Her Story

 PC
User Score
6.2

Mixed or average reviews- based on 484 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 234 out of 484
  2. Mixed: 120 out of 484
  3. Negative: 130 out of 484

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  1. TenchuuKhan
    Jun 28, 2015
    4
    Being into unconventional games, this one caught my attention, and it sounded promising enough.
    But it doesn't work out very well.
    Here's what you basically do in the game: You are in front of a computer (in-game) and you have to search a database for keywords for which you then receive the first 5 matches. The clips are all about the same murder case, showing the answers the suspect    Being into unconventional games, this one caught my attention, and it sounded promising enough.
    But it doesn't work out very well.

    Here's what you basically do in the game:
    You are in front of a computer (in-game) and you have to search a database for keywords for which you then receive the first 5 matches.
    The clips are all about the same murder case, showing the answers the suspect has given throughout the interrogations over a few days.

    Additionally you have a DB Checker tool that displays the position of the last played clip. This way you can put it easier in order and even assign it a positional number.

    Now, I guess the idea is that you hear about new keywords in the clips, and then you search on with them so you get the complete interrogation. But that's not how it works.
    After bruting for 5 hours I noticed a major flaw there with which you can just cheat through the game really (I'll mention that one at the bottom again).

    The Story itself
    Storytelling is good and it probably wouldn't work too well if you just watched it in chronological order. But even then it would still be a good story.
    The issue is, the storytelling doesn't work at all if you spoiler ahead by accident really because you find a clip which is set on the last day.

    So really, it doesn't work either way.

    Now, your best bet in my opinion is to not play the game at all. The gameplay is crap anyway, it's just a time waster at best. Just watch a longplay on Youtube instead.
    OR - there's a flaw in the game that let's you get the clips in chronological order easily. Just reset the whole thing, search for blank. That gives you the first 5 clips because that's the default keyword.
    Change that keywords to 1,2,3,4,5 - search for blank again. Keep on going with 6,7,8 - you get the idea.

    Bottom line. Nice story, **** game. They **** it up big time.
    The game could work, I'm convinced. But not this way.    … Expand
  2. Tubey
    Jun 29, 2015
    4
    This is what I call "Polygon Bait" - as in a game with an interesting idea of the type that particular review site loves to laud as 'artistic', but in reality it is, at best and being very generous, average in its' execution and, crucially, not very fun as an actual video game. Mostly because it's not a video game, but we'll come to that later.

    Her Story is exactly the above, I give it    This is what I call "Polygon Bait" - as in a game with an interesting idea of the type that particular review site loves to laud as 'artistic', but in reality it is, at best and being very generous, average in its' execution and, crucially, not very fun as an actual video game. Mostly because it's not a video game, but we'll come to that later.

    Her Story is exactly the above, I give it extra credit for the cheap price point I purchased it at, and to be fair this isn't the worst game in the world - but the problem is that its' concept wears thin extremely quickly and devolves into repetition. The story is the strongpoint of the title, and easily excels beyond other "Polygon Bait" titles such as the atrocious Gone Home, but everything this game has to offer can be enjoyed exactly the same way by watching a playthrough on YouTube.

    There's no incentive to play the game yourself. It is more of an interactive movie than even the likes of Heavy Rain and Beyond: Two Souls. That's not a bad thing exactly, as some people like those types of things, but I'd really like to begin to see these titles labelled clearly for what they are and not reviewed on a par with actual video games. If that makes me sound elitist or whatever, then so be it, but there has to be a distinction between various media, the same way there's a distinction between television and books. They are two different things.

    So yeah, an interesting but half-cooked interactive movie concept. If you have money to burn, get it on the cheap, but you are not missing out on anything revolutionary here. I'm waiting for the first truly revolutionary title of this type; this isn't it.    … Expand
  3. jcasetnl
    Sep 5, 2015
    0
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Indie Game Success Formula:

    1. Dig out 20 - 40-year old videogame mechanic (FMV, text-based game, 2D, etc) and execute it as bare-bones as possible.

    2. Be deliberately "un-game". You don't want people to figure out that you tried and failed to create an innovative gameplay mechanic, so don't even try. Deliberately leave anything game-like out. You are artistic and avant-garde. If people complain, simply shake your head in pity and say, "You just don't get it, and that's your problem." Imply they're close-minded and incapable of considering what games might be if they simply let go of the "traditional gaming stereotypes".

    3. Attach pseudo-mature story that will only impress gamers under 25, but come off laughably immature and naive to anyone older. Again, when others point out the obvious plot holes, terrible pacing, weak characters, ham-fisted moralizing and 4th-grade editing, shake your head piteously at their sad inability to grasp "art".

    4. For tons of extra metacritic points, include some kind of social cause: depression, inequality, race, etc. No reviewer will criticize your work because "how dare they! Racism!" or because "Media that challenges social blah blah deserves a voice regardless of quality."

    5. Profit.    … Expand
  4. PunkRock32112
    Jul 5, 2015
    0
    I guess if you like watching low def video and mediocre quality cspan video then this is the game for you, as far as any gamplay mechanics that you find in any games traditional to digital, it doesn't have any, I understand the move for game journalist and emo indie desperate artist to feel relevant, but this is a combination of just pure laziness on the developers part and just stupidityI guess if you like watching low def video and mediocre quality cspan video then this is the game for you, as far as any gamplay mechanics that you find in any games traditional to digital, it doesn't have any, I understand the move for game journalist and emo indie desperate artist to feel relevant, but this is a combination of just pure laziness on the developers part and just stupidity from the game reviewers who credibility should be questioned, if you thought gone home was a stupid and pointless game then this is its spiritual successor.… Expand
  5. frumps
    Jun 25, 2015
    0
    This is not a game. It is an interactive movie trying to sell itself as a game. It is a gimmick to sell to people who don't play video games or don't know what a video game is. Just like "Sunset", which had glowing reviews from game "journaists", this "game" won't resonate with most gamers. If you enjoy crime fiction and believe a single actress will be enough to entertain you in thisThis is not a game. It is an interactive movie trying to sell itself as a game. It is a gimmick to sell to people who don't play video games or don't know what a video game is. Just like "Sunset", which had glowing reviews from game "journaists", this "game" won't resonate with most gamers. If you enjoy crime fiction and believe a single actress will be enough to entertain you in this in this low-budget interactive movie, then you might enjoy Her Story.

    If you are wondering if this fits the definition of a game or not, just ask yourself what the replay value is of a murder mystery might be when you already know who done it. Also, is it fun? Sure, it might be, but don't expect it to last longer than your average film.    … Expand
  6. JohnLocke3000
    Jul 5, 2015
    0
    Wether you call this a interactive movie or a game it fails at both. There are good interactive Novels and Movies out there, this isn't one of them. If its a game its also horrible at that too, this is like Gone home with no point, poorly written, poorly developed, you know this is a horrible title when Main stream media like the Washington post and Time magazine say its a good game
  7. bigdannyb
    Jun 24, 2015
    10
    Don't care if this fits into peoples definitions of a game it is an entirely irrelevant point - play it if you want and the huge majority that do seem to enjoy it. I play games to be entertained and this engaged me and entertained me more than anything I've picked up in years. Real craft and artistry pushes boundaries and does things others haven't tried before and this does that so veryDon't care if this fits into peoples definitions of a game it is an entirely irrelevant point - play it if you want and the huge majority that do seem to enjoy it. I play games to be entertained and this engaged me and entertained me more than anything I've picked up in years. Real craft and artistry pushes boundaries and does things others haven't tried before and this does that so very wonderfully, it genuinely is something unique and that is so very rare in this world.… Expand
  8. Hobbes
    Jan 23, 2016
    5
    I had heard so many good things about this game and it had been nominated for so many awards so I thought it must have something going for it.

    I jumped in, open minded, but in the end the game just bored me to tears. It is an interesting concept, you search through videos and pick up clues within them to find more videos and within them more clues as the story slowly unravels. The    I had heard so many good things about this game and it had been nominated for so many awards so I thought it must have something going for it.

    I jumped in, open minded, but in the end the game just bored me to tears. It is an interesting concept, you search through videos and pick up clues within them to find more videos and within them more clues as the story slowly unravels. The problem here is, for me at least, the story in itself was not enough to keep me engaged. There were a few interesting tidbits here and there, but in the end nothing that hasn't been done before and nothing that really ever gets you to sit down properly think and remain engaged.

