Afterlove EP Review – Review

In March of 2022, the world lost the creator and writer of the visual novel series: Coffee Talk: Fahmi. Through him we were given dozens of stories about friendship and love through the lens of a prominent member of the Indonesian game developer community. Despite not being able to see Afterlove EP to completion, his presence and influence are felt throughout the entirety of its 4-6 hour voice acted story.

Afterlove EP is a story of loss amongst a friend group, how it’s fractured their relationship, and how they find their way back together. Rama is part of a three piece band called Sigmund Feud with his friends Adit and Tasya. Shortly after a gig, Rama’s long term girlfriend Cinta passes away from illness. This sends a shockwave through the band that causes Rama to become a recluse for a year. After finally coming out of his grieving sabbatical he finds that the world is different, his friends are different, and he has to learn to finally accept what this new world means to him. This is especially confusing when Cinta still talks to him in his head.

At its core, Afterlove EP is a visual novel. You are given a calendar, and are open to interact with the world and your friends for two events per day, once during the day and once at night. This means that you can choose how you spend the days whether it’s working at the local coffee shop, chatting with the local bookstore poetry host, or playing your latest demos with the record store clerk. Both of which seem to be flirting with you. There are only five small maps to explore but they feel lived in and are fantastic representations of Jakarta (with actual landmarks) and its culture. At the end of each week there’s a band practice where you play a version of Guitar Hero and have band meetings, and once a week you can choose to go to therapy.

Now I want to really emphasize the therapy aspect here. Very early on it becomes clear that Rama has not grieved for Cinta fully, and is recommended therapy by his friends. Historically, therapy hasn’t really been depicted in any kind of properly serious way in video games that I can remember, but here it’s given the proper level of respect and care. Rama has genuine ongoing discussions with his therapist that are thoughtful, and insightful. These sessions paint a picture of anyone grieving, but also the insecurities and hopelessness that the death of a loved one can cause. I found the therapy sessions to be some of the most authentic writing I’ve seen in a long time regarding mental health and mirror that of actual full fledged medical professionals. Capturing something so private and exposing these internal conflicts was an impressive feat.

Continuing that train of thought, I found the interactions between friends and Ramas fluctuating state of grief some of the most natural and inspiring conversational writing in video games period. Not everything is a deep or complex moment, but they always felt realistic to some of the conversations my friends and I have on a weekly basis. There are even hidden moments you can discover that recount special memories of Rama and Cinta’s relationship. These heartwarming moments are hidden around the maps and worth discovering to contextualize more of the connection between Rama and Cinta, which is all the more heartbreaking when you remember that you are reliving their moments out of grief.

I’ve been a long time fan of the Coffee Talk series and the development team at Pikselnesia but I think Afterlove EP may be the team at their peak. Fahmi handpicked this team to work on his vision and in his passing they have crafted something special. A love letter to Jakarta, but also deeper discussion processing your trauma through grieving that will leave you with tears in your eyes. I understand that visual novels are always a hard sell for most consumers but I cannot get over how much I loved Afterlove EP. The characterization and writing are top notch. I felt a genuine connection with the members of Sigmund Feud and the world of Afterlove EP. That’s what games like this and Coffee Talk are built on, connections. Whether it’s just listening to your friends vent frustrations or finding common ground with someone new, there’s something special about what these games bring to the table. I for one recommend everyone pull up a stool and listen for a while. You may find a new best friend.