If Found . . .
What to Know
Average Score
- October 22, 2020
- DREAMFEEL
- Adventure
Critics Consensus
- October 22, 2020
- Adventure
Critics Consensus
# Reviews: 22
With its vivid sketchbook art style and powerful story, If Found... provides a refreshing and mesmerizing commentary on human nature.
Critic Reviews for If Found . . .
Reviews
Silver TIER
50% of scored reviews fell within the range of 80 to 86 / 100
Michael Higham (GameSpot)
9/10
“Through its vivid sketchbook art style and sharp writing, If Found gives a powerful, affecting story about empathy and acceptance as a young adult.”
Paul Tamayo (Kotaku)
Recommended
“If Found… does a beautiful job of letting me vicariously experience Kasio’s life while inspiring me to contemplate similar moments in my own life as well. The beautiful illustrations, framing, and score make this game truly special and well worth checking out.”
Lewis Gordon (Guardian)
4/5 stars
“Delicate illustrations depict a world slipping away in this poignant drama, with memories we’re invited to help young Kasio erase.”
Outlet | Author | Score | Date | Quote | Read |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
3DNews | Александр Бабулин | 7.5 / 10 | 06-06-2020 | A hot topic, spectacular drawing, unusual surroundings… Good try, but If Found… lacks interactivity and fails to dive deep into the chosen topic. | Read review |
COGconnected | Stephanie Sung | 81 / 100 | 11-03-2020 | If Found…is deep and comforting, a little disorienting, and at times heartbreaking. It is by no means trying to make people feel sorry for Kasio. Instead, it is creating an experience that some of us will never go through, and walking side-by-side with a character who does makes reality more understandable. As Kasio, we meet people who accept her, but also face hostility from the ones closest to her. It helps readers relate, understand, and reflect. It may be a very short game, but it tells a warm and powerful story that is worthwhile to read. | Read review |
Critical Hit | Darryn Bonthuys | 8 / 10 | 05-26-2020 | A story told with deft delicacy while not pulling any punches along the way, If Found is a gorgeous slice of storytelling told with deceptively minimal inputs and maximum talent. | Read review |
Destructoid | CJ Andriessen | 9 / 10 | 07-20-2020 | For many, If Found… will be an interesting story about LGBTQ life in early ’90s Ireland. For others, it’ll be a callback to the heartache of our own coming out experiences. It tells a very specific story of a very specific girl, but its examinations of families, friends, and how we sometimes need to let go of the past if we want to move forward, are universal. This is a great example of how stories about LGBTQ characters don’t have to be aimed exclusively at LGBTQ audiences, and even without my personal connection to the story, it’s the most brilliant game I’ve played this year. | Read review |
Digital Chumps | Nathaniel Stevens | 9.5 / 10 | 09-29-2019 | If all interactive stories are like this, then sign me up. While If Found…starts out slow, it picks up the pace and draws you in with the personal journey of Kasio that is complemented by the beautiful artwork from Liadh Young. It’s a story that everyone, especially younger gamers, should experience. | Read review |
DualShockers | Cameron Hawkins | 8 / 10 | 05-19-2020 | If Found… is a creative telling of a queer woman learning about herself and teaching others to accept her for who she is. | Read review |
GameSpew | Becca S. | 10 / 10 | 05-22-2020 | I absolutely adored my time spent with If Found…. I knew within the first few minutes that it was going to be something truly special, earning a place in my favourite games of all time. The art from Liadh Young is stunning, the music sounds and feels like a dream and its story is unique, provocative and wonderful. Very few video games have made a true and permanent mark on my heart, but If Found… has done just that. | Read review |
GameSpot | Michael Higham | 9 / 10 | 05-27-2020 | Through its vivid sketchbook art style and sharp writing, If Found gives a powerful, affecting story about empathy and acceptance as a young adult. | Read review |
Guardian | Lewis Gordon | 4 / 5 stars | 05-21-2020 | Delicate illustrations depict a world slipping away in this poignant drama, with memories we’re invited to help young Kasio erase | Read review |
Hardcore Gamer | Marcus Estrada | 3.5 / 5 stars | 05-26-2020 | Anyone interested in narrative-focused games needs to check If Found… out. | Read review |
Jump Dash Roll | Jon Peltz | 8 / 10 | 05-20-2020 | If Found… is a brief, distinctive, and deeply effective tale that will make you nostalgic for and reflect on some of the more troubling times of your youth. While its lack of interactivity may make it too niche for some, it is the perfect story for an afternoon in quarantine. | Read review |
