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Closer the Distance

Closer the Distance

PCPlayStationXbox
Released

Release Date: August 2, 2024

Adventure, Life Sim, Indie Games, Games for Impact, Singleplayer

An adventure-sim game, in which we play as a girl named Angela. Closer the Distance revolves around her taking care of her friends and family in the time of grief.

8.4

OpenCritic

8.9

Steam

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Ratings
[1:32] Closer The Distance -  Launch Trailer Videos: 5
Screenshot Images: 9
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Closer the Distance is a combination of an adventure game and a life simulator. It was developed by the independent Osmotic Studios, also responsible for games such as Orwell: Ignorance is Strength and Orwell: Keeping an Eye on You.

Plot

Closer the Distance's emotionally charged story revolves around such themes as empathy, friendship, grief and interpersonal relationships.

The game is set in a town of Yesterby. Its main protagonist is Angela, who decides to take care of her family and friends while they're grieving after being impacted by a fatal car crash. To help them, Angela uses her ethereal ability to influence people, with her choices leaving a mark on their lives and the entire town.

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Platforms:

PC Windows

PC Windows

PlayStation 5

PlayStation 5

Xbox Series X/S

Xbox Series X/S

Developer: Osmotic Studios

Publisher: Skybound Games

Age restrictions: 16+

Features

System Requirements

System Requirements for Closer the Distance Video Game:

PC Windows

PC / Windows

Minimum System Requirements:
Intel Core i5-6600K, 8 GB RAM, graphic card 2 GB Radeon R9 270, Windows 10 64-bit.

Recommended System Requirements:
AMD Ryzen 7 2700, 16 GB RAM, graphic card 8 GB GeForce RTX 2070, Windows 10 64-bit.

Ratings

Game Ratings for Closer the Distance Video Game.

8.4

OpenCritic Rating

Game is Recomended by 93% of Critics. There are 13 Critic Reviews.

OpenCritic

TheGamer: 4.5 / 5 by Tessa Kaur

Despite its flaws, I’ve never played a game quite like Closer the Distance. It somehow successfully manages to turn the difficult process of managing a community’s grief into a playable game, prompting you to ask yourself difficult questions without being hamfisted with its themes. It tells a deeply moving and compelling story about what it means to take care of others, love those we’ve lost, and honour their memories in ways that respect them while making sure we keep in mind the people left behind. And it does all that while maintaining gameplay that never feels tiresome, balancing the repercussions of your actions in a realistic way, and making you really care about its characters. I’ll be thinking about this game for years to come.

Full Review

VG247: 5 / 5 by Kelsey Raynor

You’re bound to make mistakes with such an emotionally-driven narrative at play, but with some hope from beyond the grave in Closer the Distance, you can help Yesterby move on. And if you had as wonderful a time as I did and are wondering how you can do things differently, there’s nothing stopping you from going back in time and trying to pick up the pieces all over again.

Full Review

Noisy Pixel: 9 / 10 by Pyre Kavanagh

Closer The Distance is a unique life simulation game that challenges players with time management mechanics and an emotionally charged narrative. Set in the quaint village of Yesterby, you guide a family through the aftermath of a tragic loss, balancing their emotional and physical needs. With stunning visuals, exceptional voice acting, and a melancholic tone, this game offers a deeply immersive experience. While the time constraints and challenging objectives may be stressful for some, the game's replay value and narrative depth make it a must-play for fans of the genre.

Full Review
89%

STEAM Score

All Reviews: Very Positive (247)

STEAM
User Reviews Summary generated by AI

The main pros of the game

  • Emotional Storytelling: The game effectively explores themes of grief, love, and human connection, resonating deeply with players. Many reviews highlight the emotional impact and the nuanced portrayal of characters dealing with loss.
  • Art and Sound Design: The art style is described as charming and minimalist, while the soundtrack enhances the emotional tone of the game. Voice acting is also praised for adding depth to the characters.
  • Unique Gameplay Mechanics: The combination of life simulation mechanics (similar to The Sims) with narrative-driven gameplay allows players to influence character interactions and decisions, creating a sense of involvement in the story.
  • Character Development: Players appreciate the well-developed characters and their growth throughout the game, as well as the ability to see different perspectives on grief.

The main cons of the game

  • Gameplay Mechanics Issues: Many players found the management aspects overwhelming, with a constant sense of urgency that detracted from emotional immersion. The need to juggle multiple characters and tasks often led to frustration.
  • Pacing Problems: The pacing of the game is criticized for being uneven, with some segments feeling rushed while others drag on, making it difficult to fully engage with the narrative.
  • Unresolved Plot Points: Some players expressed disappointment with the ending, feeling that it left too many storylines unresolved and did not provide a satisfying conclusion.

The features or elements that are missing from the game according to users

  • Improved Task Management: Players desire a more relaxed gameplay experience, with less pressure to complete tasks within strict time limits. Suggestions include longer in-game days or a more forgiving task system.
  • Better Dialogue Tracking: Several reviews mention the difficulty in following multiple overlapping conversations, suggesting a need for a dialogue log or improved UI to keep track of important story elements.
  • More Character Control: Some players wished they could control more characters simultaneously to deepen their engagement with the story and explore additional narrative paths.

Summary

  • Overall, while "Closer the Distance" is celebrated for its emotional depth and artistic presentation, it faces criticism for its gameplay mechanics and pacing, suggesting areas for improvement in future titles.

Summary generated on: