The idea behind the game is good and noble. But I found the jumping between persons (esp. when they suddenly are lit up because 'something important is happening') a mismatch with the seemingly slow and contemplative mood of the theme. I am well aware that is a matter of taste/preference, but it just prevented me from getting into the game & enjoying in properly.

Ohh “Closer the Distance” you broke me into so many pieces but also got me invested in the story so much and let me fall in love with all the details the developers added.. and that all at once. This was a journey, a wonderful journey but a very sad one and I cried so many times while playing this gem ****. I have played the first Orwell game from Osmotic Studios and that one told me already that this studio is so good in telling stories. That one tells a story about the dangers of our online activities. Not everybody’s cup of tea… However, the story in Closer the Distance is one about losing a relative unexpectedly and what that does with a family, but also within a (small) community. Normally it takes me at least some time to get closer to a character to get so emotional. However, Osmotic Studios did such a great job in storytelling that when the main character dies very early on in the game, I instantly became emotional. In this game, you play as Angie, the person who has died. You are kinda the ghost of Angie that tries so hard to help her loved ones move on. Tries to fix what is broken within the small community of Yesterby, what she already tried to do so much when she was alive, but she can’t let go after she died. This is done in a sims-like gameplay. You start with only having some control over her younger sister because she is the only one who can hear Angie’s voice. You can already see some of the wishes of the other people in the small community of Yesterby and you will unravel more of their wishes and mood swings in the days/weeks/months after Angie passed away. A little into the game you’ll also get a bit of control over some of the other characters. This way you try to complete their wishes for what to do next and what is going on. I love how they choose to go with a Sims-like game style. Lately so many announced sims-likes got canceled while I desperately looking for something that plays just like The Sims, but on Steam with Steam achievements (and not 50 DLCs). This was such an awesome game, and a great way how they told such a heavy and emotional story. With so many different characters and their own life goals, dreams, and quirks. And did I already mention how much love and attention there went into all the little details?? This goes from portraits of the families hanging in their houses to the sounds of characters sounding more echoey in some locations where that makes more sense, to the beautiful music this game adds. Especially by a character who will join a little later.