Cherishing Every Farewell: A Once Again Review

By Manuel

Players: 1
Platforms: Nintendo Switch

It's not often that I review a game where I'm at a loss for words as to what I'm going to say about it, but that's exactly what we get here. Defying all genres, Once Again is a game that comes to us by way of developer RB Wolf Design, and publisher Amata K.K. It's out now on the Nintendo Switch, but saw a previous release on Steam. We're going to be taking a look at the Switch version today, and see if it's something you're going to want to pick up. There's really no need for further intro here, so let's dive in!

Discussing the plot of Once Again is quite difficult, as the game is not only short, but it can also be easily spoiled by revealing even the most simplest of details. I tend to keep the story discussions in my reviews limited to plot points revealed in eShop descriptions. I of course elaborate and make references to specific events that they don't, but I like to keep things centered on things one would find out about if simply researching the game. The problem here is that Once Again's eShop page is extremely vague. Having played the game, I can totally see why, but it makes things difficult as far as this review goes. I guess I'll just try my best to not give away everything, but that's hard to do when the game you're discussing can be cleared in about an hour or so. Then again good stories don't necessarily have to be long ones. Let's just hope that I do the plot justice while still keeping it vague.

Once Again places you into the shoes of a young man who claims to be able to travel through time. His name is apparently Natsu, but I don't think it's ever referenced in-game. His talk of time travel seems rather silly at first, but he then moves on to telling a tale of how he was able to go back in time every year on his birthday. This all started when he was ten years old and thinking about his mother who passed away before he was ever able to know her. They both share the same birthday, so it makes sense that his thoughts drift to her when that day comes around. It's summer break though, so he figures he'll just take a nap. Upon waking up, he notices that a birthday cake has appeared, as has a message telling him to make a wish. He only has one wish to make, and having made he finds himself suddenly in the past. He's not alone there, and he quickly befriends someone who goes on to be a special part of his life. Special because they can only meet for a short period of time, only once a year on his birthday. Over the years he'd go back in time, always staying a young boy in the past, but growing older in the real world. His friend also teaches him all about photography, and they even take several photos together. This continues for several years, well into him becoming an adult, and he ultimately learns that this gift isn't something that will last forever. A melancholic tale already up until this point, things shift to learning how to properly say goodbye to the loved ones in one's life. There's plenty more I could say, but that's the core of the plot, and the only parts I feel comfortable revealing here.

You might be wondering just what kind of game Once Again is, since the plot description I gave isn't what one normally finds within a video game. Placing it into a single genre is no small task, but I'd say that it's very similar to a visual novel. More specifically, it's essentially a kinetic novel with some added quirks. There are no gameplay choices for the player to make, nor any way to shift or change the plot. You simply go through the story from start to finish, only having the bare minimum of interaction along the way. These small bits of interaction come in the form of limited gameplay. You'll clear the scenes you're in by wiping away the darkness, focus a camera to take a picture, and complete other various actions by using a cursor that feels like it would be better controlled with a mouse. It's all rather simple, and honestly feels like a very basic attempt to keep the player invested in the game itself. I can totally understand why the game flows as it does, but part of me wonders why the developers went for this style over the standard visual novel formula. They might've lost the comic book-style paneling if they'd gone that route, but it would put most players into the correct frame of mind for an experience like this. The gameplay segments aren't exactly bothersome, but they are marred by wonky console controls. Playing in Handheld Mode eliminates some of the issues, but they still feel like afterthoughts. They're the only part of the game I don't care for, and that's a shame since I love just about everything else.

Considering that Once Again's plot focuses on the world of photography and art, it makes sense that it excels when it comes to visuals. I already mentioned that the game is presented in a series of comic book-like panels, but pictures and screenshots don't give justice as to how smooth most of the scenes look. There's lots of animation going on within them, and it comes in both overt and subtle ways. Smoke moves, characters hands raise and lower, and the things like the breeze shifting background elements give life to the world. It goes without saying that I was drawn into the game by way of the visuals, and there's a lot of storytelling told through them alone. Seeing the aging of our protagonist, and that of the person he visits, is shown in slow detail, even though the game rarely directly references it. There's even a clever use of color too. Scenes in the real world are pretty much all black and white, and shift to full color once you go to the past. I can't think of a negative point to say about the visuals beyond the fact that I wanted more of them. Things also run perfectly smooth on the Nintendo Switch, which sadly isn't always the case when games look as good as this one does.

Sound is yet another aspect that I feel Once Again knocks out of the park. The soundtrack is perfect, and is composed of tracks that remind me of stuff you'd find in a "lo-fi beats to study to" playlist. I mean that in the most positive way of course, and it helps get you into the setting of the story. This is the tale of a school-age boy on summer break after all, so it makes sense that the music sounds like something he'd probably listen to in his free time. Music actually plays an interesting role in the game too, as each scene starts with our protagonist listening to his iPod, a device he manages to keep throughout the game's many years. Said iPod even plays a part in proving to his friend in the past that he's truly a time traveler. Not only is the music great found in-game great, but there's even some voice acting here as well. I don't want to give away when it occurs, but it definitely threw me for a loop when I heard it. Though not quite as perfect as the visuals, I once again can't think of a single negative to point out. I might even track down the soundtrack when I'm done with this review.

Though I'm inclined to give Once Again perfect scores across the board, I do have to admit that I'm at a loss as to whether it truly deserves them in its current form. This is a "game" in only the most basic of senses, and it's also something that won't appeal to everyone. I was of course moved by its characters and storytelling, but I can also see how someone would find it to be boring. The gameplay elements also feel much tacked on, and probably do more to break the immersion than anything. Having said that, I think that this is one of the best takes on the kinetic visual novel that I've ever seen, and think that it's more than worth its current $5.99 price tag. Though the audience for this one might be limited, I don't regret having played through it at all, and it's the sort of release that I want to tell everyone about. Hopefully this review will suffice on that end.

I guess I sort of just gave it away in the last section, but I give Once Again the biggest of recommendations. I went into it thinking that it would be a simple visual novel that told a whimsical summer tale, and came away from it very moved. It's not a happy story, and is far more melancholic than its imagery suggests, but it does a good job in delivering a tale that teaches us all how to properly say goodbye. It's not going to give you a lot of gameplay if that's what you're looking for, but it's worth picking up if you're able to open your mind to different forms of digital experiences. Grab it now, and let me know what you think of it. I'd love to hear other opinions on this one. Until then, goodbye, at least for now.

Check Out Once Again on Nintendo Switch:
https://www.nintendo.com/us/store/products/once-again-switch/

---

Story: A+
Gameplay: B
Graphics: A+
Music/Sound: A+
Value: A

Overall: A

Pros:
+ A great take on the kinetic visual novel.
+ The story is very well-written, and has several twists and turns that I found to be rather shocking.
+ Visuals are practically perfect. Character and world designs are great, and the game features some really smooth animations.
+ I found the soundtrack to be just as well-executed as the visuals, and the surprise voice acting at the end was a nice touch.
+ One of the most moving games I've played in a long while. It truly sticks with you.
+ Even though it's short, I think it's more than worth its current $5.99 price.

Cons:
- The gameplay segments are very basic, and part of me wishes they weren't there at all.
- This is a very short game. I was able to clear it in about an hour, and there isn't much reason to revisit it beyond wanting to read through it again.
- While I found the game to be thought-provoking and touching, I can also see how others might find it boring.

A copy of this game was provided to us free-of-charge by the publisher for the purpose of this review. This did not affect our review in any way.

---

See you in the next one!

#OA