Some Distant Memory

94%
Game Brain Score Based on 124 reviews
  • story
  • graphics
  • emotional
Some Distant Memory Game Cover
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"Some Distant Memory" is a post-apocalyptic game set on Earth, where two colonies, Ares and NOAH, strive for survival. The Professor and Commander Ti, representatives of each colony, uncover reduced-to-rubble Earth's past through ARORA, an artificial intelligence. By exploring artifacts and memories, they reveal a story of love, innovation, and human resilience, ultimately shedding light on humanity's former existence.

  • Mac OS
  • Nintendo Switch
  • PC
  • Windows
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

94%
Audience ScoreBased on 124 reviews
story51 positive mentions
character development3 negative mentions
  • Some Distant Memory features a beautifully crafted narrative that explores deep themes of love, loss, and human connection in a post-apocalyptic setting.
  • The art style and music are stunning, creating an immersive atmosphere that enhances the emotional impact of the story.
  • The game effectively engages players with its character-driven storytelling, allowing them to piece together the lives of a family from the past through exploration and memory reconstruction.
  • The gameplay is primarily a walking simulator with minimal interactivity, lacking puzzles or meaningful choices, which may disappoint players seeking more traditional gameplay mechanics.
  • The story can feel predictable and at times overly simplistic, with some narrative threads not fully developed or resolved, leading to a sense of abruptness in the conclusion.
  • The game is quite short, typically taking only 2-4 hours to complete, which may not justify the price for some players, especially if they prefer longer, more content-rich experiences.
  • story146 mentions

    The game's story is a central focus, with many players praising its emotional depth and engaging narrative that explores themes of love, loss, and human relationships. While some found the plot predictable or felt it lost momentum midway, the overall storytelling is described as heartfelt and immersive, often leaving a lasting impact on players. The combination of beautiful visuals, music, and a well-crafted narrative experience makes it a recommended choice for those who appreciate story-driven games.

    • “No words can describe how this story touched my heart and left me craving more!”
    • “The story is compelling, insightful, and relevant to today's world.”
    • “There's clearly so much love poured into this game and it pays off tremendously, giving the player an amazing experience where you feel extremely invested in the characters' lives despite them being long dead.”
    • “The puzzles are nonexistent, the storyline is extremely predictable, and the last act is disappointing.”
    • “There needs to be a greater effort made to either tie things together thematically or with concluding chapter ends, or by making a better effort to distinguish and delineate the story arcs from one another so they could stand on their own merits.”
    • “The first third of the game is intriguing by giving you clues about what might have happened to the world 300 years ago, but then takes a sudden turn in the narrative focus and concentrates on a mundane boy-meets-girl story from the past.”
  • graphics27 mentions

    The graphics of the game are widely praised for their beautiful art style, vibrant colors, and attention to detail, creating an engaging atmosphere that enhances the storytelling. Many reviewers noted the cartoonish aesthetic reminiscent of titles like Darkest Dungeon, while also appreciating the emotional depth conveyed through the visuals. Overall, the graphics contribute significantly to the game's charm, making it a visually appealing experience despite some critiques about a lack of variety in environments.

    • “The art style is beautiful, the colors seem to follow the feelings.”
    • “Beautiful graphics and music set the mood perfectly.”
    • “The art style is all very beautiful and well done, and there's so much attention to little details that truly enhance the experience.”
    • “Graphically, this game sort of has some qualities reminiscent of games like Darkest Dungeon, but absent the horror and far more cartoonish.”
    • “The only tame gripes I have with this game is the aesthetic that I think pulls me back to Newgrounds / DeviantArt era games and comics.”
    • “The graphics are warm, comic-like and should fit for each and every age.”
  • emotional27 mentions

    The game is widely praised for its emotional depth, tackling heavy themes such as climate change, love, and family dynamics, often evoking strong feelings and even tears from players. Its heartfelt narrative, combined with beautiful visuals and a serene atmosphere, creates a touching experience that resonates deeply, making it a worthwhile journey for those seeking an emotional story-driven game. Players appreciate the balance of humor and tragedy, culminating in a satisfying and hopeful conclusion.

    • “The story is heartfelt and a reminder to create, no matter how bad or silly you think your creations are, and to cherish those around you.”
    • “This game tells a very intimate, heartfelt, happy, sad, and moving story which has brought me to near tears at a point (something not many games have done) whilst also having funny moments in it.”
    • “A beautiful and touching experience that shows how important it is to live life while you can.”
  • music26 mentions

    The music in the game has received widespread acclaim for its beauty and ability to enhance the overall atmosphere, with many reviewers noting its immersive quality and emotional impact. The soundtrack is described as incredible and well-composed, perfectly complementing the game's visuals and storytelling. While some found the music to be atmospheric and relaxing, a few critiques mentioned it as mediocre or unoriginal, suggesting a mixed experience for some players.

    • “The soundtrack is even more incredible, love that composer.”
    • “Beautiful graphics and music set the mood perfectly.”
    • “Wonderful art direction, mediocre and uneven writing; the music is adequate and at times atmospheric, but ultimately unoriginal and utterly forgettable.”
    • “The music and art style really go together well here and helps create this really calm, relaxing and enjoyable playthrough while you explore your way through the game and uncover the well-written story and all the different artifacts.”
    • “The music is relaxing and sets a light sci-fi tone I really enjoy.”
  • gameplay23 mentions

    The gameplay is primarily focused on exploration and reading, with players moving from room to room to find and examine notes, creating a narrative through their discoveries. While the beautiful art and strong storytelling are praised, many reviewers note the minimal gameplay mechanics, describing it as more of a visual novel experience with little interactivity or challenge. Overall, the gameplay is seen as repetitive and lacking depth, which may not appeal to everyone, but it is complemented by a compelling story.

