Afterlove Ep [Review]

Afterlove Ep is a moving visual novel esc game, and a rhythmic musical experience that delves into the profound grief of losing a loved one. The game's essence strongly resonated with me, evoking memories of the Korean drama Shut Up Flower Boy Band. Playing Afterlove was deeply personal for me, as I recently experienced the loss of my brother, who was a bystander in an act of gun violence, and my father four months later. The game ( for the most part) masterfully portrays the taxing journey of grief and the immense difficulty of reintegrating into the world while accepting life's drastic changes. Despite its emotional weight, the game is phenomenal.

Its stunning art style is noteworthy, but the music truly shines. I was so captivated by the soundtrack that I sought it out on YouTube, discovering the brilliant musical artist L'Alphalpha, whose work is also available on Spotify. The game features a hand-drawn art style, creating the impression of playing an animated TV show. Its vibrant, pastel graphics and colors evoke a warm and calm feeling during gameplay. Afterlove EP has players living the life of Rama during gameplay, players will have to make decisions and choose what they want to say to people or what actions they want to make. With multiple endings, several playthroughs are highly recommended. As a story-driven game, there's little more I can say without revealing too much, except that it is fantastic. If you enjoyed Until Then or appreciate the musical elements of Scott Pilgrim, then Afterlove is absolutely the game for you.