So, over the next few days, I’ll be reviewing some cool mods I come across, whether they are Half-Life 2 (My current addiction all over again…), Unreal 2004, or any other game mod I see fit to post. As with most mods, the one’s I post about will be free of charge, keeping in line with my personal philosophy of being a cheapass. Enjoy!

One of the better known mods for Valve’s Half-Life 2, Dear Esther doesn’t focus on intense action sequences, robust multiplayer, or hyper-realistic graphics. Instead: Dear Esther focuses on what some believe to be a long lost relic of gaming: Immersive Narrative. Some people have called this mod pretentious, and their opinion isn’t highly wrong, this is a game made for the “Games Are Art” crowd, and it makes no apologies about it. The mod opens with you on a dock, facing a house, with an older British man narrating the story. Involving, immersive, but highly subjective. This story doesn’t have clear cut endings, beginnings, standard fare from the art-crowd. Level design is pretty unclear in the beginning stages, but gets much better later on.

So what sets this mod apart? Sheer pacing. The way the player is thrust into the world, the way little hints and clues are slowly revealed. That said: This experience is highly subjective, either you’ll like this, or you’ll hate it, and that’s about all it comes down to. Personally: I loved it, but your mileage may vary.

ModDB – Half-Life 2: Dear Esther