Last Day of June
- August 1, 2017
- Ovosonico
- 4h median play time
There's a fantastic story here, filled with some great concepts and plenty of poignancy, ready to make you question the importance of life.
In Last Day of June, players explore a poignant, artistic world to prevent a tragic accident and save the life of their loved one. Through innovative narrative mechanics, players solve puzzles and uncover the events of the day from different perspectives. This emotional journey challenges players to question the genuine impact of their actions and the sacrifices they're willing to make.
Reviews
- Beautiful graphics and art style that create an immersive atmosphere.
- Emotionally touching story that resonates with themes of love and loss.
- Engaging soundtrack by Steven Wilson that enhances the overall experience.
- Repetitive gameplay with unskippable cutscenes that can become tedious.
- Game-breaking bugs that prevent progress, particularly related to save files.
- Short playtime (around 3-4 hours) that may not justify the full price.
- story676 mentions
- 43 % positive mentions
- 53 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The story of "Last Day of June" is a poignant exploration of love, loss, and the struggle to change fate, conveyed through a unique non-verbal narrative that resonates emotionally with players. While the gameplay can feel repetitive and the plot somewhat predictable, the beautiful visuals and evocative soundtrack enhance the storytelling experience, making it a memorable journey that often leaves players in tears. Overall, it is highly recommended for those who appreciate emotionally rich narratives, despite its gameplay shortcomings.
“A truly masterpiece, I don't have any other words to describe this game; the story is amazing and really touching. If you're looking for a short game (more or less 3 hours) that will make you cry but still smile at the end, consider Last Day of June.”
“It's a must-play for anyone who enjoys thought-provoking narratives and emotional storytelling.”
“Last Day of June is a touching adventure game with unique time-traveling mechanics and a heartfelt story about love, loss, and the choices we make in life.”
“The gameplay is boring and the story is a car crash; the 'tragic' scenes seemed more like comedy to me.”
“The story is predictable and didn't capture me at all.”
“The story feels forced and the game is way too repetitive.”
- music264 mentions
- 47 % positive mentions
- 52 % neutral mentions
- 1 % negative mentions
The music in "Last Day of June," primarily composed by Steven Wilson, is widely praised for its emotional depth and ability to enhance the game's narrative. Many reviewers highlight the soundtrack as a standout feature, describing it as beautiful, fitting, and integral to the storytelling, although some note that it can feel underutilized or repetitive at times. Overall, the combination of the evocative music and stunning visuals creates a poignant atmosphere that resonates with players, making it a memorable experience.
“Its captivating story, coupled with its beautiful visuals and emotional soundtrack, creates an unforgettable journey through love and loss.”
“The love's beautiful and pure, and the soundtrack is out of this world - Steven Wilson has a way of translating deep emotions into song.”
“The music complements the emotion of the story, the endless repetitions do not.”
“The soundtrack is absolutely bland and at times so inappropriate it's funny.”
“The music was underutilized, the characters felt weak, and the artistic choices conflicted with the game feel.”
“However one gripe I have with the music is that whilst the game is based off the song 'drive home', it is not played once throughout the game.”
- emotional261 mentions
- 99 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 1 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of "Last Day of June" is widely praised for its deeply touching and heartbreaking narrative, which explores themes of love, loss, and the impact of choices. Many players report being moved to tears by the story's poignant moments and unexpected twists, despite some criticism regarding gameplay mechanics. Overall, the game is described as an emotional rollercoaster that leaves a lasting impression, making it a must-play for those who appreciate heartfelt storytelling.
“This game is a beautiful, emotional time loop of grief and attempting to change fate.”
“Last Day of June is a touching adventure game with unique time-traveling mechanics and a heartfelt story about love, loss, and the choices we make in life.”
“The emotional narrative explores themes of regret and loss and leaves a lasting impact.”
“Tedious gameplay, boring storyline.”
“So don't play this game unless you are okay with a slow pace, repeating tasks, and a boring story.”
