Parents' Guide to

No Longer Home

By Jeff Haynes, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 10+

Emotional student story sunk by too many plot holes.

Game Windows 2021
No Longer Home Poster Image

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This is a short, touching emotional tale of two students, but the missing resolution of any story points can leave you disappointed and frustrated with the tale. No Longer Home will strike a nerve with older gamers, especially those that have been in college or had older siblings that struggled with what they wanted to do with their lives when they graduated. In fact, the emotional tone the game strikes with the handling of anxiety and fears for Ao, Bo, and their friends feels genuine. It's touching to know that Ao and Bo have found each other as queer, non-binary people that care for each other, and also have a group of friends that support them and their choices. It's also what makes the exploration of their lives through their South London flat so heartbreaking, because you're constantly reminded of the life that they're both losing due to the expired student visa. While you sincerely hope they'll both find happiness, ideally with each other, there's a sense and dread that this might not actually work out in the end, which feels realistic, because not every story ends happily.

Unfortunately, while this feels like it's handled just right, far too many items are unexplained. For example, the game introduces magical realism elements like odd monster-like creatures or plants that grow in unexpected places in the flat, without any explanation of why they're in the story. If the game included them as a manifestation of the character's fears, or even explained their presence as a metaphor, this would make sense. Instead, there's no explanation, and no outcome when you interact with these elements. Similarly, while Ao, Bo, and their friends talk to each other, the dialogue feels a bit shallow, and right as a conversation seems like it's going to reach a deep moment, it shifts to a new scene. Unfortunately, that means important topics are raised but are never resolved, conversations fall flat, and before you know it, the game ends abruptly. It's bittersweet, because No Longer Home had a lot of promise, but it leaves you wanting a lot more.

Game Details

  • Platform: Windows
  • Pricing structure: Paid
  • Available online?: Available online
  • Publisher: Fellow Traveler
  • Release date: July 30, 2021
  • Genre: Action/Adventure
  • ESRB rating: NR for No Descriptions
  • Last updated: August 6, 2021

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