OKAY. Real talk. You’ve probably at least heard of What Remains of Edith Finch, yes? It’s won quite a bit in the way of awards, but from my experiences in video game retail, knowledge of this amazing game is just that; theoretical. If I were to take a poll of people who walked through my door, about half would probably say they’ve heard of it, while A LOT less would say they’ve played it.
(What’s Hidden Gems all about? A look into the team that made the game, past games, and more about the game at hand. Here’s a primer.)
(Aside: I do live in North Dakota right now, as well. So there’s that.)
Edith Finch is the second game released by Giant Sparrow, an independent development studio based in Santa Monica, California. Founded in March 2009, they’ve made it their mission to focus on “creating surreal experiences people have never had before. Our dream is to make the world a stranger, more interesting place.”
While Edith Finch was Giant Sparrow’s second game, it’s more than worth talking about the first, which is a hidden gem in its own right. The Unfinished Swan, written by Ian Dallas, was first released on October 23rd, 2012, as a PlayStation 3 exclusive.
You play as a young boy Monroe, and you’ve recently lost your mother, an artist who produced 300 pieces of art before her death and never finished any of them. Monroe was only allowed to take one of them with, and he decided to take her favorite, a swan missing its neck. It goes missing in the painting one night, and while chasing after it, you find yourself in a painted world with a silver paintbrush your mother used.
I won’t go further into the story, as I’m going to encourage you to pick it up and play it on the PlayStation 4. Painting is an integral part of the story as it helps you discover where to go and fill out the rest of the tale. The first time I played the game, I laughed, I cried, and I couldn’t put it down. The ending was one of the most satisfying moments I’d ever spent in a video game.
The Unfinished Swan won two BAFTA awards in 2012; for “Game Innovation” and best “Debut Game.”
Giant Sparrow spent five years working on their next game, also written by Dallas. What Remains of Edith Finch came to consoles and PC in the spring and summer of 2017, and it came to the Switch in July of this year.
The opening for this game has one of the biggest hooks I’ve seen in an indie game. You begin on a ferry, with a journal and flowers. A woman begins talking, and it flashes to walking a path. Text of her narration appears in various places, and after a few moments, you come upon the Finch family compound. I literally HAD to keep playing at this point.
You find out that you, the narrator, are Edith Finch; the last of the Finch line. Your mother passed recently, leaving you the keys to the Finch family home. In her journal, you find out the family seems to be cursed; Kennedy-level cursed. Bedrooms in the house are shrines to their former owners, who have each passed in their own unique “cursed” circumstances. As Edith, you play through their last moments, learning more about your family and the reasons that led to your mother taking you from the house. In her journal, Edith writes her thoughts and tributes to her family member that become important for a very good reason later on in the game.
(And, coolest part, there’s even a tie-in with The Unfinished Swan.)
The first time, it blew my mind that Edith was [SPOILER] during the events of the game. (Again, if you want to know, go play it! *Wink wink*) However, as I said, it’s because of this reason why the journal she’s been keeping makes sense.
I played the game again recently, and, since I now share an experience with Edith, it made the story all the more meaningful to me. The art, music, voice performances, and writing all meld together for three hours of one of the best experiences video games has to offer.
What Remains of Edith Finch was nominated (and won) countless awards in 2017 and 2018, and with its release this year on the Switch, I wouldn’t be surprised if it’s nominated for a couple more.
Giant Sparrow has yet to announce what exactly they’re working on next, with Dallas announcing at GDC 2018 that it’s about “the enchanting beauty of animal locomotion.” Considering at different points in Edith Finch you play as a cat, owl or a shark, it’s a thrilling prospect in the hands of these developers. You can find more about their next game at their blog.