The August Before: Chapter One

About

The August Before: Chapter One is a single player casual simulation game. It was developed by Silly Little Games and was released on February 28, 2025. It received very positive reviews from players.

The August Before: Chapter One is a reflective 3D narrative puzzle where you explore a teenager’s room, unpack memories, and prepare for change. Delve into signs of first love, loss, and friendship as you clean, sort, and pack, uncovering the bittersweet story behind leaving the past behind. Embrace the quiet moments of transition and farewell.

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Play Modes

Single-Player

The August Before: Chapter One screenshot

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92%

Audience ScoreBased on 222 reviews

story22 positive mentions

stability4 negative mentions

The game features beautiful graphics and a calming atmosphere, making it a relaxing experience for players.
The storytelling is engaging, allowing players to uncover the protagonist's past through the items they clean and organize.
Many players appreciate the cozy vibe and emotional depth of the game, making it a therapeutic experience.

Several players experienced motion sickness and found the controls to be overly sensitive, making gameplay uncomfortable.
There are numerous bugs and glitches, including issues with item interactions and achievements not registering properly.
The game lacks clear instructions and can be confusing at times, leading to frustration when trying to complete tasks.

story
71 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
31%
65%
4%
The game's story has been widely praised for its emotional depth and immersive storytelling, with players appreciating the way it unfolds through environmental cues and objects rather than direct narration. Many find the narrative bittersweet and relatable, creating a cozy atmosphere that enhances the gameplay experience, while others express excitement for future chapters and character development. Overall, the combination of engaging visuals, music, and a compelling storyline makes it a standout title for fans of narrative-driven games.
- “The story pulled me in right away, and the atmosphere is so well done.”
- “It definitely made me bawl; there's a lot of storyline that you find out without it telling you flat out on a piece of paper, which makes you so hooked to it because you're slowly finding out the story yourself.”
- “I love the art style, atmosphere, and immersive storytelling while playing. Very cozy and fun; can't wait for the other chapters and see how the story develops, since it's about a new beginning.”
- “The story is lacking, but while you can figure out what needs to be done, there is no system or option in-game for the player to fix it themselves even if they wanted to.”
- “The colour scheme is nice, the music is... horrifyingly mediocre, the graphics are decent enough for the story/narrative demands, and the underlying story is decent/acceptable, even if absolutely nothing special.”
- “And since I couldn't interact with the journal, I didn't learn any story, so there's little possibility I'll check it again when the full game is released.”
graphics
36 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
44%
48%
8%
The graphics of the game have received widespread acclaim for their beauty, charm, and immersive art style, contributing to a serene and cozy atmosphere. Players appreciate the detailed environments, smooth animations, and the harmonious integration of visuals with the soundtrack, enhancing the overall experience. While some users noted minor technical issues, the aesthetic appeal remains a standout feature that captivates and relaxes players.
- “The art style is gorgeous and instantly grabbed me.”
- “The visuals and sound design work together beautifully, creating a melancholic yet warm mood that makes you want to see what comes next.”
- “The graphics and atmosphere are simply gorgeous.”
- “Graphics are fine and the story is sweet, but the gameplay needs to be fixed.”
- “- missed red flag (because I am dumb), upon running for the first time, a Win 11 styled popup came up telling me about 'known graphics issues' and wanted me to click a button to open up a web browser to NVIDIA.”
- “- settings do not save outside of the graphics, this includes mouse sensitivity and audio options.”
music
25 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
60%
28%
12%
The music in the game has received widespread praise for its engaging and relaxing qualities, enhancing the overall atmosphere and gameplay experience. Players appreciate the variety offered by collectible music tapes, which allow for a customizable soundtrack, and many find the music to be a perfect complement to the game's art style and narrative. While a few opinions noted the music as mediocre, the majority highlight it as a standout feature that contributes significantly to the game's charm and emotional depth.
- “I really liked the vibes, storyline, and the music.”
- “The little post-its of affirmations, reminders, and the music are such a nice touch.”
- “Amazing music and the gameplay style is so much fun!!”
- “The colour scheme is nice, the music is......horrifyingly mediocre (but like all things subjective, ymmv), the graphics are decent enough for the story/narrative demands, and the underlying story is decent/acceptable (even if absolutely nothing special).”
- “The art style and how the game runs smoothly of picking up items and how it helps you place them, with changeable music from the tapes you can find around the room was my personal favorite.”
- “There are 4 cassettes found in the process, they will allow you to change the soundtrack in the game.”
emotional
20 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game is described as a cozy and emotional experience, with players noting its potential for deeper emotional storytelling as it progresses. While the current chapter offers a satisfying gameplay experience, it hints at a more profound emotional journey ahead, with heartfelt writing and relatable themes of nostalgia and change. Many players found themselves unexpectedly moved, highlighting the game's ability to evoke strong feelings through simple tasks like tidying up.
