When the Past Was Around Reviews
When The Past Was Around is a short and quite cathartic experience about loss and letting go of the past by cherishing every memory we have made with our loved ones. The art style is one of the most beautiful ones in the world of video games and the music helps with the very much needed relaxed atmosphere a subject like grief needs.
Review in Persian | Read full review
I love love stories but When the Past Was Around couldn't completely catch me on this journey to the past. The puzzles are just too inconsistent in their difficulty.
Review in German | Read full review
A dream-like point-and-click story of love and grief told through memory vignettes, When The Past Was Around is memorable but when you can finish it in a few hours, it feels oh so fleeting.
When the Past was Around conveys a whirlwind of emotions through its combination of award-winning violin music and hand-drawn art. It’s a compelling journey into the thoughts of Eda, the main character, as she processes a devastating personal loss. There’s no doubt that I found this game to be a delight, but is it the game for you? Let’s take a look at what it has to offer.
When The Past Was Around is the lovely bookend to 2020 for me; when coupled with January’s Coffee Talk, I’m reminded that there are plenty of cozy games that provide extreme comfort no matter what their genre. While I do wish I had experienced this game on PC or even the Switch due to the small text on TV, I’m thrilled that I got to experience it at all. As a wise man once said: “It is better to have loved and lost than to have never loved at all, and it is better to play When The Past Was Around on console than to have never played it at all.” Heed those words and be sure to pick up When The Past Was Around on the platform of your choice as soon as possible.
When the Past was Around is a poignant journey, and if point-and-click puzzles are your jam, then I would recommend this one for your Switch library. Cherish the time you have, for it is precious and fleeting.
Whether due to its miserly length or disjointed puzzles, Mojiken's exploration of loss is already distant in my mental rearview mirror.
When the Past was Around is an incredible experience. A charming, yet melancholic, duet of love and tragedy played in perfect harmony. The game will only take about 2-3 hours to complete, but has every feel of a song of which you’ll never get tired. Perhaps that musical repeat symbol in its title art isn’t just for show, as it will be a pleasure to experience this melodic tale time and time again.
With such a touching story, it would be hard not to get emotionally involved. A brilliantly balanced puzzle game that plays second fiddle to a mournful plot that takes you on a journey of discovery. Do I recommend it? Absolutely, I loved it, and you can buy a copy here! Can you help Eda let go of her past? Live through her memories and help her look to the future.
With a unique hand-drawn art style and some unusually inventive point-and-click puzzles When the Past was Around definitely stands out from the crowd...
When The Past Was Around may be brief, but its splendid artwork, beautiful music and memorable story will stick with you long after you wrap it up.
If you enjoy quiet and reflective games like Florence, as well as indulging in a bit of puzzle-solving, you’ll undoubtedly find something to like in When the Past Was Around. Its narrative never fully delivers, however, and its bizarre choice to be vague and obtuse when it comes to the main character’s love and loss makes it hard to ever fully understand her plight. Still, beautiful artwork and music coupled with enjoyable puzzles make it a worthwhile way to spend an hour or two of your time.
Short and beautiful, When the Past was Around tells a pretty story of love and grief in an accessible and light manner.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
When The Past Was Around is a unique point-and-click game that invites players to go on an emotional journey in a dreamlike, almost fragmented state. Mojiken Studio's love letter to simple couplehood takes a minimalist approach to living life to the fullest and learning how to move on
When The Past Was Around is a beautiful game by Mojiken about love, loss, and life. Through art and music we discover the love story of Eda and Owl, putting pieces together scene by scene by solving puzzles. It's a short, sweet game clearly made with a lot care, and a soundtrack that will be stuck in your head for days.
When the Past was Around is a meaningful point and click journey. Its puzzles are more than improvable, but the soundtrack and the atmosphere are captivating.
Review in Italian | Read full review
When the Past was Around is a point and click puzzle game that succeeds in getting the player emotionally invested in its bittersweet tale of love and loss. Eda's tale of grief for a lost partner is wonderfully told in a way that affects you, but does the game succeed in keeping players interested throughout with its puzzle gameplay?
If you’re a hopeless romantic like me that loves to have their heart shattered into hundreds of pieces over a thought-provoking story, When the Past Was Around is exactly what you’re looking for.
When the Past was Around is a well-made point-and-click adventure. The music and visuals contribute to the captivating, if abstract, tale. The puzzles are just right in terms of difficulty, although the game could be a little longer overall, making it a very good distraction for an afternoon.
Concise, carefully crafted and beautifully malleable in its meaning, When The Past Was Around is a rather gorgeous little art game that remembers it needs to be interesting in its puzzles as well as its narrative. Taking the principles of escape room-style gameplay and fitting them around its theme lends them a gravitas that belies their simplicity and elevates this game into more than just the indie flavour of the month. Sure, you're not likely to play it twice, but you'd be hard-pressed to forget about it. And, honestly, after this year? We needed it.