In Forever Ago, a single-player narrative road trip adventure game, players accompany an old man on a quest for redemption. This is the debut game from German studio Third Shift, published by Annapurna Interactive.
Forever Ago centres on an elderly man — a rare protagonist in video games. Following the tragic death of his wife, Audrey, Alfred embarks on a melancholic road trip in his camper van. Inspired by the Pacific Coast and the landscapes of North America, he heads north to a place where he and Audrey had spent many years travelling, visiting places such as forest trails, deserts, mountains and serene spots, including an amusement park, a waterfall and a petrol station. Alfred sets out on this journey because it was Audrey's final wish, and a notebook guides the player to places that were significant to their shared past. On this journey, players take on the role of Alfred, controlling him from a third-person perspective.
Forever Ago © Third Shift, Annapurna Interactive
This game explores themes such as ageing, sadness, loss and regret, but also hope, solace, and the unpredictability of life. Along the way, Alfred meets other people who share their own stories. This bittersweet and deeply emotional story of loss and overcoming it is brought to life by well-written characters and outstanding English voice actors. The soundtrack by Clark Aboud (Slay the Spire, Kind Words) is also remarkable.
In terms of gameplay, however, Forever Ago is somewhat lightweight and leans heavily towards the walking simulator genre. There is hardly any depth to it, nor any complex puzzles or decisions with far-reaching consequences. A central element is Alfred's old instant camera. Players can use it to document their journey by taking photos for the notebook, solve small environmental puzzles or capture petals that trigger flashbacks. The playtime is 4 to 6 hours.
Forever Ago © Third Shift, Annapurna Interactive
Forever Ago has been developed by Third Shift, a German studio based in Krefeld. This narrative-focused indie game studio was founded in 2021 by two friends, Kai Brückers and Fabian Denter. Forever Ago is their debut title, which was first announced six years ago, then disappeared, and was re-announced again in March 2026. The game is published by Annapurna Interactive, an independent multi-platform media company and content studio founded in 2016. Its portfolio includes Stray, Outer Wilds, Neon White, What Remains of Edith Finch, Mixtape, People of Note and Silent Hill: Townfall, and the upcoming titles The Lost Wild, Uncanyon and We Kill Monsters, among others. The company is a division of Annapurna Pictures.
Forever Ago was released on 8 October for PlayStation 5, Switch 2, Xbox Series X|S and PC via Steam, Xbox and the Epic Games Store, priced at $19.99/€18.99.
Forever Ago is an emotional exploration of love, loss and redemption with fairly limited gameplay.
