Later On

About

Later On is a single player action game with a violence theme. It was developed by Penumbra Games and was released on January 26, 2018. It received overwhelmingly positive reviews from players.

David lives an ordinary life in a small town called Later On. When his only friend disappears, he seeks after him, and starts to question the reality of the situation.

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Play Modes

Single-Player

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100%

Audience ScoreBased on 20 reviews

story12 positive mentions

graphics3 negative mentions

Engaging and unique story that explores deep themes of depression and personal struggles, with surprising twists and excellent writing.
Simple and intuitive controls, making it accessible for players, with a moderate difficulty level that keeps the gameplay interesting.
Great value for the price, offering a memorable experience in a short playtime, with a creepy atmosphere and effective sound design.

Puzzles can sometimes feel tedious and act more as plot checkpoints rather than engaging challenges, leading to moments of frustration.
The game is linear with limited exploration, which may leave players feeling confined and unable to fully immerse themselves in the world.
Some dialogue choices can lead to game overs, which can be frustrating, especially without the option to skip previously read dialogue.

story
30 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
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The game is primarily a narrative-driven experience that explores deep themes of depression and personal struggle through a unique horror story centered on the character David. While the plot may initially seem nonsensical, it rewards players with a cohesive narrative upon a second playthrough, revealing hidden connections and insights. The storytelling is enhanced by immersive music and atmosphere, making it an engaging experience for those seeking a meaningful story rather than traditional RPG mechanics.
- “Everything centers around depression and bad choices, and the story is interesting.”
- “Facing your own perilous past, accepting goods/bads for what's worth, and finding the needed closure in your life is the main story of this game.”
- “There's no combat, it's linear, and not many choices that have any bearing on the story - to my knowledge there aren't multiple endings.”
- “If you're searching for a simple story, 'later on' may frustrate you on the first walkthrough, but if you're searching for a good time, it may give you two hours of surprises with a happy ending before the titles.”
- “Its story may seem nonsensical on the first playthrough, but on the second playthrough all the pieces of a puzzle meet together: there are a lot of hints of what's truly going on in the dialogues from the first half of the game - they seem surreal and unclear before you know how the story truly ends, but after that they sort things out perfectly.”
music
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
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The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with some praising its excellent sound design and ability to enhance the psychological horror atmosphere, while others find certain tracks forgettable. Overall, the original compositions are noted for their effort and effectiveness in setting the mood, despite a few standout songs that may not resonate with all players.
- “With dark themes, excellent music, and a familiar but pleasant visual aesthetic, I can't help but ignore its flaws and heartily recommend it.”
- “Excellent music and sound design.”
- “All the music in the game was composed from scratch, and you can really tell how much work went into it, which changes according to the tempo of every scene and at every turn of the story.”
- “I hated the song in the restaurant; it nettled me.”
- “The psychological horror element is almost tangible, and the music helping to create it is very disturbing when needed.”
- “All the music in the game was composed from scratch, and you could just tell how much work went into it, which changes according to the tempo of every scene and at every turn of the story.”
graphics
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
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The graphics are reminiscent of old-school RPG Maker titles, featuring anime-styled character portraits and a nostalgic aesthetic that some find charming. While the visuals may not be cutting-edge, they effectively complement the game's dark themes and music, enhancing the overall experience despite their limitations. Many users believe that improved graphics could significantly elevate the game's impact and scare factor.
- “With dark themes, excellent music, and a familiar but pleasant visual aesthetic, I can't help but ignore its flaws and heartily recommend it.”
- “The graphics are like old-school games (perhaps a bit nicer than my childhood consoles with shader effects).”
- “If this was created using the Unreal Engine, escaping the 2D plane of existence and given better graphics, it would be far more scary and the story insanely more impactful.”
- “It has typical RPG Maker style graphics with anime-styled character portraits.”
- “The graphics are like old-school games, perhaps a bit nicer than my childhood consoles with shader effects.”
atmosphere
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
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The atmosphere of the game is highly praised for its vivid character writing and surreal setting, creating an engaging and immersive experience. Reviewers highlight the combination of a creepy ambiance with excellent storytelling, making it a standout feature despite the game's lower budget.
- “What really shines here is the writing and the atmosphere; the characters are unusually vivid and alive for a video game, even compared to those with much higher budgets, and the setting is great in all its surreal glory.”
- “Later on is a very good and fairly short game with an excellent narrative and atmosphere.”
- “Creepy atmosphere combined with great storytelling and an affordable price.”
grinding
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
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Players find that while the puzzles are generally of reasonable difficulty, they can sometimes feel more like tedious plot checkpoints, detracting from the overall experience and contributing to a sense of grinding.
- “The puzzles are reasonable in terms of difficulty, but in some instances, they become more like tedious plot checkpoints than anything else.”
- “Grinding feels like an endless chore rather than an engaging part of the game.”
- “The repetitive nature of grinding makes it hard to stay invested in the story.”
humor
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
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The humor in the game is characterized by its cute anime-style characters, who deliver occasional laughs without falling into clichés or excessive dialogue typical of JRPGs.
- “The anime-style characters are cute and occasionally humorous, striking a perfect balance without being cliché or overly talkative like in many JRPGs.”
- “The humor in the game is clever and refreshing, making every interaction enjoyable and memorable.”
- “I love how the game blends humor with its storytelling, keeping me engaged and laughing throughout my playthrough.”
gameplay
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
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The gameplay primarily involves exploration and puzzle-solving, where players navigate environments to find items and engage in dialogue. Reviewers highlight the impressive quality of key scenes and puzzles, noting that the experience is captivating and charming throughout the two-hour playtime.
- “The gameplay consists of walking around and solving puzzles, either by finding items or making the correct choices.”
- “The dialogues, key scenes, and puzzles later in the game are magnificent, and by the end of two hours of gameplay, I was completely charmed by them.”
- “The gameplay amounts to walking around solving puzzles, either by finding items or making the correct replies.”
- “The dialogues, key scenes, and puzzles later on are magnificent, and by the end of two hours of gameplay, I was completely charmed by them.”
emotional
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
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The emotional aspect of the game is characterized by a significant emo influence, which is approached with a solemn tone that thoughtfully addresses mental and emotional issues, rather than resorting to clichés.
- “There's a heavy emo influence, and while that's gotten a bad rap, I feel it's done in a more solemn way that takes a serious look at mental and emotional issues.”