The Vanishing of Ethan Carter Reviews

The Vanishing of Ethan Carter is ranked in the 79th percentile of games scored on OpenCritic.
10 / 10.0
Nov 12, 2014

Nothing is so simply put in The Vanishing of Ethan Carter, but to put it simply, this game is absolutely worth the $20 price tag

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Jul 23, 2015

The Vanishing of Ethan Carter may not be a long journey, but the breathtaking visuals and atmosphere are enough to captivate most anybody on their way to solving a number of mysteries that all play a part in the overall story.

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8 / 10.0
Jul 16, 2015

The Vanishing of Ethan Carter sets out to achieve a very specific goal and despite some slight missteps along the way, it largely succeeds in offering players a sense of spectral wonder through simplistic gameplay and stunning visuals, all wrapped in a well written mystery that leaves its mark. 

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Jan 23, 2018

If you're looking for a gorgeous game with a strong story between those heavy-hitters this month, then be sure to check out The Vanishing of Ethan Carter. Aside from its performance issues, the game is in many ways a masterpiece which every Xbox One owner should consider.

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Jan 22, 2018

The Vanishing of Ethan Carter is an early narrative adventure game that outdoes some of its later counterparts in ambition.

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Oct 6, 2014

This beautiful detective story refuses to lead you by the hand – instead providing a rich and mysterious world to explore and experience

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8.5 / 10.0
Jul 21, 2015

A more than competent puzzler that wows with its impressive vistas, excellent sound design and subtle horror-tinged plot. The Vanishing of Ethan Carter is a thing of dark beauty.

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8 / 10
Jul 17, 2015

The Vanishing of Ethan Carter was already great when it released on the PC in late 2014, and the PS4 version succeeds in re-purposing that same experience for a new audience. While reworking the title in Unreal Engine 4 hasn't brought about a drastic number of changes, it performs adequately barring some framerate hiccups. For the most part, though, this game delivers an intriguing and thought-provoking detective experience that – in its own words – doesn't hold your hand.

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Oct 1, 2014

It keeps you on edge just enough to pique your curiosity for what the next mystery will bring, and marries that mystery with an eerily beautiful world worth being curious about.

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85 / 100
Oct 8, 2014

In the end, 'The Vanishing of Ethan Carter' is a great game to pick up.

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Justin Celani
Top Critic
8.5 / 10.0
Jul 21, 2015

If you love exploration, mystery, even a sense of wonder and awe, The Vanishing of Ethan Carter provides all this and more. For the 4 to 6 hours the game lasts, it's definitely a memorable experience.

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Ken McKown
Top Critic
8 / 10.0
Feb 6, 2018

The Vanishing of Ethan Carter is a solid experience that I really enjoyed taking. It could have benefitted from a little more structure and fleshing out the characters a bit more. Still, it is great to finally have the game come to Xbox, and I am happy to have experienced it.

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Ken McKown
Top Critic
8 / 10.0
Feb 6, 2018

The Vanishing of Ethan Carter is a solid experience that I really enjoyed taking. It could have benefitted from a little more structure and fleshing out the characters a bit more.

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Jan 18, 2018

If you have the patience for a lot of wandering about and backtracking there's an intriguing story to experience here, but the expertly crafted atmosphere isn't always enough to mask the occasional gameplay frustration, getting in the way of the storytelling.

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9 / 10.0
Aug 13, 2015

When it comes to psychological scares, this whodunit of a ghost story introduces you to your own worst enemy: Being inside your own head. You may anticipate more horror than you'll actually run across, but that's a horrific thought in its own right.

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7.3 / 10.0
Sep 29, 2014

I'm happy I spent the past few days playing through Vanishing and I'd recommend it to patient gamers who are fans of mysterious experiences, non-linear storytelling, and games that are heavy on atmosphere.

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9 / 10.0
Oct 3, 2014

The Vanishing of Ethan Carter is a compelling interactive novella that draws players in with its beautifully atmospheric setting. The slow burn narrative doesn't quite land the final emotional punch it's aiming for, but it more than satisfies on every other level.

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Oct 6, 2014

The Vanishing of Ethan Carter is one of this year's most engaging and beautifully crafted narratives that should not be missed by any fan of immersive storytelling.

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5 / 5.0
Oct 5, 2014

I believe The Vanishing of Ethan Carter is an incredible game that shouldn't be missed. Of course it won't be everyone's cup of tea and it's massively story-centered, but if you don't mind this, you will enjoy what is a real jewel of a game and a title from which the gaming industry can learn a lot.

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ACG
Top Critic
Buy
Sep 26, 2014
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