I hadn’t heard of Forever Ago until I sat down at the Annapurna area at Summer Game Fest back in June. From the brisk twenty minute or so demo, I knew this was my type of game. An adventure game with an emotional throughline about an old man going on a road trip and reminiscing on his life was something that drew me in immediately. After completing it, Forever Ago definitely stands out with its gripping tale about reflection, grief, and living through the hardships of life.
Forever Ago’s main draw is its story. The game puts players in the shoes of an old man named Alfred as he goes on a road trip following the death of his wife Audrey, that she plans for him prior to her passing, to all their favorite spots. If you have ever seen the movie Up, imagine a very similar premise minus all the whimsical Disney things. Though, there is still an adorable dog (though it doesn’t talk) that Alfred meets and accompanies him on his trip. Alfred very similarly to Carl from Up starts as an old curmudgeon who is constantly angry and annoyed as things aren’t the same as they used to be when he was younger. However, thanks to the people he meets along the way, he starts to open up and move past the grief and anger he was holding onto.
The game is comprised of different small sections that are mostly all important spots for Alfred and Audrey from the spot of their first kiss to their favorite theme park to the diner where Alfred proposed to Audrey. Each section doesn’t overstay its welcome and you are only in each area for a short amount of time completing a few things that Audrey had listed for Alfred to do there. Usually, there are a few things that happen that interferes with Alfred’s plans that he must take care of first before he can complete his list. Interspliced throughout each section of the game, are scenes that transport the player back to moments in Alfred and Audrey’s lives with them at the current location and what made it special. Then, there are moments in that transport Alfred to an eerie and surreal location that hint at the time after Audrey had gotten sick.
All this piles up on Alfred to the point where he wants to just cancel the trip since things aren’t going as planned. However, his RV breaks down and this is where Audrey’s words of “you can’t plan life” really start to shine through to him. He also meets a slew of different people that provide him with some form of guidance or motivation to continue on his journey and continue living after losing his wife.
On the gameplay side of things, Forever Ago is the typical adventure game. You are mostly just interacting with the environment looking at scenery or talking to other characters. There are groups of flower petals in every section of the game you can find that give a glimpse of a hidden vignette that shows a scene of Audrey and Alfred. Aside from that, there are a few small platforming sections and even a little arcade machine you can play during one of the sections (which will be the most varied gameplay Forever Ago features).
Overall, Forever Ago is an emotional and heartfelt journey that anyone can relate to. The theme of how you can’t plan life is a message that should resonate with everyone. Especially for those getting older as time starts to feel like its ever moving faster for us, and they start to reflect on their life and everything they wanted out of it. While the gameplay might not be the most engaging for most players, Forever Ago is still something special that everyone should try given its brisk runtime.
Score: 8 out of 10
Reviewed on PlayStation 5
