Yesterday Origins

Yesterday Origins is straight up a point-and-click game as they come, bringing all the things from the old days of the genre and does nothing drastic to change from the norm. It might be a short trek for an adventure game, lasting around 6 hours, but what is here is a fascinating tale that manages to do flashbacks in a way to compliment the story its telling. It certainly won’t be looked upon as a classic – it has some issues with its gameplay – but its style, narrative and characters make it a good, enjoyable time for fans of the genre who can look past some of the annoyances that they are most likely used to.

Luckily, while I didn’t enjoy Yesterday Origins for most of the time that I played it, the ending was clever and worked pretty well, and that saved the game for me. Still, I can’t overlook ten bad hours for one good one. The story is dull and does little to establish an emotional connection, I didn’t like any of the characters involved, and the puzzles are at best workmanlike. If you were a fan of Yesterday, then Yesterday Origins might be a worthwhile purchase for you, but otherwise you’re better off looking elsewhere.

Origins' biggest issue is it's anything but original. [Jan 2017, p.81]

Pacing issues, unnecessary backtracking and some frustratingly complex puzzles mar a title that is well-written and holds a lot of charm. A competent game but one that isn't quite as good as its predecessor.

Some quite clever puzzles, a couple of collaborating characters and constant changes of scenery are enough to elevate Yesterday Origins above mediocrity. It’s a shame that its story is subpar and characters are rather shallow. [02/2017, p.42]