- Publisher: Arc System Works
- Release Date: Jul 31, 2025
- Also On: iPhone/iPad, PC, Switch
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Aug 10, 2025A visually stunning and emotionally charged short experience that blends rotoscoped watercolor art with a touching life story, but whose scarce and inconsequential interactive elements feel shoehorned in, leaving the work closer to an art piece than a fully engaging video game.
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Aug 3, 2025A moving and very brief audiovisual experience that stands out for its unique art and wordless narrative, deeply connecting with players through the beauty of everyday life.
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Aug 1, 2025Dear Me, I Was tells a moving story that's grounded in ways rarely seen in video games. Paired with the gorgeous audio and visual style, it's well worth experiencing.
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Aug 1, 2025Take a moment to sit down, put on a headset, drink a cup of tea and get lost in this artwork. It’s something you’ll remember.
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Aug 1, 2025Dear Me, I was… is quite an emotional experience, and I absolutely adored it from start to finish. A few control issues hold it back when playing docked, but I give it my highest possible recommendation if you enjoy moving narratives and want something short to experience on Nintendo Switch 2. My only real annoyance right now is that I can’t buy an artbook or listen to the Dear Me, I was… soundtrack outside the game.
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Aug 1, 2025In some ways, it feels counterintuitive to write a review of Dear me, I was… — a title which centres upon capturing heavy feelings that can’t be so easily put into words. However, it’s not every day that a visual novel successfully manages to craft a moving narrative about art, life, and the passage of time solely on the merit of its visual and musical storytelling. Even if the game itself remains silent, Dear me, I was… is worth talking about.
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Jul 31, 2025Dear Me, I Was is a masterpiece that transcends the traditional limitations of a video game to become pure art. Arc System Works and Maho Taguchi have created something extraordinary: an experience that uses interactivity not as a game, but as a means for direct emotional connection.
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Jul 31, 2025Dear Me, I Was… is a short but incredibly bittersweet story about life, the things we all love and fear, and human connection. If you’re a fan of animation, then it’s hard not to recommend.
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Jul 31, 2025Dear Me, I Was is certainly not a ‘game’ that’ll appeal to everyone, especially if you’re unwilling to challenge your notions of what a game can be. For those willing to succumb to what Dear Me, I Was has to offer though, it’s an unforgettable experience and one of the most beautiful games I’ve ever had the privilege of playing. Director Maho Taguchi has crafted a masterpiece, evoking similar feelings to those I had when I first watched Isao Takahata's 1991 triumph Only Yesterday. I cried; I smiled. This game won’t be leaving me anytime soon.
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