I would be hard pressed to call Dear Me, I Was a game in any true sense of the word, because it really does not feel like a game. Describing it as a visual novel would do Dear Me, I Was a disservice to its artistic style too. The best way to describe Dear Me, I Was is a reflective piece about life from beginning to end.
The story of Dear Me, I Was follows the life story of an unnamed woman from her childhood to old age, with each significant moment getting its own chapter, of which there are ten in total, including the epilogue. The start of each chapter begins with a meal for breakfast, and one of the few interactive moments in the experience where you pick each item to eat. As the woman grows older her breakfast of choice changes from a glass of milk and some fruit as a kid to croissants and coffee. It’s a good way to introduce each chapter, as it signifies the change in life that the woman is going through.
Every scene is depicted as a watercolour, with moods shown through how bright or muted the watercolour is. The art style immediately stands out and Dear Me, I Was could be a contender for visual design of the year with the way the story is played out through Taisuke Kanazaki’s watercolours which are brought to life through rotoscoping.
Each scene is unique and brief, but carries enough meaning to provide the context of what you are seeing. These scenes are accompanied by plaintive piano pieces, with the music again matching and complementing the scenes, from positive songs to slower and more depressive tones when the story calls for it.
To discuss any element of the story would be a spoiler, but it shows the highs and lows that each of us will experience at some point in life, especially the relationships we have with others. In that way, Dear Me, I Was is relatable even if our life experiences are different to what the woman in this piece goes through.
Dear Me, I Was lasts approximately one hour and in that time you will only be required to put in minimal effort to interact. Already mentioned is picking at the food at the start of each chapter, but there are other moments where you ‘sketch’ scenes, though this is just holding the A button while moving the analogue stick to uncover pictures. There are a few other interactive moments, but it feels like they have been thrown in so you are given something to do instead of simply being a passive viewer.