The Joys in Sadness

Recently, my partner gifted me a copy of 'When the Past was Around.' After playing it for the first time in years, I realized I had forgotten how short but powerful this story is. It tackles the difficult topics of love, loss, letting go, and moving forward from the pains of the past. The focus is on Etta, a young woman who, like many of us in our youths, has lost her way. It explores both her personal journey in her passions and moving beyond losing the love of her life.

When I first played this game, I was a single woman, slogging my way through the absolute dumpster fire that is the dating world. The story was emotional, yes, but I didn’t realize that the emotions could run even deeper. Playing this game again now that I have a wonderful person in my life has amplified the power of the relationship between Etta and her partner and connected with me in an even deeper way. Just the thought of experiencing the loss that Etta went through made my heart physically ache.

By the time we meet Etta, her partner has already passed away. At first, we see him merely as a shadow of himself, but later, he is represented by an owl. The owl may have been chosen partly due to birds, in general, being seen as symbols or messengers, and owls, in particular, being regarded as wise. Not showing his face also helps focus the game on Etta and her emotional journey through her stages of grief—after all, these are her memories. These are her moments in time that brought joy into her life.

The game consists of a world in which we travel through the memories Etta has with her partner and the experiences they share. These aren’t just times for her to sit in her misery and think about all that she has lost; she recalls these times in what she has gained. It’s clear that her partner, or rather her emotional memories of her partner, is walking her through the moments in time that were transformative for her.

You solve puzzles to aid in her healing through her grief and rediscovering her passions in life that have also been lost. The puzzles in this game are not overall too challenging, and they all seem to fit together meaningfully, representing a connection with her music or her relationship.

Music becomes a major aspect of this game as both Etta and her partner play the violin, and it’s through this connection that she is able to heal—in more ways than one. I am big on music in games, and I must say that the soundtrack of this game is one of the best I’ve heard, adding a depth of emotion that really helps set the tone as you travel from location to location.

You know, I don’t want to say too much about this game; it’s more impactful if you just play for yourself. It’s only about 2 hours, so not much of a time commitment to play, but it just might linger with you much, much longer.