“Last Time I Saw You” is a must-play side-scrolling game with a spooky story – Review – Cinelinx

We had the opportunity to try out the recently released side-scrolling game The last time I saw you and we’re here to tell you if it’s worth playing.

I’ve increasingly found that side-scrolling games are something of a comfort genre for me. There’s something relaxing about a game world where all you have to concentrate on is going left, right, up or down, and there’s no huge open world overwhelming your senses. The last time I saw you is a side-scrolling game set in late 80s Japan in which the player takes control of Ayumi, a teenager whose dreams have recently been plagued by a mysterious girl.

I played for this review The last time I saw you on the Playstation 5.

The last time I saw you

Developer: Maboroshi artworks

Platform: PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Microsoft Windows, Xbox Series X and Series S

Release date: October 10, 2024

One of the reasons I wanted to dive into it so much The last time I saw youThe game is completely hand-drawn. This is relatively rare these days and gives the game a unique look that helps immerse you deeper in the story.

And what a story!

The best thing about this game is that it doesn’t make it clear at first glance what’s going on. When The last time I saw you At first it plays very much like a slice-of-life game, with the protagonist having some interesting dreams every night, but that’s all. Then Ayumi’s town is hit by a massive storm, which eventually leads Ayumi to visit the forest outside the town that everyone avoids because of its notorious creepiness. And then things get interesting! Trust me when I say that the game is worth holding out until you reach the forest. That’s all the first part of the game prepares you for.

The last time I saw you is a game that rewards its players for exploring. Once you have the opportunity to move freely around the environment, exploring every nook and cranny, you will be surprised at what you find. This includes talking and interacting with everyone you meet. Not only will you receive helpful information, but you’ll also occasionally receive a trophy for your efforts. Also, a quick tip: If you’re having trouble finding the next area, try swinging at an obstacle to see if it breaks. This is useful more often than you might think.

The game’s interface is very well organized and is one of the best I’ve seen this year. You can scroll through at any time and see what stage of the main quest you are in, what side quests are available, your inventory, etc. The only thing you can’t do in the main UI is save the game. This is only possible at various designated locations in the game world. At first you can only save the game at Ayumi’s house, but as the story progresses more save points are unlocked, usually at small shrines. Note that before these shrines open as save points, you must first interact with them.

The last time I saw you is primarily about exploration, overcoming obstacles and retrieving items, there is also a basic combat element. This is where the game might get a little frustrating as there is an element of timing in landing your hits on the enemy. If you don’t strike at exactly the right moment, you’ll miss your target and the enemy will land a hit on you. It’s not that hard to land a hit, but practicing attacks right at the start of the game when offered to you will save you some frustration later on.

Another thing I would like to mention is the wide variety of creatures encountered in the forest when the story reaches this point. Ayumi’s friends in the city are interesting in their own right, but the forest dwellers are on a whole different level. I don’t want to spoil things by giving details, but some of my favorite characters appear during Ayumi’s first trip into the forest.

Finally, The last time I saw you is a beautiful game and one of my favorite games of the second half of 2024. It takes a few story hits to really get things going, but once they do, you’ll be drawn into a story that’s both scary and is also entertaining. If you get a chance to play this game, I highly recommend you give it a try.

The last time I saw you is now available to play.