Fruit of the partnership between Massimo Guarini and the English composer Steven Wilson, Last Day of June tells us the story of Carl and his wife, June, who between them synthesize the perfect love that can unite two beings. But as our two lovebirds celebrate Carl's birthday at the edge of a lake, they are far from imagining the funeral fate that awaits them. After a short sequence where Carl has to fetch a sweater for his shivering sweetheart, a torrential rain falls on this little corner of paradise, thus forcing the couple to rush back by car. An unforeseen event with dramatic consequences since the lovers will have a car accident which will cost June's life and condemn Carl to move around in a wheelchair. Alone, in his house full of memories of a heartbreaking past, Carl will then discover a series of paintings painted by his wife. Each work represents a villager and the painting in the center of the piece depicts the reason for the accident. By touching these drawings, Carl will be able to relive this fateful day in the shoes of the inhabitants of the village. He will thus be able to try to understand the reasons for this accident and why not change the course of time.
MEMORIES NEVER DIE
Indeed, if the story focuses mainly on the tragic event of Carl and June, it is the secondary characters who will play a major role in the story. By touching the paintings painted by his wife, Carl will be able to relive this day through the eyes of a bored child, a lonely woman, an unwise hunter and an overly generous old gentleman. Each character then allows you to see the events from another angle and you will have to modify their memories to avoid the accident. Thus, when a day ends, the painting you are exploring will change visuals to indicate to you that the course of history has indeed been changed. Nevertheless, very quickly, you will understand that the past of an inhabitant can have consequences on that of others. To put it simply, it is not because a villager is no longer responsible for the accident that it will not take place. It will then be necessary to reconcile the past of each character with that of the others so that the painting in the center of the room no longer represents the accident. From then on, you will have to go back and forth between the different pasts to modify that of Carl and June.
...you will understand that the past of an inhabitant can have consequences on that of others. [...] It will then be necessary to harmonize the past of each character with that of the others so that the painting in the center of the room no longer represents the accident.
As you can imagine, certain puzzles to be solved in the past of one character will find their solution in the past of another and to make a choice, you will always have to look beyond appearances. If at first glance all this may seem complicated, Massimo Guarini and his team have made sure not to overwhelm the player with information, so that he can easily understand the mechanics of the game without being held by the hand throughout the adventure. Apart from the Cross key which allows you to validate an action and the R1 key which allows you to run, you will have nothing else to do. For the rest, like The Last Guardian, you will have to pay attention to every detail to find a solution.
LESS IS MORE
This simplicity in the gameplay is also found in the narration and the staging of Last Day of June which amazes us from start to finish. The artistic direction of the title instantly plunges us into the plot and despite the characters without eyes, we become attached to them at first sight. Jabbering in an incomprehensible language, Carl and June, just like the inhabitants of the village, manage to convey their emotions to us through simple gestures, understandable to all. During the story, you can even find photos that allow you to learn more about each villager. We thus understand why, on the day of the accident, they found themselves involved. Small details that seem harmless, but which in Last Day of June turn out to be treasures of information.
Throughout the adventure, we have the impression of having before our eyes a painting sublimated by striking light effects.
Visually, the game is constantly bluffing and it is with amazement that we discover the different areas of the village. Throughout the adventure, we have the impression of having before our eyes a painting sublimated by striking light effects. Memories of neighbors give us a new perspective on history and the game manages to constantly surprise us. Each time the player thinks he has understood how to solve a puzzle, new information is revealed and allows other solutions to be glimpsed. A smart choice from the developers who try to constantly amaze players with simple things. Similarly, reviewing a memory will allow you to discover new clues, essential to your thinking, which reduces the slightly repetitive side of the game. What's more, it would be a shame to stop before the end of the game as the outcome of this story is well put together.
MORE INTENSE COURT
To tell you the truth, until the last minute, I did not manage to glimpse the final twist of the title which kept me in suspense until the end. An almost flawless performance from Massimo Guarini and his team who deliver a charming and meaningful story here. We only regret a slightly slight difficulty during the last puzzle, which was much simpler than the previous ones. Considering the difficulty curve of the puzzles in the game, one would have expected something much harder. However, the game turns out to be hard enough for the player to really understand the main message from the developers.An almost flawless performance from Massimo Guarini and his team who deliver a charming and meaningful story here.
Regarding the life of the title, it will take you about five hours to finish the main story and you can add an hour if you want to get all the fragments of memories of the secondary characters. If it meets the standards for an independent game of this caliber, we would have liked to be able to continue the adventure a little longer and a few additional puzzles would not have been refused. Nevertheless, the life of the game remains amply sufficient and allows you to experience an adventure rich in emotion. Finally, how not to mention the soundtrack of Last Day of June, composed by Steven Wilson, which caresses our ears constantly. Whatever the tone of the scene, the music of the game is chosen with accuracy and allows you to take more and more part in the adventure. We understand why Massimo Guarini wanted to associate with the artist as the two worlds blend perfectly. Moreover, do not hesitate to watch the clip of the song “Drive Home” which largely inspired the creative director of Last Day of June.
