Back Then | PS5 Review
Alzheimer’s is a painfully cruel disease. It not only affects the individual suffering from it, but also their loved ones. Octopus Embrace captures how the disease robs people of their cherished memories and even routine, daily activities in Back Then. This isn’t inherently a fun experience to play through, but it is an important game that drives its message forward.
Everything’s the Same
You play as Thomas, a writer who is battling Alzheimer’s. His typewriter is broken, and you’re tasked with finding the missing pieces to fix it. As you make your way through his home, the voices of his loved ones start speaking to him, like a deity from above. You’re then tasked with solving puzzles to progress the story and find out more about Thomas’ relationship with that particular family member. Most of the game is set in his home, but you do occasionally leave it in locations pulled from his mind.
The puzzles aren’t fun, but they’re not meant to be. They’re frustrating but simple, often boiling down to traversing a maze to find pieces of a key item to progress. The game is purposefully designed to make the player experience a fraction of what Alzheimer’s patients go through, but if you’re not aware of this fact it just feels like the puzzles are filler. It’s already a short game at a little over an hour to complete, but it demands you to be patient and have an open mind. This won’t sit well with some players.
How Things Appear
Back Then looks great visually. Everything pops, and I loved the attention to detail. Notes are plastered around the house, the decor of the home stands out, and it feels like a home that is lived in. The voice acting is also solid and immerses you in Thomas’ world even further.
The only thing I wasn’t crazy about was moving around said home. Thomas is wheelchair bound, and I found myself getting stuck on the smallest of items. I’d have to constantly look at the floor and at my surroundings to ensure I didn’t hit anything. This is probably an aspect that is meant to be part of the experience, but it became annoying becoming stuck in my tracks for the umpteenth time. I also fell through the floor once, causing me to lose progress and having to reload the chapter.
The Final Verdict
Back Then is a game that puts players in the mind of a writer suffering from Alzheimer’s disease. Its puzzles are deliberately designed to place the player in the mind of someone battling this horrible illness, but they can be monotonous and frustrating if you’re not aware of this fact. Its visuals and sound are great, but becoming stuck on the environment and falling through the environment halted my enjoyment. It’s an important game with a powerful message, but some players aren’t going to see it for what it is. Which is also a facet of what the dev team is trying to convey.
To hear me talk more about Back Then, be sure to listen to the November 14, 2024 episode of The Gaming Outsider podcast.
This review is based on a PlayStation 5 copy of Back Then provided by Jesus Fabre for coverage purposes. It is also available on PC via Steam, GOG, and Epic Games Store.
Back Then
$14.99
Pros
- Makes the Player Experience a Fraction of What Alzheimer’s Causes
- Looks and Sounds Great
- Short
Cons
- Not Everyone Will Enjoy or Understand the Puzzles
- Wheelchair Becomes Stuck on the Environment Too Often
- Fell Through the Environment and Lost Progress
