Dear Esther Mod remake getting a commercial release (out now : Othor Games

» Sun May 13, 2012 11:37 pm

A deserted island... a lost man... memories of a fatal crash... a book written by a dying explorer. Dear Esther is a ghost story told using first-person gaming technologies. Rather than traditional gameplay, the focus here is on exploration, uncovering the mystery of the island, of who you are and why you are here. Fragments of story are randomly triggered by moving around the environments, making every telling unique. Features a stunning, specially commissioned soundtrack. Forget the normal rules of play; if nothing seems real here, it's because it may just be all a delusion. What is the significance of the aerial - What happened on the motorway - is the island real or imagined - who is Esther and why has she chosen to summon you here? The answers are out there, on the lost beach and the tunnels under the island. Or then again, they may just not be, after all...

Dear Esther is an award-winning, critically acclaimed, experimental first-person game. Built in the Source engine, it abandons traditional gameplay, leaving only a rich world soaked in atmosphere, and an abstract, poetic story to explore. Dear Esther was originally launched in 2008 and is currently being rebuilt by Robert Briscoe.

http://store.steampowered.com/app/203810/

The re-make features a completely new environment that pushes the Source engine into uncharted territory; a re-orchestrated soundtrack by composer Jessica Curry, new areas to explore and an expanded story.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=D7VJ4lP-05A (18/01/2012)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i3bPjEbenew&hd=1 (29/06/2010)

http://dear-esther.com/?page_id=37

Release date is Valentine's day (February 14th).

» Sun May 13, 2012 9:48 pm

This definitely deserves a commercial release, Briscoe certainly deserves it after all the work he's had to put in to get Source to handle these beautiful graphics.

» Sun May 13, 2012 11:55 am

I still don't use Steam. Up until now, it's mainly been because I've always had terrible internet, and so it didn't seem like it would be worth it. This, however, is finally going to get me to use Steam. It looks gorgeous, sounds incredible and definitely deserves my money. :laugh:

» Sun May 13, 2012 3:02 pm

http://store.steampowered.com/app/203810 Release date: Valentine's day.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D7VJ4lP-05A

:ahhh:

» Sun May 13, 2012 2:29 pm

Wowie Zowie this looks interesting. No enemies to fight? Just explore and search and read and experience a tale?
Some might think this would be boring, but why would it have to be? It would be like an interactive visual book if I'm understanding the premise correctly.
Might be something I'd finally be interested in besides Bethesda games.

» Sun May 13, 2012 1:05 pm

Pushing the Source engine to its limit... I love it

I've been following Dear Esther for a while now and every time I see a new screenshot or video I think "oh god.. with that artistic talent, why are they using the Source engine?"

» Sun May 13, 2012 6:42 pm

http://www5.picturepush.com/photo/a/3713163/img/DE-29-06-2010/001.jpg
http://www2.picturepush.com/photo/a/3713210/img/DE-29-06-2010/016.jpg

These links don't work for me. They seem to be removed.

» Mon May 14, 2012 12:36 am

Yeees, I've been waiting for more news since they announced the release date. So excited for this game.

» Sun May 13, 2012 11:14 am

http://www5.picturepush.com/photo/a/3713163/img/DE-29-06-2010/001.jpg
http://www2.picturepush.com/photo/a/3713210/img/DE-29-06-2010/016.jpg

These links are broken :fakenopic:

» Sun May 13, 2012 3:16 pm

Damn, I remember this from a long time ago. Looks great :biggrin:

.

I really want to DL the original, but I think it's probably worth holding off until the new one is released.

» Sun May 13, 2012 4:31 pm

Those links are a year old, don't blame me. But I'll update the OP.

Plenty screenshots on their http://dear-esther.com/?page_id=37 and http://www.indiedb.com/games/dear-esther/images

» Sun May 13, 2012 11:49 pm

For some reason, I thought I recalled reading somewhere that Dear Esther needed two Steam games two run; something along the lines of Episode 2 and GMod. However, I can't find information on that anywhere now. Is it standalone since it's now a commercial release?

» Sun May 13, 2012 4:45 pm

The original mod required Half Life 2 to be installed (not sure about the Episodes), the commercial release will be standalone naturally.

» Sun May 13, 2012 11:09 pm

Ah, alright

.

» Sun May 13, 2012 2:03 pm

I can't wait! I never played the original mod, but I've always heard about it. When I found out it was going to be commercially released as its own game, I figured I'd just wait for it, but now the wait is over. :smile:

» Sun May 13, 2012 4:32 pm

So is anybody enjoying this?

I'm ready to order it, but would like to hear some first impressions/opinions.

» Sun May 13, 2012 12:40 pm

I just got it. I plan on playing through it later tonight without interruptions (heard it's fairly short). I'm really looking forward to it.

» Sun May 13, 2012 5:40 pm

I just got it. I plan on playing through it later tonight without interruptions (heard it's fairly short). I'm really looking forward to it.

Yeah, I'm not expecting a really extended experience, but from everything I've seen, $9.99 is a bargain for new eye candy, and something different.
I'll DL it and play it later until the sun comes up...which is bedtime anyway.

» Mon May 14, 2012 12:16 am

The idea of exploration and trying to figure out the island, as well as the trailer really makes me think of Myst for some reason. I might have to pick this up sometime, looks interesting and a nice change from genres I have played to death.

» Sun May 13, 2012 12:27 pm

I'll pick it up eventually. Looks absolutely amazing and would be fun to just lose myself in the world for a couple hours. I really like abstract games like this.

» Mon May 14, 2012 1:07 am

$9.99 is a bargain for new eye candy, and something different.

That's my view, too. At the very least, supporting a different take on video games is always worthwhile, in my opinion.

» Sun May 13, 2012 5:51 pm

Ooooh. I remember looking at this a long time ago. Glad to see where it's gotten to

I'll pick it up when I have $10 to spare haha.

» Sun May 13, 2012 3:49 pm

http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2012/02/15/dear-esther-we-sold-16000-copies-in-24-hours-shepherds/. Nice!

» Mon May 14, 2012 3:16 am

What is this? I can't really make out what it's supposed to be about. I likes the music and voice acting. Makes me want to play it but I'd like to know more.

» Sun May 13, 2012 6:56 pm

What is this? I can't really make out what it's supposed to be about. I likes the music and voice acting. Makes me want to play it but I'd like to know more.

From what I understand, it's a first-person interactive story.

Anyway, as much as I want to play it, I don't have the $10 to spend on it right now. Maybe another time

.