Forever Ago is a maudlin tale about wondering where life went

Annapurna Interactive and Third Shift tell the story of an old man embarking on a road trip and reflecting on his life gone by.

Those who are lucky enough to make it through life are going to reach old age eventually. Time is inevitable. Many of us will one day look into the mirror and wonder what happened. Wasn't it just yesterday that we were all in our primes, enjoying our youth with our friends and loved ones? Forever Ago looks to paint a touching picture of old age, but the short section I played at Summer Game Fest already has me preparing for an emotional ride.

Forever Ago follows the tale of Alfred, an old man reaching the end of his life, looking to take a fulfilling road trip. He's a photographer at heart and loves to capture the memories of what he's encountered. However, he's also starting to reflect on his past and what he's seeing isn't always pleasant.

For this demo, Alfred stopped at a local gas station mini-mart off the side of the road. His old friend, Karl, had owned the store for many years, but upon finding a young teenager named Milton running things, he learns that Karl has stepped away from his full-time duties. It's one of many things that has Alfred realizing that time has passed and things are beginning to change permanently.

Players will use Alfred's camera to take pictures of their surroundings and fill his journal. He'll also experience flashbacks based on certain conversations and things that he might see. For example, as Alfred looked to pay for his items, he looked up and saw that Karl had an old picture of him, Alfred, and Alfred's late wife Audrey. The sight of that picture sent Alfred into a flashback, one in which players would experience one of his happiest nights with Audrey outside of that same gas station. Later, Alfred found himself frozen, reflecting on the night that Audrey, just before her death, needed medical attention. Players would only see a black screen, so it's presumed that more of this night will be uncovered as Alfred's story goes on.

Forever Ago doesn't look like it's meant to be a downer, but it'll be interesting to see where Alfred's story goes. Does he come to accept everything happening around him? Does he embrace a certain level of change? Where do the flashbacks ultimately lead? And, most importantly to me by the end of this demo, does Alfred find happiness?

Forever Ago has been in the works for several years. It was only recently re-announced following its original reveal at the Annapurna Interactive Showcase in 2022. What was most fascinating about this demo was that it was the same one that developer Third Shift sent to Annapurna Interactive as its initial pitch. Given the potential for where the story can go and the feelings that it can stir up, I can see why the publisher ultimately moved forward with it.

As part of this loaded Summer Game Fest weekend, Annapurna Interactive announced Forever Ago's official release date. Look for it to come to PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and Nintendo Switch 2 on Thursday, October 8.

This preview is based on an early PC build played on-site at Summer Game Fest: Play Days. The final product is subject to change.

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