Something went wrong. Try again later
    Follow

    Gone Home

    Game » consists of 11 releases. Released Aug 15, 2013

    Set in a large multi-story house during a 1995 thunderstorm, Gone Home is a first-person exploration game where a young woman finds out what happened to her family since she was away on a long overseas trip.

    Did anyone else think...(SPOILERS)

    Avatar image for chobobot
    chobobot

    233

    Forum Posts

    0

    Wiki Points

    0

    Followers

    Reviews: 0

    User Lists: 0

    Did anyone else think that when they were playing the game and you were listening to Sam's journals that upon entering the attic, you were possibly going to find that her and Lonnie have committed suicide. I was so relived to find out at the end that they just ran off together, I have never been this emotional after a games since The Walking Dead.

    Avatar image for deadpancakes
    DeadpanCakes

    1138

    Forum Posts

    0

    Wiki Points

    0

    Followers

    Reviews: 0

    User Lists: 6

    Woah woah... I'm glad I didn't come to that conclusion (I kinda figured pretty early on that I was gonna find her journal and find out that they ran away together), but if I thought that that's how it was gonna end, it probably would have been too emotionally stressful for me to finish.

    Avatar image for nekroskop
    Nekroskop

    2830

    Forum Posts

    47

    Wiki Points

    0

    Followers

    Reviews: 0

    User Lists: 2

    No, but that would have made for a much better game. A much better impact.

    Avatar image for siroptimusprime
    SirOptimusPrime

    2076

    Forum Posts

    13

    Wiki Points

    0

    Followers

    Reviews: 0

    User Lists: 3

    I'm pretty sure most people did. In fact, I listened to a podcast where Steve Gaynor said he almost wrote that as the ending and then got mad at the idea of not being able to have a happy ending in a game like this. However, I do think it's interesting that you could potentially miss the penultimate recording. If I remember, the journal at the very, very end doesn't explicitly say anything about them running away together and so you could interpret it as such if you missed it.

    Avatar image for tournamentofhate
    TournamentOfHate

    880

    Forum Posts

    0

    Wiki Points

    0

    Followers

    Reviews: 0

    User Lists: -1

    I thought the same thing, and then near the end I thought just Sam would have after Lonnie left her. It was the only time in the game that I wanted to sprint, was to the attic because I was worried about Sam. I think going with the ending that they went with was better, and way more uplifting than if they had done what I thought they were gonna do. I feel like that would have been the "easy" ending to go with.

    Avatar image for solidsnak
    Solidsnak

    173

    Forum Posts

    0

    Wiki Points

    0

    Followers

    Reviews: 0

    User Lists: 1

    I'm pretty sure that was the intent, but I too am happy that it worked out better.

    Avatar image for chobobot
    chobobot

    233

    Forum Posts

    0

    Wiki Points

    0

    Followers

    Reviews: 0

    User Lists: 0

    #7  Edited By chobobot

    I have been reading other people's impressions of the ending stating that they thought there was going to be some supernatural element to it, however just listening to Sam's journals, they start to have a darker tone as you search through the some of the hidden rooms especially when she is discussing her relationship with Lonnie.

    I guess it would have been a bit cliche to use a suicide ending since we have seen that many times in films and true stories before. But the atmosphere also played a large role in my thought process in determining the ending. The dark rooms and loud bangs of thunder were creeping me out, and I was wearing headphones playing this.

    Avatar image for rorie
    rorie

    7887

    Forum Posts

    1502

    Wiki Points

    0

    Followers

    Reviews: 4

    User Lists: 3

    Totally thought I was gonna find a dead girl.

    Avatar image for blommer4
    Blommer4

    308

    Forum Posts

    0

    Wiki Points

    0

    Followers

    Reviews: 0

    User Lists: 0

    #9  Edited By Blommer4

    IMO that would've been better, just because it would have a bigger impact on me personally. I am one of those who do not care too much for the game overall though, so I don't feel like my opinion has much weight to it.

