I first met Closer the Distance during the Steam Next Fest in June, where I spent an hour exploring the quiet town of Yesterby, meeting a cast of unique and authentic characters as they all dealt with a Heartbreaking tragedy; one of their dear residents – a friend and relative – passed away.
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It was an understandably solemn start, and by the time my presentation was over, I was eager to carve out some breathing space. But I was desperate to go back and learn about Yesterby — and its delightful cast — despite the stress of this starting point. I’m interested to see what impact I can have on their story, because this short, slice-of-life sim is all about what you can do to repair relationships and mend this troubled coastal town.
The way this happens is refreshing. It’s beautiful, vibrant, and despite the sad subject matter, it has a magical understatement. When you first step into Yesterby, you’ll see this Sims-inspired way of controlling and observing your characters, combined with Life is Strange’s deeply personal storytelling.
You can really dive into the lives of the townsfolk and get inside their heads; you can learn about their whims, desires, relationships, and more, but you can only control (and manipulate) a few important elements of it. This is where our protagonist Angela comes into the picture.
Angela (or Angie, if you’re familiar) is the central character of Yesteby, and sadly, our time in this scenic town begins with her death. Connie’s sister is the first character we control, and we soon discover that Angie’s presence is still around yesterday. This way she can communicate with those closest to her and help them move on and find peace again. This is where you, the player, come into play, as you end up playing as Angela; instructing these residents on their behavior and future, trying to help them remember why they came to Yesteby in the first place.
Of the 13 characters who live in Yesterby, you have the ability to control 5 of them; Angie’s sister Connie, her boyfriend Zeke, her best friend River, her doctor and godmother Gallia, and the mysterious musician Raul. While it may seem simple to take on the responsibility of these characters again (and help them find happiness), Closer regularly reminds you that mourning and making life-changing decisions is never easy.
You ultimately have to decide what these characters want and what’s most important to them as they work through their grief. And, just like in real life, their needs sometimes come at the expense of others. Gallia, for example, is so eager to help Angie’s family get back to normal that she runs herself into rags and cleans the local cemetery and church to help her grieving mother Pia.
Gellar is so focused on the cause that she risks neglecting her family and forgetting about herself in the process. It’s important to find a balance for many of these characters; they can support each other without losing touch with what’s most important to them.
Zeke is another example. Despite his father’s disapproval, he wanted to leave town. Or River, whose father desperately wanted to revive Yesterby with a showboat, even though nearly everyone in town hated the idea. And there’s Angie’s sister, Connie, who tries to breathe life into the dwindling connections between her family and friends, but she can only do so by relying on their returns.
In interpersonal communication, you can check any character at any time and never miss any important moments. By the end of the game, you’ll be familiar not only with the character you control, but also with the other people you meet. You’ll be in tune with their personal rituals, acutely aware of when they wake up, when they socialize, and when they need a moment to breathe through the pain.
Henrietta is an old woman who lives by the beach and takes naps and goes fishing every day. Eli is a young boy who doesn’t understand why everyone is acting “weird” now; Melville is a carpenter whose troubled past comes to light in Yesteby’s current troubles. Out of the water. It’s clear that everyone can use friends, and it’s up to you and the people you can control to make those changes happen.
So if you want to mend those broken hearts you were trying to heal yesterday, “Closing the Distance” requires strategy and careful planning, as well as a lot of listening. Don’t let this put you off, though. You don’t need to have a pen and paper handy. In fact, grab a snack and make yourself comfortable with the story; I found, yesterday, that the most important thing to do was listen.
Put your judgment aside, keep your ears open, and it’ll have this magical effect on you; it’s so deeply bittersweet throughout that it tugs at your heartstrings while you smile. It’s filled with thoughtful, honest dialogue and emotionally rich storytelling that will keep you questioning what the “right” thing is. if so.
Sometimes, I wish I could reach out to the screen and hug these wonderful characters and tell them everything is going to be okay, but as the whimsical musician Raul—a character so eager to help a town he’s unfamiliar with—then A constant reminder to me that this is not always the most helpful thing you can do. I often felt like Raul was reminding me that I really should put my own despair aside and listen to the needs and desires of the character in front of me.
You’re bound to make mistakes in this kind of emotionally driven narrative, but in “Close” you can help “Yesterday” move forward with some hope from beyond the grave. If you’re like me and had a great time and wondered how to do things differently, there’s nothing stopping you from going back in time and trying to pick up the pieces again.
Steam, PS5 and Xbox Series X/S are closer August 2, 2024. This review was conducted on the code provided by the publisher and on the PC version of the game.
