What Remains of Edith Finch, developed by Giant Sparrow and published by Annapurna Interactive, is a first-person narrative adventure game that falls within the genre of walking simulators. Players explore the Finch family home, from the first-person point of view, uncovering its members’ tragic and beautifully told stories through innovative gameplay. This essay examines the game using Henry Jenkins’ spatial narrative and Ian Bogost’s procedural rhetoric, comparing it to other narrative-driven games to highlight its unique storytelling and player engagement.
I argue that the uniqueness of What Remains of Edith Finch lies in its storytelling adventure, which utilizes spatial narrative to explore profound themes such as memory, death, and family legacy—reflected in Alexander Galloway’s social realism in gaming. This sets it apart from the playfulness of most games, making it a game with seriousness. The game immerses players in the emotional landscapes of its characters through interactive narratives that blend reality with the surreal. This integration of narrative and gameplay uses spatial storytelling and procedural rhetoric to create a deeply engaging experience that challenges conventional storytelling in games.
The game employs Henry Jenkins’ concept of spatial narrative. Each room in the Finch house mirrors the personality and story of its owner, filled with details that silently narrate the lives and deaths of the inhabitants. For instance, Milton Finch’s disappearance is illustrated through a flipbook leading into a magical painting, suggesting his retreat into his own imaginative world. This approach to storytelling through space is more immersive and emotionally impactful than in traditional narrative games like Gone Home, where the environment mainly serves as a backdrop rather than actively participating in the story.
Regarding procedural rhetoric, the game’s mechanics actively involve players in the narrative. Each Finch’s story is conveyed through unique gameplay elements. For example, Barbara Finch’s story uses a horror comic book style combined with classic horror film scores and timed gameplay sequences, effectively portraying her tragic end and her yearning for childhood fame. This is in contrast to games like Firewatch, where gameplay remains consistent and doesn’t vary much with the narrative’s progression.
However, the game’s reliance on scripted sequences can sometimes limit player agency, making some sections feel more like interactive movies than games. One improvement could be allowing players more influence on outcomes or paths, which would add variability and replay value while maintaining the narrative’s integrity. But this blurring of genres in walking simulators and narrative games—whether they are seen as games, films, or novels—is a common critique.
What Remains of Edith Finch exemplifies how the Mechanics-Dynamics-Aesthetics framework is applied in narrative games. The mechanics (game rules, story progression) deeply integrate with dynamics (player actions, story exploration) and aesthetics (emotional responses, thematic exploration). The game’s use of space (spatial narrative) and mechanics (procedural rhetoric) not only supports its storytelling but also enhances the player’s emotional engagement.
What Remains of Edith Finch is a unique walking simulator, that explores family legacy and mortality by its gameplay mechanics not just to entertain but to enrich storytelling. Giant Sparrow has crafted a game that challenges players to engage with the narrative on multiple levels and pushes the boundaries of what video games can achieve as a form of narrative media. Through its innovative use of spatial narrative and procedural rhetoric, the game offers a powerful example of how video games can transcend traditional storytelling techniques to offer unique, immersive experiences that resonate deeply with players.
