What Remains of Edith Finch is a first-person, narrative-focused walking simulator with an air of mystery. The story follows seventeen year old Edith Finch, who is the last surviving member of her family, as she returns to her family’s old home to uncover each member’s mysterious past – and untimely death. The game is deeply immersive, making it seem much longer than the 2 hours it took to play through the main story line. The delivery of the narrative is delicate, purposeful, and leaves out just enough information that the ambiguity is intriguing, instead of alienating.
The mechanics of walking simulators lends itself well to this game’s delivery, narrative impact, and player response. First, the game lets the player roam and wander freely, with several visual cues to help guide and push the narrative, which the player can choose to heed or ignore. I loved the fact that I could roam around the house, taking in the sights of a space that is so obviously and eerily well-lived-in – half-finished takeout, toppled stacks of books, family photos and magnets and such vibrant signs of life, yet so unnervingly empty, as if the people had simply vanished into thin air while in the midst of their daily routine. I would acknowledge the visual hints to go forward in the story, but delay acting upon them in favor of roaming the house, and I found this instrumental for the “discovery” type of fun.
“Discovery” and “narrative” went hand in hand for What Remains of Edith Finch. I found out more about each family member’s unique, yet unfortunate cause of death, and I found some of them so imaginative and absurd that I did not know whether to believe it or not. This uncertainty was thrilling for me to navigate, mind reeling with “what if’s” – what if Milton actually stepped through his magic paintings and disappeared? As I roamed, I truly felt like I was embodying Edith as she discovered her family’s stories for herself. Being able to walk, wander, observe, and tinker with things made this game incredibly effective as a walking simulator, letting me discover the narrative for myself and wringing out powerful emotions as a result.
