# Dear Esther — user reviews > 81 indexed App Store user reviews of Dear Esther by Sumo Digital Ltd, rated 4.17/5 from 247 ratings. - Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/dear-esther/id1476531719/reviews - App overview in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/dear-esther/id1476531719.md - Rating breakdown: 5★ 168 · 4★ 25 · 3★ 14 · 2★ 7 · 1★ 33 ## 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 ## Newest reviews (13 of 81) ### 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. ### 3/5 — Nice game *2023-01-26, version 1.21* hard to navigate. ### 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 ### 3/5 — Boring and Confusing *2022-07-05* Sorry devs, I played the entire game hoping the ending would make it worth the endless walking but in the end I was just as confused as when I started. This is more of a story than a game, which is fine for people that enjoy that. I was hoping there’d be a mystery to solve and clues to interest with. Instead, all I could do is walk endlessly forward as the narrator droned on. The story just barely getting strung together into something vaguely coherent by the end. Coherent, but for me at least, uninteresting. Two hours completely wasted. ### 2/5 — Really puts the walking in “walking simulator” *2022-07-05* It’s a beautiful little game, ruined by the excruciatingly slow walking speed. Couple this with the need to explore multiple paths and backtrack, and all that repetitive walking quickly becomes boring. Were they trying to force me to meditate or something? The last straw was when I lost a bunch of progress because it’s not clear when the game is saved. No way I’m repeating all that. ### 3/5 — Cool game, but I think it needs some improvements as a port *2022-05-18* The graphics are very great I loved moving through it. With the other comments do agree it does get boring, especially when the character moves a little slow. The ending is great and there is so much emotion put into the mc going towards the tower, I wouldn’t change anything about it. I think what it needs the most is to be able to save and know when the player can save, I’m not sure what parts are chapters and parts aren’t there is no text that tells you that a chapter has ended. ### 3/5 — Silently walking *2022-02-21, version 1.21* I love this game and was pleased to discover it was in app form. However the sound has stopped working so the game is not worth playing ### 4/5 — Controller support needed *2021-11-18* Love the game from previous play throughs but I’m trying to use a controller and the right thumbstick is incorrectly programmed. There is no Y movement, only X. Please fix devs so I can give a 5/5! ### 4/5 — Beautiful and haunting but no puzzles *2021-07-03, version 1.21* This is an art piece but not a puzzle game for you to solve, rather to experience. If you are unsure whether to try, read the Wikipedia article about it. ### 2/5 — Please fix controller issues *2021-06-30, version 1.21* Unplayable with a controller. This should absolutely be working correctly with a game like this. Please fix. ### 4/5 — Fix Controller Support *2021-03-16* A wonderful piece of beauty but please, PLEASE fix the controller support! 🙏🏻the Xbox and PlayStation controllers both don’t work with the camera movement very well...Only walking 😔 ### 2/5 — Nice to look at, but... *2020-11-13, version 1.21* Very beautiful graphics and music, but all you do is walk around and listen to some narration. ### 4/5 — Not really a game 🌝 *2020-11-09, version 1.21* Buy this if you want to walk through a stunning island sea side landscape while listening to sad diary entries. ## Most critical reviews (10 lowest-rated) ### 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. ### 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 😡😡😡 ### 1/5 — Not my thing *2022-06-16, version 1.21* Really pretty but super dull. The balance between the music and voiceover is off so I missed a lot of what was being said even with subtitles. Not worth the money for me. Oops. ### 1/5 — didn’t give my refund back *2021-10-22, version 1.21* i requested a refund from them and it says i’m not eligible. i want my mi ey back!!! ### 1/5 — No clue how to play this. Waste of money. *2021-09-19, version 1.21* Nothing about controls. Absolutely not intuitive game play. Can’t find anything about how to play the ios version on gaming sites. Huge disappointment and utter waste of money. ### 1/5 — Depressing, boring & frustrating *2021-06-24, version 1.21* This is the first one-star I’ve ever rated. 30 minutes of aimless wandering with NOTHING happening except getting depressed by the voice-over. Unless I’m REALLY missing something, I don’t believe any of these glowing reviews on the images above are real. ### 1/5 — Poor game play *2021-06-17, version 1.21* Movement very slow so takes a long time to get anywhere. 20 mins in got stuck and couldn’t move, had to lose all progress which given how slow everything moves wasn’t much! ### 1/5 — To die for *2020-11-05* Beautiful game, that gives you no direction on how to play or control. I tapped the screen, pressed the screen with no effect. Somehow I managed to move right into the ocean and drowned (twice). I ended up with two fingers on the screen and was able to move, but not in a straight line. I gave up before I threw up. ### 1/5 — Can’t save progress *2020-09-22, version 1.21* Can’t save progress... only can save after a chapter is completed which can take longer than a person can play. Game restarts. Bought it... deleted it. Frustrating. Too bad because game is beautiful. ### 1/5 — Ipad version *2020-09-21, version 1.21* I can't figure out how to move. If I had a mouse or some other control besides my fingers, maybe I could do it. Very frustrating!!!! ## Most praised reviews (10 highest-rated) ### 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 👍 ### 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. ### 5/5 — A truly emotional and immersive piece of art *2022-01-12, version 1.21* This is such a wonderful and original work in a world of games so stagnated with the same old templates and cliches. True storytelling, depth and passion has gone into this. I have read reviews criticism the game on technical things like movement speed, sound design and sadness of the story. I can only assume these people are morons. Get the game, it is undoubtably the most beautiful one available in iOS store. I feel almost guilty having paid so little for such a life changing experience. ### 5/5 — No jump scares; an anticipating journey that I am still puzzled with; an absolutely remarkable story *2021-06-26* I highly enjoyed every moment of that. I was happy to find that there are no hidden jump scares (since I hate those), but a rather amazingly suspenseful journey that will leave you puzzled with questions. I need another game to play like this, one that is just as remarkable as this one. ### 5/5 — Wow...just wow. *2021-02-14* Iv never written a review. Just finished it in one sitting. The way you pulled the bleakness and confusion in the beginning into the chorus of the various parts coming together at the end was just sublime. ### 5/5 — Beautifully Rendered. *2021-01-15* Nice Work. Don’t Set your expectations high here. Its peaceful, calm and relaxing with beautiful scenery, especially if your a fan of Scottish Highlands, Islands, Oceans, dark and dreary weather, the Maine Coast... I have only walked around so far and appreciated the breezes and fauna. Have yet to get to a puzzle. But its everything I need to escape these troubled times. Enjoy. Find Peace. More Love Less Hate. Thanks for a wonderful experience. Make more I’m a huge fan! ### 5/5 — Magical *2020-10-09, version 1.21* An absolutely fantastic experience. Yes some people will disagree, but for others, myself included this is superb, so see it through to the end. The soundtrack alone is worth the money. A tale of love, loss, grief, and redemption, life in effect, which will leave a lasting mark on you. If only there were more like this......... --- *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.*