Last Day of June Reviews
Looking past the mediocre puzzle and adventuring elements as well as the cinematic repetition, Last Day of June excels at storytelling – conveying emotion on-screen in a way few other games manage to achieve. The developer has admittedly done a sound job at making a title involving such depressing themes as beautiful as possible – through its unique animation, perfectly synced soundtrack and stunning visuals. If you do intend on playing this, the ending is as catastrophic as it is comforting.
Last Day of June is a short but emotional tale that is worth an afternoon playthrough, though at times the gameplay feels a little lacking.
Last Day of June is a beautiful presentation of a heart-wrenching tale that is hindered by less-than-stellar game mechanics.
Before you pick this game up, know what you are getting yourself into. It gets messy and you may only play it once. This is not a game you play for the fun, but for the feelings. So, be open to getting a little uncomfortable… and don’t blame the onions, it’s ok if you tear up a bit.
While short, Last Day of June is a nice story that will capture you for the entirety of your playthrough. However, the ending ensures that the game won't stay with you after you're done.
Last Day of June is a frequently beautiful experience, with a likeable cast, gorgeous visuals, lovely music, and an ending that feels like both a logical conclusion and a tear-jerking finale - yet it stumbles when it comes to actually being a game. Its core concepts are sound, but the constant repetition quickly erodes much of the gravitas, especially for players who get stuck and need to spend some time jumping back and forth between characters. It says something that the game was at its best in its final fifteen minutes or so, where much of the "real gameplay" was thrown out in favour of an "interactive movie" approach. Of course, throwing out that gameplay altogether wouldn't do the title any favours, as its narrative and mechanics are intrinsically tied together and designed to play off one another. It's just a shame that one of those halves is decidedly weaker than the other.
Last Day of June is a great example of how to turn a short tale into an engaging interactive experience, one that importantly does not overstay its welcome. There may be one or two frustrations along the way but, all-in-all, it tugs at the heart strings in the right places on the story front, and also engages the brain on the gameplay side of things enough to make everything feel extremely satisfying once it reaches its conclusion.
An emotional tale that is extremely short but also worth the time spent if you can get over its flaws. The pacing could be a little better and the gameplay could have avoided the repetitive nature of its design but it is still a good experience overall.
It's light on gameplay and may make a few missteps, but Last Day of June's important themes will resonate with plenty of people.
More a work of art than a game, Last Day of June depicts a beautiful, powerful story that works wonders when combined with Steven Wilson’s music and aesthetic.
A joy to view but sometimes a chore to play, Last Day of June delivers a touching story that's worth finishing.
A visual masterpiece with an interesting central gameplay idea that unfortunately fails in its main mission of being emotionally engaging
Although Last Day of June's story has impactful moments of grief, loss, and companionship, it's limited by a frustratingly repetitive gameplay loop.
Sadly, thanks to poor storytelling and frustratingly repetitive game design I was just left feeling angry at the end of the game; not sad.
Last Day of June wants you to feel a certain way, but the way it goes about it is clumsy and haphazard, and the visuals are unsettling.
Last Day of June is a unique and beautiful tale of joy, tragedy, and the will to save the one you love. The gameplay may be too simple for some, but I recommend Last Day of June for anyone who wants to experience an emotional story with beautiful art design.
Last Day of June is a touching story of love and loss, its emotional weight cemented by eerie visuals and a spine-tingling soundtrack.
Last Day of June is an ambitious title that tackles the long-established question of whether changing events can prevent a tragedy. The execution of the art direction and narrative is immaculate and genuinely immerses you into the game and its character. However, it is sadly brought down by the gameplay loop and its repetitive nature. At first, the idea sounds and plays interestingly but ends up weakening the impact of June’s death and the drive to reverse it.
While I think "The Last Day of June's" narrative flow is slightly undermined by the fact that players can spin their wheels looking for puzzle solutions, it is, on the whole, a small, vibrant game that reminds us that everyone is filled with depths that belie the selves we present to the world.