Yokai, 80s Japan and a dark forest temple that’s so obviously cursed you can’t walk past it without the screen sliding into chromatic aberration effects? Sign me the heck up. This is Last Time I Saw You, a coming of age tale about middle schooler Ayumi who keeps seeing a mysterious girl in his dreams, but can never quite glimpse her face. It will only take you 20 minutes or so to play through its current Steam demo, but even this short glimpse into the game’s opening chapter feels like a strong show of intent from developer Maboroshi Artworks.
Last Time I Saw YouDeveloper: Maboroshi ArtworksPublisher: Chorus Worldwide GamesRelease: 10th October 2024Download the demo on: Steam
Don’t be fooled by the “cosy” and “relaxing” labels you’ll find on its Steam page. Yes, there’s a certain simplicity and lack of pressure to its 2D sidescrolling exploration, but there’s an uneasiness that runs through this autumnal village that’s as alive and present as the large river running through its centre. You can see it in the numerous angry signs protesting against the town’s ongoing expansion plans into the nearby forest (which you know is going to end badly because of that aberration-inducing shrine entrance you encounter). You can hear it in the hushed murmurs about an oncoming typhoon that threatens to disrupt their relaxed way of life (even if some of its younger residents wish it would hurry up so they don’t have to go to school in the morning). And you can feel it in your bones every time you glimpse the moody twilight sun outside, which seems charged with such a nervous energy that it will make you want to snuggle back under Ayumi’s duvet until the inevitable storm all blows over.
Last Time I Saw You – Release Date Trailer Watch on YouTube
Unfortunately for Ayumi, however, his mum has forgotten to buy carrots for their curry rice dinner this evening – and, together with her book-loving husband, has already claimed prime position under the family kotatsu to boot. Thus, it’s up Ayumi to run out to the market on her behalf so they can all fill their bellies properly before the weather takes a turn for the worse. Here, Last Time I Saw You most closely resembles Infinite Fall’s Night In The Woods, as you’ll need to navigate the town’s 2D planes and staircases with a familiar mix of jumping and directional button presses. But as you amble through the town’s quiet streets, past the local gossips, snack vendors and dad-joke laden policeman, Ayumi can’t stop thinking about the dream he had the night before – and the girl whose face he very nearly got a look at this time, but whose features never quite came into focus as he started to wake up.