- graphics228 mentions
- 60 % positive mentions
- 38 % neutral mentions
- 2 % negative mentions
The graphics of "Last Day of June" are widely praised for their unique and beautiful art style, often described as watercolor-like or reminiscent of impressionist paintings. Many players appreciate the vibrant colors and emotional depth conveyed through the visuals, which complement the game's poignant story and soundtrack by Steven Wilson. However, some critiques mention issues with blurriness and character design, particularly the lack of eyes, which can be unsettling for some players. Overall, the game's aesthetic is a significant draw, enhancing the emotional experience despite some technical shortcomings.
“Beautiful graphics and animation, with a fantastic score by Steven Wilson.”
“Its captivating story, coupled with its beautiful visuals and emotional soundtrack, creates an unforgettable journey through love and loss.”
“The art style is absolutely gorgeous, although some members of my (admittedly small) Twitch audience were slightly perturbed by characters' lack of eyes.”
“No dialogue, just babbling, blurry visuals, and lots of flashbacks/cutscenes that can't be skipped.”
“I got almost an hour into the game and quit for the night, and when I came back the next evening to load my game, I got a black screen with crickets chirping and no graphics, and then the game crashed.”
“The graphics were decent, but when you have terrible gameplay, do the graphics really make a difference?”
- gameplay200 mentions
- 23 % positive mentions
- 62 % neutral mentions
- 16 % negative mentions
The gameplay of "Last Day of June" has received mixed reviews, with many players finding it tedious and repetitive, particularly due to the lack of options to skip cutscenes and the necessity to replay sections to solve puzzles. While some appreciate the emotional depth and unique mechanics tied to the narrative, others criticize the gameplay for being simplistic and lacking engagement, often feeling more like a linear experience than an interactive game. Overall, the game is recommended for those who prioritize storytelling over complex gameplay mechanics.
“Last Day of June is a touching adventure game with unique time-traveling mechanics and a heartfelt story about love, loss, and the choices we make in life.”
“The gameplay presents an interesting concept: changing various intertwining events by reliving days is a cool premise, but the inherent repetition ends up dragging things out.”
“The gameplay is straightforward and simple, and the bulk of the focus is given to the narrative.”
“But the gameplay is incredibly tedious... if you can even call it gameplay.”
“The gameplay is tedious at times but that's literally part of the point.”
“The gameplay gets a bit repetitive after a while, but I still think it's worth getting.”
- atmosphere31 mentions
- 71 % positive mentions
- 19 % neutral mentions
- 10 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its beautiful art style, calming music, and immersive storytelling, creating a captivating experience that draws players in. Many reviewers highlight the emotional depth conveyed through the atmosphere, with some noting a shift from serene to intense as the narrative unfolds. Overall, the combination of visuals, sound design, and thematic elements contributes to a rich and engaging atmosphere that enhances the gameplay experience.
“The atmosphere in this game is amazing and the story mirrors this as well.”
“The music, atmosphere, everything was carefully planned and lovely made; it's impossible to not get drawn to the style.”
“One of the most atmospheric games I've ever seen; it makes you want to just walk around in the game and admire it.”
“If you've got more spare time and are happy to soak up the atmosphere of the game rather than advancing the story quickly, you're more likely to enjoy it.”
“With its simple, cute art style and its atmosphere you can tell the game really tries to get the player to feel sad, upset and emotionally involved in the grim story.”
“The quality of gameplay mechanics, visual aesthetic, and audio atmosphere combine to create an experience unlike anything I've seen in a video game before.”
- grinding30 mentions
- 3 % positive mentions
- 3 % neutral mentions
- 93 % negative mentions
Overall, players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and frustrating, often describing the gameplay as repetitive and unchallenging. While some appreciate the emotional payoff and artistic elements, many criticize the unskippable cutscenes and the need to replay sections, which detracts from the overall experience. Despite moments of engagement, the majority of the game is perceived as a grind that can diminish enjoyment.
“You'll need a second life for grinding.”
“But the gameplay is incredibly tedious... if you can even call it gameplay.”
“I found the gameplay frustrating and tedious for a majority of the game.”
“Out of 4 hours of gameplay, only the first hour was exciting and after it turned into tedious grinding until the end.”