    I believe it would have done much better if it incorporated more mechanics within the and investigation. You found these clues? You have an idea of what this woman did or didn't do? Let me use that on something else other than an endless search for more videos. I'm not really one to usually jump on the "this is not a game" bandwagon, but Her Story is on thin ice.    … Expand
  9. Rem
    Dec 30, 2016
    7
    Her Story breaks the conventional barrier with how unconventional it is. It subverts your expectations of what constitutes a game and might infuriate you, but it is well crafted and commits to its purpose of letting you uncover its story.

    Going into it, I had initial expectations of playing detective and piecing together evidence, which is true to an extent. However this small title    Her Story breaks the conventional barrier with how unconventional it is. It subverts your expectations of what constitutes a game and might infuriate you, but it is well crafted and commits to its purpose of letting you uncover its story.

    Going into it, I had initial expectations of playing detective and piecing together evidence, which is true to an extent. However this small title achieves this by simple watching of short clips as short as a few seconds to a little over a minute. The only "actress" plays a woman being interviewed regarding her husband's death. It's easy to assume who the culprit is, but the meat and backbone of this story rests on the believability of the character and the details that surround the story. It's as simple as typing in keywords you observe and watching the clips that correspond, but it was very interesting and learning most of her motives by the end is a challenge. It's not chronological, but it's designed in a way that it tailors your interest until you pull the curtains and reach a poignant conclusion only described in text.

    Her Story isn't exactly astounding, the actress isn't always spot on in her delivery and because of the total reliance on her performance, it hurts some key story "clips". It's not exactly fun either and can be frustrating when you become stumped at conjuring words to obtain more clips. Some of the clips drag on, and others are insanely short and irrelevant (even to the smaller details that matter) it boggles me as to why they were included. It's definitely under fire by the community for not being a game and this backlash isn't totally unfounded, there isn't anything that resembles game mechanics aside from an othello clone you'll play for one achievement, but Her Story is an engaging experiment that succeeds in what it set out to do. We need more games like Her Story not for the sake of telling a story, but for how it conveys its story to its players, trusting them to piece it together.    … Expand
  10. SegataSanshiro
    Jul 14, 2015
    1
    I tried my best but I cannot enjoy this game whatsoever. The interaction is minimal and the grand revelation is disappointing. Those who said this game is new and innovative are either haven't played FMV games like Phantasmagoria and Night Trap or lying through their teeth.
  11. perydwyn
    Jul 4, 2015
    1
    Lets start by saying that despite what so called journalists are trying to make everyone believe, this is in no way original or new. Interactive 'full motion video' games have existed since the early 1990's and were briefly fashionable then. But then they faded from the public consciousness because they offered very llittle interaction (which is what videogames offer that films do not).Lets start by saying that despite what so called journalists are trying to make everyone believe, this is in no way original or new. Interactive 'full motion video' games have existed since the early 1990's and were briefly fashionable then. But then they faded from the public consciousness because they offered very llittle interaction (which is what videogames offer that films do not). What this 'game' amoounts to is a not very compelling or competent movie masquerading as a game (I think this is because the creators realised that if it were judged as a movie then it would be much harder to claim that it is in any way good). The acting is awful (but unintentionally funny in places), and the breadth of choice on offer is very limited. If you can get it free somehow then it is worth a look just to see why interactive films never really caught on in the first place.… Expand
  12. TitaniumDragon
    Jan 17, 2016
    0
    A FMV “video game”, ultimately Her Story is really nothing more than a movie with a very strange interface. This pretty much points to the primary flaw in Her Story, as the actual story being told by the videos is best viewed sequentially, but the interface of the game makes it so that viewing the videos sequentially is extremely unlikely.

    Hannah is the main character of Her Story, and    A FMV “video game”, ultimately Her Story is really nothing more than a movie with a very strange interface. This pretty much points to the primary flaw in Her Story, as the actual story being told by the videos is best viewed sequentially, but the interface of the game makes it so that viewing the videos sequentially is extremely unlikely.

    Hannah is the main character of Her Story, and indeed, the only one who shows up in the videos. The central conceit of the game is that Hannah was a murder suspect in 1994, and the protagonist is going through an old police database, wherein the videos are sorted by keywords in their transcripts. This sounds like a clever idea, but in practice, it doesn’t really work very well at all; beyond being very confusing, it suffers from the fact that it is entirely possible to search for the wrong keyword and end up stumbling across the game’s central twist five minutes in.

    Unsurprisingly, I did exactly this by simply searching for the most innocuous of the names I had come across first (for the record, it was the name of one of Hannah’s childhood friends). This resulted in me happening across a video which spoiled the game’s central plot twist, and consequently I spent the rest of the game trying to piece together everything else in the hopes of finding another twist, and then failing to find one.

    The net result of the search interface is that you are likely to watch lots of garbage scenes, with odd scenes which are really important thrown in between them. Some of the videos are nothing more than Hannah saying “no”, while others are minute-long monologues explaining crucial plot or character details.

    Worst of all, if you actually watch the videos in order, they follow the standard variances of a plot; the rise and fall of action as the police officers piece things together before Hannah finally explains exactly what is going on in the final interview. As a movie, it makes sense.

    But as a video game, it makes no sense at all.

    It has other flaws as well – as a murder mystery game, one would think that little details would be pretty important, but as it turns out, the people who made the videos didn’t actually pay much attention to time constraints. On many occaisions, something happens – such as a character changing clothing, or taking a ponygraph – which ignores the necessary setup time, with the videos happening too close together in time. At first, I had assumed that these little mistakes was related to the plot twist, but eventually I realized it was simple laziness on the part of the game creators.

    If the plot was actually viewed in order, it might be passable, though the awkward interface of the game still would make it annoying. And if parts had been locked off until you had figured some stuff out, it might have worked. But as-is, the thing is kind of a mess, and while the central idea wasn’t a bad one, the UI and erratic pacing as a result of it being made into a “game” (which it really isn’t any more than searching for stuff on YouTube is a “game”) makes it hard to really get into it properly. It is possible to spoil the entire plot of the game within five minutes, and a lot of the videos end up feeling a lot like filler, especially when viewed out of context.    … Expand
  13. mtRoom
    Aug 8, 2015
    4
    The acting is horrendous. Hard to take the story seriously, unfortunately. I like the approach to the game concept but given that the videos of the girl is the base of the entire story, I can't play it. It feels like I'm back in first-year drama class at high school
  14. EpicKris
    Sep 2, 2015
    1
    Oh God, why? This so called *game* isn't worth your attention. It relies purely on a gimmick and a nostalgia trip. People give it a good score just because they never experienced this *genere* before. There are much better alternatives to this.
  15. Avionn
    Dec 4, 2015
    3
    The actress makes everything absolutely a chore to go through. AND WHY DOES SHE KEEP PLAYING THE GUITAR IT SUCKS. The narrator is frustrating. the interface is frustrating. This game is frustrating.
  16. Much
    Dec 19, 2015
    0
    Just because it is unique, does not make it a good game. Actually, it is so horrible, I used the refund for the first time... I recommend Life Is Strange.
  17. pepelessar
    Jul 16, 2015
    8
    One of the most original games I've ever played. The plot is full of surprises, Easter eggs and symbolism. Nothing seems to be casual and it's all rounded. On the counterpart: it is supposed to be a deduction game but at the end of the day it is just a searching game. If you just go for those words that appear several times in the clips you will get to the end of the story straight away.One of the most original games I've ever played. The plot is full of surprises, Easter eggs and symbolism. Nothing seems to be casual and it's all rounded. On the counterpart: it is supposed to be a deduction game but at the end of the day it is just a searching game. If you just go for those words that appear several times in the clips you will get to the end of the story straight away. Still, you need to put together all the pieces in your mind so that it makes sense. If feels more like an interactive movie than a videogame.… Expand
  18. rkpetersen
    Jul 16, 2015
    6
    Interesting, but the game mechanic of having to using 'word find' to view tiny video clips for clues is very artificial, and not in a good way. Also, the 'ending', if you can call it that, leaves a lot to be desired and will satisfy few.
  19. everin
    Oct 1, 2015
    7
    Tier 2
    + Offers a very engaging and unique story with some fun twists and turns
    + Overall carried well by the main actress, who displays a fair amount of nuance
    ? Pretty weird gameplay that might offer a bit too much freedom in how the player discovers the story
    - Somewhat tedious at times, and many of the clips offer nothing particularly interesting to fill out the experience
  20. OrionHamake
    Dec 12, 2015
    0
    This game is horrible, to say the truth, no game this is. It's just an interactive movie with random scenes. Life Is Strange or other games in the same style had gameplay, but this movie is a joke.
  21. 9kcrits
    Jul 1, 2015
    10
    I will admit, up front, that this is only partly a review of Her Story - it is also a description, and brief defense, of emergent gaming.

