Skip to main content

Dear me, I was…

Dear Me, I Was… Nintendo Switch 2 Review
Dear me, I was… Game Cover
88%Game Brain Score
Most mentioned positive aspects:story, graphics
Most mentioned negative aspects:gameplay
100% User Score Based on 40 reviews
Critic Score 85%Based on 2 reviews

Platforms

Nintendo SwitchPCTabletAndroidPhoneiPadSteam DeckMobile PlatformiPhoneWindowsNintendo Switch 2
Buy Nowfrom $7.99
Buy NowGet on Steam $7.99
Dear me, I was… Game Cover

About Dear me, I was…

Dear me, I was… is a single player action game with romance and anime themes. It was developed by Arc System Works and was released on February 12, 2026. It received positive reviews from critics and overwhelmingly positive reviews from players.

Dear me, I was… is an interactive adventure that lets you enjoy a story woven with beautiful visuals, fusing the vibrant watercolor style of Taisuke Kanasaki with rotoscoping technology. In this story, you will relive the life of a certain woman. Experience joy, sorrow, and growth through her ordinary and humble life. Witness the story she weaves in a life interconnected with others.

Genres & Tags
Play Modes
Dear me, I was… screenshot
Dear me, I was… screenshot
Dear me, I was… screenshot
Dear me, I was… screenshot
Dear me, I was… screenshot
Dear me, I was… screenshot
Dear me, I was… screenshot
Dear me, I was… screenshot
Dear me, I was… screenshot
Dear me, I was… screenshot
Dear me, I was… screenshot
+2
Skip Games Like Dear me, I was…

Games Like Dear me, I was…

Looking for games like Dear me, I was…? Here are top action recommendations with a romance and anime focus, selected from player-similarity data — start with Fragments of Him, Until Then or A Taste of the Past.

Fragments of Him Image
79%175reviews

Fragments of Him

2016Casual Simulation
LinuxXbox Series X|SPC+7
Games like Fragments of Him
Until Then Image
88%10.2kreviews

Until Then

2024Casual Simulation
LinuxXbox Series X|SPC+5
Games like Until Then
A Taste of the Past Image
98%1.3kreviews

A Taste of the Past

2022Casual Simulation
PCWeb BrowserMac OS+1
Games like A Taste of the Past
When the Past Was Around Image
88%1.4kreviews

When the Past Was Around

2020Casual Action Adventure
Nintendo SwitchAndroidPlaystation 4+15
Games like When the Past Was Around
If Found... Image
87%1.5kreviews

If Found...

2020Casual Puzzle
Nintendo SwitchPCTablet+6
Games like If Found...
Atri: My Dear Moments Image
98%1.5kreviews

Atri: My Dear Moments

2020Casual Simulation
Nintendo SwitchPCTablet+6
Games like Atri: My Dear Moments
A Bird Story Image
76%3.8kreviews

A Bird Story

2014Casual Role Playing
LinuxPCMac OS+1
Games like A Bird Story
Narcissu 1st & 2nd Image
94%2.1kreviews

Narcissu 1st & 2nd

2015Action
LinuxPCMac OS+1
Games like Narcissu 1st & 2nd
The House in Fata Morgana Image
93%3kreviews

The House in Fata Morgana

2016Action
Nintendo SwitchAndroidPlaystation 4+10
Games like The House in Fata Morgana
Florence Image
92%4.3kreviews

Florence

2020Casual Simulation
Nintendo SwitchLinuxPC+9
Games like Florence
More games like Dear me, I was…
Skip User Reviews

Reviews

100%Audience ScoreBased on 40 reviews
story14 positive mentions
gameplay3 negative mentions
  • Beautiful, distinctive rotoscoped watercolor art style reminiscent of Hotel Dusk that brings the story to life.
  • Emotionally moving, relatable, and heartfelt story told without dialogue, focusing on life, connection, grief, and acceptance.
  • Excellent soundtrack that complements the narrative and enhances emotional impact.
  • Very short experience, roughly 40-60 minutes, with minimal gameplay that feels more like an interactive movie than a traditional game.
  • Lack of dialogue and narrative clarity may cause some players to feel disconnected or confused about certain parts of the story.
  • Performance issues on lower-end computers due to Unreal Engine 5 requirements, making it unplayable for some users.

  • story

    31 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
    45% positive mentions, 45% neutral mentions, 10% negative mentions

    The story is a short, beautifully told slice-of-life narrative conveyed without dialogue, relying on stunning watercolor art and music to evoke emotion. While some find it deeply relatable and moving, touching on themes of life, grief, and connection, others feel it could benefit from more substance or backstory. Overall, it's praised for its emotional impact and artistic presentation despite its brevity.

