DEAR ESTHER DOES IT WORK FULL

Combined with the strong voiceover work and a twisting, unnerving and powerful soundtrack (which will have been completely re-recorded by the time the game's available to buy), the mesmerising visuals draw you effortlessly into Esther's world, captivating and engrossing at every turn.

Without any element of challenge to speak of, Dear Esther is a hundred per cent reliant on the atmosphere it creates.

DEAR ESTHER DOES IT WORK FULL

In the caves, which make up the bulk of Dear Esther's middle section, phosphorescent light illuminates the dank passages with hypnotic greens and blues as waterfalls cascade down the rock face.ĭear Esther might be an unusual, experimental game, but it's not difficult to see why Valve have snapped it up for a full release: it's an exquisite demonstration of how powerful their technology still is.Īnd it's not just about good looks. Briscoe's careful modelling and texture work, not to mention a few tweaks to the code, have created something that's every bit the competitor to even the flashiest current-gen tech.įoliage sways in the breeze while the moon is reflected hauntingly in the rippling ocean. This is, without a doubt, the most beautiful looking Source Engine game to date. But you're rewarded for straying from the established path, either with a new snippet of the storyline or simply an astonishing vista to gawp at. The route ahead is always clear, as a tall radio tower at the island's peak provides an omnipresent reference point for where you need to be heading.

Dear esther does it work