50) What Remains of Edith Finch (2017)

After the release of their debut title, The Unfinished Swan, the team at Giant Sparrow wanted to create something sublime. As creative director Ian Dallas described, the goal was to create "an interactive experience that evokes what it feels like to have a moment of finding something beautiful, yet overwhelming." Initially drawing on his experience scuba diving in Washington, seeing the ocean fall off into darkness in the distance, the team struggled with several aspects of the concept. It wasn't until Dallas came up with the idea of a shark falling into a forest with a child uttering "and suddenly I was a shark," that the team began moving into more strange and unnatural scenarios.

The game puts us in the shoes of 17 year old Edith Finch as she returns to her ancestral home for the first time in 7 years. We learn that Edith is the last remaining member of her family, with the other members succumbing to a supposed curse. As we enter the home, it becomes immediately clear that, while it seemed normal as she was growing up, there are many strange aspects of the house and the manner in which her family lived. Exploring the house becomes a bit of a puzzle to solve, as gaining entry to each room is anything but straightforward. As we progress, we get to play a small episode detailing the life and eventual death of each family member.

These episodes comprise the bulk of the experience, as outside of them we just have a linear walking sim made interesting by how odd the home is. Each small vision of a past family member's life is unique, both in style and in gameplay. Ranging from animal shapeshifting to living in a bunker, as mundane as playing on a swing or as grandiose as becoming an emperor, each section is lovingly crafted and exceedingly memorable. What's even more astounding than the impressive scope of the game is knowing what the team had wanted to include but couldn't for one reason or another. Some ideas were trimmed down, but cameos from Weird Al and John Carpenter ended up not happening due to time constraints and a voice actor strike.

I don't have a lot to say for fear of spoiling the relatively short experience. Everything works well, ideas flow naturally, and the story, while fanciful, still manages to feel down to Earth. I've talked before about how video games, as an art form, offer a unique opportunity to put the player directly into different roles. It's the primary advantage that the medium has, and What Remains of Edith Finch does an excellent job of exploring that. If you haven't had the chance, do yourself a favor and give the game a shot. Though your time with it may be brief, I doubt you'll regret it.