Dear Esther
Begin a journey through one of the most original first-person games of recent years.
75% positive · 6,120 reviews
Done
All announced content has been released
High confidence
Done
All announced content has been released
High confidence
Where to buy
Steam
Can't confirm — worth a look
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Evaluation
Dear Esther is a narrative walking simulator developed by The Chinese Room that launched on PC in February 2012. The store description presents it as a complete, self-contained experience — a single atmospheric journey through a desolate island with no mention of DLC, expansions, updates, or any ongoing content plans. The game was designed as a finished artistic work from the outset, with no post-launch content cycle ever established. No developer communications indicate any future content was ever planned or delivered beyond the original release. The game remains available for purchase as a complete package exactly as it shipped.
Evidence
Store description presents Dear Esther as a complete, standalone narrative experience with no mention of DLC, updates, or additional content plans. The game is described as a finished artistic work supported by Indie Fund.
Short description frames the game as a single, complete journey — no indication of ongoing or planned content.
Media
Details
Developer
Publisher
Secret Mode
Achievements
0
Platform
Windows, macOS
Controller
partial support
Steam Deck
Verified
Players
Single-player
About this game
“A deserted island…a lost man…memories of a fatal crash…a book written by a dying explorer.”
Two years in the making, the highly anticipated Indie remake of the cult mod Dear Esther arrives on PC. Dear Esther immerses you in a stunningly realised world, a remote and desolate island somewhere in the outer Hebrides. As you step forwards, a voice begins to read fragments of a letter: "Dear Esther..." - and so begins a journey through one of the most original first-person games of recent years. Abandoning traditional gameplay for a pure story-driven experience, Dear Esther fuses its beautiful environments with a breathtaking soundtrack to tell a powerful story of love, loss, guilt and redemption.
Forget the normal rules of play; if nothing seems real here, it’s because it may just be all a delusion. What is the significance of the aerial -- What happened on the motorway -- is the island real or imagined -- who is Esther and why has she chosen to summon you here? The answers are out there, on the lost beach, the windswept cliffs and buried in the darkness of the tunnels beneath the island… Or then again, they may just not be, after all…
Dear Esther is supported by Indie Fund.
Two years in the making, the highly anticipated Indie remake of the cult mod Dear Esther arrives on PC. Dear Esther immerses you in a stunningly realised world, a remote and desolate island somewhere in the outer Hebrides. As you step forwards, a voice begins to read fragments of a letter: "Dear Esther..." - and so begins a journey through one of the most original first-person games of recent years. Abandoning traditional gameplay for a pure story-driven experience, Dear Esther fuses its beautiful environments with a breathtaking soundtrack to tell a powerful story of love, loss, guilt and redemption.
Forget the normal rules of play; if nothing seems real here, it’s because it may just be all a delusion. What is the significance of the aerial -- What happened on the motorway -- is the island real or imagined -- who is Esther and why has she chosen to summon you here? The answers are out there, on the lost beach, the windswept cliffs and buried in the darkness of the tunnels beneath the island… Or then again, they may just not be, after all…
Dear Esther is supported by Indie Fund.
Key features:
- Every play-through a unique experience, with randomly generated audio, visuals and events.
- Explore Incredible environments that push the Source engine to new levels of beauty.
- A poetic, semi-randomised story like you've never experienced in a game before.
- Stunning soundtrack featuring world-class musicians.
- An uncompromisingly inventive game delivered to the highest AAA standards.
Soundtrack
Jessica Curry's haunting and beautiful soundtrack to Dear Esther, now available on Steam, has been a hit with gamers and critics alike. Reviewers have said ""Curry's score reflects the player's feelings without oppressively instructing them. Exquisitely constructed, both sonically and visually" (Eurogamer), "as beautiful as the game is, it’d be remiss not to mention Curry’s atmospheric soundtrack...impossible to ignore." (Edge), "spellbinding, fascinating aural landscape: a resounding success" (Square Enix), "Curry's delicate & understated musical score achieves a level of excellence. It's the ultimate achievement of composition." (Bitgamer). The soundtrack was shortlisted for the Excellence in Audio award at the Independent Games Festival 2012Are these done yet?
Last evaluated Jun 30, 2026
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