    But, to begin with, I will focus on Her Story. Her Story is a highly unconventional game, consisting mainly of over 100 clips of live-action video that rarely surpass two minutes in length, and a faux-desktop, (complete with associated computer    I will admit, up front, that this is only partly a review of Her Story - it is also a description, and brief defense, of emergent gaming.

    But, to begin with, I will focus on Her Story. Her Story is a highly unconventional game, consisting mainly of over 100 clips of live-action video that rarely surpass two minutes in length, and a faux-desktop, (complete with associated computer programs) that aid the player in parsing these short clips and making sense of them.

    The computer itself is police property, and your character is a "guest" user who is allowed temporary access to this dearth of recently-recovered clips, long lost in the shuffle and thrown into disarray after Y2K.
    As a result it falls to you, the player, to sift through these clips by keyword instead of chronologically. This is done with the use of a police search engine that will pull up clips in which the keywords you type are mentioned at least once - but the catch is that you can only view the first five clips to contain this keyword.

    It is immediately apparent that the clips all seem to focus on the deposition of one woman, broken up into several different interview sessions which are further broken up into clips in accordance with what line of inquiry she happens to be responding to. You never hear the questions; indeed, you never hear anyone speak in these clips but her. So you're left to piece together the events of a cold case from the 90's using only this woman's aged and disordered testimony.

    Most of what you'll be doing in Her Story is watching clips, getting ideas for new keywords and/or keyword combinations to search from her testimony, and using them to uncover new clips that offer more insight into the case. This is not "fun" in the conventional sense. At first it's not even interesting. But as you stick with it, finding more and more oddities and inconsistencies in the clips that you uncover using your own unique logical process, the story begins to develop - and the intrigue begins to build.

    This game requires a lot from the player to be enjoyed. It is NOT for everyone. First, and most importantly, it requires an interest in the game's slowly-unfolding narrative. If you've never played a game just for the story, you probably won't like this one. Secondly, an interest in vaguely pulpy detective stories is almost essential. Slow-burn suspense with shocking emotional payoffs is what this game's story does best, provided you can handle the thin drizzling of cheese that normally accompanies the twists and climaxes of pulp detective stories. Finally, you don't have to enjoy searching keywords, (maybe because it's impossible) but it's helpful to enjoy the feeling of getting better at it. Much like a puzzle, you have to appreciate the feeling of learning your pieces, figuring out how to put them together, and discovering how to properly discern the picture they form when they come together. An ideal player will have sticking points, breakthroughs, and unanswered questions throughout the game, the emotions that go along with their own pursuit of the truth being equally as important as the thrill of revealing the truth itself, and what that truth entails.

    This is the ultimate strength of Her Story; the player's own skill and unique thought patterns define how, and to what extent, the truth of the game's narrative is arrived at. Through making connections and following leads YOUR way, you get a unique perception of the story that is coloured by how it was revealed to you. How long does it take to "solve" the case? When were your preconceptions challenged, and how harshly? What innocuous little keyword suddenly brought you to a treasure trove of information that would have evaded you for hours otherwise? These answers will differ between everyone who plays the game. The gameplay experience is defined by how the player and the game's basic mechanics interact, rather than the mechanics being so prescribed as to dictate how gameplay proceeds throughout. In short, the gameplay is emergent. It relies on the player to define their own experience, and offers little guidance of its own.

    Those who say this is not a game ignore this simple fact. As you play, you determine the challenges you face, and the goals you pursue. You decide what parts of the story are interesting, and what you'll do to discover more about them. Your lack of creativity and cunning will create its own dead-ends. Your tenacity and ability to make connections will form leads that drive you to startling conclusions. The only way to truly make this game NOT a game is to watch it played instead of playing it yourself, for that relegates it to becoming the very linear, authored experience that this beautiful medium works every day to defy. My only advice for an interested party is to play it yourself.

    Because, ultimately, it isn't Her Story; it's yours. She's just the one telling it.    … Expand
  22. Shempler
    Jul 14, 2015
    9
    Beautiful detective narrative experience. Storytelling is fantastic and this is something I'll play more than once. There will always be people that will give this game 0 because it's more of a narrative experience then a game, just like Gone Home.

    I can recommend this, it's a nice experience.
  23. BSim500
    May 10, 2016
    6
    The actress (Viva Seifert) in the video sequences actually gave a fairly decent performance, but here's the problem : Being "unconventional" and "artsy" doesn't automatically make engaging gameplay. You basically sit in front of a "screen" and enter search terms as vague as "yes" and "us" to unravel a murder-mystery. A list of up to 5 matching videos is then brought up to watch in out ofThe actress (Viva Seifert) in the video sequences actually gave a fairly decent performance, but here's the problem : Being "unconventional" and "artsy" doesn't automatically make engaging gameplay. You basically sit in front of a "screen" and enter search terms as vague as "yes" and "us" to unravel a murder-mystery. A list of up to 5 matching videos is then brought up to watch in out of order sequence. This is interesting and different for the first 50 searches at which point you'll have already figured out the plot long in advance of watching all available videos. Then you have a choice to make : spend the other +400x searches in boredom filling in the gaps awaiting a "proper end" that never comes, or "end" early and treat it as a 30-45min game-less "narrative experience" whose "effect" on you is entirely relative...

    At time of writing, the user score is averaging 5.7, and honestly that's not unreasonable. The acting is well done, and plot fairly interesting so it doesn't deserve a zero, but likewise if you guess the right search terms early and figure out the plot fairly quickly, there really isn't much "game" there at any stage regardless of "narration".    … Expand
  24. Smoddo
    Aug 30, 2015
    6
    It's okay, I quickly searched some key words that revealed most of the story to me fairly early on, leaving quite alot of videos and info I didn't really need to follow up on, It'd be better if you were fully investigating her to, checking out stories etc
  25. tsakiym
    Nov 17, 2015
    6
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. i like the way that game goes. sit with my girl..play..writing all the evidence that we have (14 papers)..
    but when the game ended i had so many questions.. nothing that we wrote has anything to do with this story.
    ok we all understated she was bipolar or she has a twin but.. this story doesn't make scene at any angle that Im looking it. still i believe it was a good game but hope for same games with better stories.    … Expand
  26. beardi
    Feb 4, 2016
    9
    Amazed by it. I totally felt like a detective trying to solve a case. It has been a great experience, it felt almost real. A puzzle that step by step shows the whole picture. You must try it!
  27. cardo123
    Mar 5, 2016
    6
    Her Story involves you in a deep investigation experience, but it's concept could have been deeper and it's story a lot better. It's a good idea to star reconsidering the genre, but it has a lot of mistakes to correct.
  28. HSPLazerz
    Jun 27, 2015
    10
    One of the most interesting, thoughtful, and well designed games in recent memory. It reminds me a whole lot of Gone Home, with how the entire story is first presented to you in a way that makes you think something completely different is happening from what actually is, and then you explore this very human story and find out what's going on in actuality. I won't spoil even the slightestOne of the most interesting, thoughtful, and well designed games in recent memory. It reminds me a whole lot of Gone Home, with how the entire story is first presented to you in a way that makes you think something completely different is happening from what actually is, and then you explore this very human story and find out what's going on in actuality. I won't spoil even the slightest of info about it because it's important that you do find out about it yourself.

