by Danreb VictorioWhen vibes hit, for me, they really hit hard. Last year at SGF, when I tried the Mixtape demo, I was already sold. This year, Forever Ago struck a similar chord, and while it probably won’t hit the same highs as Mixtape, it still provided me with one of the best experiences this year in what was probably my favorite Summer Game Fest ever.
In Forever Ago, you play as an old man named Alfred who has lived quite a life. In the short demo I played, Alfred stops at a gas station that he appeared to have a more than passing connection to. While he’s really just there to grab a few supplies and snacks for the road, Alfred can’t help but think about a previous visit he’s made to that exact same years ago.
As you rummage around the shop looking for what you need, the shop’s young shopkeeper, Milton, just won’t stop talking to you. Every single item you examine in the shop results in some chipper customer service explanation from Milton, which in turn annoys the ever living heck out of Milton–and, eventually, you. As Alfred, you can continue letting him babble on, or you can interrupt or stop him however you please. If you really want to play the grumpy old man, you can. By all means, be rude! I don’t remember whether my interactions with Milton led to the Telltale signature “Milton will remember that” type of gameplay, but seeing the interactions between old man Alfred and the overly chipper Milton was definitely entertaining.
There was one short discussion that actually got a laugh out of me, where I was looking at windshield wipers, and Milton asked about how often Alfred changed his. He responded that he only cuts the loose ends, to which Milton responded horrendously talking about how unsafe it was. From here, you’re given the option to respond or act various ways, and I just chose to buy the replacement wipers with the hopes that he would can it.
In any case, as soon as you get to the register to check out, Alfred will notice a bunch of photos on the wall, including one that had him, the actual owner of the convenience shop, and an old flame. From here, the game goes into artistically profound territory by making you run up stairs in a dark tavern, having seeing and hearing visions of memories of the woman in the photo. After going through all that, Alfred demands the photo from Milton, even though it’s not really his to give out, and the demo ends after Alfred rushes off with his photo and the other stuff he purchased.
I never thought I’d be so invested in a game where you play as an old man, but it’s also this kind of narrative that typically grips me. It’s absolutely different from Mixtape, and the thought of what happens next just stayed with me, and it affected me so much that I had to drop by the booth the next day to give them one of SmashPad’s “Best of Show” awards.
Fortunately, we won’t have to wait too long to see what happens with Alfred as Forever Ago comes out on October 8, for the PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and Switch 2.
Forever Ago
