When I first played Journey back in 2016 (late to the party I know…), its captivating emotional voyage across a fascinating desolate world saw it quickly become one of the most profound experiences I’ve ever had with the medium. While I’m yet to find another game with the same momentous impact (and it’s also possible I never will), I’m always on the lookout for something that seeks to provide a comparable type of experience. After having spent 90 minutes with After Us, an atmospheric adventure game by Spanish developer Piccolo Studio, it looks to be a game cut from a similar cloth, placing you in a surrealist post-apocalyptic world, and tasking you with bringing it back from the brink.
You play as Gaia, the Spirit of Life, who awakes in a forest inhabited with various woodland critters, as well as some floating marine life, because why not? As soon as she gets a cuddle in with a cute little deer, the animals in the forest quickly begin to vanish in droves, and the initial positive vibes dissipate just as swiftly.
All the animals have unfortunately perished, but the Mother spirit present in the forest has managed to save their souls from a similar fate. Gaia’s task is to head out into the desolate wasteland and recover the souls, bringing them back to the forest location known as the Ark, while also making sure to steer clear of the Devourers, who are responsible for the destruction of Earth. Before heading out on her crucial quest, Gaia is given the Mother’s heart, which serves as an important item and mechanic to use on her journey.
I wish Whales could fly…
It’s a relatively simple premise, but the initial storytelling in the first 90 minutes has left me with plenty of intrigue as to what I may discover as I progress further. What had me interested most throughout my time with After Us was how well it succeeds in its environmental storytelling. Broken-down cars, gigantic oil spills and dilapidated buildings paint the picture of a world that has been corrupted to its breaking point by its human inhabitants, and it’s presented in a fascinating abstract way. For instance, chunks of destroyed architecture and decayed vehicles are suspended in the air throughout the initial location, serving as platforms you must navigate across to progress.
After Us nails its atmosphere in its opening moments, and it looks visually fantastic in the process too, most especially when utilising Gaia’s Burst of Life ability, which repels dangerous obstacles such as oil spills, replacing them with lush green grass and a welcome smattering of dandelions.
The Burst of Life ability makes for some quality viewing
While the visuals and atmosphere were on fire early, my initial impressions when I first assumed control of Gaia had me concerned. She didn’t move with much speed, and her jump was rather stiff and had me fearing the worst in regards to the platforming. Thankfully, as I progressed through the early stages of the game, her moveset began to flesh out, with her sprint, double jump and air dash abilities doing wonders to elevate traversal throughout the environment. The ability to wall run and grind rails a bit later on further aids the smooth and freeing sense of movement.
The aim as you gracefully make your way through the environment is attempting to locate and ultimately free the Life Force present within the last animals that perished. My 90-minute session only saw me track one of these down, and it was a heartbreaking moment. While it was quite emotional, it has me intrigued to see similar moments as I progress deeper into the experience.
Alongside the core spirits required to move onwards with the game, there are some optional collectible spirits, which can be tracked down by using Gaia’s singing ability, which provides a visual cue that points in the direction of these spirits. These optional distractions don’t provide any crucial reward, but they do make the lonesome adventure just a little bit less so. You can pet most of them also, which is probably enough of an incentive to begin with.
I MUST PET YOU ALL
I also had a brief interaction with the combat, however probably not enough to pass much judgement on just yet. It was a relatively simple affair, but if the rest of the game is any indicator, I’m sure it’ll be further expanded as I get deeper into the adventure.
In summary, After Us seems like a welcome indie surprise from what I’ve experienced thus far, and my initial 90-minute venture within its atmospheric damaged world has me desperate for more. Perhaps it won’t surpass Journey, but I won’t stop believin’ it’s possible.