    As you search through a police database to find out what's happened, you yourself start to piece this all together. And the game somehow, just somehow has designed this search function so perfectly, and has really connected it so well with how you might think about it all and piece it all together, but it has't made it linear and into a specific way where you will find out about what's going on. Actually, this is a whole lot free than Gone Home, as Gone Home behind the scenes puts you on a pathway to how you find out about it all, albeit it still does give the player their own thoughts about it, Her Story is a whole lot more just, open, and free. You might end this game without even having found out at all about what's going on and just being overwhelmed with the 271 clips the game puts on here. It doesn't show nor present, just, puts it there for you to explore yourself. The game is also realistic as hell, with both the fact that the game doesn't ever just "end" for you or "begin" persay, it just is what it is simply and goes on without ever doing some cheesy end cutscene that explains everything, it just doesn't give a **** just like life. Not only that, but the presentation is very authentic. It just feels right with that computer interface that then leads to the oh so well acted clips. Now, here, there is no overacting, not one bit. In fact, there might be so little of it that it might be considered bad acting. Except it isn't. This is probably exactly how a person would be in a situation like this, and people are different to, this woman, I mean you might begin with thinking she's the murderer or if the man is even gone at all, and at the end you question her mere sanity at this point and is it her fault really, etc.

    Now albeit the game doesn't have an ending nor a beginning exactly, it does though have the amazing design that it has and does motivate you to go on and to feel a real sense of progression as somehow, these audio and visual ques that really makes sense at the end but really creep you out at the beginning, which further emphasises the brutal truth of just, life, with how it doesn't give a **** n' all, but also makes you feel like you are progressing, and not only that, it almost always was perfectly adapted to when I came to a revelation if you will about it. And the little of an ending it gives you is just such a perfect cap to it all that it's just straight up genius. And even after I was done I was so into this story that I just needed to find the last 20 clips that I hadn't found and I actually ended up finding every single clip there is.

    Now the story (that I will not spoil for you) is less relatble despite how human it is, and is more interesting because of what it just simply is, and because of the fact that it is less relatble it is indeed not THAT emotional as say, The Walking Dead or Gone Home which are truly much more relatble and personal stories. But this one has an interesting aspect to it that's sky high and there is still some emotions, that's for sure.

    Now for all of you who think this isn't a game: This game is for mature and thoughtful people, so obviously you don't fit in to this category. It is still a game despite of that though, and just because it's not for you doesn't make it a bad game. In fact, even if you think it's a bad game it is still a game. Everything that has any form of interaction and is distibuted like a game, I consider as games and as such I will judge it as one. And this one I judge as one of the best games I've played in recent memory, and one of the most interesting of all time. If you're skeptical, get it at least on a sale and I assure you you will not regret it. Well, unless you're one of those people who don't get game design, who don't have any emotions or interest beyond your average stereotypical Call of Duty player, and who has the dumb idea that if it doesn't have WASD controls, if you can't aim a gun, or if the game has any emotional or interesting qualities, especially game design ways, then it isn't a game. So, so sad that people like that just can't stay within their own strict convention of what a game is and just keep sitting there with your Call of Duties (despite me enjoying those games honestly but they ONLY enjoy these :P) or BioShocks and pretend that you're smart because of its ending, etc. Just don't even bother with these geniuses of games because they are beyond your capability of emotions, interest, thoughts, etc.

    Basically: Get this game.    … Expand
  29. Storm1672
    Aug 17, 2015
    6
    This is an incredible idea for a game executed... ok. The story is good and you find out the pieces of the puzzle in a kind of random way (if you wish to play that way). If you try to really investigate, you still just try some words and see if anything comes up. Two hours in, you will figure out what's going on, which was quite great when you do, but despite what the dev says, there areThis is an incredible idea for a game executed... ok. The story is good and you find out the pieces of the puzzle in a kind of random way (if you wish to play that way). If you try to really investigate, you still just try some words and see if anything comes up. Two hours in, you will figure out what's going on, which was quite great when you do, but despite what the dev says, there are indeed 2-3 "golden" clips that explain everything.

    Beyond that, the option to see every clip in order unfortunately is missing, which is quite odd.

    There is some ending and credits rolling, despite what some people say, so you do get a kind of closure. You can also try to find all of the clips, but that's just tedious.

    All in all, kudos for the excellent concept, which overall works quite well.    … Expand
  30. reviewoftheyear
    Aug 13, 2015
    6
    If you love to feel like Sherlock Holmes, you may like this game. Ok, it's maybe not a 'game', more of an interactive story perhaps, but if you want something different then this could be what you're after. I loved it, but it did leave me wanting more content, and some other interaction rather than just 'search for video - watch video - repeat'.
  31. Kerans
    Jun 25, 2015
    10
    This game is going to stay with me a long time. The story is compelling, well written and well acted, and the atmosphere evoked by the subject and the interface is second to none.

    Some parts of the game are clunky, obscure and frustrating - but I'd argue this adds to the experience. Your tools are imperfect, just like your eventual understanding of what happened and why. You're    This game is going to stay with me a long time. The story is compelling, well written and well acted, and the atmosphere evoked by the subject and the interface is second to none.

    Some parts of the game are clunky, obscure and frustrating - but I'd argue this adds to the experience. Your tools are imperfect, just like your eventual understanding of what happened and why. You're struggling to dredge up a fragmentary story which is obscured by the interview format, the complex relationships between characters and the inability to sequentially access clips. This is important - you're never going to be 100% certain. You only need to prove to yourself that you made your best effort to understand the stories, actions and motivations of people you only really know from a set of 20 year old video clips.

    Play for as long as you like but your mind will be turning over what you learned - or what you thought you learned - for a long time afterwards. Highly recommended.    … Expand
  32. c3p
    Jul 21, 2015
    9
    Truly outstanding game. You can metagame a bit (if you haven't played skip this to not be tempted) by looking up in the Database where you are in the videos and focusing on the end (because those parts are the hardest to get = most valuable).

    But all in all it's an outstanding game, with an captivating story that glued me to the monitor for a few hours. It's probably a game for a "book    Truly outstanding game. You can metagame a bit (if you haven't played skip this to not be tempted) by looking up in the Database where you are in the videos and focusing on the end (because those parts are the hardest to get = most valuable).

    But all in all it's an outstanding game, with an captivating story that glued me to the monitor for a few hours. It's probably a game for a "book person" and not for the CoD or WoW gamer.

    I am really thankful that games like this give me hope in the medium and do something truly unique and new!    … Expand
  33. MartinAtome
    Jun 25, 2015
    9
    This is one of a few games that could be properly called art but requires a seasoned taste for gaming to be fully appreciated.
    There are not adrenalinc actions or fantastic stories to be found here, the story is beautiful but quite difficult to fully understand without patience and a good spirit of observation.
    I understand how this can be boring for someone who's been playing    This is one of a few games that could be properly called art but requires a seasoned taste for gaming to be fully appreciated.
    There are not adrenalinc actions or fantastic stories to be found here, the story is beautiful but quite difficult to fully understand without patience and a good spirit of observation.

    I understand how this can be boring for someone who's been playing videogames for 5-6 years, i've been playing for 20+ and honestly "her story" was a breath of fresh air.

    And It's well worth the price so it's a 9/10 for me.    … Expand
  34. Underpants158
    Dec 30, 2015
    7
    It's a unique experience with a unique story. I think much of the praise given to this game is due to it being so unique and to a lot of people that breath of fresh air elevates the game to places that it wouldn't normally be at if this was a more established genre.
  35. SWERY_51
    Jun 26, 2015
    7
    Intriguing, dark, sometimes funny, Her Story is a nice adventure. The storytelling is really cool and Viva Seifert's acting is a great addition to this weird atmosphere.
    My single complain comes from the poor gameplay. You type a keyword in some search-tool (the same way you're using Google), then you can watch few video clips related to find some clues - rinse and repeat. It's too bad    Intriguing, dark, sometimes funny, Her Story is a nice adventure. The storytelling is really cool and Viva Seifert's acting is a great addition to this weird atmosphere.
    My single complain comes from the poor gameplay. You type a keyword in some search-tool (the same way you're using Google), then you can watch few video clips related to find some clues - rinse and repeat. It's too bad there are no puzzles/riddles or nothing else to do. It's a little short too, about 2 hours to see the credits, 4 if you want to discover everything, but it's OK with this kind of game.
    In conclusion, Her Story is not a great game, but a great story to discover.    … Expand
  36. spangolin
    Jul 2, 2015
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Not sure why there are so may Debbie Downers down voting this because it's not a 'real' game. Managed to finish this in a day (after finishing Bloodborne, but before starting Yoshi's Woolly World, so quite happy to play more conventional games too). It's a clever concept and engrossing right from the start with lots of little plot twist (hence the single long session!).

