In a sea of huge, epic games that release on a near-weekly basis right now, Forever Ago is a much smaller and more personal game. Focusing on elderly Arthur and themes of grief and redemption, it might not be to everyone’s tastes, but for fans of the “sadventure” style walking sim, it hits all the right notes.
We meet Audrey and Alfred in 1974 as they hike up to nearby Wilson Falls for a school project. It’s the first of many vignettes that take place in the past, showing the very first moments that lead to their half-century long relationship. We then pick up in present day 2026 as a much older Alfred as he’s in mourning following the death of Audrey. It’s a sad start to the game, with the rug pull reminding me of the opening of Pixar’s Up in some ways. Alfred’s trying to fulfill a wish of Audrey’s by continuing the adventurous spirit of their relationship with an RV trip she’d planned for him, but it quickly becomes apparent he’s struggling to cope without her.
Their relationship is ever-present in the story, with Alfred returning to it constantly, whether it’s in his dialogue, his musings or even his dreams. Hats off to Third Shift for writing something that feels so realistic too, as this isn’t a Disney romance. There’s unhappiness, lost ambition, mismatched feelings all at play here, and that’s before you even get to the reasons behind Audrey’s passing.
Alfred himself is a grumpy old bastard when you meet him. Yes, it’s justifiable as he’s still in mourning, but that doesn’t change the fact he’s a bit of a dick to everyone for the first half of the game. It’s reflected in the dialogue choices too, such as giving you the option to demand answers rather than just asking for them during a conversation with a well-meaning but overly-enthusiastic gas station clerk. He softens over time though, and while his past with Audrey is always in the background, it’s his own personal growth that’s the main focus. Audrey’s favourite saying was “you can’t plan life” and Forever Ago shows us Alfred coming to grips with that concept. His roadtrip is designed to take him through landmarks and attractions important to their relationship, such as the diner where he proposed or the theme park they took annual trips too, but things regularly don’t work out and he has to learn to be ok with that.
Along the way he meets a cast of characters, and these were my favourite moments. Seeing his hard exterior crack open every now and then as he starts to speak about Audrey to others is wonderful, and the game has some incredibly sweet and beautiful moments, such as a hike with a new friend that almost feels like a grief therapy session at times. You may have spotted in the trailers that he’s accompanied by a dog too, and while she’s an unexpected companion for Arthur, I loved seeing him warm to her over time.
The story isn’t complex but it’s pitched perfectly, moving between heartwarmingly sweet and gut-wrenchingly sad with impeccable pacing. Mechanics are similarly simple, and while I went in expecting a slow and deliberate experience, I’d argue things here are a little too slow even for this style of game. Typically you arrive in an area as directed by Audrey, such as a highway diner/motel or theme park and you’ve got a few tasks to complete, including playing their favourite song on the diner jukebox, or beating Audrey’s high score on an arcade machine. In terms of gameplay this amounts to little more than walking around and interacting with items to hear Alfred’s thoughts. I’ve seen references to puzzles in the game’s marketing but I think you’d be hard-pressed to describe anything in it as a puzzle.
You’ve got your camera too, which is used to trigger memory vignettes in each area but otherwise most of your time will just be spent walking and interacting with things. This isn’t necessarily an issue, but everything in Forever Ago feels like it just takes slightly too long. Arthur walks at a snail’s pace, even when holding down the “move slightly faster” button. Interacting with the environment is slightly clunky too, and the prompt doesn’t seem to appear unless you’re looking at it just right. These are minor issues, but when some segments have you just walking forward for what feels like minutes at a time, it’s noticeable.
Forever Ago has a beautiful, slightly lo-fi visual style with bright, dreamy colours and every environment feels distinct and interesting. The abandoned theme park was a highlight, with signs and details in every direction, but equally I enjoyed exploring every area. Clark Aboud’s original soundtrack is a highlight though and will be immediately in my Spotify gaming playlist the second it’s on there. Ambient music helps carry the story from sadder beats back to moments of hope and joy, but the opening track was my favourite: a haunting, sad piece of country music that hits just moments after Arthur and Audrey’s first kiss. It immediately made me sit up and think “Ok, this is going to be my type of game”.
Forever Ago is a beautiful tale of loss, grief, growth and redemption. Seeing Arthur’s anger change to understanding really touched me, as did being privy to both the good and bad parts of his relationship with Audrey. It’s a slow game, and I imagine some will find it frustratingly slow, but the story makes it worth sticking with.
