Dear Esther (2012) vs. Dear Esther (2008)

In this video we will see just how amazing the difference is between the original mod project and the fully fledged commercial remake by the talented Robert Briscoe.

Please rate, and share the video if you enjoyed it. Be sure to favorite the video to remember it.

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[Antphoneigh]

The 2012 version needed more creepy trees.

[ofearghailthefearless]

I always thought there was no original version and that Dear Esther was just it's own but I didn't know that it started out as a Half-Life 2 mod. However, I can happily say that I like the remake much much more!

[mrmotinjo]

What a drastic jump this is. I've just completed the new version, and I loved every minute of it. It is not a game in the sense that there's no enemies, objectives, weapons etc, but what it IS is a true piece of art.

Also, as BrownCreature had said, it's a screenshot-fest. I made 50 or so 'shots during my playthrough, the scenery is just gorgeous.

[funk]

When i got to the caves for the first time (in 2012 game), my mouth hung open. This is best looking Source game i ever saw.

[SirCrest]

@NightbringerMinion And even more so, the original was a project for school. Which is still amazing to me.

[therealcubiksrube]

Very interesting! I can see how the remade version with its extremely visceral and naturalistic graphics can make the abstract narrative seem almost a little more out of place in a weird way – the more abstract islands required the player to contribute more by imagination, so somehow the player was already "imagining" things.

I'm a total fan though – I also appreciate the later games that took a page from Dear Esther, e.g. "Kholat" and "The Vanishing of Ethan Carter".
So great to see what else computer games can do.

[SirCrest]

Only a professional mapper who worked for dice remade it, DICE themselves had nothing to do with it.

He worked on Mirror's Edge.

[aleccalvin]

This Game Was Honestly Touching and very Beautiful the Ending made me just silent for hours but a very nice game indeed

[drumnpace]

And this, kids, is why you always need a game designer in your team ;)

[SirCrest]

I think there is a good point here. I think Dear Esther 2012 is indeed realistic, though I'd say it's more so a natural style that is pleasing. It feels real and fits well in our imagination. Something like Crysis 3 looks realistic but perhaps not that natural.

[brt]

While it was very very rough, and it was simply a student project, it really did push the ideas of what games could show. It was a great experiment into video game story telling and interactive experiences. While the amount of interaction is debatable, it is seen as somewhat of a hallmark in video game storytelling.

[SirCrest]

You probably see on the side, I have a full playthrough in basically perfect quality. But I recommend you get it, support the amazing dev.

[FundaiX]

I got this game last night, played the two hours through in one sitting. (I actually took about 3, the visuals were so spectacular). This game truly shows just why the source engine is so great. It's almost constant improvements make it still one of the best looking engines almost 10 years after the release of hl2. And even hl2 still looks decent.

[mgmike]

Thanks for the response. I downloaded it and I'm playing now. It's definitely a huge difference compared to the final game.

[gunslaughter]

The final 2012 game was a stunning sight and was very in joyable. The story line was easy to follow and easy to sorrow aswell.

[casedistorted]

Oh wow, I didn't realize the visuals for this game were so different between the two versions. I remember reading about there being a 'remake' for Dear Esther and was excited, unfortunately I've never played the game just because of not having enough money but used to watch video playthrough's of it all the time back when I was in a more artsy phase.

[SirCrest]

The original mod was really rough and difficult for most people to play. A professional mapper from DICE came in to remake it.

[Justin-C]

Wow, some of this 1080p footage is just gorgeous. Would love to make it into a background for my desktop...

[DoDisturb]

This games absolutely alters the meaning of the word awesome. I´ve never seen anything like that. Heard alot about it from a friend of mine who has it but i think this is something you have to experience. I will try to get my hands on this title because of how great and deep experience it has to be. I cant wait :)

[TurningJappanesse]

This "thing" almost made me cry. The extremely sad monologue and music added to the mood. This was a wonderful experience.