The Indie Informer

“I must be mixing them up again.”

It’s the first clue that something in this luminous adventure title. The terrible part is I can’t tell you what it means because I don’t know yet. I’ve barely skimmed the surface of the enigma at the heart of Until Then, but couldn’t put it down until the preview’s end. The writing is genuine and endearing, the visuals blend 2D pixel and gleaming 3D, and the mixture of bizarre and relatable colors the narrative. It’s only just been announced, but you can check out the reveal trailer below to get an idea of what I mean.

And the trailer’s not the only way to check out the new title. Until Then has a demo up in this week’s Steam Next Fest, which I’ll be covering all week. The bulk of the short offering sets player’s in the shoes of Mark Borja, a recognizably human character.

He crams last minute for a project, hopes to end up with his crush, and spends time with, also well-realized, friends. The sad notes of his life — like his parents near-total absence or a hurtful dream-squashing rejection — are subtly folded into his everyday routine. With deft storytelling, I feel all his stress, longings, and small victories along the way.

Which makes me all the more anxious to uncover why sometimes the world’s colors blur, environment seems to stretch, and sounds fade away. The demo for Until Then is up now, so go get wrapped up in the mystery with me.