    Yes, there is a cheat available as mentioned in one of the neg reviews, but hey, if you just play the game without trawling for spoilers on the net you'll have a good time trying to hunt down all the missing files.

    Lost a mark from me because of the cliche open ending.    … Expand
  37. stubenzocker
    Jul 27, 2015
    8
    Are there any game designers left? Sid Meier, Al Lowe, Will Wright. But who creates the new Assassins Creed? Sam Barlow is still there and Her Story gives me good old Silent Hill feelings. For some bucks you get a really interesting "game" worth playing. See also www.stubenzocker.net
  38. ParkerFarron
    Jun 26, 2015
    10
    This is the best video game I have played this year. Yes, Video Game. Fight me. Viva Seifert gives an astounding performance in Her Story. She is beautiful, captivating, and at times frightening. Sam Barlow's writing is perfect for this format of just 20 second video clips
  39. Marmosette
    Jan 5, 2016
    10
    Spectacular achievement. With the most absolute bare bones of gameplay, you are given complete free reign to explore an interesting, and unpredictable narrative.

    Because you are allowed to explore the entire story as you see fit, but are subtly guided toward making certain investigations so as not to spoil the ending, I think this is a real masterpiece of gaming. A way of allowing    Spectacular achievement. With the most absolute bare bones of gameplay, you are given complete free reign to explore an interesting, and unpredictable narrative.

    Because you are allowed to explore the entire story as you see fit, but are subtly guided toward making certain investigations so as not to spoil the ending, I think this is a real masterpiece of gaming. A way of allowing players to really DISCOVER a story, rather than being told one. Uncovering the story becomes an active achievement on your behalf, not something fed to you.    … Expand
  40. theirrelephants
    Sep 6, 2016
    0
    Why isn't this in the movie section? This is NOT a video game.

    I'm not joking. Look it up on youtube if you don't believe me. This is a movie where you are rarely forced to click your mouse sometimes.

    Interactive movies are not video games, regardless of what some people who like final fantasy might tell you.
  41. rodericrinehart
    Jan 30, 2016
    6
    It was an ok game and I don't regret playing it, but my god did Polygon and some others overrate this game. And it didn't even put The Witcher 3 in its top 10. This is barely a game, and I am someone who very much enjoys Life Is Strange Until Dawn, Heavy Rain, and Telltale games. Again, it was ok, especially for the low price, and it won't take more than a few hours of your time.
  42. fartheststar
    Sep 6, 2015
    8
    This game is memorable and I do recommend it. The game consists of the player learning the story in a fragmented, disjointed, and non-linear way because the story is chopped up into video fragments ranging from a few seconds to up to a minute or two, and you only see fragments of the story that contain the words in your search. The videos themselves are of interviews in a murderThis game is memorable and I do recommend it. The game consists of the player learning the story in a fragmented, disjointed, and non-linear way because the story is chopped up into video fragments ranging from a few seconds to up to a minute or two, and you only see fragments of the story that contain the words in your search. The videos themselves are of interviews in a murder investigation.

    I personally found this a fun way to see the story develop, and the technique lets you feel as if you are picking up a "cold case" and looking into inverviews from a long-ago crime to try to find out what happened.

    I won't go into detail of the story itself, but I'll just say the acting was excellent, and the story was "rich". Very well done. In my view, the game leaves room for multiple interpretations - and I don't see that as a negative - although a part of me wishes things were tied up a bit tighter because I still had questions. But the videos are all you have to go on, so it'll keep you thinking until the end.

    Anyhow, good game. Recommended. I honestly don't understand negative reviews. It was an entertaining 3-4 hours for me. Way better than watching a TV crime show. Just approach it honestly and logically, like you're trying to understand what happened, and I think you'll enjoy how the story is revealed to you.    … Expand
  43. PictoPirate
    Aug 15, 2017
    9
    An engrossing experience from start to finish Her Story is a game like nothing you've ever played before. Fantastically acted and written once you sit in the detectives chair you won't be able to leave until you've solved the mystery.
  44. Yirg
    Sep 3, 2015
    8
    This is a rather unusual game, where the entire gameplay consists of watching old clips of a woman being investigated by the police, across a period of a few weeks in 1994. The player cannot hear the questions, but can type search keywords, as all videos are full text indexed. The interface is pretty limiting and deliberately made to look like some archive software from that era. Up to 5This is a rather unusual game, where the entire gameplay consists of watching old clips of a woman being investigated by the police, across a period of a few weeks in 1994. The player cannot hear the questions, but can type search keywords, as all videos are full text indexed. The interface is pretty limiting and deliberately made to look like some archive software from that era. Up to 5 results per search terms can be accessed and you can keep bookmarks but can’t delete them. You can also add your own keywords.

    Watching the clips tells a non-linear story, and the ability to understand it depends directly on the search term the player comes up with. The story gradually becomes clearer the more videos you watch, but even if you manage to watch all of them there’s more than one possible interpretation. If you’re looking for chewed up ending, you’re not going to get it here, but there is closure (or at least that’s how it felt to me).

    The game is great for “over-the-shoulder co-op”, where two or more people consult about the story, try to think together about new search terms and exchange theories about what happened. Needless to say, only one person needs to actually type the keywords. It’s also advisable to write down findings and revisit the more hard to interpret clips with these additional findings in mind.

    The game may not sound so interesting and the screenshots sure aren’t appealing, but the interesting story and the great acting by Viva Seifert turn it into something very unique and captivating. Highly recommended.    … Expand
  45. geileskey
    Apr 22, 2016
    3
    The issue I have for this game is that it's not really that innovative. I've seen something done before in a game called: In Memoriam (aka Evidence: The last ritual), made in 2006, where clues (and resolving puzzles) from a video would lead users to the next clip. In memoriam is an immersive experience as you're contacted by text and email when you don't play. Her story on the otherThe issue I have for this game is that it's not really that innovative. I've seen something done before in a game called: In Memoriam (aka Evidence: The last ritual), made in 2006, where clues (and resolving puzzles) from a video would lead users to the next clip. In memoriam is an immersive experience as you're contacted by text and email when you don't play. Her story on the other hand relies on entering a single keyword in a google type search, and it took me about 30 mins to figure out what the premise of the game was about. The problem I have is that it's way too easy to second guess what the interviewee is going to say by typing in expected dialogue keywords. Because of this, the game is a little too easy. For example, search for the word "police", or "arrest" and you'll get videos. I'll have to admit, I haven't seen ALL the recorded videos, so perhaps I'm jumping the gun if there's a twist at the end. In the meantime I'm a little amazed how this game got some many Video game BAFTA's… Expand
  46. szaboar
    Dec 21, 2015
    8
    Is this a game? Dunno. Dont care. I immensely enjoyed exploring her story. It took me less than 2h to decide that I understand it well enough to stop, though some doubts still lingered (I reckon it must be intentional that you can never completely clarify everything). Probably that's why a week after deleting the local content I keep thinking about it. So the game is pretty short, but IIs this a game? Dunno. Dont care. I immensely enjoyed exploring her story. It took me less than 2h to decide that I understand it well enough to stop, though some doubts still lingered (I reckon it must be intentional that you can never completely clarify everything). Probably that's why a week after deleting the local content I keep thinking about it. So the game is pretty short, but I see myself re-installing it one day and give it a second run, doing a bit more brainwork, trying to find answers to my questions. Or not. Anyway, sometimes it feels good not to kill another alien/ganxta/orc/etc, but to make your eyes and brain do some work instead… Expand
  47. Floop
    Sep 19, 2015
    10
    At first, you'll be a bit disappointed with the "gameplay" and you'll think a lot of the clips are unnecessary. (Like, 'why is she saying the same thing 3 times!?').
    Then, you'll be blown up by an unexpected twist (well, at least I didn't expect it).
    You'll finish the game ready to put a 6 in your review. But then you stop, and start actually thinking of what just happened. You'll get a    At first, you'll be a bit disappointed with the "gameplay" and you'll think a lot of the clips are unnecessary. (Like, 'why is she saying the same thing 3 times!?').
    Then, you'll be blown up by an unexpected twist (well, at least I didn't expect it).
    You'll finish the game ready to put a 6 in your review.
    But then you stop, and start actually thinking of what just happened. You'll get a lot of questions and no answers. While you're reading discussions online you'll see that not everybody thought the same towards the end of the game, and you'll realize how much exists to interpretation.
    You'll spend more time thinking about the game afterwards than actually playing it. And I personally love that.

