Hindsight

“Hindsight occasionally harmonizes mechanics with meaningful themes, but the overall impression feels hollow the more I look back.”

“Hindsight is still an experience that feels real, brings out the best and worst emotions, and provides an accurate portrayal of the grieving process. The longevity of the experience is a blessing due to the emotional strain it puts on the gamer, and also a curse as it isn’t replayable for any reason other than personal choice. It’s a great tale and one that everyone should experience.”

“Tackling tragedy in games is important, but doing it well requires empathy, awareness, and a deft hand. Hindsight takes an important story and makes it relevant and relatable by scaling down its narrative to a quiet, personal level. Hampered only slightly by a few design choices, its masterful blending of art, music, interactivity, and writing make it a subtle triumph and a story well worth being told.”

“As a game, Hindsight isn't difficult to play or frustrating to figure out. Rather, it asks us to consider what questions we might ask our loved ones when they're gone, perhaps nudging us to start that meaningful work now, while we still have time. If you're looking for an experience that's light on gameplay but heavy on the heartstrings, Hindsight is very much a sight to behold.”

“Hindsight offers an experience lasting only a few hours, but with a strong emotional value.”

“Hindsight is another great addition to the adventure narrative-driven genre that focuses more on its story than gameplay. At this point, it seems like Annpurna as a publisher really relishes in that genre and Hindsight is no different. Fans of the genre are sure to enjoy the heartfelt and mournful reflection although the heavier subject may push those looking for a more upbeat story away. While those who are going through a similar story are bound to find some sort of peace.”

“Hindsight is an interesting analysis of the ways we can play with memories via the use of objects that symbolise important aspects of our lives. The game's mechanic that allows players to explore the protagonist's memories and piece them together will be something that most will connect with as our memories shape the way we see the world. However, it is the pace of these memories that lead to frustration and a disconnect from the story. The narrative, though beautifully written, is constantly repeating itself and becomes tiresome pretty quickly. Hindsight is an aesthetically beautiful game with fun and thought-provoking gameplay that unfortunately lacks in its narrative execution.”

“As a game, Hindsight doesn’t fully deliver. Its interactions are clunky, inconsistent and occasionally annoying, detracting from what really matters here: the narrative. But that narrative alone is so poignant and beautifully told that it’s worth pushing through for. This isn’t a story that’s going to blow you away, excite you or even uplift you. Real, complex grief is a difficult subject to broach, but Hindsight deals with it masterfully. The raw human emotion captured here makes it worth the journey – and, just maybe, if you’re grieving yourself, it might validate some of your own emotions.”

“Hindsight struggles to find a place within traditional expectations of a video game, but aside from some finicky controls, it achieves what it sets out to do. It’s up to you to decide if that journey sounds like a worthwhile endeavor.”

“Hindsight tells a deeply personal story and explores the relationship between a woman, and her mother with brutal honesty. Its strong storytelling is brought down by bland gameplay, and an uneven presentation, but largely feels well executed. It’s certainly worth going through, and the level of self-reflection serves as one of the better narrative-driven games out there.”

“There’s just something about playing the right story-driven game that speaks to some aspect of your own life or trials...”

“A daughter packs away her dead mother's things - and explores their life together and apart.”

“Hindsight is a short and compelling adventure about memories and identity. When mechanics, storytelling and rhythm blends together, Joel McDonald's game is brilliant and gives wonderful perspective about our relationship with our past and with the people we love. On the other hand, the sleek and very keen mechanic which the game is based on, sometimes feels like nothing more than an aesthetic exercise and some bits of the game are less entertaining and meaningful.”

“That isn’t to say that Hindsight is by any means a bad game. The story is excellent, the art is fantastic, and a lot of people are going to relate to its message. However, if you’re going into the game thinking that it is going to be the next big breakout indie of the year, then you might come away a little disappointed.”

“Hindsight does what it does with technical and artistic aplomb. The story is eloquent, mature and moving, and the core mechanic of diving into objects creates perfect madeleine moments that boost the experience beyond many other story games. It only asks for a few hours of your time and repays the investment generously.”

“Have some high points, but they soon give way to glaring faults. Not the worst, but difficult to recommend.”

“As its name suggests, Hindsight is a fascinating journey in a story of memories and self awareness. With its touching soundtrack, the experience is a delicate way of telling us a story of an ordinary person in an ordinary world, and this is what makes the game so close and relatable.”