[h1]Recalling Thoughts...[/h1]
Despite having a comically named high quality graphics setting option upon launch penned, "[i]I have a Titan. Bring it[/i]", X-D (did cause the beast I was using minor stutter) the title of this game is literal and serious. After Life is tear-jerking.
Sappy ♥♥♥♥♥ [i](and I use that term lovingly)[/i] pull at my heartstrings until even my soul is numb from all the weeping so I am far from new to it. Of the many mawkish games available on Steam: Brothers - A Tale of Two Sons; Life is Strange; That Dragon, Cancer; Dear Esther; Narcissu; planetarian; and The Walking Dead among other greats; [b]After Life - Story of a Father[/b]is probably on the more unpolished side. Yet in stark contrast to its obvious theme it offers a [b]refreshingly creative insight into the ideas of a seldom imagined afterlife using what our protagonist Rick goes through after dying 12 years prematurely.[/b]
Set in Ireland, Rick's life flashes before his eyes in a manner that is not so typical for the phrase. He lingers in limbo having died before his time in a place that looks very much like space. In a sort of space-time vortex, Rick traverses the past, present and sees the future of his loved ones. It's more like how we'd imagine Scrooge might go forth towards the light years after the events of Dickens's [i]A Christmas Carol[/i]. Rick takes his last journey to make peace with his death through knowing the thoughts and fate of his loved ones.
One of the most intriguing aspects of the game is[spoiler]Gavin[/spoiler], the mysterious voice that talks to Rick and guides him through this voyage. Their short, semi-philosophical colloquy between levels while floating through nothingness serve as an elegant passageway connecting the player between each set of experiences and the characters Rick introduces to us. The ending unveils the long awaited meaning of [spoiler]Gavin's[/spoiler]existence in Rick's after life and is a heartwarming and fantastic idea that will delight players to realise and comprehend in their own manner. Uncomplicated as the dialogue may be, it boasts a sturdy framework and is never insipid or needlessly drawn out. The length of one playthrough without skipping any of the dialogue/credits is 2 hours so it isn't a long game. Absent save options mean you'll need to load chapters if you quit midway but since it only consists of 5 parts, each a duration of 20-30 mins (where each time you head to a corner of the world significant to Rick and his family), who needs saves!
[h1]Blink to Remember[/h1]
One nuisance does arise due to this however, and this is because of the "blink" mechanic and the sole gamified feature of "memory collection" in-game. This isn't blind, spoon-fed progression with a "walking simulator" granted all you require is a mouse to play (no offence PnC games ;D). Choose direction by moving your mouse, click LMB to float forward slowly, click RMB+LMB together to drift forward swiftly and click RMB to toggle "blink mode". You need to blink to see where memories are and collecting these experiences in the form of dialogues leads directly to progressing in-game. You need them all and they trigger in a specific order meaning you'll revisit certain areas. When you blink the world fleetingly turns monochrome and you will be able to see beacons of dazzling phosphorescent light shoot to the sky. This beacon is so strong that it even blasts through floors when you're in a building but amusingly cannot be spotted if you're too far away. A few flaws present themselves at this point because if you don't find all the memories, you can't get to the next level, and even if you could I expect most people would rather not skip any important events in what is a wholly story, and character-driven affair. It isn't much of a bother until you get to the last level as Level 1 is easy enough as a tutorial, but by Level 4 I got worried and was bordering on irritated for a few minutes while searching the last few rooms. With no map in a weirdly designed and gargantuan house, it felt a bit eerie and long searching for those vexatiously well spread out final missing memories. It didn't give me much trouble in hindsight, but I have an inkling that was pure luck because I have absolutely naught sense of direction. How wonderful it would be if Rick could see past the wall like a proper little ghost! Other than Rick's disappointing lack of blinking prowess the controls are as smooth as a baby's bottom and in tune with this brilliantly paced game. It offers a broad FOV range which removes any sense of nausea and straight from the beginning I was having a ball. At first look the atmosphere funnily reminded me of what the Heaven Island games [i]should[/i] have been considering they are actual walking simulators with an addition of bad design causing simulation sickness instead of Zen meditation. After Life contains a relatively plentiful selection of varying scenes and insightful dialogue for the small team indie game it is and never once did things feel overused, dull or repetitive. The voice actors most likely (seems done by an amateur but capable team) ironed out most of the grammatical errors as they recorded since the mistakes are only sporadically present in the captions.
[h1]Go raibh mile maith agat[/h1]
[i](May you have a thousand good things) - Irish Saying[/i]
By the end of the game it feels like a low budget [i]That Dragon, Cancer[/i]. Both made me cry the same way since I lost my father to a terminal illness when I was young, and each of these games in many ways are about the dad and what they endure whether or not they are the ones dying. Thinking that perhaps my own father could have gone through what Rick did made me want to bury myself under the covers and bawl my eyes out as it is such a splendid and artistically original thought that this developer had. I enjoyed this game more because it isn't a one dimensional look into the pain and suffering of families going through unutterably calamitous loss. That is such an obvious, irrevocable thing that I for one don't need to be reminded of any longer. Instead you will grasp the concept of loss through the eyes of the one that has left us. This game exhibits an entirely different perspective by putting us in the shoes of the loss itself. The person no longer there but unable to leave too quickly guides us through the journey of leaving their life behind much too early. Still it delves less into the emotions of Rick and more of what goes on with those around him after his death and how this affects his moving on with his journey in the after life, which is what makes it all the more thought-provoking and distinct. We hear little brother Rob talk of them chasing skirts as young lads and enjoying life, the wise words and undying love of Rick's mother Aoife, his three children and loving wife Shauna's brave venture into a world void of him, Rick's best friend Vincent with his difficulty handling the trauma but slowly learning to grow from it, and Anlon the loyal guard dog forever waiting for his master to return. These are 12 years filled with remembering, yearning, changing, learning and moving on with life, narrated from a wonderful variance of characters. Satisfyingly well done endings are rare but I felt this had one, which makes all the difference. It ties everything with a pretty ribbon but lets players choose the colour of it.
[i]Tip:[/i]
[h1]Walking slowly actually makes things look divine, just like in real life.[/h1]