    The only thing I didn't like was the absence of a closure, more than just a couple of texts. I didn't want all the answers spilled to me in a final video, but I did expect something at least different, because it just finishes by telling you "you're done".

    Even though, that's not enough to not absolutely love this game.

    Spoiler: I find the twist quite similar to the twist the creator also did in "Aisle". But that didn't stop me from being surprised.    … Expand
  48. Uygar
    Oct 24, 2015
    8
    Her Story is an interactive movie video game developed and published by Sam Barlow and starring Viva Seifert. The game was released on 24 June 2015 for Microsoft Windows, OS X and iOS.
  49. Tuflaguers
    Feb 3, 2016
    9
    I don't get the negative criticism in this game. Is it that people doesn't appreciate innovation? Is it really that I enjoyed it much more than he average?

    My opinion is that it is because people is too attached to the classical definition of videogame, and things that work out different as expected are labeled as "not games". I, personally, enjoyed the game very much, and as a game    I don't get the negative criticism in this game. Is it that people doesn't appreciate innovation? Is it really that I enjoyed it much more than he average?

    My opinion is that it is because people is too attached to the classical definition of videogame, and things that work out different as expected are labeled as "not games".

    I, personally, enjoyed the game very much, and as a game designer I feel that we need more like this. Good job!    … Expand
  50. Antimon13
    Jun 5, 2016
    10
    This is a game like no other. It has been a long time since I played a game through without being able to stop. Also like no other movie, novel, graphic novel or of course game in a long time, I was staring at the end screen for what felt like hours.
    Of course you need to leave behind, what you learned in the last years about graphics, effects and what not and approach it like a    This is a game like no other. It has been a long time since I played a game through without being able to stop. Also like no other movie, novel, graphic novel or of course game in a long time, I was staring at the end screen for what felt like hours.
    Of course you need to leave behind, what you learned in the last years about graphics, effects and what not and approach it like a completely new experience. It's hard to call it a game, or a novel either. It shows instead what depth in any media can be like, if you are willing to open your mind.    … Expand
  51. Broyax
    Jan 8, 2017
    4
    Tiens, de la vidéo, un jeu tout en vidéo(s) comme on en faisait dans les années 90 (la 3DO était l'une des spécialistes avec le MegaCD de Sega) une époque où les techniques de 3D polygonale texturée n'en étaient encore qu'à leurs balbutiements, et paradoxalement le moindre PC avait un mal fou à restituer de la vidéo correctement !

    Donc, un jeu d'aventure en quelque sorte, un travail de    Tiens, de la vidéo, un jeu tout en vidéo(s) comme on en faisait dans les années 90 (la 3DO était l'une des spécialistes avec le MegaCD de Sega) une époque où les techniques de 3D polygonale texturée n'en étaient encore qu'à leurs balbutiements, et paradoxalement le moindre PC avait un mal fou à restituer de la vidéo correctement !

    Donc, un jeu d'aventure en quelque sorte, un travail de classement et de reconstitution d'environ 271 (!) séquences dont la "qualité" VHS est "admirablement" reconstituée (beurk) afin de dénouer l'écheveau de l'histoire de cette femme dont le mari a disparu.

    Comme dans toute base de données, on visionne puis on tape les mots clés qui nous semblent pertinents afin d'accéder à d'autres vidéos et d'en apprendre davantage au fur et à mesure... un vrai travail de fourmi ; Her Story est donc un jeu qui vous fait travailler et contre toute attente ça fonctionne bien... pendant un certain temps.

    Evidemment tout en anglais avec sous-titres optionnels... en anglais ! une connaissance minimum de la langue est requise, surtout que la prise de son est presque aussi pourrie que la prise d'image elle-même. On peut et il est recommandé de prendre des notes lors de chaque séquence et c'est bon pour le vocabulaire. On dirait un devoir de vacances.

    On parvient éventuellement à se faire une idée de ce qui s'est passé sans savoir précisément ni donner un verdict, Votre Honneur, car il faut encore fouiller dans cette base pour avoir le fin mot de l'histoire ; or à vue de nez, je n'ai apparemment dépiauté que la moitié ou les deux tiers ou plus (?) de la base et il en reste encore et... donc, ça commence à me soûler. D'autant que le passé de la jeune femme se perd en circonvolutions et détours dont l'intérêt et la vraisemblance s'émoussent de plus en plus...

    Voilà donc un jeu indé qui semblait bien frais mais qui finit par sentir le poisson, une sorte de "concept", une idée unique mal dégrossie.    … Expand
  52. BITESCREEN
    Jun 22, 2017
    9
    FMV – da kommt Retrozockern die Galle hoch: Die „Full Motion Video“-Games der 90er waren berüchtigt für eine optisch-spielerische Wegwerfqualität. So war das obskure Genre schnell wieder vergessen – bis jetzt! Denn Silent Hill – Shattered Memories-Game-Director Sam Barlow stampft mit Her Story einen Hammer aus dem Boden: Im interaktiven Krimi klären Spieler über eine alte PolizeidatenbankFMV – da kommt Retrozockern die Galle hoch: Die „Full Motion Video“-Games der 90er waren berüchtigt für eine optisch-spielerische Wegwerfqualität. So war das obskure Genre schnell wieder vergessen – bis jetzt! Denn Silent Hill – Shattered Memories-Game-Director Sam Barlow stampft mit Her Story einen Hammer aus dem Boden: Im interaktiven Krimi klären Spieler über eine alte Polizeidatenbank den Mord an einem Mann auf. Dessen Frau und Hauptverdächtige ist Star in 230 Videoschnipseln, die durch kluge Google-Style-Stichwortsuche die Wahrheit enthüllen. Der Clou: die mit Uralt-Icons und Unterauflösung authentisch dargestellte Retro-Computer-Oberfläche zeigt nur fünf Clips gleichzeitig an, sodass die Geschichte wie ein komplexes Puzzle nur langsam Gestalt annimmt, sich in mehrere Richtungen gleichzeitig entwickelt und voller Twists steckt – in puncto Games-Storytelling absolutes Novum! Für einigen **** sorgen zudem originelle Silent Hill-Psychospielchen wie Chats aus dem Nichts oder irritierende Reflexionen auf dem Bildschirm.… Expand
  53. aleqhz
    Apr 4, 2021
    0
    This interactive movie is not a game by any means It's dull and boring. The acting is meh. I'd rather just watch a 1 hour long movie then spend time clicking on 30 seconds clips trying to figure out what's this about. The database search that shows only the 5 first entries defies its own purpose.
  54. kezzyhko
    Aug 21, 2020
    4
    ‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍
  55. ChoicestGames
    Jul 16, 2017
    8
    If you like FMV games and murder mysteries, what are you waiting for? Her Story ticks all the right boxes. The only criticism I could make is that the game might not be enough of a traditional game to some since it's more of an exercise in exploring videos on an old PC at your own pace. However, I still enjoyed the game and appreciated its strong narrative as well as the nostalgia factorIf you like FMV games and murder mysteries, what are you waiting for? Her Story ticks all the right boxes. The only criticism I could make is that the game might not be enough of a traditional game to some since it's more of an exercise in exploring videos on an old PC at your own pace. However, I still enjoyed the game and appreciated its strong narrative as well as the nostalgia factor (Win 95 represent!).… Expand
  56. Klewer
    Jul 17, 2017
    7
    This game is definitely not for everyone, but I enjoyed it. It's worth it if it's cheap, basically it's a movie and cheaper than going to see one. Great little story where you piece it together and search for what has happened in the Story.
  57. memus
    Jul 14, 2021
    8
    I truly felt like a detective playing the game. The vintage art direction reminded me of MS-DOS days and VHS tapes. The acting is great, the story is good (but not great to be honest), the music is fine, the gameplay is closer to the puzzle game (that's why 8 and not 9, they're not my favorite genre per se). A video game equivalent of Bandersnatch episode of Black Mirror.
  58. ozzsoffy
    Mar 26, 2020
    7
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Playing this game I didn't know much about it. it is very unique experience, I think the video cuts are very appealing and as a player I drown into the story, I wanted to know more and what happened, which mean it is a good game.

