This game evoked some strong emotions for me. I think it will have a similar effect on lots of people, especially those who have experienced deep loss.

I think anyone who is serious about "games" as an art form needs to experience playing Closer the Distance at least once. I've been a fan of Osmotic since the original release of Orwell, and always had good things to say, but this, unlike Orwell, is truly boundary pushing. On a technical level, the game works flawlessly (even on my niche GPU), the audio is mastered brilliantly and the accessibility is amazing, but it really is the artistic merits of this game that push it forward.

The development team really managed to harness the medium to tell a unique story about grief - not in themes, or execution per say - but through the way in which you interact with the world through different characters, with different needs, and different goals. The way in which the stories of each family in Yesterby are explored through a uniquely linear, yet still simultaneous story is something that simply can't be executed in traditional art or cinema as it almost exclusively relies on your ability to understand the character in the moment and take the appropriate actions for the story *you* want to experience and create.

I don't want to say anything about the story beats, as I think this is best experienced blind, so I'll simply end by praising the art and audio direction as well, everything visual was shaped into the perfect aesthetic of grief, and the voice talent is among the best performances I've seen in any form of media. If this is the new bar for Osmotic, I can't wait for future titles.

I was hype. I like the topic, the idea, and the devs' previous games. I don't think it accomplishes what it sets out to do. Unskippable clips, buggy t'♥♥♥♥. To the point you cannot choose some of the actions you'd like to, and with this many reviews and this much time since a hotfix, I'm not sure we'll see another patch.

If you enjoyed Orwell and want to see what the team has done, I wouldn't necessarily assume you enjoy this.