Game review: Last Day of June – exploration of tragedy through multiverse theory

Last Day of June

505 Games

The multiverse theory, where parallel realities exist alongside ours and events play out differently in each, is a popular theme in entertainment. Last Day of June is among the most recent examples, a sentimental work that follows a humble man’s quest to alter the course that leads to the death of his wife, June.

On a sunny day in a tiny village, a boy looks for a playmate, a man goes hunting for a bird, and an old man delivers a gift to the home of a married couple where a woman also pays a house call. This web of interactions sets the stage for June and her husband Carl to go on a picnic at their favourite lakeside spot. The area is the subject of one of June’s paintings inspired by village life.

The weather changes, they jump in their car and Carl loses control of the vehicle on the wet road; June is killed, and Carl is paralysed from the waist down.

After the accident, we find Carl in an easy chair next to another empty one. It’s night, and the only light in the house comes from the fireplace. After Carl awakens from an uneasy dream, he moves into a wheelchair. Guiding him around the ground level, players come upon a room that June used for her studio. With the tap of a button, Carl can touch a painting and be drawn into one of his neighbour’s lives.

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By taking on the role of Carl’s neighbour, players try to change the sequence of events that lead to the accident. Puzzles in the game are tailored to each character so there are places, for instance, that only the boy can fit through.