Hype
REMEMBER THAT old diary you once hid under your pillow with entries about your day and the classmates you met before life gently turned the page? That same sentiment of reminiscence is now translated into a video game, forming a visual world built on familiarity, growth, and letting go.
With its soft pixelated glow and faux retro style, Until Then houses a virtual world that feels unmistakably 2010s Filipino. Created by Polychroma Games, the five-act saga carries the weight of the everyday life everyone knows and loves so well. Through mundane moments, happy scenarios, and twists that tug at the heart, this slow burn coming-of-age visual novel spares nothing in harnessing nostalgia and déjà vu.
A pixelated home
Set in 2014, the story follows the protagonist Mark Borja, a high school student residing in the city of Liamson. Through his eyes, the audience is taken on a trip comprising the small moments that make up daily lives. From break times spent with friends to long commutes to and from school, Until Then looks back at these moments and more—reminding people of how they grew up as life kept rushing forward.
The player is first introduced to his abode when they wake up as Borja himself, through a first-person point of view. His lifestyle is one of self-reliance and independence, where he takes care of his routines and commutes alone while tending to hobbies in solitude. With his parents working overseas, Mark has grown accustomed to fending for himself, leading him to develop a quiet resilience that defines his everyday life.
From there, Until Then gently extends into Mark’s day, drawing players interactively into simple moments such as taking a morning walk to the train station, giving a school presentation, and eating dinner with friends. The classic Filipino culture is spotlighted in each space the protagonist steps into, such as vendors on the sidewalks, passengers waiting for a jeepney to pass by, and colorful graffiti on the wall.
Here, players can act as Mark by typing out text messages on his phone, scrolling and commenting on the game’s version of Facebook, or passing change in a jeep to the beat of in-game music. These, among more minigames, are all genius acts that capture the small slices of Filipino culture.
However, the game’s language is primarily English, causing the nuances of the game’s Filipino essence to slightly trickle away. From the words on Mark’s phone to the chatter in hallways and malls, the Taglish expressions, untranslatable humor, and quirky Filipino speech that make conversations distinctively Pinoy were noticeably missing.
Nevertheless, the game makes up for the loss of the language’s charm through its background music. To accompany the player’s journey throughout the game’s virtual city of Liamson, they become enclosed in an atmosphere of light guitar strums and warm piano notes. Often slow yet dreamy, the game’s built-in melody is not too dissimilar from a lullaby that reinforces the nostalgic soul of Until Then.
Diving deeper into Liamson
At its core, the game goes beyond robust mechanics and ambiance, delving not just into Mark’s thoughts and routines, but also into who he is and who he becomes in the presence of others. Every character he meets draws out a version of Mark that belongs to a specific story and bond.
On the surface, Mark seems like a lazy student who simply lucked out on not failing. He may be capable of studying, but he often chooses not to care about his grades. However, deep inside, he is driven by the past—yearning for old friends, old hobbies, and old memories. His lazy-genius trait, combined with his nostalgic motivations, makes for moments of tension in all his relationships.
These apprehensions start with his two best friends: Catherine Portillo, a lively counterpart to Mark’s reserved and smug demeanor, and Ridel Gonzales, a rising photographer and filmmaker. As his oldest and closest friends, Cathy and Ridel provide a glimpse of the comfort and challenges that bloom in an enduring and long friendship. The two have been part of Mark’s life even before the game begins, serving as a bedrock of stability and empathy for Mark through the years.
Beyond this immediate circle, Mark’s new connections also begin to shape him in unexpected ways. He gets to meet Louise Ordunia, the class president and resident genius, who is impressed by Mark’s recent spark of genius and dismissal of laziness. Her best friend, Sofia Jane Rubio, is a straightforward girl full of pizzazz and positivity that serves as a foil to Mark’s grounded and pessimistic outlook on life. Meanwhile, Ryan Soriano, the class jock who simply lives and breathes basketball, brings out Mark’s more playful side.
Finally, two new transfer students spill into Mark’s life—Nicole Lacsamana, in particular, triggers a hazy sense of déjà vu, as the screen glitches out and Mark believes he’s met her before somehow. Their first encounter was anything but pleasant, with Mark accidentally ruining her project. Yet, despite their rocky beginning, their bond gradually blossoms into something more intimate, strengthened by their shared love of piano.
Through these shifting dynamics, the game puts emphasis on the narratives of how people allow others to enter their lives and let it be colored by them. Together with the acceptance and comfort from others, there is also the bittersweet reality of those same friends drifting away or unconditionally staying, and unexpectedly influencing the path we take in our lives.
To the bittersweet end
When the game itself is full of relishing in conversations with one’s friends, it becomes clear that Until Then’s story is content with taking its time. The dialogues and relationships unfold with realism, but at a pace that can feel like a slow burn—sometimes too slow.
There isn’t enough tension or mystery to make the player want to keep going—no sense of “What’s going to happen next?” However, what holds on to the player is the quietness and mundanity of Liamson. The game asks for patience, perhaps too much at first, but rewards it with the kind of depth that only comes from letting the ordinary life linger before the extraordinary arrives.
Until Then does not present itself as a high-action simulation or a socially conscious experience, but rather as a story founded on nostalgia and how to grapple with it. It does not shy away from making its players question what to do when the present and future call, which may feel like an apocalypse for someone so young. Still, as the introduction scene displays, “the world hasn’t ended yet,” and a high school student’s persistence against all odds (even supernatural ones) is transformed into a moving tale that will surely not be forgotten.
