No Longer Home

No Longer Home tackles the issues it presents in a natural, unobtrusive way that allows the player space to muse on them themselves. Even if you’re not sure you can directly relate to the situation that Ao and Bo find themselves in, this title comes highly recommended. It will absolutely remind you of experiences in your past, and it just might help make the stresses of the future seem a little less daunting.

The game was made by a modest team over the course of four years, grappling with the thousands of miles between the two lead developers in the UK and in Japan. There are a small number of quibbles I have, like the fact that it is sometimes difficult to know who is speaking out of the expanded cast of characters and that it'd be great to have a switch that lets the dialogue flow between the two so I can focus on the shifting settings. However, I recognise that it's a deeply personal project and one that has been shared with the world. For those in need of hunkering down while a silent storm rages on every side, I recommend No Longer Home.

A deeply personal two-hour meditation on saying goodbye that invites you to channel your lived experiences and walk alongside its characters. It’s a little sparse on the details, but No Longer Home still gives players plenty to chew on.

A love letter to the transient state, No Longer Home exists to frame a very specific experience that has haunted many people in the course of their lives. This slow-paced shoegaze tale isn't for everyone, but if you love going on a nostalgia trip every once in a while, this game might help you reminisce those long-lost days.

No Longer Home is able to give the player all that he wants to give. It delivers exactly what is expected of a short and personal story. I would have liked to play the story of Ao and Bo a little longer.

In terms of would I recommend the game… that’s not easy to answer. Given the length of “play time”I would certainly start by suggesting waiting for a sale. If you are after a lot of interaction then I’d say avoid it. If you quite like choose your own adventures or indie theatre performances then this might just be up your alley. If you feel non binary or just overwhelmed at what life has in store for you while studying or after completing study… this might be the familiar voice you want to hear. It’s far more an experience than a game so if that’s your thing then give it a try, if not then look elsewhere.

Personally, I can honestly attest to being drawn in by the charm of the simple narrative while watching two characters struggle to find their way around gender fluidity. At the heart of it, these two are trying to find direction in their lives and I felt that I could relate. If one likes narrative titles with a clear purpose and interesting look, No Longer Home recieves my personal recommendation.

No Longer Home is not your typical game, being both vague, concrete and altogether dreamlike in its portrayal of what it means to grow up.

While the details and relationships are sharply observed, everything around them is a little fuzzy. But then so is the moment it's trying to reflect. [Issue#362, p.122]

No Longer Home is a short, sad story about coming to terms with growing up and saying goodbye to college life, friends, and the family we create along the way. Although Ao and Bo must leave their uni flat and the happy memories they’ve created within those four walls behind, they’ll cherish every precious moment spent together. If you’re looking to experience the pain of parting while taking solace in the fact that home is truly where the heart is, No Longer Home will scratch that melancholy itch.

No Longer Home is evidently a heartfelt video game narration created with love by a duo that shared an important part of life. Unfortunately, its derivative nature and the briefness of the narration are the proponents of a missed empathic experience that could have hit harder than it does.