Dear Esther

Dear Esther. The morning after I was washed ashore, salt in my ears, sand in my mouth and the waves always at my ankles, I felt as though everything had conspired to this one last shipwreck.

I remembered nothing but water, stones in my belly and my shoes threatening to drag me under to where only the most listless of creatures swim. 

These are the opening words of the computer game Dear Esther, created by the British game development studio The Chinese Room. Dear Esther’s release in 2012 caused a minor revolution in gaming: it is perceived by many as the mother of all walking simulators. This term was originally intended as a criticism, but the creators of the genre and its enthusiasts have embraced it. Walking sims are games in which the pace is scaled down from ten to two and the possibilities for interaction are limited. Atmosphere, music and symbolism take the place of speed and action. Instead of trying to kill as many zombies or enemies as possible, the most important thing is the narrative experience, the telling of a good story. 

Dear Esther does this with immense verve. The beautifully constructed landscape and compelling music, especially composed for the game by Jessica Curry, form the background to a metaphysical thriller. The story starts on the beach of a deserted island in the Hebrides. The gamer explores the island and with the help of a voice-over gradually begins to understand what is going on. Memories of a car accident, a hermit’s book, and several mysterious discoveries on the island, which on closer inspection seems not to be so uninhabited, come together in a dream-like story about a man at a turning point in his life. Mortality, hope, love and redemption are the themes of this unusual game. 

The game had an enthusiastic reception, won a number of prizes, and reached hundreds of thousands gamers. It was also nominated for five BAFTA awards. After an initial limited release for Windows PC, the game was eventually made available for all important computer platforms. In October 2016 Curry’s soundtrack for Dear Esther had a single live performance at the Barbican Theatre, London. During this concert a large screen behind the orchestra displayed the progress of the game, played live on the stage by a gamer, giving the audience more or less the same kind of immersive experience as gamers have. After last year’s Barbican performance the show successfully toured the UK. This year it can be seen at the Holland Festival. 

The game was edited and re-designed for the tour to form an essential part of the concert/art experience, which includes a live play-through of the game by freelance writer Thomas McMullan. This captivating show takes the audience on a journey that features Curry’s score alongside the visual and aural components of the original game. It is a brilliant celebration of video gaming, which places its immersive multimedia elements front and centre. A voice actor brings the spoken word component of the story to life while a string section and a soprano provide the musical accompaniment. 

According to Jessica Curry, composer and co-founder of The Chinese Room, Dear Esther ‘really has stood the test of time. Going back to it, we still felt so passionate about it. We realised that we’re missing a trick here, in not playing it live, as it has so many advantages that way.’