Forever Ago Review – A Touching Story Let Down by Minimal Interactivity
I usually don’t forget a game I’m reviewing. But that was exactly the case with the narrative adventure Forever Ago. I started playing the game, and then a good week passed before I remembered that I had taken it for review.
I excuse myself by saying I haven’t become senile yet, but the game is to blame—it was simply hard for me to find fun in it. And I didn’t think it would be like that, because the game's promotional materials looked promising to me.
Shopping for a comfortable headset? Check out our top 5 most comfortable headsets in the UK!
Forever Ago Story and Themes
Forever Ago is the story of Alfred, an older man who, after his wife's death, sets out to the places where they spent their best years and made their most beautiful memories. Alfred’s loss of his wife is a fresh wound, so he is angry at the world and curt toward others. His nostalgic journey therefore goes off track, and everything irritates him when he realizes things are no longer the same as they were x years ago. Along the way, this grumpy older man realizes life goes on —and he should, too—because that is what his late wife would have wanted for him.
It is a touching story, and in the end you learn that it was made in memory of a real married couple. Forever Ago explores life topics not common in video games, such as how illness can change a loved one's behavior, and how such a fate is not difficult only for the patient but also for the person closest to them. From that side, the story is interesting and worth listening to, and for some it could be very emotional.
Forever Ago Gameplay and Interactivity Problems
Unfortunately, the journey that is the backbone of the game is actually uninteresting. Alfred visits only a few locations; we are talking about three or four places where you spend more than a couple of minutes. The game tries to make you feel like you're on a big journey, but you finish it in less than four hours, during which you talk to five characters, one of whom is a dog. Alfred’s recollections of the past reveal a few likable moments, but they aren't particularly fun to retell.
The biggest problem with this game is that it makes little effort to be interactive. There is no action here at all, no interactive dialogue, no puzzles, no mini-games. The only dynamic action is walking. The main character interacts with the environment and other characters, but only by pressing a single button, because the game will not continue until you do. The game also has a photography mechanic, but it doesn't require you to use it, so it's almost no use. You can only put together an album to browse during the adventure, and you can save a maximum of four photos from each location.
Forever Ago is, put most simply, boring. I thought the lack of dynamism was because the main role is an older man who obviously will not sprint, jump, and hit. However, Alfred is no more fun to play, even in his younger days. It seems somewhat misguided to me that a game about traveling by van has no driving segments at all, but has one rowing segment—so you press a single button. When a game is so deprived of interactivity and the fun we expect, it becomes nothing more than a literal walking simulator. It is not that I cannot stand such games; I even like returning to walking in a similar title, Dear Esther. It is just that Forever Ago had much more potential than what it ultimately delivered.
Presentation and Technical Performance
The game's presentation at least casts a positive light on it. The stylized cel-shaded graphics are nicely realized, with a particularly pleasant depiction of nature. The voice acting is very good, starting with the main character. The music enhances the story's emotional impact and rounds out a strong presentation. I mostly have no complaints about the technical part of the game either.
There were no crashes or bugs, and the game runs at 60 fps even on the Steam Deck. The only technical irritation is that for every interaction, you have to turn the camera so you can see what you are interacting with. It is not enough to bring the character to an object and press the interaction button.
In Conclusion
It is somewhat ironic, because Forever Ago is not a particularly interactive game. That's why, unfortunately, I wouldn't recommend it. Its story is interesting, but other games have already handled it while being more fun to play. If you haven’t already, play Gris, Spiritfarer, or What Remains of Edith Finch. With them, you get both a quality story and gameplay that doesn't requiret require pressing a single button to get that story.
Rating, Age Recommendation, and Quick Verdict
Rating: 4.5/10 — It earns 4.5/10 because its touching story, voice acting, music, and polished cel-shaded presentation are undermined by a very short, dull, and minimally interactive walking-simulator structure.
Age recommendation: 12+ with parental guidance. The game is nonviolent and technically calm, but it deals directly with grief, death, loss, and illness-related behavior changes, so it suits older children and teens who can process those themes; younger kids may find it sad, slow, and boring.
Gemini AI Summary
Forever Ago is a short narrative adventure about Alfred, a grieving widower who revisits meaningful places and memories after his wife’s death. The story is touching and deals with mature themes such as grief, loss, and illness, and its cel-shaded visuals, voice acting, music, and technical performance are strong. However, the game is under four hours long, offers little interactivity, and has no puzzles or meaningful dialogue choices, so it feels like a boring walking simulator; the reviewer does not recommend it and suggests Gris, Spiritfarer, or What Remains of Edith Finch instead.