game full of heart and soul. As a walking simulator game, the gameplay is very limited. The story, visual art, and music, however, is where these kinds of games really shine. What Remains of Edith Finch has that great combination of Story, Art and Music.
A young woman, named Edith Finch, returns to her old family home, in search of answers to her childhood questions, the mystery of a curse that lingers over the Finch family. The house is seemingly unoccupied, and yet teeming with history and memory. In that sense, it is very alive.
As Edith, the player travels through the great mysterious Finch house, through each family members rooms, trying to make sense of their individual stories. All stories are vastly unique, told in a manner fitting to the specific character themselves, whether it be through reading a diary or snapshot of a camera. Each story is highly memorable, and often times, highly emotional too.
As far as story telling goes, this game was really well done, really meaningful and thought-provoking. The graphics and art were really great as well. The music and voice acting was amazing. This game was top notch quality. The unanswered questions were perhaps the only reason that caused me to lower my rating. I felt there was still so much to be said and explained, more to be desired. Although a beautiful and moving ending, it felt too open-ended for me and lacking real closure. A great play for fans of narrative driven, walking simulators.
STORY: 7/10 GAMEPLAY: 9/10 GRAPHICS: 9/10 ART DESIGN: 8/10 MUSIC: 9/10 OVERALL RATING: 8.5.
A young woman, named Edith Finch, returns to her old family home, in search of answers to her childhood questions, the mystery of a curse that lingers over the Finch family. The house is seemingly unoccupied, and yet teeming with history and memory. In that sense, it is very alive.
As Edith, the player travels through the great mysterious Finch house, through each family members rooms, trying to make sense of their individual stories. All stories are vastly unique, told in a manner fitting to the specific character themselves, whether it be through reading a diary or snapshot of a camera. Each story is highly memorable, and often times, highly emotional too.
As far as story telling goes, this game was really well done, really meaningful and thought-provoking. The graphics and art were really great as well. The music and voice acting was amazing. This game was top notch quality. The unanswered questions were perhaps the only reason that caused me to lower my rating. I felt there was still so much to be said and explained, more to be desired. Although a beautiful and moving ending, it felt too open-ended for me and lacking real closure. A great play for fans of narrative driven, walking simulators.
STORY: 7/10 GAMEPLAY: 9/10 GRAPHICS: 9/10 ART DESIGN: 8/10 MUSIC: 9/10 OVERALL RATING: 8.5.
Utterly Sublime
martinjwolfenden9 September 2021
A lifetime of memories.
Pjtaylor-96-13804427 March 2020
'What Remains Of Edith Finch (2017)' is a deeply melancholic game. It deals with heavy subject matter, portraying it discreetly and with a sheen of story-time fantasy. The piece is a 'walking simulator' with several mini-games sprinkled throughout. It tells the story of a young woman returning to her childhood home and recalling the deaths of her family members. As you progress through the house, you come across rooms that belonged to or were frequented by specific people and you gain an insight into how they died via beautiful but tragic dream-like sequences. While the narrative may sound depressing, it's actually anything but. Of course, it is somber. Yet, it balances its tone rather well, wrapping its memories of death with less obvious yet more poignant memories of life. In the end, it's a rather hopeful experience. Just because everything has to come to an end doesn't mean it doesn't matter; perhaps, it makes it all the more important. These themes of memory, loss, love and legacy are incredibly resonant. Though the gameplay is limited, the affair is thoroughly compelling thanks to its story. Sure, it's sad, but sometimes a sad story is what we need. 8/10
Something special
PersianCinephile5 March 2019
The experience was something special. It's about a cursed doomed to die family. The player goes one by one finding out their stories. However I'd heard about this game a lot and it didn't live up to my expectations.
+ Creative storytelling
I'll give it an overall of 6/10. Meaning that there may be better games to play in these 2 hours of game play.
+ Creative storytelling
- Not engaging enough, predictable ending, no plot peaks or twists
I'll give it an overall of 6/10. Meaning that there may be better games to play in these 2 hours of game play.
Terrible game
mikeeads22 March 2019
This was the worst game I've ever played. The gameplay is nonexistent and the story is terrible. By the end you still have no answers to any of the important questions. The main character is an idiot her mom was a b@#×%, the great grandmother is the only redeemable character in the entire game. 2 hours of my life I'll never get back.
Wow
kaitikait20 January 2020
Amazing game. I wanted to play it but there wasn't a good enough preview to warrant buying it. Got it for free, and wow. I've only played it once, because it was so impactful that I haven't been able to forget it enough to play again. I sincerely hope there's a sequel.
It's a very short game, linear. Every story is completely different. I hated the ending but it makes sense.
It's a very short game, linear. Every story is completely different. I hated the ending but it makes sense.