- replayability18 mentions
- 17 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's replayability is largely criticized, with many users noting a lack of incentive to replay due to a short playtime, minimal changes in story, and straightforward achievements. While some mention the presence of collectibles that can be pursued in subsequent playthroughs, the consensus is that the game offers little to no replay value, making it less appealing for players seeking extended gameplay.
“Cool art style, the game is replayable too.”
“I'd love for there to be more replay value (not that there isn't already enough, but more would be nice).”
“The game is infinitely replayable.”
“There is no replay value to this game.”
“Achievements are easy to grab at first playthrough, so there isn't really much replay value.”
“There is also no way to return to a certain point after reaching the end of the game, which makes getting missed achievements a real hassle; the game doesn't have much replay value.”
- character development10 mentions
- 30 % positive mentions
- 40 % neutral mentions
- 30 % negative mentions
Character development in the game receives mixed reviews, with some players appreciating the depth and emotional impact of the story, while others criticize the simplistic character designs and pacing. Despite the varied opinions on aesthetics, many agree that the character arcs contribute positively to the overall narrative experience. However, some players found the character designs unappealing and felt that the development lacked engagement.
“It's a good story, a sad story, with good character development, music, and art is beautiful all the way through.”
“Love the art style/character design, story ripped my heart out several times, game mechanic surprised me because I hadn't looked into it beforehand.”
“The bloom effects are well-integrated into the dreamy atmosphere and I relished the character design.”
“The character design is horrendous; they all look like those stock images of generic 'stick figures' people use in PowerPoint presentations.”
“Too obvious where it was going from early on and the character designs did nothing for me.”
“It just had bad pacing, uninteresting gameplay, and not great storytelling or character development.”
- humor8 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is a delightful mix of clever dialogue and situational comedy, often catching players off guard with its unexpected wit. While some moments evoke laughter, others lead to deeper emotional responses, showcasing a balance between humor and storytelling. Overall, players appreciate the game's funny vocal features and quirky interactions, making it a worthwhile experience for fans of indie and story-driven games.
“It's a great game, fun little interacting puzzles, sweet graphics, funny vocal features, but I would recommend it to those who love indie games and amazing storylines.”
“Funny little game worth a pickup if you're into story-driven games.”
“I was then surprised about how funny it actually was.”
- optimization7 mentions
- 29 % positive mentions
- 29 % neutral mentions
- 43 % negative mentions
The game has made noticeable improvements in optimization since 2019, with reduced GPU usage from 100% to around 70% on Windows 10. However, some users still report ongoing optimization issues, particularly with unoptimized graphics that can detract from the overall experience. Despite these concerns, the gameplay remains smooth and accessible.
“The gameplay is easy to grasp and runs smoothly.”
“I think the devs have patched issues with performance since I last played this game in 2019 (the game used 100% of my GPU, however now it only uses around 70%).”
“This game - or, 'performance'?”
“A word about unoptimized graphics.”
- stability4 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game has been widely criticized for its instability, with users reporting numerous bugs, including game-breaking issues that cause freezes and unwatchable end credits. Overall, the consensus highlights significant concerns regarding the game's reliability.
“The end credits were so buggy that they were unwatchable.”
“Features a game-breaking bug that freezes the game.”
“There's a lot of talk about the game being buggy.”
- monetization1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
The monetization strategy has been criticized as exploitative, with players feeling that the game prioritizes profit over quality gameplay, leading to perceptions of it being a cash grab.
“If these developers had just added a decent amount of gameplay, I would overlook all the other issues and honestly would have given this cash grab a good review.”
“The monetization in this game feels exploitative, as it constantly pushes you to spend money to enjoy basic features.”
“It's frustrating that the game is designed around making money rather than providing a fun experience; it feels like a cash grab.”
Critic Reviews
Last Day of June Review - Takes Place in Fall
While short, Last Day of June is a nice story that will capture you for the entirety of your playthrough. However, the ending ensures that the game won't stay with you after you're done.
70%Last Day of June Review
A simplistic tale dealing with the most complex of human emotions. Have a box of tissues at the ready, as Last Day of June punches you right in the kidneys.
80%Last Day of June Review
Last Day of June Review
80%