What Makes What Remains of Edith Finch, An Indie Game, Worth Playing?
Image Credits: Edith Finch Website
About the game
‘What Remains of Edith Finch’ is an adventure game that is essentially a set of short stories presented in the game. The stories feature a family under a curse. The curse is such that in every generation of the family, except one member, all the other dies. This unique storyline is the basis of this interesting exploration game from Giant Sparrow. The developer of the game, Giant Sparrow, is an indie gaming company operating out of Santa Monica in the USA. Their first game Unfinished Swan was a surreal game that won a lot of attention. With this game, the developers have won appreciation from critics and gamers.
Reviewers across gaming websites and magazines have rated this game very highly, thanks to its unique premise and content. The game has been ranked among the top games of 2017 by most magazines. The game has won many awards, including ‘Best Story’ from PC Gamer’s awards in 2017. The game has been appreciated as not merely a video game but as a work of visual art. This helped it win the best game award from the British Academy Games award. A well-known gaming company, Annapurna Interactive, has published this game.
Story and plot
The game involves the player trying to find out about Edith Finch and starts with a journey to Orcas Island. The player has Edith’s journal, which helps to understand more about her life. The game commences with a narration (by Edith) of the family curse. Despite the family taking measures to avoid the curse, they find that they cannot get away from it. The game takes you through the various deaths that occurred in the family and the tragic circumstances behind them. The game recounts the history of the family until Edith’s arrival and what happened in her life.
The game focuses on two key characters – Dawn and Edith. Dawn is the only survivor of the cursed family who has survived until adulthood. She marries and has children, one of whom is Edith. The narration moves then to Edith’s story and recounts what happens to her. This forms the main theme in this game. Her journal and her letter to her unborn child helps the player to understand more about Edith. The game ends with a surprising revelation that has won it a lot of appreciation.
Image Credits: Edith Finch Website
Gameplay
Most of the game is set in Edith’s family home, where one by one, people die. Each death leads to that family member’s room being sealed off. The game revolves around its storyline. It takes the player through different generations of the family spread over different time periods. The game has a set of stories as chapters that are presented from the perspective of Edith. The game has a first-person perspective, and the game is easy for the player to control and play. There are many metaphors presented through the game that allows the player to understand the story of Edith.
The story of the family members is presented through various objects related to their lives. This presentation form makes the game engrossing. The family, their lives, their deaths, and the curse creates an attractive world – one that is dark and yet enjoyable for you while playing it. There is not much interaction in the game; it is a game where you are more of a spectator. The presentation of the story is what makes this game highly attractive. The game is macabre but, at the same time, enjoyable when you play as a dispassionate spectator.
Image Credits: Edith Finch Website
The game features
The following features make ‘What Remains of Edith’ a game worth playing:
· The game is a completely story-based game that takes you through the life of Edith Finch, helping you understand all that happened in her life.
· There is an element of the macabre in this game where a family curse forms the main theme.
· The game involves the player using Edith’s journal to explore her home and understand what really happened.
· The death of each family member and its circumstances are presented in an engaging way that makes you feel involved in the story.
· The game is all about exploring the house, its objects, and the journal.
· It is a beautiful story that is sad and yet has a conclusion that leaves you both smiling and with tears in your eyes.
