Back Then
- December 8, 2023
- Octopus Embrace
Get on Steam"Back Then" is a narrative-driven first-person game that explores the mind of Thomas Eilian, an elderly writer with Alzheimer's Disease. Players, as Thomas, interact with collectibles, puzzles, and memories while traversing through a house and dreamlike sequences, uncovering truths about Thomas and his family. The game emphasizes storytelling, exploration, and detective work as players struggle to remember their past.
Reviews
- The game offers a deeply emotional and moving narrative that effectively portrays the struggles of Alzheimer's Disease.
- It features beautiful art design, a well-crafted soundtrack, and strong voice acting that enhance the overall experience.
- Many players found the game to be a powerful tool for understanding and processing their own experiences with dementia and loss.
- The gameplay is primarily a walking simulator with minimal interaction, which some players found tedious and unengaging.
- There is no option to save mid-chapter, requiring players to replay sections if they need to exit, which can be frustrating.
- The game has a short playtime of around 2 hours, leading some to feel that it is not worth the price.
- story12 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- 8 % neutral mentions
- 25 % negative mentions
The game's story is described as deeply emotional and beautifully sad, resonating with themes of dementia and personal loss. While some players appreciate its thoughtful pacing and relatable narrative, others find it slow and limited in scope, with a few expressing difficulty in recalling the details. Overall, it is praised for its impactful storytelling, comparable to other notable walking simulators.
“It's such a beautiful, yet incredibly sad story.”
“The story is deeply emotional, touching, and managed to sadden even a jaded, cynical person like myself.”
“It does an amazing job of telling Tommy's story, but is also done in such a way that it can be applied to anyone's story.”
“It just tells a sad story, painfully slowly, while you do nothing.”
“I really wanted to do a little review ^^ so, the story is certainly very well thought out, it's a shame that it's contained in just 2 scenarios.”
“I can't remember the story.”
- emotional4 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game is noted for its intense emotional impact, featuring a mix of tension, frustration, and sadness that resonates deeply with players. Its touching narrative has the power to evoke strong feelings, even in those who are typically hard to impress. Overall, it delivers a profound emotional experience that leaves a lasting impression.
“There were a lot of tense moments and many emotional ones as well.”
“It's emotional, frustrating, disorienting, scary, and very sad.”
“The story is deeply emotional, touching, and managed to sadden even a jaded, cynical person like myself.”
- music2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The music in the game is praised for being spot on, effectively enhancing the overall atmosphere and complementing the narration to create a seamless flow.
“Nice and spot-on soundtrack.”
“The soundtrack and the art really helped set the mood, and the narration enhanced the flow.”
- replayability1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game has a low replayability score, with users noting a short playtime of only two hours, which diminishes its value given the high price.
“Overall rating 6/10. I can't give more because the price is a bit high and the longevity is just 2 hours, making it not replayable.”
- atmosphere1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is enhanced by high-quality voice acting, which effectively contributes to an immersive experience.
“The voice acting is really good and atmospheric.”
- graphics1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The graphics are praised for their appealing art style, which complements the well-executed voice acting.
“The voice acting is well done, and I like the art style.”
- gameplay1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 100 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
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