- “I went in expecting a cozy cleanup game (which it is—and super satisfying if you love tidying), but I didn’t expect it to be emotional too .”
- “The writing is heartfelt, every line feels like it belongs to a bigger story waiting to unfold.”
- “This is such a gay game... it made me feel things... I was teary-eyed almost the whole time... and the only thing you do is clean your room, sort socks and buttons, but the little bits of story and your life you find out during that is so heartbreaking.”
gameplay
17 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
24%
58%
18%
Gameplay is generally described as simple and satisfying, focusing on the core mechanic of tidying up, which many find enjoyable despite some minor issues like bugs and motion sensitivity. While the game offers a cozy vibe and good music, players note that it lacks depth in emotional storytelling and could benefit from further improvements. Overall, the gameplay is easy to understand and engaging, especially for a short experience.
- “That said, the core mechanic - tidying up - was very clear and satisfying.”
- “It’s not quite there yet in terms of emotional storytelling, but the vibe is cosy, the gameplay is satisfying (as long as you’re not motion-sensitive), and the potential is definitely there.”
- “Amazing music and the gameplay style is so much fun!!”
- “On the Steam Deck, gameplay was a little tricky.”
- “Graphics are fine and the story is sweet, but the gameplay needs to be fixed.”
- “Hopefully they improve the gameplay.”
atmosphere
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
57%
43%
The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its cute graphics, immersive storytelling, and heartfelt design, creating a cozy and engaging experience. Players feel immediately captivated by the well-crafted environment, which enhances the narrative and overall enjoyment, despite some minor clunkiness and a lack of localization options. Overall, the atmosphere is described as beautiful and enchanting, leaving players eager for future chapters.
- “I love the art style, atmosphere, and immersive storytelling while playing. It's very cozy and fun; I can't wait for the other chapters and see how the story develops since it's about a new beginning.”
- “The August Before: Chapter One immediately captures you with its atmosphere.”
- “The story pulled me in right away, and the atmosphere is so well done.”
stability
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's stability is notably problematic, with users reporting various bugs that hinder gameplay, such as control issues, softlocks, and tasks not registering. Players have experienced multiple loading failures and glitches that disrupt progress, making it necessary to complete the game in one sitting to avoid losing progress. Overall, while the game is enjoyable, its stability issues significantly detract from the experience.
- “I liked this game so much; however, it's still buggy, and you have to finish in one sitting, or else you will have to do everything again.”
- “It's buggy, controls are poorly optimized, and finishing the game is dependent on doing everything, but you can't do everything, as it softlocks you after you put the passport in the suitcase (the game automatically closes the case).”
- “The game was buggy; it unfortunately took 4 different times to load, each having different main issues (highlight gone or unavailable, thus not able to use it, tasks not being registered, achievement glitch, puzzle not giving the final photo).”
grinding
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players express that the grinding aspect of the game is excessively time-consuming, often requiring a significant investment of effort akin to having a second life to fully engage with it.
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “The grinding feels endless and tedious.”
- “I spent hours grinding, and it felt like I made no progress.”
humor
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game features humorous references and charming details, such as amusing socks, contributing to its overall cute and lighthearted tone. Players appreciate the blend of humor with the engaging story, despite the game's brevity.
- “It's got some funny references, and I'm eager to see where the story goes.”
- “It's a very short but cute game; I liked the overall concept and the small details, like some very cute and funny socks, haha.”
optimization
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game is praised for its smooth performance and intuitive item placement mechanics, complemented by a stunning color palette and customizable music. Players appreciate the ability to start and stop gameplay at their convenience, enhancing the overall experience.
- “The art style and how the game runs smoothly when picking up items is impressive. It really helps with placement, and I love the changeable music from the tapes you can find around the room.”
- “The color palette is stunning, the game runs smoothly, and I love that you can start and stop wherever you please.”
character development
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
100%
Character development is praised for its potential and emotional depth, with players appreciating the ability to uncover the story, though some express disappointment at its brevity. The mix of relaxation and sadness adds to the overall experience, leaving players eager for future installments.
- “I liked that I could discover the story. I was sad to see it end so quickly but excited for the next part when it releases. I feel like the story and character development have so much potential, and it was also pretty relaxing and sad at the same time.”
- “I liked that I could discover the story, but I was sad to see it end so quickly. I feel like the story and character development have so much potential, but it left me wanting more.”

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