    Finishing it, I must say that I felt that I need someone to explain me the ending (thank for youtube),
    it was a bit short, as I expected, like 4 hours game time,

    Recommended to people that love puzzle games    … Expand
  59. HSuke
    Apr 4, 2019
    7
    It's an interactive movie where you're playing detective and trying to figure out the story from a single location. Overall, the story is ok. There are no weak spots, but there are also no outstanding moments. It's kind of forgettable game.
  60. Tomle1202
    Oct 10, 2022
    9
    A captivating narrative experience built by brilliant storytelling and a strong acting performance.
  61. nyeven
    Apr 8, 2020
    9
    10/10 Idea
    9/10 for the execution
    The game is an absolute indie masterpiece and I much recommend it! The only beef I have with this game is that it doesn't have a proper ending. It leaves you with the feeling "Wait, that's it?" when you finish the game. At least that's what happened to me. So be prepared for an amazing game with such an ending, and you'll not be disappointed! I    10/10 Idea
    9/10 for the execution

    The game is an absolute indie masterpiece and I much recommend it!

    The only beef I have with this game is that it doesn't have a proper ending. It leaves you with the feeling "Wait, that's it?" when you finish the game. At least that's what happened to me. So be prepared for an amazing game with such an ending, and you'll not be disappointed!

    I recommend watching this video after playing through the game: https://youtu.be/fFveBzbyIVA

    Finally, from the game design perspective, it's not quite clear to the player that the part of the database colored yellow is the video that you're currently watching, meaning you have found that video. Don't let that confuse you at the end if you are aiming for collecting all the video footage. The green parts are all the videos you have collected, red parts are all the videos missing, and a yellow part is a video you're currently watching, meaning you have collected it!    … Expand
  62. manlyangel
    Oct 21, 2019
    1
    After years of curiosity I decided to try Her Story out, and I have to say that I....am completely flabbergasted as to why this has so many high reviews and received so much media praise. This "game" is an interesting little proof of concept at best, but as a "game" it's absolute trash that becomes incredibly boring very fast, I mean REALLY fast. This is coming from someone who reallyAfter years of curiosity I decided to try Her Story out, and I have to say that I....am completely flabbergasted as to why this has so many high reviews and received so much media praise. This "game" is an interesting little proof of concept at best, but as a "game" it's absolute trash that becomes incredibly boring very fast, I mean REALLY fast. This is coming from someone who really enjoys interactive movie type games like what Telltale and Quantic Dream produce. Her Story even fails to accomplish that level of engagement.… Expand
  63. auditbadger
    Dec 19, 2017
    9
    I think that this is truly a unique game and I would recommend that if you are a fan of this type of genre then I think you should give this game a try.
  64. aditya1101
    Oct 5, 2017
    8
    Super interesting concept - I really loved this game and I felt like I had a really unique experience trying to solve the mystery of what was going on.
  65. RagingPoet
    May 17, 2018
    9
    Her story is unique experience, story tailored by your own curiosity. It is only 1-3 hours long, but it really hooked me and left searching the internet for additional clues.

    P.S. Make sure not to 'brute force' the solution or you might accidentally ruin most of the fun.
  66. CenkAlp
    Jan 3, 2018
    8
    Hikaye = 9
    Oynanış = 9
    Grafikler = 8
    Sesler = 8
    Keyif = 8
    Atmosfer = 8
    Süre = 6
  67. LordOMO
    Dec 2, 2018
    6
    I don't care if "Her Story" is technically a game or not. What's important is wether it delivers on its premise. The general idea is that you play detective by watching interrogation tapes related to a crime. However, you can only access files by searching for the correct keywords. In theory that's an interesting concept, allowing the player to slowly unravel the story as you figure outI don't care if "Her Story" is technically a game or not. What's important is wether it delivers on its premise. The general idea is that you play detective by watching interrogation tapes related to a crime. However, you can only access files by searching for the correct keywords. In theory that's an interesting concept, allowing the player to slowly unravel the story as you figure out more and more plot points.
    In execution this won't always work. I think the very mixed user reviews of this game reflect that one player may have a vastly different experience from another player, depending on the order in which they "unravel" the video clips. In my playthrough (no spoilers) I had a great time for the first 20 minutes or so as I discovered all kinds of "storylines" and clues. Then I ran out of keywords to search for, so for an hour I was backpedaling to old videos or blindly searching for keywords to get access to new videos. I barely made any progress in that time, since many of the videos I found were completely redundant/pointless and didn't provide any new clues at all. Then suddenly (it felt like it was by accident) I got to the end of the story: For me it fell completely flat, while still leaving many plot points unanswered.
    There are statistics in the game that show how many clips you uncovered and it seems like I jumped wildly in the database, while having huge chunks of videomaterial missing in between. I could try to go back and figure out the missing parts of the story but it seems like way to much effort as I already solved the case and I haven't found the right keywords.
    The great flaw of the game is that there is no pre-planned pacing. A player may "solve" the case in 5 minutes without knowing any of the backstory or characters. Another player might spend hours uncovering every detail, knowing exactly how it will resolve but lacking the right keyword to get to the ending.
    Oh, and also the acting is pretty mediocre    … Expand
  68. El_Manco
    May 20, 2018
    7
    Una curiosidad, con una jugabilidad muy particular. No se si podría recomendarlo, pero me resulto entretenido mientras jugaba.
  69. kovman
    Aug 14, 2018
    7
    It was one of those seasonal story games, but it grabbed my attention. I found the experience very unique for a video game albeit in te video format. The plot was interesting and the investigation was not trivial at all, there were some twists and turns. Overall I'd say it was worth a try for the uniqueness of the experience alone.
  70. ElCucuy
    Feb 23, 2020
    7
    Интересный опыт, на 2 часа игра заставляет почуствовать себя детективом из 90х, собирающим мозаику из показаний одной странной женщины на допотопном компьютере с windows 95.

    В основе игры заложена элементарная механика из поиска видеофайлов по ключевым словам, произнесённым на записях. Такую механику можно легко представить в виде какой-нибудь мини-игры в крупном проекте по типу GTA,    Интересный опыт, на 2 часа игра заставляет почуствовать себя детективом из 90х, собирающим мозаику из показаний одной странной женщины на допотопном компьютере с windows 95.

    В основе игры заложена элементарная механика из поиска видеофайлов по ключевым словам, произнесённым на записях. Такую механику можно легко представить в виде какой-нибудь мини-игры в крупном проекте по типу GTA, потому проект был бы начисто проходной, если б не интригующий сюжет, который держит у экрана до тех пор, пока не "докопаешься до истины", и позволяющий строить различные теории произошедшего уже после титров.
    Каноничной версии произошедшего нет, поэтому каждый может видеть ситуацию по-своему, и это прекрасно. Было интересно ознакомиться с версиями других игроков на форумах уже после окончания игры.

    Финальная оценка - 7,5 из 10.    … Expand
  71. gameking
    May 16, 2020
    7
    Very unique game. This is very different experience. But the story needs more clear.
  72. KrauserFear
    Mar 15, 2020
    10
    This game way better than your mom and It is must play game it got goty award kinda cool Great classic story Kid dont play it only mature people
  73. Crypt
    Jan 15, 2023
    8
    O jogo é bom, porém ele não te deixa perder. Você pode ganhar por tentativa e erro e isso é ruim. E faltam elementos para melhor esclarecer a história.
  74. PerfectRecipe
    Nov 18, 2019
    8
    On the one hand game-play is very simple without very much variations of actions, but on the other hand it is exiting to follow her story in the game.
    I like this game.
  75. Crimert
    Mar 2, 2020
    6
    The storytelling technique was different. It's an interesting mystery game which makes you feel like a detective. 6hrs on record.
  76. Bloodnes
    Aug 22, 2020
    3
    Какая-то муть если честно, не знаю, кому эта игра понравилась, но как по мне бесполезная трата времени, если они хотели сделать некое подобий Секретных материалов, то тут провалилась затея. Не тратьте времени игра ни о чем. 3/10Какая-то муть если честно, не знаю, кому эта игра понравилась, но как по мне бесполезная трата времени, если они хотели сделать некое подобий Секретных материалов, то тут провалилась затея. Не тратьте времени игра ни о чем. 3/10
  77. Hess201
    Jan 31, 2020
    10
    Cool story bruh...

