If you have never experienced the loss of a friend or loved one, consider yourself lucky. The pain can overwhelm and remembering the good and the bad times can heal wounds. If you have gone through this emotional time, then my latest review game will resonate with you, and you will empathise with the lead character. When The Past Was Around is an adventure point and click title that explores the sense of loss, emptiness and sadness that is felt when you are feeling lost, or a loved one passes.
Developed by Mojiken Studio and Toge Productions and published by Chorus Worldwide Games, this sombre and melancholy game visits some dark and sorrowful subjects, but presents them in a touching and sincere manner. You control Eda, a girl in her 20s who is lost. She is lost on her way to achieving her dreams. You will observe the pain and the joy of her memories, and how she overcomes the dark thoughts that cloud her vision.
It sounds deep and depressing.
The thought that a developer would explore these ideas through the medium of a computer game is an unusual approach. But the story shouldn’t be taken as literally as it’s presented. It is open to interpretation, and you can relate to it no matter your situation. Split over 5 chapters, you will explore Eda’s memories, and see her grow before your eyes. The game utilises a mixture of puzzle solving and point and click mechanics to drive the plot forward. As you progress, you experience harder and more convoluted problems to solve. It was a delightful step up in difficulty, ensuring that you focussed solely on the storyline, while still challenging you throughout.
Only a heartless monster would not enjoy this game. The combination of; beautiful art, emotive audio, and touching memories will tug at your heartstrings. Time simply melts away as you are transported to the world that this girl exists in. You know the outcome of the story from the Prologue, yet; it matters not. You spend the entire game begging for a change in fate, and that somehow your actions will alter her destined path. Unfortunately, like Eda, you are powerless to change her destiny, and you must let the memories of her past wash over you.
Brilliantly designed game mechanics.
The puzzling element isn’t challenging, but the way each is set up is fantastic. Hidden compartments, symbols, and coded messages must all be found and deciphered to keep the story rolling. You will move around the screen searching for the items while reciting number sequences in your head. It’s a great test of short term memory and your observation skills. If Mojiken Studio had made it harder, then it would have ruined the pace, and may have destroyed the emotional atmosphere that has been created.
An anthropomorphic owl represents Eda’s dreams, the deep adoration of this character shows her desire and love of the music. She would sacrifice everything to keep this spark alive, without it she feels lost and alone. Yet where there is death and loss, there is a new beginning, and Eda must find the right balance between holding on and letting go.
A delightful art style.
The 2D nature of this wonderful piece of artistry is fantastic. The image is fixed with the interactive objects, the only thing to change. Doors swing open, items can be moved, and puzzles must be solved. Though little changes, the world feels alive and full of energy. The crisp lines and mix of colours create a vivid picture that oozes an emotive atmosphere. For all the big images, it’s the tiny details that are most significant. The image of her desire is a singular feather, and the blackening of any object highlights her loss. It’s so simple, but undeniably strong.
Eda’s love revolves around music, and the violin. It’s understandable that the audio would be the key to delivering the story successfully. A straightforward and morose tune plays repeatedly with minor changes that represent her growth and journey. You may think it would get stale quickly, yet the repetition reinforces the nature of the plot, and helps to enhance its meaning. The sound effects are a low-key affair and match each undertaken action. This was a wise choice by the developers, as it allows you to focus on the story.
Simple controls, but a little sluggish.
The point and click element of this makes it easy to control, and move through the game. Items are simple to select as an icon displays as you hover over useable objects. My only gripe is with the pace of the cursor, it’s extremely slow, and I believe would be a better experience on a PC. This genre suffers from the lack of freedom that a controller gives you, and unfortunately this game is no exception to this rule.
When The Past Was Around is a short but bittersweet title, and this does impact on its ability to deliver any worthwhile replay value. The story will take you around 2 hours to complete, and that will cover off most of its small achievement list. If you are a completionist, you have the chance to use a chapter select to unlock anything missing, adding another hour or so. For only £7 its money well invested, as you will experience an amazing story, and great art.
Will you learn to let go?
With such a touching story, it would be hard not to get emotionally involved. A brilliantly balanced puzzle game that plays second fiddle to a mournful plot that takes you on a journey of discovery. Do I recommend it? Absolutely, I loved it, and you can buy a copy here! Can you help Eda let go of her past? Live through her memories and help her look to the future.
