Half Past Fate: Romantic Distancing | PC Review

February 28, 2021 Alyssa White

It was only a matter of time until the gaming industry started digging into the gold mine of the current pandemic and using it as a narrative backbone. Serenity Forge utilizes this charmingly with Half Past Fate: Romantic Distancing. Throwing in a geeky romance shifts the premise from potentially being gloomy to capturing both the good and bad parts of dating during an epidemic. Even though this is a spin-off of the original Half Past Fate, no prior knowledge is needed to play and enjoy this title.

Pixel Hearts

You’re placed in the shoes of two young adults named Stephen and Robin. Stephen’s laptop goes kaput on him, and he travels to the local electronics store to try to get it fixed. Robin is the somewhat standoffish cashier who reluctantly helps him fix a minor issue that most people would know how to remedy. Chemistry blooms between the two after they discover they share the same musical tastes, and their meet-cute is destined to be the start of a great romance. Until lockdown happens shortly after they meet. They start video-calling each other every day to get to know the other, but will it be enough to sustain what has been ignited between them?

Ups and Downs

This is a simple visual novel that is very short. Way too short, to be honest. It only took me about forty-five minutes to finish this, and there are no branching paths to truly explore to extend the replay value. I was invested in the relationship between Stephen and Robin, but the game abruptly ends as soon as it starts to become more layered and interesting. I really wish the story had been longer and allowed the player to get to know these two more. I did appreciate the pop culture references and tongue-in-cheek homages that were sprinkled throughout the game, though, and found myself chuckling on multiple occasions.

The pixel art style is nostalgic and cute, and I enjoyed the score… for the most part. A couple of songs suddenly became extremely loud during my playthrough, and I had to rush to turn the volume down on my headset. This isn’t a huge issue, but should be addressed. Other than these few instances, the soundtrack is relaxing and a delight to listen to.

Where Love Resides

Half Past Fate: Romantic Distancing is a topical, charming romance with delightful references and wonderful visuals. The score is mostly solid, besides the two times I thought my eardrums would burst from how deafening the music became. I do think the game would have benefited greatly from having a longer story that allowed players to get to know the characters more and to become even more invested in their relationship. It’s hard to fully recommend this currently due to it’s short nature, but if you enjoyed the first Half Past Fate title or are looking for a narrative set in the current atmosphere, this might be worth about an hour or so of your time.

To hear me talk more about Half Past Fate: Romantic Distancing, Be sure to listen to Episode 335 of The Gaming Outsider Podcast.

This review is based on a PC copy of Half Past Fate: Romantic Distancing provided by Way Down Deep for coverage purposes. It is also available on Nintendo Switch.