GOHOME (2020) Game Review – Homeward Bound

Posted on by Javiera Vega
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Several years ago, a small Japanese third-person horror game known as GOHOME started to make waves in the Let’s Play YouTube community. Created by the VTuber known as Itimatu Ichimatsu as a free game in 2019 to much acclaim and redesigned into a much grander scale in 2020, the story is set in a residential area in 2000s Japan. There, you play as a little girl with a blurred-out face named Mosaiko Suzuki (yes, pun intended). As soon as she leaves a Shinto shrine wearing a beautiful kimono, we find out that our objective is simply to “return home” to our parents. Unfortunately, that is easier said than done because we soon begin to be chased by surreal and disturbing ghosts and happenings.

In terms of mechanics, GOHOME is simple. To advance to our home, we need to avoid ghosts as much as possible. We can make them disappear with a movement and even run away from them. However, they are extremely fast, so the best course of action is to transport yourself through manholes in the streets. This method is not reliable either, because you must go through them at the exact moment when they are not red. Otherwise, bad things will happen.

GOHOME 2020 video game

Despite what some might think of its limited gameplay, GOHOME’s heart lies in its visuals and overall atmosphere. Here is a good moment to warn you that this game is not suitable for people with photosensitive and audio-sensitive issues because Ichimatsu creates an oversaturated world to enhance the gaming experience. While the beginning looks tame in terms of aesthetics, as you advance bright and flashing colors start to take over places like the sky. Ghosts also have some sort of twitchy movements that make you feel nervous and on edge. As for the music and sound, it is overwhelming to listen to manic tunes and desperate cries as a weird fleshy-looking person chases you. Even the game over screen is an experience in itself.

Obviously inspired by cult games like LSD: Dream Emulator, GOHOME looks like a demented fever dream mixed with a dash of Madoka Magica witches’ aesthetics. Ghosts like Claudia are based in Japanese folklore related to ghosts, but the fact her smiling face looks bloated makes her even more disturbing. The Piano humanoid is more conventional since she resembles an elegant-looking woman playing an instrument in the middle of the street. However, as time passes, her face deforms and melts into her piano. The portrayal of other characters like the Kitchen Oni, a spirit wearing an apron and an Oni mask tells you that the creator put a lot of effort to unsettle the player by using everyday symbols and distorting them.

GOHOME 2020 video game

As for the story, not much information is given on why Mosaiko ended up in this scenario, but some hints of a car crash and other disturbing imagery indicate to us that she was involved in a tragedy. Fans like to speculate that her being chased by these creatures could be explained as her being trapped in limbo and not accepting her death. Others think that the game takes place in Mosaiko’s mind, and she is processing the grief of losing her family. Since her perspective changes to what seems to be an older version of herself, this may make sense.

Whatever the case, it is fair to say that Ichimatsu’s game is a unique experience. If you have a few hours to spare, download this game and let your senses be struck by the colors and music. If you are more into the horror aspect, GOHOME will not disappoint. Whilst the jumpscares do their job, the creatures and world-building are enough to make you feel disturbed in a good way.

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