Game · Released

Dear Esther: Landmark Edition

'A deserted island... a lost man... memories of a fatal crash... a book written by a dying explorer.' 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 breath-taking soundtrack to tell a powerful story of love, loss, guilt and rede

Release date
February 14, 2017
Platforms
Windows, macOS
Developer
The Chinese Room
Publisher
Secret Mode
Dear Esther: Landmark Edition artwork
Media

Screenshots & videos

Official media supplied by the listed storefronts and publishers.

Screenshots

Videos

Store description

About Dear Esther: Landmark Edition

'A deserted island... a lost man... memories of a fatal crash... a book written by a dying explorer.' 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 breath-taking soundtrack to tell a powerful story of love, loss, guilt and redemption.

Dear Esther: Landmark Edition has been remade with the Unity engine, featuring a full audio remaster, and the addition of a brand-new Directors' Commentary mode, allowing players to explore the island and learn what inspired the game and how it was crafted by The Chinese Room and Rob Briscoe. Every play-through a unique experience, with randomly generated audio, visuals and events. Explore incredible environments that fully immerse you in the haunting island and its past.A poetic, semi-randomised story like you've never experienced in a game before.

Stunning soundtrack composed by Jessica Curry, featuring world-class musicians. An uncompromisingly inventive game delivered to the highest AAA standards. Every play-through a unique experience, with randomly generated audio, visuals and events. Explore incredible environments that fully immerse you in the haunting island and its past.A poetic, semi-randomised story like you've never experienced in a game before.…

Read the full description on GOG ↗
Official sources

Download Dear Esther: Landmark Edition

Continue to an official storefront to download or purchase this title.

Dear Esther: Landmark Edition artwork
Dear Esther: Landmark EditionGOG · Game · Available
From the community

Dear Esther: Landmark Edition reviews & player comments

Store ratings and available player reviews. Review snapshots show their last refresh date.

★ 6.6/10GOG · 226 ratings
GOGLast checked November 3, 2026

Most helpful8

★ 2 / 5
Dear Esther is a video game about a guy wandering around some islands off Scotland. That is pretty much the game. You slowly walk along…
★ 5 / 5
Dear Esther is not for everyone. There's no getting around it. If you think gameplay is all the matters to a game think you will…
★ 5 / 5
This game, at it's core, is a gorgeous and somber story. It's a very quiet and introspective game and as one of the biggest "Walking…
★ 3 / 5
Dear Esther is a game that boils interactivity down to the most simplistic thing possible: movement. As a game about movement, and finding ways to…
★ 3 / 5
In and of itself I like walking simulators. A calm atmosphere, a beautiful story, an atmospheric graphic and sound design. Yes, Dear Esther has all…
★ 2 / 5
I'll be honest, I really wanted to like this game. Had super high hopes going in. Heard a lot of good things about it. While…
★ 3 / 5
Dear Esther is basically the grandfather of all walking sims. It single-handedly kickstarted the whole genre - so as a piece of video game history,…
★ 3 / 5
Sometimes you want a short story to pass the time rather than sinking into a much larger story. That is where Dear Esther comes in.…

Most recent8

★ 3 / 5
This is a walking suicide simulator. After you hear the story, absolutely zero replay-ability. Already DRM free on whatever platform you have it on. Honestly,…
★ 4 / 5
This "game" is remarkable in that your only task is to explore the island. The narrator reads a series of letters penned to his late…
★ 5 / 5
Nearly every negative thing about this comes down to personal preference; it is a walking simulator with no source of danger and no interactivity. It…
★ 3 / 5
Dear Esther is basically the grandfather of all walking sims. It single-handedly kickstarted the whole genre - so as a piece of video game history,…
★ 2 / 5
I played this game after playing "The Park" and "The Vanishing of Ethan Carter" and thought, it would just line up with these two. Funny…
★ 4 / 5
Dear Esther is a beautiful game. It gives you the opportunity to take in both the environment and the soundtrack, both of which are stunning.…
★ 2 / 5
I'll be honest, I really wanted to like this game. Had super high hopes going in. Heard a lot of good things about it. While…

Short excerpts linked to their source. The score above uses aggregate storefront ratings—not these few comments.