Three Fourths Home is a PC visual short story game created by [bracket]games. The player takes on the role of Kelly, a young adult out of college living back at home with her parents and little brother in Nebraska. Three Fourths Home takes place as Kelly heads back home when a particularly intense storm hits. The entirety of the game occurs as Kelly is on her way home and focuses on the phone conversation she has during this time with her family, who are back at home.

I was drawn to this title in particular due to its compelling narrative aspects as it is a visual short story. And they are quite compelling indeed, if I do say so myself. The extended conversation that encompasses the game is natural and authentic. As opposed to the unnatural and forced dialogue that players often come across in games. The dialogue is genuine and representative. Exceptionally well-written on the creators’ part. The phone conversation is an intimate one, as players delve into the family’s deepest fears and aspirations, as well as their pain and disappointments. Reminiscing about their past, worrying about their future, dealing with loss and disability (both mental and physical), as well as issues with coming of age and one’s responsibility to their family.

These subject matters are dismal in nature and can be seen as players hear the natural worrier come out of Kelly’s mother when it comes to the well-being of her family and financial issues. As well as with both her father, David, and brother, Ben, who are revealed to be dealing with disabilities. Then, there is Kelly, who is stuck in the awkward stage after college, as nothing is going the way she originally planned and everything seems to be going downhill.

From the single phone conversation a player is able to connect with the characters, learning and partially creating the dynamic and identity of this family during this small glimpse of their lives.

The way choice works in Three Fourths Home comes into play when choosing from a variety of responses throughout the conversation. Depending on the topic at hand, a certain response can define the relationship style and quality between members of the family. A player may respond, in regards to something someone did and the choice of response will define a style of relationship between the two people. For example, in the game Kelly may have to respond in the conversation about her father working on her car. Within the response options a player could choose for Kelly to either respond that her father reluctantly agreed to fix her car or insisted on fixing it. Depending on the chosen response, Kelly’s relationship with her father can be classified as either strained or sincere. This gives the player freedom to define the family dynamic and relationships as they see fit.

In the extended edition of Three Fourths Home, players are able to play through an epilogue after completing the main game. The dialogue and narrative within this epilogue are just as authentic as they are in the main game. The epilogue takes place in Minnesota, before Kelly graduates college and is back in Nebraska living with her parents. She is waiting at a bus stop and has a phone conversation with her mother. The interesting feature that is new, is the ability to select a dialogue response that is within brackets. Choosing one of these responses causes Kelly to step back into the present time of the main game, responding as though she is looking back on this conversation. This causes her mother to respond from the present time as well. It is a neat idea and I loved being able to tinker with the new feature.

In regards to the ending of Three Fourths Home, it is open to interpretation, as I can imagine people to have different views on the ending. Even the epilogue leaves the player without a definitive answer about the ending of the game, as the epilogue takes place in the past.

The audio of Three Fourths Home enhances the gameplay. Sitting with my headphones on while I played the game, as cliché as it may sound, had me feeling as if I was there. As if I was sitting alongside Kelly in her car as she speaks with her family, listening to the thunderstorm raging along from outside the car. The thunderstorm is quite realistic as well, I almost checked outside my own window to see if it was storming while I played the game.

This rampant storm that occurs throughout the game, reflects the mood of the story, chaotic and gloomy. And although I did not notice at first, it came to my attention that Kelly is driving into the storm to get home, as the weather rapidly grows worse. This also emphasizes her conversation as the family approaches the root of their predicaments and disputes.

Another neat observation is the player’s ability to imagine the concentration that Kelly must need as she attempts to drive through the storm while talking on the phone. The player can imagine this, due to the fact that they must hold down a button to keep Kelly’s car moving, all the while continuing the conversation by choosing responses. Not only can a player just drive Kelly’s car, but they can also mess around with the car’s lights, windshield wipers, and the music playing for the car’s tape deck. These added tidbits enhance the authenticity of the gameplay, as the car ride gains a more honest-to-goodness feel.

Three Fourths Home is not a game where there are any levels to pass or bosses to destroy. Just the player taking on the role of Kelly, the long seemingly never-ending country road in Nebraska and the phone call with her family. It’s utterly simple. Even the art of the game is simple and to the point. Nothing over the top or extravagant. Yet the story it tells is powerful and truly captivating, as it is well-written and touches a place deep within its audience. Maybe causing them to wonder about their own family and whether or not a phone call to them would be beneficial. I know I sure thought about it. Especially with me being away at college and not having seen my family in several months.

The story of Three Fourths Home tugged on my emotions as I felt for the characters that I had only known for no more than an hour or two.

My suggestion if you decide to give the game a go? Allow yourself to be fully immersed within the game, giving it a chance to really affect you. Find meaning where you will, but do not overanalyze, as this will only serve to ruin the game experience.

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