Beautiful
hi-3848617 January 2024
This is honestly probably the second best game I've ever played, right behind the Last Of Us. It tells a horrific story, but it tells it in a way as to make it seem kind and whimsical.
What Remains of Edith Finch follows Edith Finch going through her childhood home as she recalls her own memories, and reads the stories about family members of hers who have died. It is believed the Finches have a curse that says all of them will die tragically and most of the time young.
This is a beautiful story driven game, where you have one objective- learn about the past. It is beautiful, as it romanticizes death, yet not saying it's a good thing. It's subtly horrifying and at the same time beautiful as every death you play through has a different play through style.
What Remains of Edith Finch follows Edith Finch going through her childhood home as she recalls her own memories, and reads the stories about family members of hers who have died. It is believed the Finches have a curse that says all of them will die tragically and most of the time young.
This is a beautiful story driven game, where you have one objective- learn about the past. It is beautiful, as it romanticizes death, yet not saying it's a good thing. It's subtly horrifying and at the same time beautiful as every death you play through has a different play through style.
Annapurna Interactive's Emotional Start
TheMysteriousReviewer15 September 2021
What Remains of Edith Finch is Annapurna's emotional and incredible start for producing games. The story tells us the history of the Finch family and all the tragic events happened to them. The perspective of a player is the last Finch and discovering the truth Edith's grandma has been hiding. And that relates a lot to me. I too feel I'm the last of the family name. Not because of the tragedy in my life time (which would never happen to them except maybe a couple of my relatives passed away), but I'm the only one with the family name with another family with another family name since my step dad moved in. But let's get back to the game itself. It would also contain enjoyable gameplay. Along with very imaginative graphics whenever we get to the stories of the Finch family. And this is guaranteed to make you cry. All the commentary we would get throughout the game about being the last family name would contain a lot of feels. Please, do me a favor and play this game. This is also guaranteed to replace Edith with yourselves to make you wish you knew about your family name. Not only this would be Annapurna's emotional debut, but one of my favorite games they produced so far.
Overwhelming
christoph-csizmadia-691-29344314 October 2023
Wow. I just finished this wonderful piece of art. Some call this kind of storytelling a "walking simulator" and the term might be fitting to some of the games with similar mechanics. This, however truly is a masterpiece.
"What remains of Edith Finch" is an interactive movie, that tells the often sad but always captivating stories of the deaths of various members of the Finch family.
You, the player, discover the many rooms of the Finch house that is a surreal building which reminded me of the house of the Weasleys in the Harry Potter movies and books.
You find letters, books, paintings, notes etc and every story of the protagonist's relatives is told differently, visually stunning, emotionally moving and with surprising game techniques. This beautiful gift of a "game" is a must see for you if you're into creative, deep storytelling and visually stunning artwork.
10 out if 10.
"What remains of Edith Finch" is an interactive movie, that tells the often sad but always captivating stories of the deaths of various members of the Finch family.
You, the player, discover the many rooms of the Finch house that is a surreal building which reminded me of the house of the Weasleys in the Harry Potter movies and books.
You find letters, books, paintings, notes etc and every story of the protagonist's relatives is told differently, visually stunning, emotionally moving and with surprising game techniques. This beautiful gift of a "game" is a must see for you if you're into creative, deep storytelling and visually stunning artwork.
10 out if 10.
The best since The Last of Us.
heseinfathi2 September 2022
Heartbreaking. I have always thought that we have made our lives so hard and demeaning we at some point couldn't handle it. I know this sounds far fetched for the game's moral but it weirdly reminded my that our advancement as a race in population and technology has made us redundant.
I loved the came because it felt overwhelmingly relatable to me; our dead but choke-full of memories family home, me daydreaming of a day when I would stop feeling "redundant" and getting lost in those fantasies, how fast and easy it is now days to fall into oblivion.
It pained me that everyone of them faced their fate alone because I spend years without having someone knocking my door or even calling and I am okay with it and I understand. Everyone now is competing for cramps to feed dependent mouths or try to untether themselves from the ox mill or the "cannery".
Thank you for the heartbreaking yet soothing story.
I loved the came because it felt overwhelmingly relatable to me; our dead but choke-full of memories family home, me daydreaming of a day when I would stop feeling "redundant" and getting lost in those fantasies, how fast and easy it is now days to fall into oblivion.
It pained me that everyone of them faced their fate alone because I spend years without having someone knocking my door or even calling and I am okay with it and I understand. Everyone now is competing for cramps to feed dependent mouths or try to untether themselves from the ox mill or the "cannery".
Thank you for the heartbreaking yet soothing story.
