BERLIN: Dealing with the loss of a loved one isn’t easy. Rama, a young musician from Jakarta and the protagonist in the visual novel game Afterlove EP, experiences this after the death of his girlfriend Cinta. He’s at a low point and he can’t get her voice out of his head.
While he continues to struggle after a year of mourning, an important performance is coming up. His band finally wants to release their first major EP. Time is running out and Rama wants to overcome his personal crisis and become the band's frontman again.
After the indie games Coffee Talk and What Comes After, Afterlove EP is the final work of video game designer Mohammad Fahmi, who passed away in 2022. It tells a quiet and sensitive story of grief, new beginnings, and the power of music. The focus is not on action, but rather on an emotional journey.
In numerous conversations, you choose between different dialogue options, thus influencing the course of the game. There's also time to explore the Indonesian capital and there are repeated short rhythmic passages where you play guitar riffs in the style of Guitar Hero. These usually sound melancholic, fitting the mood of this indie game.
The visuals of Afterlove EP can best be described as a hand-drawn 2D look in a manga style. While the animations are sometimes simple, they still appear very lively and create a special atmosphere. The whole thing is accompanied by a fantastic soundtrack that perfectly underscores Rama's personal journey.
Afterlove EP is available starting at around €20/US$20/RM49 on Steam for the PlayStation 4/5, the Xbox One/Series, the Nintendo Switch and PCs. The age rating is 12 years. – dpa/Tribune News Service
