What Remains of Edith Finch is a more fully realized one of those “walking sims.” While Dear Esther was entirely walking, and Gone Home had some object interaction, Edith Finch makes more out of the medium, playing to its strengths switching up perspectives and varying the mechanics. The result is a “walking sim” that is undeniably a game, but not only that, better for it.
The story revolves around Edith exploring the now abandoned house she grew up in, uncovering the mysterious curse that has plagued the Finch family for generations, seemingly ever since they crossed the Atlantic. While walking around the house as Edith, you’ll encounter notes and journals left by relatives and live out some key moments of their lives. These key moments typically being their last.
These moments, though ultimately tragic, can be a gleeful or empowering look at a character achieving the realization of the self. Each is different from the next, some are pretty wild, but they all end the same. It’s a testament to the imagination of the writing and execution of gameplay that these horrific outcomes can be something truly wonderful.
This juxtaposition of wonder and horror seems to be the crux of What Remains of Edith Finch is getting at. In a vacuum each moment is tragic, and in the shoes of a Finch it would be easy to believe in and blame a curse when tragedies keep piling up, but that shouldn’t be the takeaway. In the face of tragedy, we should remain resilient and stay hopeful. When our luck is bad, that should drive us to make our own. Within its relentless sea of superstitious cynicism, What Remains of Edith Finch is unwavering in its optimism and imagination.