| Bazimag |
Sina Golab Zade |
8 / 10 |
09-22-2020 |
When The Past Was Around is a short and quite cathartic experience about loss and letting go of the past by cherishing every memory we have made with our loved ones. The art style is one of the most beautiful ones in the world of video games and the music helps with the very much needed relaxed atmosphere a subject like grief needs. |
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| COGconnected |
Lillian King |
85 / 100 |
12-17-2020 |
When The Past Was Around tells a story without uttering a single word of dialogue, using simple but beautiful music and a masterful, unique art style to communicate it. If I’m falling back on popular buzzwords too much when describing it, know that it deserves better. Better yet, make yourself a cup of tea, wrap yourself in a familiar blanket, and find out for yourself. |
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| FingerGuns |
Toby Andersen |
7 / 10 |
12-16-2020 |
A dream-like point-and-click story of love and grief told through memory vignettes, When The Past Was Around is memorable but when you can finish it in a few hours, it feels oh so fleeting. |
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| GameMAG |
Unknown |
8 / 10 |
02-19-2021 |
When the Past was Around is a very atmospheric and warm game about relationships, experiences and the fact that love does not go away after time and years. A very positive experience for those who are depressed after a breakup or are experiencing the melancholy of a cold winter. |
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| GameSpace |
Emily Byrnes |
9 / 10 |
01-15-2021 |
If you’re a hopeless romantic like me that loves to have their heart shattered into hundreds of pieces over a thought-provoking story, When the Past Was Around is exactly what you’re looking for. |
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| GameSpew |
Kim Snaith |
7 / 10 |
12-16-2020 |
If you enjoy quiet and reflective games like Florence, as well as indulging in a bit of puzzle-solving, you’ll undoubtedly find something to like in When the Past Was Around. Its narrative never fully delivers, however, and its bizarre choice to be vague and obtuse when it comes to the main character’s love and loss makes it hard to ever fully understand her plight. Still, beautiful artwork and music coupled with enjoyable puzzles make it a worthwhile way to spend an hour or two of your time. |
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| Hey Poor Player |
Heather Johnson |
4 / 5 stars |
12-16-2020 |
When The Past Was Around is the lovely bookend to 2020 for me; when coupled with January’s Coffee Talk, I’m reminded that there are plenty of cozy games that provide extreme comfort no matter what their genre. While I do wish I had experienced this game on PC or even the Switch due to the small text on TV, I’m thrilled that I got to experience it at all. As a wise man once said: “It is better to have loved and lost than to have never loved at all, and it is better to play When The Past Was Around on console than to have never played it at all.” Heed those words and be sure to pick up When The Past Was Around on the platform of your choice as soon as possible. |
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| KeenGamer |
Will Hitchcock |
9 / 10 |
12-20-2020 |
When the Past was Around is a point and click puzzle game that succeeds in getting the player emotionally invested in its bittersweet tale of love and loss. Eda’s tale of grief for a lost partner is wonderfully told in a way that affects you, but does the game succeed in keeping players interested throughout with its puzzle gameplay? |
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| New Game Network |
Eric Hall |
72 / 100 |
12-16-2020 |
When The Past Was Around may be brief, but its splendid artwork, beautiful music and memorable story will stick with you long after you wrap it up. |
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| Nintendo Life |
Stuart Gipp |
9 / 10 |
12-25-2020 |
Concise, carefully crafted and beautifully malleable in its meaning, When The Past Was Around is a rather gorgeous little art game that remembers it needs to be interesting in its puzzles as well as its narrative. Taking the principles of escape room-style gameplay and fitting them around its theme lends them a gravitas that belies their simplicity and elevates this game into more than just the indie flavour of the month. Sure, you’re not likely to play it twice, but you’d be hard-pressed to forget about it. And, honestly, after this year? We needed it. |
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| PlayStation Universe |
Timothy Nunes |
7.5 / 10 |
01-10-2021 |
Despite its few flaws, When The Past Was Around tells a beautiful love story through simplistic mechanics and themes. The only thing that gets in the way is puzzle pacing at the end, which breaks the formula in an uncomplimentary way. |
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| PSX Brasil |
José Viana |
75 / 100 |
12-18-2020 |
Short and beautiful, When the Past was Around tells a pretty story of love and grief in an accessible and light manner. |
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| Push Square |
Graham Banas |
7 / 10 |
12-16-2020 |
What start as very simple hidden object brain-teasers eventually progress to multi-scene puzzles, where items you collect serve more than one function. The puzzles never get hard per se, but they are immensely satisfying all the same, especially the more involved ones. |
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| Rapid Reviews UK |
Alicia Brunskill |
4.5 / 5 stars |
12-16-2020 |
When the Past was Around conveys a whirlwind of emotions through its combination of award-winning violin music and hand-drawn art. It’s a compelling journey into the thoughts of Eda, the main character, as she processes a devastating personal loss. There’s no doubt that I found this game to be a delight, but is it the game for you? Let’s take a look at what it has to offer. |
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| SpazioGames |
Stefania Sperandio |
7.2 / 10 |
12-19-2020 |
When the Past was Around is a meaningful point and click journey. Its puzzles are more than improvable, but the soundtrack and the atmosphere are captivating. |
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| TechRaptor |
Catherine Dellosa |
9 / 10 |
12-16-2020 |
When The Past Was Around is a unique point-and-click game that invites players to go on an emotional journey in a dreamlike, almost fragmented state. Mojiken Studio’s love letter to simple couplehood takes a minimalist approach to living life to the fullest and learning how to move on, so it just might be the perfect game to play during this stressful pandemic. |
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| The Digital Fix |
Abbi Ruggles |
9 / 10 |
12-18-2020 |
When The Past Was Around is a beautiful game by Mojiken about love, loss, and life. Through art and music we discover the love story of Eda and Owl, putting pieces together scene by scene by solving puzzles. It’s a short, sweet game clearly made with a lot care, and a soundtrack that will be stuck in your head for days. |
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| TheSixthAxis |
Reuben Mount |
8 / 10 |
01-29-2021 |
When the Past was Around isn’t a long title by any means, but what it does with its run time is definitely worth the look. The puzzles throughout are challenging, but not to the point of frustration (mostly). The beautiful visuals and music tell a wordless tale of love and loss with such deftness and care that the game’s emotional moments feel earned. If you’re looking for a great indie title to while away a sombre afternoon, look no further. |
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| VGChartz |
Lee Mehr |
5 / 10 |
12-31-2020 |
Whether due to its miserly length or disjointed puzzles, Mojiken’s exploration of loss is already distant in my mental rearview mirror. |
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