Far From Noise

Ever since Dear Esther was released in 2012, games have been pushing the boundaries in terms of what truly makes a game. Dear Esther could be considered a walking simulator. Far from Noise takes things one step further.

Far from Noise, released on November 14th, 2017, is a beautiful experience. It all starts with an intriguing premise: You're trapped in a car that is stuck on a ledge. What follows is nothing short of breathtaking.

Far From Noise starts with the main character just talking with themselves, making decisions. It all boils down to talking; in this you create the narrative. Personally, I haven't played a game before that let the main character be molded so well in such a small amount of time. It's your decision whether or not you want to be cheery about the situation you're in, or just depressed. When it comes to actually doing the said talking all you have to do is click the speech button that pops above the car. There are two different types of buttons than can be pressed -- yellow means just talking and blue means taking an action. That's it.

A game like Far from Noise can only be successful if all of its components work in harmony, and luckily for us, they are. The writing is great, and really shows the distinct personality of the character you choose to create through the dialogue options. Another plus are the simple, yet gorgeous visuals. You will be staring at this set piece for about 95% of the game. However, what makes it beautiful is the life that is all around you. While your character is hanging in the balance, your surroundings are bursting to life, whether that be through a sunset or a lightning storm. The only slight negative I came away with, was the fact that there wasn't a lot of music. Instead, Far from Noise went for a lot of ambient sounds like the ocean waves hitting the beach, or a blowing of the wind. There are little bits and pieces of music, but I believe that Far from Noise could have benefited from having an actual soundtrack.

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Luckily for us Far from Noise is also the perfect length for an experience like this, for me personally it took 90 minutes for me to beat the game. While Far from Noise isn't a game I will likely come back too, it is a title I am glad I was able to play.

Far from Noise is a polarizing game. As I stated earlier, it really pushes the boundaries of what a game is. It has a great script with fleshed out characters and beautiful visuals. The only slight complaint I had was the lack of a true music score. That being said, I believe it is a game that is worthy of everyone's time, as others may get a different take away then I did, and that is what is truly exciting about Far from Noise.