# Dear Esther — The cult classic

> Narrative-driven exploration game about love, loss, and redemption. (iPhone/iPad app by Sumo Digital Ltd.)

- Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/dear-esther/id1476531719 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`)
- Developer: [Sumo Digital Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/427149152)
- Category: Games, Entertainment, Adventure, Simulation
- Price: $1.99
- Rating: 4.17/5 from 247 App Store ratings · 81 written reviews indexed
- Age rating: 12+
- Requires: iOS 12.0 · 988 MB
- Languages: English, French, German, Russian, Spanish
- Released: 2019-10-01
- Data updated: 2026-06-10
- Monetization: paid
- User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/dear-esther/id1476531719/reviews.md

## What is Dear Esther?

The Chinese Room’s cult classic Dear Esther arrives on iOS for the first time, in this faithful interpretation of the internationally renowned game.  

A man stands on a desolate Hebridean shore. As he takes his first step forward, he starts to speak: “Dear Esther...” and so begins a dreamlike, complex tale of love, loss and redemption. We’re invited to explore the windswept island, descending into an eerie, otherworldly story where reality fragments and falls apart.

Generally recognised as kick-starting the walking simulator subgenre, Dear Esther features dynamic narration that means the story changes each time you return to the island. Since the original release, Dear Esther has sold over one million units and is seen as a benchmark in interactive and emotional storytelling. PC Gamer said it “provokes thought and feeling in a way few other games do.” It also won praise for its visuals and music, with The Daily Telegraph saying “Dear Esther's visuals are majestic”, and Jessica Curry’s soundtrack receiving awards and nominations from BAFTA among others.”

Dear Esther includes subtitles in French, German, Spanish and Russian. 

We strongly recommend playing the game with sound on, it's great with headphones.

If you need any help please contact us at support@dearesther.com.

## Key features

- Exploration of a desolate island
- Dynamic narration that changes story
- Emotional and complex storytelling
- Award-winning soundtrack
- Majestic visuals
- Subtitles in multiple languages

## What do users think of Dear Esther?

Overall sentiment: mixed

**Pros**

- 🌟 Relaxing and immersive experience
- 🎨 Hauntingly beautiful visuals and storytelling
- 🎶 Pitch-perfect narration and music
- 🖼️ Breathtaking scenery and atmosphere

**Cons**

- 🐢 Excruciatingly slow walking speed
- 🤔 Confusing and unclear narrative
- 🤷‍♀️ Lack of interactivity and gameplay
- 🐛 Technical issues like crashes and glitches

**Commonly reported bugs**

- Game crashing or freezing
- Broken controller support
- Inability to move or progress
- Losing progress due to lack of save functionality

**Most requested features**

- Ability to save progress and resume later
- Controller support for better navigation
- Option to adjust walking speed
- Clearer indication of chapter transitions

## Recent user reviews (10 of 81)

All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/dear-esther/id1476531719/reviews.md

### 5/5 — Relaxing and interesting

*2024-09-14*

Own this game for the ps5 and I gotta say the iOS version looks just as good. What an experience 👍

### 2/5 — Walk, walk walk

*2023-10-19, version 1.21*

Hear a dramatic story, get stuck because of bad level design, walk on rails and yawn. Not my cup of tea at all. Boring to no end.

### 5/5 — Hauntingly beautiful

*2023-09-26, version 1.21*

This interactive story is heartbreakingly emotional and with every step you take around the island you feel the mans physical and emotional pain. Be prepared to get lost a few times but this only adds to the enjoyment as you see more of the island, it is worth every penny, the narration is pitch perfect and by the end I was in tears, such a well made piece of art and storytelling, I wish there was more of this nature in the App Store.
Edit: so I’ve now replayed this for the 3rd time and it only gets better each time, it is a cathartic experience for me and the narration is so good it’s almost too good. I’d love to see the making of this game and how it came to be.

### 5/5 — Dear Esther

*2023-07-08, version 1.21*

A story of love, devotion and loss. 
Beautifully intriguing storyline that lets you understand the relationship of this island and its history that the author correlates with his letter of love and never ending love for Esther.
Thank you.

### 5/5 — Beautiful game!

*2023-05-04, version 1.21*

Absolutely love this game. The game is well made played the game on the iMac iPhone and PlayStation and I love the game totally recommend the game

### 5/5 — Awesome experience

*2023-03-01*

Breathtakingly beautiful. And a few times quite disturbing and frightening. Recommended for those who want their game to transport them somewhere, not for those who are into fast action moves.

### 3/5 — Nice game

*2023-01-26, version 1.21*

hard to navigate.

### 1/5 — Stupid game

*2022-09-07, version 1.21*

How are you supposed to play this game.  It won’t move whatever I do just jumps around the screen.  I can’t get into the building at all.  Please someone tell me how to play it.

### 4/5 — Welcome Back Dear Esther

*2022-08-17*

I was heartbroken when this stopped working on my Mac after macOS removed support for 32 bit apps. So glad to have it back on iOS. This version looks wonderful but has slight stuttering from time to time. I would like to see keyboard/mouse or comtroller support added. The touch controls work well, but options are always nice. Anyways I’m super happy to have this playable again and even on my iPad that

### 1/5 — No god no

*2022-08-01, version 1.21*

It’s the saddest game of all time and its really depressing. It’s so bad I what to give it a zero but that’s not possible so I give it a one. Really I’m not joking don’t play in less you what to feel bad forever. Oh and makes no sense any of it 😡😡😡

## Frequently asked questions about Dear Esther

### What is Dear Esther about?

Dear Esther is a narrative-driven exploration game where players explore a desolate island and uncover a dreamlike tale of love, loss, and redemption. The story unfolds through dynamic narration as you progress through the environment.

### What are the key features of Dear Esther?

Key features include exploring a visually stunning and atmospheric island, experiencing a complex and emotional story with dynamic narration that changes with each playthrough, and enjoying an award-winning soundtrack. The game also offers subtitles in several languages.

### How much does Dear Esther cost?

Dear Esther is a premium game and requires a one-time purchase. There are no in-app purchases or advertisements within the application.

### What platforms is Dear Esther available on?

This analysis is for the iOS version of Dear Esther. The game originated on PC and has been adapted for mobile devices.

### What is the 'walking simulator' genre?

The 'walking simulator' is a genre of video games that emphasizes exploration and narrative over traditional gameplay mechanics like combat or complex puzzles. Players typically navigate environments and uncover a story through environmental storytelling and narration, as is the case with Dear Esther.

## Version history (last 4 releases)

### 1.21 — 2019-11-11

Additional localization

### 1.2 — 2019-10-19

Now supporting iPad 3rd, 4th Gen and Mini 2, 3, Air (2013)

### 1.1 — 2019-10-09

Updated compatibility information.

### 1.0 — 2019-10-01

No release notes.

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## More apps by Sumo Digital Ltd

- [Spyder](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/spyder/id1443839718)
- [Little Orpheus](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/little-orpheus/id1446279575)

All apps by Sumo Digital Ltd: https://appshunter.io/developer/427149152

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*Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-06-10.*