Her Story

Sam Barlow

About this game

Her Story is the critically acclaimed mystery game from Sam Barlow. Playing like an interactive true crime documentary, the game lets you go hands on with a police database full of live action video footage. It stars Viva Seifert, actress and one half of the band Joe Gideon and the Shark.

** Winner of 3 Bafta Awards, 2 IGF Awards, 3 GDC Awards, Best Narrative & Best Performance at The Game Awards 2015, The Grand Jury Award at IndieCade, Polygon's Game of the Year, SXSW Mobile Game of the Year, Webby Award for Best Mobile Game, 5 IMGA Awards and more! **

"Her Story is one of the most entrancing experiences you can hope to find on mobile"
9/10, Pocket Gamer

"It’s a murder case where you’re in the detective’s chair, a mystery where you make the running, and an engrossing experience from start to finish. With this we should consign the term “interactive movie” to history’s dustbin, because movies can’t dream of offering audiences a narrative structure as intimate and involving as this: they’re just moving pictures. Her Story points to the future" 5/5, The Guardian

How does it work?

Her Story sits you in front of a mothballed desktop computer and logs you into a police database. Search through hundreds of video clips that cover seven interviews from 1994 in which a British woman is interviewed about her missing husband. Explore the database by typing search terms, watch the clips where she speaks those words and piece together her story.

"Her Story is a beautiful amalgam of the cinema and video game formats... a remarkable achievement..." 90, The Washington Post

"Profound, gripping live-action drama… sure to be discussed for years to come" 5/5, Digital Spy

Unlike anything you've played before, Her Story is an involving and moving experience. One that asks you to listen.

Ratings and reviews

Game premise is promising, and initial desktop and layout look good. But like many others have stated, after clicking a video to watch, there is no way to back out or leave screen to continue the game. If they fix it, it'll get a higher review. Until then, I asked for a refund and won't be purchasing the game again.

More of an experience than a game, overall this was an excellent time and it was fun to keep track of your own theories on what's going on as you watch the videos and choose to investigate what you want. I do agree that there should be more to wrap it up as opposed to the way it "ends." Overall, five stars for the acting and the concept, and the intrigue I felt while playing it.

I was excited to try this purchase. Especially with the reviews and high ratings. I felt that the concept was interesting and original. I loved the lay out and presentation using a desktop seach engine. I liked the realism of the interviews and the actress. However other than just watching interview clips over and over (to me) I felt there really wasnt anything for gameplay or incentive to push me forward. Ive tried it a few times and couldnt get through it.

What's new

Version 10 - Fixes bug where database window disappears after completion