    • “The art is incredibly beautiful and the story so relatable it was both painful and moving throughout.”
    • “A very relatable story about going through life yearning for connection and the need to be true to your passions.”
    • “The story itself, I will admit to getting lost at certain points, but really thinking about it and watching our nameless character's life go by really makes me think about the deeper meanings of the relationships we have with others and also mourning what could have been if we made different decisions.”
    • “The visuals and music are nice but it doesn't feel like there's much substance with the story.”
    • “Like, you want to feel something because of the way it's presented but it's lacking something, some additional backstory or anything.”
    • “It's very short and simple, only once every now and again will you click on things to progress the story.”

  • graphics

    19 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
    58% positive mentions, 26% neutral mentions, 16% negative mentions

    The game features a distinctive and beautiful rotoscoped watercolor art style reminiscent of Hotel Dusk, praised for its visual storytelling without dialogue. While some found the animation's stop-start motion slightly jarring and performance varied on lower-end devices, overall the gorgeous, detailed visuals strongly enhance the emotional experience and are a key highlight of the game.

    • “The rotoscoped, watercoloured artwork beautifully illustrates the story of the protagonist's life.”
    • “"Dear me, i was..." is a short but sweet game that tells a story through its beautiful watercolor artwork without needing to utter a single word.”
    • “Since the story is told entirely without dialogue it relies a lot on the music and art, and they made sure to make them both count; I think the visuals alone are worth the price of entry.”
    • “I was playing this game on a laptop (cannot handle Unreal Engine 5) which made the visuals move about half as slow as normal.”
    • “The slow visuals did not take away from the game at all, made me appreciate life with more patience.”
    • “If you had a Nintendo DS through its glory days, the art style might be what immediately stands out to you.”

  • emotional

    8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
    100% positive mentions, 0% neutral mentions, 0% negative mentions

    The game delivers a deeply emotional experience, evoking strong feelings and even tears despite its short 45-minute length. Its heartfelt, beautifully presented story, complemented by watercolor-inspired art and a touching soundtrack, resonates with players on themes of life’s journey and bittersweet moments. Many recommend playing it blind to fully appreciate its emotional impact.

    • “I didn't understand everything, especially chapter 3, but it made me cry like a baby nonetheless.”
    • “A very beautiful story that made me cry, very short at about 45 minutes but the Steam page description doesn't hide the short length of the story, and honestly, it doesn't need to be any longer than it already is. The story presents itself perfectly with the time it blesses us with its presence.”
    • “A very heartfelt story concerning the path of life we take and the peaks and valleys we traverse.”

  • music

    7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
    86% positive mentions, 14% neutral mentions, 0% negative mentions

    The music in the game is widely praised for its emotional impact and masterful composition, perfectly complementing the story and visuals. The soundtrack is described as beautiful, heartwarming, and a key element that enhances the overall presentation.

    • “The soundtrack is phenomenal, masterfully used scene by scene to really sell the impact of the moment happening. The end credit music is a masterpiece.”
    • “An emotional short story paired with beautiful, watercolour-inspired art and a lovely soundtrack.”
    • “'Dear me, I was...' is a linear storytelling product with a very distinct, beautiful art style and an amazing soundtrack.”

  • gameplay

    3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
    0% positive mentions, 0% neutral mentions, 100% negative mentions

    The gameplay is minimal and short, reminiscent of titles like Florence, making it suitable for players who enjoy brief, narrative-focused experiences rather than extensive or complex gameplay.

    • “Definitely not a game for people who dislike short titles or those with minimal gameplay.”
    • “It took me a little over an hour to finish, but I didn't really notice the visual lag until I looked up gameplay.”
    • “Reminds me a lot of Florence in terms of its gameplay (not much really).”
Skip Critic Reviews

Critic Reviews

85%Critics’ scoreBased on 2 critic reviews
Skip Game Offers

Buy Dear me, I was…

Skip Videos

Videos

Skip FAQs

Frequently Asked Questions

Dear me, I was… is a action game with romance and anime themes. Common tags for Dear me, I was… include 2d, female protagonist, cats, emotional, atmospheric and others.

Dear me, I was… is available on Nintendo Switch, PC, Phone, iPad and others.

Dear me, I was… was released on February 12, 2026.

Dear me, I was… was developed by Arc System Works.

Dear me, I was… has received positive reviews from players and positive reviews from critics. Most players liked Dear me, I was… for its story but disliked it for its gameplay.

Dear me, I was… is a single player game.

Similar games include Fragments of Him, Until Then, A Taste of the Past, When the Past Was Around, If Found... and others.