Forever Ago Reviews
Yes, it’s all very corny. But it's hard to dismiss what Forever Ago so sincerely hopes to communicate through Alfred.
Forever Ago is one of those games that left me feeling like I experienced something far greater than its short runtime suggests.
When I think of the best adventure games, I think of experiences like What Remains of Edith Finch, which push player interactivity in unique ways despite simple gameplay.
Forever Ago is a quiet, somber yet hopeful exploration of grief, anchored by two wonderful performances in particular, that is unfortunately lacking from a gameplay perspective, but ultimately marks a solid debut for developer Third Shift.
Games that treat death, illness, and aging realistically are pretty rare, and Forever Ago is notable for taking on difficult subjects with emotional truth.
Forever Ago is a wonderfully meditative narrative experience. It expresses the profound in the mundane parts of life beautifully.
Forever Ago begins in 1974. You're sitting in a bedroom, perusing the posters on the wall, the street outside the window, and the various objects on...
Forever Ago is all at once powerful, funny, and sad, telling one of the year's most aching stories about how debilitating the mix of grief and isolation can be. Sadly, the story's vehicle is a rather dull, paint by numbers point-and-click adventure that, to Forever Ago's detriment, refuses to shy from the mundane distractions of a life trying to be lived.
Forever Ago delivers a deeply moving narrative about aging, grief, and human connection, anchored by soulful voice performances and thoughtful presentation. Its pacing is deliberate, but as one of the most empathetic games of the year, it’s worth hitting the road for this scenic indie title.
Third Shift's debut title, Forever Ago, is a remarkable achievement that takes a rare and courageous path in modern development by casting players as an elderly protagonist on a poignant journey through grief, redemption, and meaning, and against all odds, succeeds in crafting an experience that is as deeply reflective as it is charming and peaceful.
Review in Persian | Read full review
A short adventure that aims to be exciting, but is too banal, predictable, and lacking in gameplay to truly leave its mark.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Forever Ago takes you on an emotional journey to relive the life of a seemingly grumpy old man. It's impressive story-telling that will keep you immersed right through to the end. 👴
The great triumph of Forever Ago is delivering an experience that gives the player moments of reflection and being a profoundly human title that reaffirms the ability of video games to touch the most sensitive layers of human experience.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
Forever Ago’s journey through grief and the complex emotions buried in those moments is unparalleled. And despite some technical difficulties, there is too much heart, love, and life in Forever Ago to let this title slip away.
Forever Ago is a heartfelt narrative adventure about lifelong love, grief, and finding a reason to keep moving forward, carried by strong writing, beautiful autumnal locations, effective time jumps, and a simple photography-driven structure that keeps the story focused. Alfred’s overly abrasive behavior makes parts of the first half harder to connect with, and the soundtrack lacks the emotional impact of similar Don’t Nod-style adventures, but the touching second half and well-paced storytelling make this an easy recommendation for fans of cinematic narrative games.
Review in Czech | Read full review
Forever Ago is a narrative adventure that knows how to tell a good story and features an excellent soundtrack. However, I expected a more impactful story, especially because of the premise introduced right at the beginning. The lack of choices that actually alter the narrative also hurts, given that the game relies almost entirely on the emotional impact of its journey. Combine that with performance issues and progression bugs I encountered on the PS5, and we have an experience that could have gone further. Even so, it’s a game that can deeply resonate with anyone who happens to be in the right headspace for this story.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
Forever Ago’s story of love, grief and learning to live with loss is beautifully told. Its slow pace won’t be for everyone, but if you’re willing to take the journey, it’s a gentle reminder that moving forward doesn’t mean leaving the past behind.
My final thoughts on Forever Ago have ended up really complicated in the end. It’s been hard to navigate both my experience of a genuinely tearjerking narrative, and an overall videogame that frequently let that narrative down with even less gameplay than many of its obvious inspirations. As a long gestating debut title announced back in 2020, it’s not too hard to see there may have been some growing pains impacting the final game, and some of its originality may have been lost in that time. Even so, there is still some beautiful artistry here. It may not be for everyone, but this may still be a journey worth embarking on for more patient fans of the genre.
Through a very well-executed presentation, Forever Ago effectively communicates a deeply emotional tale of redemption, deploying some interesting twists and thought-provoking plot threads along the way.
Some tweaks to the gameplay and more uses for the camera might have helped keep the game feel more consistently engaging. It’s a bittersweet, casual experience, so if playing a sentimental walking sim sounds intriguing, then you might get some enjoyment out of this short nostalgic adventure.