Annapurna Interactive has, for a long time now, championed publishing smaller, more artsy titles, such as Mixtape, Maquette, and The Artful Escape. So it was no surprise to find a game like Forever Ago being among those featured at Annapurna’s station during this year’s Summer Game Fest. Artsy? Check. Made by a small development team? Check. Emotional and narrative-driven? Check and check. Thankfully, I typically love these types of games, so I was eager to be able to get some time with it.

Forever Ago has you playing as Alfred, an elderly man struck by some sort of tragic loss or event, who is now on a journey of redemption. However, I can’t speak to what the tragedy entails, as that wasn’t disclosed during my hands-on time with it, nor could I decipher quite what happened during my play time. From what I could make out, Alfred was on a journey potentially going cross-country, or perhaps just on a long trip, with only his dog, his van, and trusty old camera for company.

Just a man, a dog, his van, and the open road.

Even without knowing much of what was happening in Forever Ago or why, I still enjoyed the bit I played. It seems like the type of game where you’re not going to be given all the answers to what’s happened at the start. Instead, it seems like you’ll unlock more memories as you progress, eventually painting a clear picture of who Alfred is and how his past shaped who he has become.

From what I could gather, Alfred’s wife, Audrey, has passed away, and now he’s on an adventure to find redemption for choices he made in his past. It reminded me quite a bit of the film Up in this regard, but, as of yet, I’m not sure if Alfred is on this voyage as means to keep a promise to Audrey, or if he perhaps had something to do with her passing. Only time will tell.

The section I played involved stopping at a gas station to fill up the tank and grab fresh supplies, like snacks and windshield wipers. Upon entering, Alfred was greeted by an enthusiastic and overly chatty clerk, much to his chagrin. Through the young man’s incessant banter, we learn a little bit about Alfred, as well as the store’s owner. It seems the owner is now mostly retired, leaving the kid to run the shop for most of the day. 

Be prepared to have your ear talked off by this kid.

After bringing the items I needed to collect up to the counter for purchase, Alfred notices a familiar picture behind the register. He asks if he can see it up close, and the clerk obliges. This cuts away to a flashback of Alfred, Audrey, and the store’s owner, after attending a party many years ago. The flashback has a mix of solid storytelling and surrealism as Alfred navigates through different parts of the memory. The love he’s had for Audrey for apparently decades is displayed clearly through this flashback, with melancholy undertones to the surreal sections. As I’ve said, I have no idea what exactly transpired, but I’m curious to find out once Forever Ago releases this Fall.

*Assets provided by the publisher.