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“Closer the Distance” is a profoundly moving game that stands out as a masterful example of story-driven gameplay. From the very beginning, it grips you with a narrative that is deeply emotional, exploring themes of loss, love, and human connection in a way that feels raw and genuine. The story unfolds in a small-town setting where a tragedy brings together the lives of its inhabitants, and as the player, you navigate the aftermath of these events by influencing the lives of these characters.
The gameplay mechanics are not just functional but beautifully integrated into the story. The core mechanic involves guiding the spirits of characters to reconnect with their loved ones, offering closure and helping them heal. It’s a deeply satisfying experience as you see the tangible results of your actions reflected in the characters’ lives. These interactions are simple yet meaningful, and the ability to explore different story branches keeps the experience engaging. The way the game encourages empathy and reflection through its design is commendable, making every decision feel weighty and significant, which is exactly my type.
That said, the game isn’t without its flaws. There are times when the pacing feels a bit uneven, especially during segments that require waiting for the story to progress. This can lead to a sense of repetitiveness in some of the tasks, which slightly dampens the overall experience. However, these slower moments don’t overshadow the brilliance of the game as a whole. In fact, they can sometimes feel like a deliberate choice to let you absorb the emotional weight of the story, though not everyone may appreciate this approach.
Visually, the game uses a charming and minimalist art style that enhances its emotional tone. The music is another standout feature, perfectly complementing the story’s highs and lows. It’s clear that the developers poured their heart into crafting an experience that is as much about emotional resonance as it is about gameplay.
“Closer the Distance” is an unforgettable experience that lingers with you long after the credits roll. It’s a game that invites introspection and challenges you to see the world through the eyes of its deeply human characters. For anyone who loves narrative-heavy games with meaningful mechanics, this title is an absolute must-play. It’s the kind of game that feels like it was made for someone like me, who values both story and engaging gameplay in equal measure.
⭐️ 7.5/10 ⭐️

Closer the Distance is one of the more beautiful games I have played in a long time.
The design, visual and auditory, is spectacular and both create a powerful ambiance that perfectly suits the game's themes.
The gameplay itself was not always my favorite. Managing the Sims-esque moodlets/needs of the characters was sometimes difficult given the pace that some of the games days require to try to complete goals and tasks. There were certainly characters that I felt I had let down by the end, largely because I was trying to juggle so many plates in a compressed timeframe.
But really, the gameplay isn't the point of Closer the Distance. The story is sober, touching, painful, and beautiful all at once. It presents a tapestry of the different ways that people grieve, and it doesn't shy away from the pain that comes with both healing and failing to heal. In my playthrough (or at least my first playthrough) I got to watch some strained families come together in ways that would let them move forward. I also watched one particularly hard hit individual drag down her closest partner, isolating him from his friends and insisting that he share her misery.
Closer the Distance is far from trite or cliche. The story does not blindly insist that everything will be okay, that the ones we've lost are always with us agreeing with our every decision, or that loss isn't really loss at all. The characters and the story feel the grief, the longing, the anger, and the absence all the way through. Some find peace more easily, others, it's clear, will always carry the scars. The game offers a frank, beautiful look at the meaning of community, the nature of love, and the kaleidoscopic web of entanglements by which we impact the lives of those around us. It gives weight both to the major choices in life (whether to proceed with a business venture or to leave home, etc.), as well as the little moments that color reality (watching old favorite TV shows or taking a sun bath). A raw, honest humanity resounds through the story and leaves behind a picture of life that most media shies away from, embracing the heaviness and hurt that coexist with the beauty of of life, love, and community.
Closer the Distance is a heavy experience. It is saturated with powerful feelings and moments that will hurt. It can also, sometimes, be a frustrating game where the mechanics will stand in the way of accomplishing everything you would like. But it is, above all, a beautiful, touching experience that compellingly covers one of the hardest parts of human life. I strongly recommend this game for those who feel that they can overcome the emotional challenge that it comes with.

Exceptional writing accompanied by excellent voice acting.
+ I find it rare to, especially in the last couple of years, find great writing in a game where characters feel alive, real and relatable. Closer the Distance has some of the best collective feel from all the games in recent memory for me personally. Especially how well the subject of loss and how it affects each of us differently. All in all it is a love letter to people who have experienced loss and struggle with moving on. Especially the ending, where most games don’t know how to end, ending was the most moving part of the game where the writing and I believe personal experience really shined.
* One neat detail I love about the game is the design of the needs system. Every person has different needs to be taken care of. In that sense it is a lot more deeper than The Sims and just looking at the needs of the person, you can tell who they are. Without needing to read their history or bio. Like an introvert who needs their alone time and routine to calm down. Or a person who needs to keep herself busy helping others, so she does not blame herself.
There are a couple of small points I think the game could have polished better. The game introduces a character in the middle of the game who arrives into the town. Presenting later what sort of feels like the most important decision in the game. But in the end that decision does not have a real impact, unless you choose one certain option - at least I did not notice while doing all the endings. Also for his own presence and goal in the game, there is not really much the game gave him to do.
- Most critique I would give the game is pacing - the time you have to complete tasks is too short - and the needs system is quite demanding for a story driven game. To make sure you get to complete every task, you have to skip dialogues and let them play in parallel because of the loss of time. Your timing has to be almost perfect and you have to hope rain doesn’t ruin your day when you need to take a run. I'm afraid that for most of the casual players the game can be too stressful and demanding and they might not experience the story because of that. This is even emphasized by the fact that the most impactful activities have to be done in just a couple of days where everything has to be perfectly planned and then you have a couple of days basically just waiting with nothing to do, but just wait for the next story to wrap up. I think even the story would have benefited with more breathing room in between and with a more relaxing vibe (or like casual difficulty).
Wrap-up
But all in all, this is the best game and best story I have played in years and I can imagine so many more stories using this game and system design. Stories from all over the world. Somehow I even ended up imagining WWI stories from trenches handled in this design, the vibe of the game seems perfect for a somber story like that. So here is hoping that this is not the last story this team will introduce to us - and it would be cool if the one traveler would be the only thing connecting them.
And I wish good luck to Osmotic Studios for their future projects ;)