Dear Mom

About

Dear Mom is a single player casual simulation game. It was developed by ethos and was released on February 1, 2021. It received mostly positive reviews from players.

A short narrative adventure about mom, which will leave you with unforgettable incredible emotions about your mom.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

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65%

Audience ScoreBased on 20 reviews

emotional9 positive mentions

gameplay3 negative mentions

Dear Mom is a touching and emotional adventure that beautifully explores the importance of family connections and the fleeting nature of time.
The game's visual style, featuring soft pastel tones, creates a warm and cozy atmosphere that enhances the emotional experience.
The heartfelt narrative and music effectively evoke deep feelings, making it a meaningful interactive experience for players.

The game is very short, taking less than an hour to complete, which may leave players wanting more substance.
There are significant technical issues, including a lack of customization options and potential asset flip concerns, which detract from the overall experience.
The gameplay is simplistic and repetitive, with some players finding the story too generic and lacking depth.

emotional
9 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game is widely praised for its emotional depth, resonating particularly with players who have experienced loss, especially related to their mothers. Its poetic narration and touching music enhance the heartfelt experience, making it a moving journey despite some rough edges. Overall, it strikes a deep emotional chord, offering a relatable and poignant narrative that many find beautifully crafted.
- “This is a very touching game that talks about real things that everyone with a mom can relate to.”
- “This is a walking simulator with a heart and for anyone who has loved and lost their mother, it will strike a deep emotional chord.”
- “And emotional as I am, dear mom gave me a little tear.”
story
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
38%
24%
38%
The game's story is criticized for its simplicity and lack of depth, often reducing to a basic emotional message. While some appreciate the overall theme, many feel that the short length and underdeveloped characters hinder a deeper connection to the narrative. Overall, it is seen more as an experience than a fully fleshed-out story.
- “The story and especially the message behind it is great!”
- “Good, but extremely short story.”
- “Two cons: the game was a bit short which made it harder to connect to the story for me.”
- “Unfortunately, the story never gets any deeper than 'I love you, mom.'”
- “It struggled to establish its characters and tell their story.”
- “Two cons: the game was a bit short, which made it harder to connect to the story for me.”
graphics
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
43%
28%
29%
Overall, the graphics received mixed reviews; while some players praised the wonderful graphics and animations, others noted limitations such as a lack of resolution options and occasional navigation hiccups. The interiors were described as having an oddness, but the general quality was considered decent.
- “Graphics and controls are good.”
- “Dear mom has wonderful graphics and animations.”
- “There's no option to change the resolution and no useful graphics tweaks.”
- “The graphics were decent, but navigating the world had some strange hiccups.”
gameplay
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
75%
The gameplay primarily involves exploring the grounds of a former estate as a child, resembling a walking simulator with straightforward mechanics and limited interactive elements. Players can expect a focus on exploration rather than complex gameplay challenges.
- “I was expecting a walking simulator (meaning that there wouldn't be much actual 'gameplay'), and for the most part, I got what I expected.”
- “I was expecting a walking simulator (meaning that there wouldn't be much actual 'gameplay'), and for the most part I got what I expected.”
- “Gameplay entails you being the child and walking through the grounds of your former estate and home.”
- “Straightforward gameplay.”
music
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
75%
25%
The music in the game is praised for its beauty and emotional depth, effectively complementing the game's themes of love and appreciation. Reviewers highlight the poetic quality of the soundtrack and voice acting, noting successful examples from personal projects and game jams that enhance the overall experience.
- “The art and music are nicely done, and there is a deep message - to tell those we love how important they are while we can.”
- “I found it beautifully poetic and enjoyed the music as well as the voice acting.”
- “And not to forget that touching music and this sensitive voice.”
stability
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Users report experiencing some glitches, indicating that stability may not be fully reliable.
- “As might be expected, there were a few glitches.”
- “The game crashes frequently, making it nearly unplayable.”
- “I experienced constant lag and frame drops, which ruined the experience.”
optimization
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
Overall, the game's optimization is generally solid, with smooth performance reported by most users, though some experienced occasional hangs that were not significantly disruptive.
- “I experienced an occasional hang, but the game did run smoothly overall, so this wasn't a nuisance.”
monetization
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The monetization strategy of the game raises concerns among users, as its quality is often compared to that of asset flips or cash grab scams, leading to skepticism about its value. Despite the lack of concrete evidence, players feel the need to approach the game's monetization with caution.
- “There's no evidence, so we need to give the benefit of the doubt... regardless, asset flip or not, the quality here is indistinguishable from many asset flip/cash grab scams, and that's a problem in itself.”