    Avatar image for markwahlberg
    MarkWahlberg

    4713

    Forum Posts

    3782

    Wiki Points

    0

    Followers

    Reviews: 1

    User Lists: 0

    #10  Edited By MarkWahlberg

    I kind of assumed it was a deliberate fake out, because the whole set up sort of implies that something went real bad, what with your family not being there and all. And there's a sort of dread that starts to set in, because you know something is in the attic, but it's not clear what.

    Avatar image for rongalaxy
    RonGalaxy

    4937

    Forum Posts

    48

    Wiki Points

    0

    Followers

    Reviews: 1

    User Lists: 1

    No, but that would have made for a much better game. A much better impact.

    no it wouldn't have

    Avatar image for ilikepopcans
    ilikepopcans

    979

    Forum Posts

    3100

    Wiki Points

    0

    Followers

    Reviews: 0

    User Lists: 6

    Yeah, I thought the worst too

    Avatar image for ravenlight
    Ravenlight

    8057

    Forum Posts

    12306

    Wiki Points

    0

    Followers

    Reviews: 0

    User Lists: 2

    No but I was totally prepared to get jumpscared by a spooky ghost.

    Avatar image for elyk247
    elyk247

    423

    Forum Posts

    7

    Wiki Points

    0

    Followers

    Reviews: 4

    User Lists: 25

    Damn dude. I never once thought that would happen, but I can sort of see it. The game would have gotten a completely different reception had that been the case. But suicide doesn't seem like what a couple of girls related to the riot grrrl genre would do.

    Avatar image for captain_max707
    captain_max707

    680

    Forum Posts

    697

    Wiki Points

    0

    Followers

    Reviews: 0

    User Lists: 0

    My heart was racing on my way up the attic, I had the same idea.

    Avatar image for nekroskop
    Nekroskop

    2830

    Forum Posts

    47

    Wiki Points

    0

    Followers

    Reviews: 0

    User Lists: 2

    Avatar image for aleryn
    aleryn

    718

    Forum Posts

    0

    Wiki Points

    0

    Followers

    Reviews: 0

    User Lists: 15

    #17  Edited By aleryn

    I probably would have suspected the same had I not heard a denial of it on Steve Gaynor's Tone Control podcast. I was NOT expecting the call Samantha got from Lonnie near the end, so that made up for the sorta-spoiler.

    Avatar image for cornbredx
    cornbredx

    7484

    Forum Posts

    2699

    Wiki Points

    0

    Followers

    Reviews: 0

    User Lists: 15

    Yes. There was a thread about this already discussing that back when the game came out.

    Interestingly there are a few people who didn't. I always find that fascinating as the story appears to indicate that's where it's heading but it's not really ever saying that. So, it's basically up to your minds interpretation of whats happening. I have speculations as to why just based on what I've read of people who didn't get that from the story, but I'll keep that to myself as that will anger people.

    It's a very well told story, though. I'm glad they made it a twist happy ending. There isn't really a lot of those.

    Avatar image for bigjeffrey
    bigjeffrey

    5282

    Forum Posts

    7872

    Wiki Points

    0

    Followers

    Reviews: 0

    User Lists: 1

    Yeah sort of, I was expecting to find a body there.

    Avatar image for koolaid
    koolaid

    1435

    Forum Posts

    16

    Wiki Points

    0

    Followers

    Reviews: 0

    User Lists: 0

    #20  Edited By koolaid

    Yes. There was a thread about this already discussing that back when the game came out.

    Interestingly there are a few people who didn't. I always find that fascinating as the story appears to indicate that's where it's heading but it's not really ever saying that. So, it's basically up to your minds interpretation of whats happening. I have speculations as to why just based on what I've read of people who didn't get that from the story, but I'll keep that to myself as that will anger people.

    It's a very well told story, though. I'm glad they made it a twist happy ending. There isn't really a lot of those.

    I would say a twist bitter-sweet ending. I mean, Sam still felt that she had no choice but to abandon her home. Her parents are going to come back from repairing their marriage only to find that they've driven their daughter out of the house.

    Avatar image for audiobusting
    audioBusting

    2581

    Forum Posts

    5644

    Wiki Points

    0

    Followers

    Reviews: 4

    User Lists: 26

    #21  Edited By audioBusting

    A little bit.. I thought the red dye on the bathtub was foreshadowing.

