On 31 August, Game Pass will be losing ten games, including titles such as NBA 2K22, World War Z, and Two Point Hospital. Players interested in these games should jump on them before they are gone, and they should not overlook What Remains of Edith Finch, a smaller title that manages to pack quite an emotional punch. When the game was released in 2017, it wowed the gaming world with its dramatic tale of loss and tragedy, and in 2022 it was upgraded to current-generation consoles.
For gamers who enjoy an immersive experience that is short yet impactful, What Remains of Edith Finch is not to be missed. Its narrative packs many tear-jerking twists and turns, and while it may not feature adrenaline-raising action, it excels at proving the power of video games as a storytelling medium. The game's short length may work to its benefit, as it can easily be completed before it is taken off Game Pass.
The Sad Tale of What Remains of Edith Finch
What Remains of Edith Finch was developed by Giant Sparrow, and it is a first-person exploration game that could be dismissively described as a "walking simulator," as it does not feature much action or combat. However, as players enter each of the rooms of the old family house, the stories they uncover manage to evoke powerful emotions, offering a glimpse into a complex and odd yet surprisingly relatable family. Each family member they learn about has died a terrible and often untimely death, and it becomes hard not to believe that there is a curse ailing the Finch family.
Each family member's story is conveyed through a little mini-game featuring mechanics that accentuate certain aspects of the memory or the character's personality. For instance, gamers participate in a morbid scene where baby Gregory is innocently left unattended in a bathtub, leading to grave consequences, and players also partake in eleven-year-old Calvin's tragic death when an afternoon spent playing on a swing goes wrong. Through all the trauma and death, players are left trying to find meaning in it all, and it is rather easy to blame the badness on a curse rather than random chance.
Upon release, the game was showered with praise and awards, with many critics praising the emotionally gripping storytelling and the way the developers were able to blend narrative and gameplay so beautifully. This is most evident in Lewis' story, which involves sensitive topics such as suicide and mental illness. Lewis works at a fish cannery, and he is highly dissatisfied with his life, causing him to retreat into his world of fantasy. Gamers get a glimpse of what it is like to juggle what is real with what is imaginary when they are forced to use one controller to simultaneously manage Lewis' cannery duties and his fantasy world.
What Remains of Edith Finch is a Short But Powerful Experience
Clocking in at under three hours, most gamers will complete What Remains of Edith Finch in a single sitting. This is the perfect length for games of this nature, as it does not overstay its welcome, and it can have players gripped for its entire duration without a moment of boredom. The game is also surprisingly detailed despite being short, and it is possible to miss branches on the Finch family tree during a single playthrough, making it a game worth playing again.
What Remains of Edith Finch is a peek into the tragedies that invade human life and how trauma can affect entire families. For gamers interested in experiencing the heights of storytelling in gaming, it is not to be missed. Gamers who enjoy What Remains of Edith Finch should consider titles such as Dear Esther and Everybody's Gone to the Rapture, as they also focus on environmental exploration and storytelling as opposed to high-speed action.
What Remains of Edith Finch is available now on iOS, Nintendo Switch, PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.