Until Then Review

Although I don’t often go out of my way to pick up a game that I know for sure is going to be sad, some of my most treasured narrative experiences have been ones which have come out of nowhere and broken my heart. For a story to become special to me despite possibly having left me sobbing on the couch at some point, however, it needs to be something that enriches me just as much as it leaves me shattered. Until Then is one of those games.

Set in the Philippines after a series of unnatural disasters, Until Then follows Mark Borja, a teenager whose life seems to be relatively normal, if quite disorderly, for someone of his age. He stays up late playing video games, leaves his schoolwork to the last minute, isn’t fond of chores, and, seemingly like everyone else, has a crush on the smart, hard-working, and popular class president, Louise. Mark practises the piano willingly, which seems a little at odds with the responsibility-shirking persona he shows to the world, but everyone has hobbies, right? The narrative invites us to view him the way that society views him: a young, somewhat disorganised guy who is getting through life, but who probably would be able to achieve something great if, as I’m sure his teachers have probably told him at least a couple of times by now, he simply ‘applied himself’ to his schoolwork and goals.

Mark’s friendships old and new are an important part of the narrative

Slowly, however, as Mark goes about his life and new information is revealed, layers of what may initially have appeared to be set dressing or surface-level characterisation begin to take on tentative new meanings and we start to question our assumptions of the narrative. It’s not long before we begin to suspect that he’s holding onto a lot of pain, but the game does not hurry to any grand revelations. Even if the delivery of some plot-relevant information can be a little abrupt at times, the overall pace at which key information gets revealed is deliberate and measured, and pivotal narrative moments are interspersed with smaller interactions and scenes that build life, character, and authenticity into the world.

The story covers substantial ground, with distinct narrative threads that constantly intersect and diverge. You get to know Mark’s friends old and new, help him to prepare for his piano club auditions, and investigate some strange supernatural happenings, but the story goes well beyond these themes. In many ways, Until Then is about growing up and growing up too fast; it’s about holding onto the past and learning to let go; it’s about recognising that some things can’t be fixed, no matter how hard you try. It offers a raw and honest depiction of what it’s like to be a teenager facing problems that other people might not understand, but it isn’t inclined toward moralisation; there’s a quiet recognition that humanity is complex and sometimes we’re just making the best choices we can with the information we have, and sometimes, regardless of our intentions, it’s impossible to get everything right.

It must be noted that the subject matter does get very confronting, dealing with sensitive topics including grief, trauma, and mental health, among others, and the narrative is likely to be distressing for some players. There is an interactive list of trigger warnings that players may view if they are worried about encountering certain themes; although this may reveal plot points, it’s entirely optional to use and it is a considerate way to make the game more accessible. To balance out the more confronting topics, there is also plenty of lightheartedness and joy in the narrative, but by virtue of the contrast this provides, such gentler moments do often poignantly serve to highlight the story’s more difficult themes. The balance is nevertheless essential, and the regular emotional and tonal shifts, along with a deft use of metaphor and symbolism, help to create a richly textured world.

Is that a metaphor, Mark?

Speaking as someone who enjoys thought-provoking narratives which don’t necessarily answer all of the questions that they raise, however, I felt that the first of Until Then’s three distinct narrative arcs could almost have stood as an exceptional game in its own right, and there’s a certain something that gets lost from expanding the story out into the three-arc structure. While the second and third arcs offer new perspectives and answer questions that the first arc leaves you pondering, there’s an intensity that is missing compared to the powerful show-don’t-tell storytelling of the first act, which is so raw and devastating that almost anything would pale in comparison. This is likely to come down to a matter of personal taste, though; I am particularly fond of narratives that end on an emotional gut-punch and leave some things to the imagination, but others may find more satisfaction in tying up those loose ends.

From a gameplay perspective, the narrative is predominantly delivered through interactive dialogues, internal monologues, and cutscenes, and while most of the dialogues are verbal, many interactions take place using Mark’s phone. You can text friends and interact with posts on social media, and there are also links to the community’s interactive news website which provides insight into local affairs. The social media pages are a little finicky to navigate, unfortunately, and I encountered a bug that prevented progression after clicking into too many linked articles in a row, but progress can be reset by returning to the main menu and then resuming play. Although you may have to replay some content when this occurs, it is worth the extra time to read the news in order to develop a broader understanding of the game’s sociopolitical setting. There are also a few mini-games in addition to the text-based interactions which add some variety to the gameplay; while there are some small issues with these, such as custom button mapping for the piano mini-game randomly resetting, these are relatively minor problems which don’t inordinately detract from the game’s otherwise notable quality.

In terms of its artistic direction, Until Then uses a distinctive 2.5D pixel art style which is evocative, detailed, and dynamic. Character animations are highly expressive, with a great deal of personality being conveyed through details such as posture and gait. The visual storytelling is also outstanding; thoughtful framing and shot composition are used to emphasise different themes or emotions, and a substantial amount of context is conveyed through the world design. Although some of the settings, such as run-down classrooms and streets filled with litter, haven’t been designed to be attractive per se, the developers have been selective and intentional about when and how visual beauty is created. Key moments are made all the more poignant for the contrast against the more mundane vistas and, equally, for metaphorical contrast against the game’s challenging themes. Light and shadow are also used quite symbolically, although some of the darker tableaux are a little too dark despite a day one patch that was intended to address this issue, and I often had to adjust the brightness between scenes.

Varied shot composition creates visual interest and emphasises key ideas

The visuals are largely matched in quality by the atmospheric sound design. Music, background noise, sound effects, distortions, and silence are all effectively used to complement the ebbs and flows of narrative tension, and although there are a few jarringly abrupt transitions, for the most part the shifts work well. With Mark’s dedication to his piano-playing a core part of certain narrative arcs, the soundtrack also includes recognisable classics and beautiful original compositions which are both pleasant to listen to and function as thematic motifs. The resulting soundscape complements the narrative in both pronounced and subtler ways, adding to the game’s cohesiveness and helping to tie its many complex parts together.

Final Thoughts

As a whole, Until Then is a memorable experience, and one that will stay with you long after its end. The narrative will speak to just about anyone who has ever had to face challenges alone when there should have been someone beside them, but it’s also a gentle acknowledgement that, despite how things may sometimes feel, you don’t always have to go through everything on your own. The story also builds in a quiet reminder that the sun will keep on rising no matter what you’re facing or what you’ve lost, and while this can sometimes be an uncomfortable reminder of one’s ultimate insignificance in the universe, there’s also a strange comfort in knowing that, despite everything, life will always go on.

Reviewed on Nintendo Switch  // Review code supplied by publisher

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