In the vast panorama of independent games, it sometimes happens that we come across titles that, with a single image or a short trailer, manage to arouse immediate attraction. It’s what I define as “interest at first sight”: that love at first sight that arises from a detail, from an element that captures attention and sparks curiosity. In a period dominated by great releases like Metaphor: ReFantazio, Silent Hill 2 Remake e Dragon Ball Sparking Zero!it’s easy to get lost in the multitude of upcoming titles, and many smaller games risk going unnoticed.
Yet, among these it stands out Last Time I Saw Youa promising project developed by an independent Japanese team from Osaka, Maboroshi Artworks. Although they are still unknown to the general public, this team has chosen to engage in an adventure that addresses profound and far from obvious themes, promising to leave a mark on anyone who decides to enter their world.
Last Time I Saw You, a typhoon of reality and imagination
We are in the 80s, in rural Japan, specifically in a small fictitious village where life flows peacefully, as in a postcard from a bygone era. The kids enjoy their weekends chatting and playing baseball, the merchants bustle in their shops, and the housewives chat with each other, in a community where everyone knows each other. However, there is a subtle tension in the air: a typhoon threatens to hit the village, disturbing that apparent calm.
In this scenario of Last Time I Saw You we follow the story of Ayumi, a teenager who lives a normal life, but is tormented by recurring and mysterious dreams. In his dreams he finds himself in a dreamlike and surreal world, where an enigmatic girl appears to him repeatedly. Intrigued and scared, Ayumi begins to investigate the meanings of these dreams and the identity of that girl who seems to be looking for him.
Everything changes the day the typhoon actually hits. While the village suffers damage from the storm, strange shadows appear among the ruins, and Ayumi, in an attempt to escape, is saved by the girl of her dreams. From that moment, the border between reality and imagination dissolves, and Last Time I Saw You turns into a story of magical realismwhere everyday life is intertwined with mystery and the supernatural.
Ayumi’s adventure takes a turn into the unknown, weaving together elements of mysticism and Japanese folklore which give a sense of charm and mystery, especially in the eyes of a Western audience. The fusion between simple village life and profound supernatural tradition Japanese is handled well, creating a vibrant and mysterious world. And the quest to uncover a curse that has befallen the village.
The story of Last Time I Saw You captures right from the start, keeping the player’s curiosity high thanks to a solid narrative structure, despite some weaker moments towards the end. The dialogues are well written and the characters are credible, with the possibility of deepening their stories through optional interactions, which enrich the experience. Only in rare cases are there small dissonances in the dialogues compared to the temporal setting, but nothing that ruins the overall involvement.
The themes addressed, such as the transition to adulthood, first loves, friendships, family and the nostalgia for a past that seems to fade, are treated with delicacy and authenticity, making the adventure of Ayumi not only compelling, but also a journey where reality and imagination mix, creating a beautiful journey, through nostalgia for the past through myths and tradition.
A simple adventure
On the gaming side, Last Time I Saw You it looks like a 2D scrolling adventurein which the various levels, although they follow a rather linear structure, offer a certain freedom of movement and exploration. It is possible to return to areas already visited, enriching the experience with a more engaging gameplay dynamic. The main focus of the game, as already mentioned, it is the narrative, with particular emphasis on the interactions with the characters we will meet along our journey. The side-quests, although simple and mainly consisting of collecting items or delivering items, help make the overall experience richer and more satisfying.
Players can purchase items from merchants, useful both for progressing in missions and for unlocking particular elements of the game. Currency is earned by defeating shadows, collecting treasure, or completing side quests. Furthermore, There are collectibles scattered around the maps, which can be found during exploration or purchased from merchants. The gameplay of Last Time I Saw You it is based on fundamental mechanics, such as jumping and a side dodge that allows you to access otherwise unreachable areas.
The protagonist can also attack with a baseball bat, dealing simple but effective blows against the few enemies that appear. Furthermore, we would like to point out the presence of a diary Ayumiwhich not only collects the objectives of the missions, but also acts as a compendium of objects, characters and notes from the protagonist, updating day by day.
The environmental puzzles, while repetitive, are fairly simple and don’t offer a significant challenge. The gameplay, while enjoyable, is not particularly elaborate and this translates into some limitations. One of the main defects concerns the balance between the narrative componentwell developed, and the playful one, which has some shortcomings. Some areas require excessive backtracking, and the overall difficulty of the game is quite low. While it is possible to run out of lives, this never poses a real threat, as the checkpoints are placed within a short distance of each other.
It is clear that Last Time I Saw You does not aim for a complex and detailed gameplay structure, but rather a more accessible experiencefocused on artistic and narrative aspects. If this may represent a limit for those looking for a more demanding or playful challenge, on the other hand the game still manages to offer a pleasant and light experience, which can be played with simplicity and charm. The game can be completed in about ten hours.
A beautiful postcard with a nostalgic flavour
One of the aspects that stands out most Last Time I Saw You it is the artistic sector, which manages to capture attention with an eye-catching aesthetic, perfectly integrated with the story that the game wants to tell. The title evokes the feeling of a postcard from the pastconveying a strong sense of nostalgia.
From the leaves falling from the trees to the backgrounds that carefully represent the small village, every visual element contributes to creating aengaging atmosphere. Even the hand-drawn characters are a pleasure to observe during the game, as are the natural environments, which although not particularly innovative, still manage to maintain their charm. Traditional elements, such as shrines and figures from Japanese folklore, have been carefully revisitedwith a character design that respects the cultural roots without giving up a touch of originality.
Everything is handcrafted by talented artists, both the backgrounds and the character movements, making each scene rich in detail. The various scenarios, accompanied by a soundtrack that fits perfectly with the atmosphere, complete the artistic and narrative experience. The music of Last Time I Saw You, varied and often nostalgicmanages to blend all the elements together, creating a cohesive and pleasant audiovisual system.
From a technical point of view, Last Time I Saw You It presents itself cleanly and without any significant problems. During our testing we only encountered a couple of minor bugs, nothing that affected the gaming experience. It should be noted that the title is not available in Italian, but the English version is clear and accessible, even for those who do not have a perfect command of the language.