Kotaku | Paul Tamayo | Recommended | 05-19-2020 | If Found… does a beautiful job of letting me vicariously experience Kasio’s life while inspiring me to contemplate similar moments in my own life as well. The beautiful illustrations, framing, and score make this game truly special and well worth checking out. | Read review |
Luis Alamilla | Luis Alamilla | 10 / 10 | 10-22-2020 | If Found is a must-play game. Through its graceful writing, down to earth characters and unique presentation, If Found grasped me and didn’t let me go for a full two hours. In those moments, I felt joy, sorrow and peace. I thought of my own childhood, the people in my life and what they meant to me. | Read review |
NintendoWorldReport | Willem Hilhorst | 8 / 10 | 10-23-2020 | Knowing that even now, in a year where everything feels like a hazy wave of terrible events, sadness and darkness, we can strive towards making a brighter future. It might’ve been a short experience, but If Found… made me experience something that I have missed over the last few months. For that I can only be grateful. | Read review |
Noisy Pixel | Azario Lopez | 8 / 10 | 05-21-2020 | If Found has an incredible story to tell about finding your place in life with an added dose of science fiction, there are themes of acceptance and discovery, but the core of the story revolves around Kasio accepting who she is. Sure the conclusion is a little rushed, but that won’t stop you from feeling immersed in this truly beautiful game. | Read review |
Paste Magazine | Garrett Martin | 9 / 10 | 05-19-2020 | If Found bridges the gaps between a handful of different mediums and artistic disciplines to create a sad, poignant, ultimately uplifting tale. | Read review |
Polygon | Nicole Carpenter | Recommended | 05-19-2020 | It’s refreshing and meaningful to see a complex story in which all pieces of the characters’ lives are considered, each part of a much larger story of a life, and the fantasy that such a life might also produce. There are painful, real moments in If Found…, but the game also revels in the support of friendship and family, too. | Read review |
Slant Magazine | Steven Scaife | 4 / 5 stars | 05-27-2020 | The game reveals its brilliance by constantly and subtly reconfiguring the emotions behind erasure. | Read review |
TechRaptor | Tyler Chancey | 8 / 10 | 05-28-2020 | If Found… is a visually impressive and deeply personal experience that centers on emotional resonance above all else | Read review |
TheSixthAxis | Reuben Mount | 8 / 10 | 11-25-2020 | Being a visual novel, If Found… won’t be for everyone, but those willing to give it a try will find a beautiful and endearing story of self-acceptance. The gorgeous hand-drawn art and the story coming directly from a diary really give the impression of an insight to someone’s life, and the gameplay idea of actually erasing history and identity creates an intensely emotional experience. | Read review |
USgamer | Hirun Cryer | 4.5 / 5 stars | 05-19-2020 | If Found is a mesmerizing commentary on the nature of failed relationships and human nature. | Read review |
WayTooManyGames | Heidi Hawes | 4 / 10 | 06-04-2020 | I appreciate the bravery of DREAMFEEL for releasing such a personal game about a topic that not a lot of people understand. I only wish it were delivered in a more captivating way. The symbolism is great, but without any other facets of gameplay or ways in which to deliver the narrative, it loses its potency before too long. | Read review |
Game Info
If Found… is an interactive visual novel from DREAMFEEL about searching for connection. On December 31st 1993 in the crumbling ruins of a mansion on Achill Island, Kasio destroys her diary. It tells the story of her return home to the West of Ireland, her conflict with her family, the friends she makes, and the challenges she goes through. Everything leads to this night when a black hole will destroy the entire world. Where did it come from? Is there any way to stop it? With brand new gameplay mechanics, beautiful hand-drawn art, and a stunning soundtrack, players will relive Kasio’s experiences and see the moments both happy and painful that make up the month of December 1993. Features include: awkward crushes, the planet Jupiter, many kisses, a punk concert, confusion, happiness, a cute dog, and a break in.
RELEASE DATES:
DEVELOPER(S):
- DREAMFEEL
PUBLISHER(S):
- Annapurna Interactive
GENRES:
- Adventure
SERIES/FRANCHISE:
- n/a
GAME MODES:
- Single player
GAME ENGINE:
- -
DLC:
- -
BUNDLED IN:
- -
DIRECTOR(S):
- -
PRODUCER(S):
- -
DESIGNER(S):
- -
PROGRAMMER(S):
- -
ARTIST(S):
- -
WRITER(S):
- -
COMPOSER(S):
- -
GAME MODES:
- Single player
GAME ENGINE:
- n/a
DLC:
- n/a
BUNDLED IN:
- n/a
DIRECTOR(S):
- n/a
PRODUCER(S):
- n/a
DESIGNER(S):
- n/a
PROGRAMMER(S):
- n/a
ARTIST(S):
- n/a
WRITER(S):
- n/a
COMPOSER(S):
- n/a
People Also Like
Follow VSG on Instagram
Your go-to for the news, reviews and info you need from the gaming industry. Without access. Without favor. Without interference.