A Fold Apart first caught my eye at PAX East 2019, where Lightning Rod Games was showing off the demo version. It had a unique style and story that made it stand out from other games I’d seen. Recently Lightning Rod Games generously provided a copy for review on Nintendo Switch. I spent an afternoon playing the game–completing the emotional rollercoaster. Keep reading to find out more about A Fold Apart.
A Fold Apart is a game very close to the heart of its developer. Lightning Rod Games Co-founder Mark Laframboise came up with the storyline after experiencing the difficulties of maintaining a long-distance relationship himself. I’ll do my best not to spoil the story, but the interactions between the people in this relationship (taken directly from the creator’s experiences) ring very true to how things can be when you’re not able to talk to your partner in person.
Your journey begins with choosing the pair in the relationship out of 4 possibilities, covering different gender identities/roles for each of the partners. You see scenes of the relationship developing up until one partner is offered their dream job–thousands of miles away. The other partner is supportive but chooses to remain where they are (in a fulfilling career themselves). As the distant partner’s job takes more of a toll on the relationship, you see the communication between them change while each of them struggles with the situation. More than once, the on-screen texts had me in tears because the content was very relatable. As for how the game ends–I will leave that a mystery so that others can experience the journey unspoiled.
In addition to the story content, A Fold Apart’s gameplay mechanic also caught my attention. Being an avid fan of origami as a child, the folding and turning of the “pages” of the game piqued my interest. Toward the beginning of the game, the folds and turns are pretty straightforward, allowing you to get comfortable with what action will have what effect. As you progress, they become more complex logic puzzles where you must figure out how to get your character from point a to point b. There were quite a few puzzles that required multiple attempts, but none were so frustrating that I wanted to give up. Usually, I just needed to look at things from a different angle. 😉
A Fold Apart used a variety of modes for advancing the story. Obviously one of the biggest components was the folding mechanic, but there were also short animated scenes, platformer-style walking across the screen, and text response choices. The partner who moved away for the job was mostly shown in their office, but also home alone at times. The one who remained behind was usually shown at home or at significant locations from their past. Play traded back and forth between the two so that you experienced both sides of the relationship. The main color (red or blue) was the main indicator of which partner was in focus at the time, with background colors, effects, and music reflecting the emotions of that character.
A Fold Apart is probably the only video game I can say that I’ve 100% finished. When I mentioned at the beginning of the review that I spent an afternoon playing the game, that was from beginning to end. It’s split up into chapters that would allow you to easily pick up where you left off, but I became invested in the story and wanted to see what happened next. It was an emotional game, so not everyone may be able to play it through in one go, but the folding/puzzle/logic component did help to keep emotions in check. As a whole, it was a beautifully presented experience in human relationships in a time where it’s easy to feel disconnected from each other, whether that’s due to physical distance or other less tangible barriers.
If you too are interested in how the story plays out in A Fold Apart, it is now available from Lightning Rod games for Nintendo Switch, Steam, and Apple Arcade. A digital copy was provided for the purpose of review.
