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Explore a Hebridean island as Dear Esther comes to Xbox One and PS4
28 Aug, 2016
In the special new “Landmark Edition”, Dear Esther will sport upgraded visuals, tweaked gameplay and a developers’ commentary. Here’s the details.
There was a time, years ago, when the term “Walking Simulator” was a pejorative, not a common descriptor. Dear Esther was one of the earliest, most notable titles to be labelled a walking simulator. While tongue-in-cheek, the term is not really that far off in describing the game by its gameplay: it simulates walking on a Hebridean island while a man reads letters in the background.
Dear Esther, however, is not the sort of game that you’d describe by its gameplay. It’s more about an overarching experience—a quiet hour and a half of introspection and piecing together the game’s narrative as you gallivant about. If you missed out on the game when it came out for PC back in 2012, you can now give it a shot on the fancy new consoles, PS4 and Xbox One.
Curve Digital will be publishing Dear Esther: Landmark Edition, which is described as the “most complete” version of the game yet. It features graphical and gameplay updates, but maybe don’t go in expecting it to look like Crysis 3 and play like Dark Souls. It’s still Dear Esther, and that’s fine. The game will also pack a developers’ commentary, featuring composer Jessica Curry, writer-producer Dan Pinchbeck and artist Robert Briscoe.
If you live in the UK, there’s even more to expect. There will be an event courtesy The Guardian, which will take place on 30th September, in which Pinchbeck and Curry will “discuss their journey from Half-Life mod to full console release.” Tickets are £10.
Later, The Barbican will have a live performance of the game’s soundtrack, performed by Curry, while the game is played on the stage, complete with live narration. This will be held on 14th October, and tickets are £22.50 plus any booking fees that may apply.
Dear Esther: Landmark Edition launches on 20th September, and will be priced at $9.99. There’s currently no word on whether PC players will be able to experience this upgraded version of the game. You can get the original PC version off Steam and Humble Store.
