Home
A sidescrolling horror adventure with ambiguous choices.
Home is a 2012 horror adventure indie video game developed and published by BancyCo (previously known as Benjamin Rivers Inc.). It was first released for Microsoft Windows on June 1, 2012, and later ported to Mac OS X, iOS, PlayStation 4, PlayStation Vita, and Nintendo Switch. The game is notable for its sidescrolling choose-your-own-adventure format, in which an unnamed protagonist wakes up with no memories and must explore a 2D world to uncover what has happened.
Quick Facts
- Title
- Home
- Developer
- BancyCo
- Platforms
- Windows · Mac OS X · iOS · PlayStation 4 · PlayStation Vita · Nintendo Switch
- Modes
- Single-player
- Producer
- Nancy Yeung
- Designer
- Benjamin Rivers
- Composer
- Ivor Stines
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
Home was developed primarily by Benjamin Rivers, with Nancy Yeung as producer and Ivor Stines credited for the title music. The game was built in GameMaker and originally planned as an iPad game, but was first released on PC. It was updated to a newer engine version before its June 20, 2013 release on iOS and OS X. In March 2014, Rivers announced PlayStation versions, which arrived on October 28 (PS4) and November 4 (PS Vita) that year. On October 8, 2020, an expanded version titled Home: Postmortem Edition was released on Nintendo Switch, adding new areas, clues, and developer commentary.
The gameplay consists of walking through a 2D world, examining objects, and making yes-or-no decisions. The game recommends completing it in one sitting. Some critics have suggested it is not a traditional game but a work of interactive storytelling. The narrative style, where player decisions often receive unclear feedback, has been described as both a strength and a weakness.
Reader's Guide
Home received a wide range of reviews, with the original PC release holding a Metacritic average of 69/100 and the iOS release 76/100. Critics praised its horror aesthetics and pixel-art atmosphere, with some noting it evokes a rich horror mood despite simple graphics. The experimental narrative, driven by yes-or-no choices with ambiguous consequences, was seen as intellectually stimulating but also potentially frustrating. Several reviewers observed that the game lost its impact on repeated playthroughs, comparing them to revealing the mechanisms behind a theme park attraction. The game's legacy lies in its minimalist approach to horror and interactive storytelling, influencing discussions about what constitutes a game versus an interactive narrative. Its multiple ports and the later Postmortem Edition indicate sustained interest in its design.
Did You Know?
- Home was originally planned as an iPad game but released first on PC.
- The game was developed in GameMaker.
- Home: Postmortem Edition added new areas, clues, and developer commentary.
- The game's typical playthrough lasts 1–1.5 hours.
More in Adventure Games of the 2010s, Part 2 1-24
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