    • “The gameplay is mostly going from room to room, finding and examining notes, reading them, and creating a memory out of them after you’ve found enough.”
    • “I thought the game had an interesting mechanic of exploration and revealing the storyline bit by bit.”
    • “Mechanically speaking, there isn't much strategy - and while I kind of wish piecing together memories had a type of puzzle-solving element to it, the game puts its weight definitively behind the strength of its storytelling, and it hasn't disappointed me yet.”
    • “As mentioned, this game doesn't really have much in the way of gameplay.”
    • “The gameplay comes down to exploring rooms and reading a few notes; there is not much else to it.”
    • “There is no gameplay to speak of.”
  • atmosphere10 mentions

    The game's atmosphere is described as immersive and beautifully crafted, featuring a blend of cute artwork and a bittersweet story that enhances the experience. While some elements may feel unsettling or slightly spooky, the overall ambiance is complemented by pleasant graphics and music, creating a captivating post-apocalyptic setting. Despite some critiques of the writing and music originality, the atmosphere remains a highlight for many players.

    • “However, at its discounted price, it's very worth it. Personally, I love the atmosphere, cute artwork, and bittersweet story.”
    • “The characters felt so real, and there was such a nice atmosphere (pun intended) throughout the whole game!”
    • “A touching story, the setting is beautiful, great atmosphere, pleasant graphics, and good music.”
    • “The atmosphere may be a bit unsettling, but it's not a horror game.”
    • “Don't be put off by the rust-colored palette; it fits with the atmosphere.”
    • “Do expect a decent cartoony post-apocalyptic atmosphere.”
  • humor8 mentions

    The humor in the game is described as a well-balanced mix of wit and melancholy, effectively lightening darker themes while also delivering heartfelt moments. Players appreciate the engaging characters and low-key humor that runs throughout, which elicits both laughter and tears, making for a deeply emotional experience. However, some of the humor may be more relatable to older audiences, as it includes subtle, sly elements that younger players might not fully grasp.

    • “The game also has good humor and wit, which helps lift some of the darker tones present throughout, and I find it well balanced.”
    • “This game tells a very intimate, heartfelt, happy, sad, and moving story which has brought me to near tears at a point (something not many games have done) whilst also having funny moments in it.”
    • “But the characters are engaging, there's a thread of low-key humor through most of it, and if you are not sobbing near the end, there may be something wrong with you.”
  • character development2 mentions

    Character development in the game is described as a slow burn, heavily focused on narrative and character exploration, blending elements of adventure, RPG, and visual novel genres. Players engage in a richly detailed story that unfolds through extensive text, enhancing the emotional depth and connection to the characters.

    • “The game features a slow burn with a lot of text, focusing heavily on character development.”
    • “This game is a blend of several genre characteristics: adventure-style exploring, slightly open-world strolling, and character development akin to an RPG, combined with a visual novel/walking simulator that reveals a touching story.”
    • “The character development feels shallow and lacks depth, making it hard to connect with the protagonists.”
    • “I expected more from the character arcs; they seem rushed and underdeveloped throughout the game.”
    • “The choices you make don't seem to impact the characters' growth, leaving the development feeling linear and uninspired.”
  • monetization1 mentions

    The game's monetization strategy is criticized for overvaluing its content, with players feeling it should be priced much lower due to its limited replayability and short playtime. Many view it as a poor investment for casual gamers.

    • “This game is trying (and I do mean trying) to sell itself to people who like casual indie games, but my goodness does it do a good job of overadvertising its worth - realistically, it's worth £3 at best and it's a 'play once in 1 hour, never play again' game.”
    • “The monetization model is incredibly aggressive, making it feel more like a cash grab than a genuine gaming experience.”
    • “I was shocked at how many in-game purchases were pushed on me; it completely ruined the immersion and enjoyment of the game.”
  • optimization1 mentions

    The game is well-optimized, featuring solid performance and attention to detail without any reported bugs. Players appreciate the auto-save functionality and the option for manual saves, enhancing the overall experience.

    • “The game has a great style, and the performance is fine. There is good attention to detail with objects and text, and it sounds good whenever there is music, which happens in rare instances. I haven’t experienced any bugs, and the game auto-saves whenever you enter a room, allowing for manual saves as well.”
  • replayability1 mentions

    The game's replayability is somewhat limited, as players noted that the story is compelling but the lack of significant gameplay elements means that subsequent playthroughs offer little variation, unless many items were overlooked.

    • “The story is so engaging that it makes you want to experience it again, even if the gameplay doesn't change much on a second playthrough.”
    • “While the gameplay may be limited, the rich narrative and character development encourage multiple playthroughs to catch every detail.”
    • “The game offers a unique experience each time you play, with different choices leading to varied outcomes that enhance its replayability.”
    • “One very small quibble I had is that even by adventure game standards, there's not a lot of actual gameplay. The story more than made up for that, though it does diminish replay value, as nothing's going to particularly change on your second time through unless you missed an awful lot of items.”
    • “After finishing the game, I found that there was little incentive to replay it. The choices I made didn't significantly alter the outcome, making subsequent playthroughs feel redundant.”
    • “While the game has a captivating story, the lack of branching paths or multiple endings means that once you've experienced it, there's not much reason to go back.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

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Play time

3hMedian play time
3hAverage play time
2-4hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 6 analyzed playthroughs

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