Forever Ago was, by far, the least eventful demo I played at Summer Game Fest. But it’s one of the few that stuck with me the most — a profound exploration of a life well lived. A narrative adventure in the vein of Life is Strange, Forever Ago’s reflective story and incredible attention to detail have already sold me on taking the road trip it offers.
Forever Ago follows an elderly man named Alfred as he embarks on a solo journey across the country in search of “redemption.” While I don’t know exactly what he’s hoping to be redeemed for, the demo quickly makes it clear that Alfred has a bit of a tragic past as he reflects on long-past memories with his sweetheart Audrey, who’s clearly passed away. Seemingly friendless and wracked with grief, the demo I played sees Alfred stop at a gas station to both stock up for the road and talk to his longtime friend Karl, who owns the station.
The only problem is that his friend isn’t there that day, and he has to deal instead with an overly chatty attendant. Now, much of what I’m going to describe about Forever Ago will probably seem slow and even boring in some cases. My roughly 25-minute snippet of the game had me do a single thing: shop at the gas station.
But what truly impressed me about Forever Ago is how richly that single area was recreated — packed to the brim with things to investigate and interact with. As Alfred poked around the mini-mart for his list, I could interact with dozens of items. Local cookies that were Audrey’s favourite, a map to help me navigate the road with key locations, and knick-knacks that reminded Alfred of parts of his life. From a camping gear display to the rows of treats and snacks, everything in Forever Ago is rendered with clear loving care and dedication to creating a sense of place.
Having lived in Colorado my entire life, I’ve been to my fair share of quaint little roadside cafes and marts — a little backwater gift shop on the road up Mt. Evans, or a dilapidated dollar store in Cripple Creek where I somehow, miraculously, found a copy of Codename STEAM in the year 2024. Forever Ago‘s delightful little shop sent my memory surging back through these little oddities I’ve visited throughout the years. Somewhat fitting for a game that seems to be all about memory.
After I’d spent enough time poking around and asking a few prying questions of the overenthusiastic attendants, Alfred went to check out. But while he’s waiting for his items to be scanned, Alfred catches a glimpse of an old picture with him, Audrey, and Karl. Within seconds, a switch flips, and his entire personality shifts to something much meaner, snatching the picture from the attendant’s grasp.
At that point, the game shifts to a memory of Alred and Audrey as a young couple stopping at the station, which I can quickly play through. And at the end, a dreamlike sequence shows Alfred chasing after his lost sweetheart, pining for how things were supposed to be different. It’s a rather abrupt, but effective, change in tone.
It was also incredibly effective at drawing me into Alfred’s story — seeing the charming old man turn into a husk of himself when his memories catch up. Based on the trailers I’ve seen, I get the vibe that Forever Ago is, as a whole, meant to be a game with an uplifting and feel-good message. I now imagine there’ll be some pain along the way, as there should be for any game that’s ostensibly about life’s long journey.
But what’s really sold me on Forever Ago is that attention to detail and emotion. In just a 20-minute snippet, I got a wonderful sense of Alfred and his quaint world. And, equally, in those few minutes, the game even evoked my own fond memories of travel. And it feels like anything that can do both those things in such a short time is something special.