AMAZING
yoo-6413018 March 2021
I came across this game a few months back on Xbox game pass, the cover art looked cool and the trailer looked even cooler (unique as well). This game feels like a game I've never played before but at the same time it feels like the rest, Its so hard trying to explain the words cant explain how many butterflies I got the first time I played the game. The atmosphere, The animation, The story and everything else I recommend playing this game 3 or 4 times to understand the story better, It takes about an hour or 2 to finish.
my favorite game of all time
turkialoya29 January 2021
It is unique
corex-3755527 June 2020
A Fascinating Little Tale.
HotHamlet27 August 2022
What Remains of Edith Finch is a well-done game. Well i feel like calling it a game is a little disingenuous as it is more like a visual novel than a fully-fledged game. This isn't a bad thing at all and may play in it's favour. But i would call it more of a visual novel (or interactive story) than a game. Although to make things easier i'll refer to it as a game.
This game is by no means a masterpiece when it comes to storytelling. That being said it is a very intriguing and at times interesting story that's told throughout. The host of characters in the Finch family and there little stories i really enjoyed. I think the fact that you struggle at times to tell between fact and fiction when learning about certain stories in the game world is interesting. The story is by far the strongest point of this game and it is that which makes it good. As i said previously, this feel more like a less traditional visual novel. A walking simulator if you will. So having a good story that was intriguing really helps this type of game the most than any other aspect could.
The graphics are absolutely fine for a game made in 2017. For what the game is trying to show the graphics are absolutely passable. That being said i absolutely loved the visuals in general. Most rooms of the house and surrounding areas felt completely different and told there own little story themselves. The environment you explore as Edith i really liked. It felt almost alive when exploring. My only issue with the visuals is the Human models. They looked crap. But it was fine for the game and not super important, but they where pretty poor. Every other animal looked fine, but for some reason the Humans made terrible Humans.
The gameplay (like stated before) is a walking simulator. If you love action, action and more action then this is definitely not for you. However this game isn't build for action packed set pieces. This "game" in terms of gameplay is pretty boring but it doesn't take away from the experience at all foe in my opinion as like i said i believe it to be more of a visual novel than a game in my eyes. So it's gets a pass here. All be it, if you are looking for games with exceptional gameplay (or even passably decent gameplay) look somewhere else.
The length of the game in my eyes is perfect. Not too long but not at all too short. One of the most perfect i have played in this aspect. In general (compared to other games) it is very short.
Before i rank this game out of ten i would like to clarify something. I have no idea why this game is classed as Horror. For anyone wanting to play this game i promise you it is not scary in the slightest. Batman games are scarier than this. I think it may be a little unsettling as you are exploring a house in the woods with nobody around all alone. But take it from me, there are absolutely no jump scares or creepy moments (at least in my eyes). It's not bad that it's not horror at all, just thought i'd clarify.
Story - 7.5/10
Characters - 6.5/10
Visuals - 6.5/10
Horror - 0.5/10
Length - 10/10
Overall an enjoyable story and nice visual experience with fine graphics and terrible for people who like action (or to actually play something).
Intriguing story, 7/10.
This game is by no means a masterpiece when it comes to storytelling. That being said it is a very intriguing and at times interesting story that's told throughout. The host of characters in the Finch family and there little stories i really enjoyed. I think the fact that you struggle at times to tell between fact and fiction when learning about certain stories in the game world is interesting. The story is by far the strongest point of this game and it is that which makes it good. As i said previously, this feel more like a less traditional visual novel. A walking simulator if you will. So having a good story that was intriguing really helps this type of game the most than any other aspect could.
The graphics are absolutely fine for a game made in 2017. For what the game is trying to show the graphics are absolutely passable. That being said i absolutely loved the visuals in general. Most rooms of the house and surrounding areas felt completely different and told there own little story themselves. The environment you explore as Edith i really liked. It felt almost alive when exploring. My only issue with the visuals is the Human models. They looked crap. But it was fine for the game and not super important, but they where pretty poor. Every other animal looked fine, but for some reason the Humans made terrible Humans.
The gameplay (like stated before) is a walking simulator. If you love action, action and more action then this is definitely not for you. However this game isn't build for action packed set pieces. This "game" in terms of gameplay is pretty boring but it doesn't take away from the experience at all foe in my opinion as like i said i believe it to be more of a visual novel than a game in my eyes. So it's gets a pass here. All be it, if you are looking for games with exceptional gameplay (or even passably decent gameplay) look somewhere else.
The length of the game in my eyes is perfect. Not too long but not at all too short. One of the most perfect i have played in this aspect. In general (compared to other games) it is very short.
Before i rank this game out of ten i would like to clarify something. I have no idea why this game is classed as Horror. For anyone wanting to play this game i promise you it is not scary in the slightest. Batman games are scarier than this. I think it may be a little unsettling as you are exploring a house in the woods with nobody around all alone. But take it from me, there are absolutely no jump scares or creepy moments (at least in my eyes). It's not bad that it's not horror at all, just thought i'd clarify.