    Avatar image for xalienxgreyx
    xaLieNxGrEyx

    2646

    Forum Posts

    0

    Wiki Points

    0

    Followers

    Reviews: 0

    User Lists: 0

    No, but that would have made for a much worse game. Much less of an impact, cliche, underwhelming and a complete contrast to the games theme and presentation.

    Fixed that for you

    Avatar image for themanwithnoplan
    TheManWithNoPlan

    7843

    Forum Posts

    103

    Wiki Points

    0

    Followers

    Reviews: 1

    User Lists: 14

    #23  Edited By TheManWithNoPlan

    Yep, I thought I was gonna find Sam had committed suicide in the attic. Real glad it didn't go that way.

    Avatar image for devise22
    devise22

    923

    Forum Posts

    0

    Wiki Points

    0

    Followers

    Reviews: 1

    User Lists: 3

    #24  Edited By devise22

    To be completely honest the game was kind of a rip off.

    As for people saying that would of been cliched, did you play the game? Do you realize how common it is for teenagers specifically of that age and going through that much change in their lives to run away? I was very unhappy with this game after I finished it. Tons of immersion, tons of great method of storytelling and huge emotional set up for the big ending. I found myself stressed and had to work myself into walking into the attic at the end. But that much set up and melodrama is one of the most unrealistic things considering what ended up actually happening.

    I'm all for tons of other elements this game used to convey the story, but for everyone praising this game for it's realistic storytelling should give their head a shake. When kids run away they don't leave hap hazard journals around for their siblings as if everything that is happening is the most important and dramatic moment in history. The set up was their, the pay off was not. I'm not saying it had to be suicide either...but come on...something. Something that warranted all that build. Sadly it wasn't. I'll praise the game for what it did do right though, and more games should look into Gone Home for immersion. Having the guts to cover an issue such as this and have a happy ending as well is fine, but didn't really realistically connect said happy ending.

    Avatar image for themasterds
    TheMasterDS

    3018

    Forum Posts

    7716

    Wiki Points

    0

    Followers

    Reviews: 1

    User Lists: 31

    Never occurred to me. I was expecting it to just be very sad as a happy relationship came to its inevitable end. Didn't ever think suicide. Didn't strike me as likely.

    Avatar image for dfl017
    DFL017

    311

    Forum Posts

    150

    Wiki Points

    0

    Followers

    Reviews: 0

    User Lists: 0

    I thought her friend was gonna die in the military.

    Avatar image for siroptimusprime
    SirOptimusPrime

    2076

    Forum Posts

    13

    Wiki Points

    0

    Followers

    Reviews: 0

    User Lists: 3

    @devise22 said:

    When kids run away they don't leave hap hazard journals around for their siblings as if everything that is happening is the most important and dramatic moment in history.

    I'm not going to comment on anything else you said, mostly because I'm tired and wouldn't explain anything properly, but this is exactly what teenagers do when they do something like this. They treat it like the biggest thing in the universe, and turning that into gameplay by warping it into audio logs seems fine to me.

    Avatar image for hollitz
    hollitz

    2398

    Forum Posts

    5

    Wiki Points

    0

    Followers

    Reviews: 1

    User Lists: 12

    I was expecting to find her dead, yeah. Would have been fitting for her character/age. Instead got a more cliche ending.

    Avatar image for xalienxgreyx
    xaLieNxGrEyx

    2646

    Forum Posts

    0

    Wiki Points

    0

    Followers

    Reviews: 0

    User Lists: 0

    Everyone saying it would have been better if she killed herself is why we can't have nice things.

    Avatar image for deactivated-630479c20dfaa
    deactivated-630479c20dfaa

    1683

    Forum Posts

    0

    Wiki Points

    0

    Followers

    Reviews: 0

    User Lists: 0

    thought it for 5 mins, then came up with arguments in my head for why that wouldn't be. It would be too "edgy" was one. Also I seem to remember the answering machine sorta giving it away, even though I can barely remember what the actual ending was..

