The award-winning game about Alzheimer's Disease, Back Then, just arrived on PlayStation consoles.
Developer Octopus Embrace rolled out Back Then on PlayStation 5 consoles on November 6. The PS5 edition of the game currently has a price tag of US$14.99.
Back Then first debuted on PC in 2023. It is a first-person narrative adventure that explores Alzheimer's Disease.
The new PS5 game integrates Alzheimer-related themes into its gameplay. This means players get to experience the uncertainty. As well as fragmented recollection associated with the disease.
Back Then tells the story of Thomas Eilian, an elderly writer coping with the challenges of Alzheimer’s disease.
The game's design includes detective-style exploration and puzzles.
As players take on the shoes of Thomas, they need to explore his fragmented memories. At the same time, unravels his past through investigative exploration and puzzle-solving. They also get to unlock different areas and discover collectibles.
Octopus Embrace, a Portuguese indie studio, described the narrative experience as "unconventional." They said the game highly appeals to those who seek introspective, story-driven gaming.
“We all live with the fear of being devoured by dementia’s shadows of forgetting everything that brought us to this moment. This game seeks to ask — who are we when we forget who we are?” portions of the description read.
The development of Back Then was influenced by the team’s encounters with Alzheimer’s disease. Calebe Motta, co-founder and producer at Octopus Embrace, lost both his grandmother and grandfather to the disease.
"This release is especially meaningful to our team, and we hope it offers comfort to those affected by Alzheimer’s and their loved ones," said Motta.
During development, Octopus Embrace received multiple awards and recognition while developing Back Then. The game won the People’s Choice Award at IndieX 2019. It also received the Games 4 Good and Best Game titles at PlayStation Talents in January 2020.
The PlayStation Talents initiative was also instrumental in facilitating the game’s release on PS5.