Story - 7.5/10
Characters - 6.5/10
Visuals - 6.5/10
Horror - 0.5/10
Length - 10/10
Overall an enjoyable story and nice visual experience with fine graphics and terrible for people who like action (or to actually play something).
Intriguing story, 7/10.
100% #4
ocesarebr9 December 2023
Warning: Spoilers
A game that is 100% easy to play using a guide. A pretty so-so game with an interesting story. It's extremely short, in less than 2 hours, 100% of the trophies are already done. Unfortunately it doesn't have a platinum trophy while it does on PS5. It's a very pleasant indie to play, without any difficulty. Practically, anyone who starts this game with the intention of getting 100% of trophies is already guaranteed as it is extremely easy (using a guide). Sad stories for all the characters, a lot of mysteries left to the players' imagination, which can be good or bad, depending on your point of view. 100% #4 This game was completed with 100% trophies on December 9, 2023.
The gameplay is here to serve the story
AvionPrince169 November 2021
I really enjoyed the game. I found it pretty interesting and have a gameplay that really serve the narrative and i found both of them very good and very well mixed. I found the story very interesting and love the style of the graphics in some situations when she talks about a member of the family and some of them have a very nice situation with another perspective. The house is very well design and look that the house have some secrets. The game is very great to watch and some situations are very contemplative and very well made. I recommend to anyone this game.
Intresting, but fails to have any kind of surprising reveal...
Aaron137525 June 2020
Warning: Spoilers
I played this game hoping for something a bit different and I got it. A game where I did not have to worry about fighting monsters or playing through certain areas again and again as my characters met their doom. Suffice to say this game managed to fulfill that desire. Unfortunately, it managed to draw me in a world that was strange and very off, but then the ending came and it was like 'that's it?" as to me, there is no reveal as to what was going on with the people in the game as one could have easily guessed that the main character met a fate like that of her relatives especially when she revealed she was with child.
The story, a young girl of 17 returns to the home she spent the first years of her life. When you see the house in the distance you can tell this is no ordinary house as it looks like some strange makeshift fort in areas that one would find in the trees for children to play in. She enters the house which has rooms sealed, but she soon begins to find secret passages and reading about her family who all managed to die in strange ways as the family believed it was cursed. Children, adults and even infants meet strange accidents as you read about what occurred or in one case flip through a horror comic book.
The game play has you mainly just wandering the house and looking through mementos and such; however, at times you get to partake in strange games such as guiding a cat to dinner, controlling a character's imaginary world and so on. The game is very interesting as I kept hoping for something a bit sinister to be revealed such as the house being evil as some of the deaths are just strange as the infant in the tub hints that the family may of had strange powers and perhaps that was their undoing, but it never states anything and only makes it out like the family is just cursed.
So, it is a rather interesting and sad story I just wish something was revealed rather than just poor Edith having not survived childbirth as that was almost a given. They indicate there is something strange as one of the family simply disappeared and as I said it almost seemed as if the family might have powers of some sort, but nothing definitive. Then there is Barbara who was a child start whose fate is even vaguer than that of the family member who simply disappeared. Was the house itself to blame? They left the country of their birth to escape the curse, but they brought the house with them, though it sank they still used pieces of it for the new house which may have been their mistake, but once again, there is no real answers being given. So interesting and sad, but with no real answers.
The story, a young girl of 17 returns to the home she spent the first years of her life. When you see the house in the distance you can tell this is no ordinary house as it looks like some strange makeshift fort in areas that one would find in the trees for children to play in. She enters the house which has rooms sealed, but she soon begins to find secret passages and reading about her family who all managed to die in strange ways as the family believed it was cursed. Children, adults and even infants meet strange accidents as you read about what occurred or in one case flip through a horror comic book.
The game play has you mainly just wandering the house and looking through mementos and such; however, at times you get to partake in strange games such as guiding a cat to dinner, controlling a character's imaginary world and so on. The game is very interesting as I kept hoping for something a bit sinister to be revealed such as the house being evil as some of the deaths are just strange as the infant in the tub hints that the family may of had strange powers and perhaps that was their undoing, but it never states anything and only makes it out like the family is just cursed.
So, it is a rather interesting and sad story I just wish something was revealed rather than just poor Edith having not survived childbirth as that was almost a given. They indicate there is something strange as one of the family simply disappeared and as I said it almost seemed as if the family might have powers of some sort, but nothing definitive. Then there is Barbara who was a child start whose fate is even vaguer than that of the family member who simply disappeared. Was the house itself to blame? They left the country of their birth to escape the curse, but they brought the house with them, though it sank they still used pieces of it for the new house which may have been their mistake, but once again, there is no real answers being given. So interesting and sad, but with no real answers.
See also
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