    Avatar image for geirr
    geirr

    4166

    Forum Posts

    717

    Wiki Points

    0

    Followers

    Reviews: 1

    User Lists: 5

    My and my wife did but we're glad that wasn't the case since we both got a pleasant surprise.

    Avatar image for crithon
    crithon

    3979

    Forum Posts

    1823

    Wiki Points

    0

    Followers

    Reviews: 1

    User Lists: 11

    Aaround the part with the bathtub and finding the "Red hair dye" was the moment I started to think all of these gimmicks aren't going to pay off.

    Avatar image for kowalskimandown
    KowalskiManDown

    4170

    Forum Posts

    3525

    Wiki Points

    0

    Followers

    Reviews: 1

    User Lists: 19

    That was my thought, especially with the weird red aura the lighting gave that part of the hallway under the attic door.

    Avatar image for pd
    PD

    170

    Forum Posts

    288

    Wiki Points

    0

    Followers

    Reviews: 5

    User Lists: 9

    I had a bunch of different theories throughout the game of what might happen, but the one I always went back to after finding more stuff was that I'd find Sam dead or near death. What a sigh of relief after hearing the journal entry of her waking up and listening to the answering machine.

    Avatar image for thanks4thepiss
    Thanks4ThePiss

    35

    Forum Posts

    0

    Wiki Points

    0

    Followers

    Reviews: 0

    User Lists: 4

    The real shocker would have been if the Dad had committed suicide and the Sam/Lonnie arc was just a red herring or a distraction to the real horrifying ending.

    Avatar image for modernalkemie
    ModernAlkemie

    390

    Forum Posts

    21

    Wiki Points

    0

    Followers

    Reviews: 0

    User Lists: 1

    #36  Edited By ModernAlkemie

    The attic section of the game is an excellent example of creating narrative tension that enhances the emotional impact of the relief of that tension. The environmental cues and the sense of foreboding created as you approach the attic was probably my favorite part of that game. I was really concerned that Sam would have hurt herself and that the designers were casting the Journal entries into the form of a suicide note. I can see how some people might have felt a darker ending was more appropriate, but I immensely enjoyed the reversal of expectations that occurs at the game's climax.

    Avatar image for nightriff
    nightriff

    7248

    Forum Posts

    1467

    Wiki Points

    0

    Followers

    Reviews: 4

    User Lists: 7

    #37  Edited By nightriff

    That is what I thought as well, glad it didn't happen when I walked into the attic.

    Avatar image for anarchyzombie9
    anarchyzombie9

    628

    Forum Posts

    31

    Wiki Points

    0

    Followers

    Reviews: 0

    User Lists: 0

    I'm glad it didn't end that way, that would've just seemed sad for the sake of being sad. I just think the ending they did choose was really poorly implemented. Like the story goes from so bleak and hopeless to boom everything is back to fine and happy in literal minutes and it just seems really weird and rushed.

    Avatar image for xceagle
    XCEagle

    144

    Forum Posts

    0

    Wiki Points

    0

    Followers

    Reviews: 0

    User Lists: 0

    #39  Edited By XCEagle

    @anarchyzombie9: But everything isn't fine. Your sister is still a teenage runaway with her deserter girlfriend peddling stolen electronics in who the hell knows. It's a "happy" ending because she's alive and and pursuing love, but the ending is decidedly unclear.

    Avatar image for johncallahan
    johncallahan

    918

    Forum Posts

    1852

    Wiki Points

    0

    Followers

    Reviews: 1

    User Lists: 1

    Pretty sure that was the point.

    Avatar image for sergio
    Sergio

    3663

    Forum Posts

    0

    Wiki Points

    0

    Followers

    Reviews: 0

    User Lists: 13

    #41  Edited By Sergio

    @chobobot: Yes, that was what I thought about Sam, not Lonnie, and I was dreading it. I think that's what they were going for though.

    This edit will also create new pages on Giant Bomb for:

    Beware, you are proposing to add brand new pages to the wiki along with your edits. Make sure this is what you intended. This will likely increase the time it takes for your changes to go live.

    Comment and Save

    Until you earn 1000 points all your submissions need to be vetted by other Giant Bomb users. This process takes no more than a few hours and we'll send you an email once approved.