As players, we are conditioned from playing video games and reading stories for there to always be a resolution or happy ending, relieving all of our anxiety and fear. In “Gone Home,” I was waiting for this moment of release and for Katie to reunite with her family and for their lives to all go back to normal, but it never occurred. Instead, the tension and sadness persisted, players having to accept this nonideal ending that ultimately represents the real world and conveys the larger truth that life often does not always work out the way we would like.

This very feature of these digital literature games that not only tells stories but also allows players to actively engage in them is what builds our understanding and empathy for the video game characters. As players, to fully understand the extent of someone else’s struggles, we must put ourselves into their shoes and this form of game literally allows this metaphor to come to life.

Adding onto this idea of comfort, humans are helpless in so many ways. We do not chose when our story starts or comes to an end or the many factors within our journey. Games give us a false sense of authority as they are entirely controlled by us. They cannot leave us. We have the power.

I believe part of why games are so widely-used and enjoyed comes from this very aspect of them: happy endings exist in games. As players, we do not have to accept the same crushing realities we do in real life.

In wandering through the story, we learn fundamental truths about ourself and our character. We essentially transport ourselves into the player's shoes and can evaluate how we would respond to the situations they are faced with.