    Это не совсем типичный геймеру продукт; создатель решил нарезать (русских [нет]) фильмец на маленькие кусочки, передвигаясь от одного из них к другому через слова. Одной из положительных черт можно назвать длительность сего художственного произведения характерная двум часам игрового геймлея. Ни короткий, ни длинный; ни толстый, ни тонкий.    Cool story bruh...

    Это не совсем типичный геймеру продукт;
    создатель решил нарезать (русских [нет]) фильмец на маленькие кусочки, передвигаясь от одного из них к другому через слова.

    Одной из положительных черт можно назвать длительность сего художственного произведения характерная двум часам игрового геймлея. Ни короткий, ни длинный; ни толстый, ни тонкий.
  78. Wrathzo
    Mar 21, 2022
    5
    Her Story is an interactive film video game written and directed by Sam Barlow. In the game, the player searches and sorts through a database of video clips from fictional police interviews, and uses the clips to solve the case of a missing man. The police interviews focus on the man's wife, Hannah Smith, portrayed by British musician Viva Seifert.
  79. Alexb1096
    Jul 24, 2020
    6
    ITALIAN: breve recensione
    Io non ho finito il gioco, anche se mi mancava davvero poco. La trama mi era chiara ma non riuscivo a mettere gli ultimi tasselli.
    Il gioco, sempre che possa essere definito tale, è molto semplice. Saremo incaricati di mettere ordine nelle registrazioni degli interrogatori di un caso di qualche anno prima. Per questo motivo noi avremo a disposizione solo il    ITALIAN: breve recensione
    Io non ho finito il gioco, anche se mi mancava davvero poco. La trama mi era chiara ma non riuscivo a mettere gli ultimi tasselli.

    Il gioco, sempre che possa essere definito tale, è molto semplice. Saremo incaricati di mettere ordine nelle registrazioni degli interrogatori di un caso di qualche anno prima. Per questo motivo noi avremo a disposizione solo il monitor di un computer, con giusto un paio di programmi, mentre tutto il resto dovremo farlo noi cercando singole parole o piccole frasi per trovare tutti i video che compongono la storia (più di 200 ed è per questo che ho mollato).

    È disponibile un'ottima traduzione in italiano e la consiglio perchè bisognerebbe avere una conoscenza dell'inglese davvero ampia per completarlo, tenendo conto che già in italiano ho lasciato il gioco perchè non sapevo più cosa cercare.

    La trama è molto interessante e l'attrice (che poi ho scoperto non esserlo di professione) è abbastanza convincente, anche se a volte le situazioni che si generano mi sembrano un po' inverosimili.

    Originale anche lo stile di gioco ma avrei preferito forse qualche accorgimento per semplificare la ricerca nelle fasi finali del gioco, quando ormai la trama è chiara (visto che alcuni video sono di pochi secondi e irrilevanti), ad esempio potendo visualizzare i video già scoperti direttamente dall'archivio (che invece ha il solo scopo di farci vedere quanti video abbiamo già trovato e cronologicamente dove si collocano).

    Gioco non adatto a tutti ma che può prendere molto, anche perchè piuttosto breve.

    Voto: 6.5/10    … Expand
  80. hileger
    Dec 10, 2022
    6
    интересная идея с допросом история слабая, на раз можно ..................
  81. farscape1789
    May 23, 2022
    8
    This game caters for a particular niche. People who primarily play traditional games don't seem to understand this. Not all games have to be shooters, adventures or platformers. This is basically a modernised text game with videos that will engage your mental faculties. If you're not into that, don't buy it and then bemoan the lack of "gameplay". I, personally, find it absolutely riveting.
  82. bergcamp101
    Dec 4, 2020
    6
    Unfortunately it's pretty short, mostly because of the idea. But it is really good stuff! Very innovative and intriguing game.
  83. Karlsruhe00
    Nov 27, 2020
    10
    This is one of the most unique gaming experiences I´ve ever had.
    To the people who think that this is not a game: Seriously? Where is the line? In my opinion, it doesn´t even matter it it´s a game. It´s an amazing storyline that you get to follow, similar to Life is Strange.
  84. Gabomfim
    Aug 4, 2021
    4
    The game doesn’t have a satisfying ending. It’s unnatural and disappointing, felt like the game was a waste of time when I started searching for numbers from one to ten just to find new and irrelevant clips.

    More like a google search simulator to me. Only has one type of interaction and one type of stimulus during the whole experience, which makes it a bland and unidimensional interactive    The game doesn’t have a satisfying ending. It’s unnatural and disappointing, felt like the game was a waste of time when I started searching for numbers from one to ten just to find new and irrelevant clips.

    More like a google search simulator to me. Only has one type of interaction and one type of stimulus during the whole experience, which makes it a bland and unidimensional interactive story.

    You just keep waiting for something to happen, and the game doesn’t give you indications of progress besides some, little animations and database percentages. The chat system is poor, it could help me to see that I am doing progress.    … Expand
  85. F1_is_WWE
    Jan 1, 2023
    3
    This is a game you cannot win. You are presented with a series of some 200 videos (total 90 minutes long) of police (inaudible) interviewing a woman regarding her missing husband. The catch is you cannot watch them in order, but have to search by guessing key words which gets you only the top 5 matches. Once you watch a certain number of the key videos, you get a popup asking you if youThis is a game you cannot win. You are presented with a series of some 200 videos (total 90 minutes long) of police (inaudible) interviewing a woman regarding her missing husband. The catch is you cannot watch them in order, but have to search by guessing key words which gets you only the top 5 matches. Once you watch a certain number of the key videos, you get a popup asking you if you want to quit or you can keep going to try and find more videos.

    That's it, that's the whole game. Notice you do not have to do any detective work, or find clues or solve any mysteries. The whole gameplay consists of watching a woman talk for 90 minutes. You just keep searching for videos until you decide to stop (or you can just watch them all in order on YouTube).

    Now the mystery is well done and there are lots of twists and turns to find. I liked the acting. It could have made a good movie, but this video game format is just contrived and frustrating.    … Expand
  86. george_bondo
    Mar 9, 2023
    8
    the same game, in turn, gives you a new gaming experience and makes you feel like a real detective, it's interesting to delve into this, but the story can be made even more intense
  87. Josle
    Nov 27, 2022
    8
    A unique game, that most people have never seen before. Sam Barlow's games are some of the most interesting games I have seen. In Her Story you go through several interviews and watch clips to find out what is going on. You can change the clips by using the search function, if you search "apple" you will see every time someone says "apple". It is so unique and I love it, ofc it is not forA unique game, that most people have never seen before. Sam Barlow's games are some of the most interesting games I have seen. In Her Story you go through several interviews and watch clips to find out what is going on. You can change the clips by using the search function, if you search "apple" you will see every time someone says "apple". It is so unique and I love it, ofc it is not for everyone, but I think if you like a good story and care more for that than amazing gameplay then this is a game you should check out.… Expand
  88. BugOnDesk
    Jan 16, 2023
    9
    This game gave me a lot of inspiration both on storytelling and simulator design. The story is mind-blowing and I enjoyed how it unfolds dramatically throw the video clips searching process.
  89. klaaz
    Jan 26, 2023
    8
    An interesting experiment that demonstrates the different ways that the video game industry has to tell a story.
  90. Osoqu
    Mar 31, 2023
    4
    Design: 5
    Mechanics: 3
    Content: 5
    Simple gameplay of the same type. Quickly gets bored.

Awards & Rankings

15
#15 Best PC Game of 2015
39
#39 Most Discussed PC Game of 2015
51
#51 Most Shared PC Game of 2015

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
86

Generally favorable reviews - based on 50 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 47 out of 50
  2. Mixed: 2 out of 50
  3. Negative: 1 out of 50
  1. RPG Fan
    Jul 13, 2020
    86
    If you are on the hunt for a traditional adventure game, you may want to look elsewhere. But if you want one of the best live-action performances in video game history, a fabulous presentation, and an intriguing mystery to unravel, Her Story deserves your time!
    Read full review
  2. SpazioGames
    Oct 21, 2015
    85
    Brilliantly fragmented, avant-garde, and quite compelling, Her Story is an innovative adventure that we utterly recommend. A well written, well acted, and well thought game.
    Read full review
  3. CD-Action
    Sep 18, 2015
    55
    Her Story met with extremely different reactions among our staff (from “this trivial babble makes no sense at all” to “the story captivated me and is still in my head”). [09/2015, p.49]
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