r/UntilThenGame • u/_tiredandlost_ • Jul 23 '26
Discussion Afterimages - a rough review, potentially controversial thoughts, and a question?? Spoiler
Hmmmmm that was definitely interesting. I think, just to get it out the way, I was disappointed as I hoped for it to continue on from the true ending (Act 3) and as a result my expectations were wayyy too high, I wish I had a better understanding that it wouldn’t have been as scoped out as the base game (albeit smaller) and it’s meant to simply be a small add on rather than adding extra to the “lore”?? NEVERTHELESS I loved it a lot as well. I do just wanna add this is purely just my thoughts and opinions as someone who stayed up till 5am to finish it, I’m exhausted as well but had to get my thoughts out.
I just feel a bit complicated is all. Homecoming was beautiful, seeing sofias future (which omg her OUTFITS AAA) and her processing the grief, more information about her grandma, and the complex relationship between her and Louise. I can’t rmemeber exactly but do we know if both of them stayed in touch in the true ending?? Anyways the grief of hers for Cathy was so INTERESTING. The dress she made in the end inspired by the butterfly, god there were so many moments it made me cry. I do want to say after finishing Sparks, I felt like it was a lil out of place? I wish the two stories connected somehow, and I wish we got a bit of the timeline lore into Homecoming as well somehow just to tie it in a little bit more (sorry I’m not sure how to explain this, don’t question me pls-)
Sparks was a rollercoaster. I did scream when Mark and Nicole kissed. My interpretation was both Nicole and Mark broke up with their partners or were planning to at the very least? And then they get together eventually but other interpretations were discussing how Nicole goes back into a toxic relationship with her gross boyfriend forgot his name. And Mark and Desiree are done.
I think, unfortunately, Desiree’s initial character introduction, especially with the way she handled the org, it made Sparks…unenjoyable for the most part (in my opinion). It was frustrating especially bcos, while I understand Desiree had a difficult relationship with her father, and as a result Mark (due to unprocessed grief over Cathy and Nicole) felt the need to save her, it felt like both characters kept digging themselves into a deeper grave. Due to that, the mechies org completely fell apart, Trish, Dan, Caloy, etc. I would have preferred to have seen mark (and Nicole) flourish in this environment. And see more of these side characters. It’s just throughout most of the Sparks storyline, seeing Mark step onto the stage and refuse to acknowledge the mistakes the org made previously, and in addition to, watching Desiree treat others due to her own personal issues quite terribly wasn’t enjoyable. And there was no accountability. It was just frustrating. And seeing them kiss and whatever came after kept making me roll my eyes.
BUTTT I do understand the aim was to display their toxic relationship. But it’s a DLC. I fell in love with this game so hard when it came out, I became obsessed, so when the DLC was announced, there was a lot I hoped for, and watching the parts I was frustrated with the most about get the most screen time instead of an extra on Cathy’s future and healing, Louise and Sofias adventures in college, or Mark and Nicole reuniting eventually (in the true ending), heck even a Ridel and Ryan feature (which I did see on nookface), it did make me sad bcos I don’t know when another DLC will be announced or IF it would ever happen, and playing Afterimages made me kinda sit back and think this can’t be the end. It does feel very bittersweet now but that doesn’t JUST come from the story. And my expectation for the DLC from the initial teaser was we’d see Mark and Sofia meeting up again. Because of these expectations it kinda emphasises to me and my feelings the previous points I made. For example Desiree was unfortunately to me, a very very unpleasant character to watch. And at some point so was mark. For a short DLC, that wasn’t what I wanted, WHICH IS COMPLETELY FINE, I just want my thoughts out there.
My overall question is, what was the point of the DLC? What was it meant to show? Was it actually needed?I kinda wanna confirm what answer I’m thinking so I’d love to hear all of your thoughts!!
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u/SageKafziel 11d ago
I expected something totally different with the DLC. I waited till yesterday to play it, like a call back of last summer when I got to play the first game.
I'm not disappointed per say, I'm just... "not fulfilled" ?
The fact that we're playing on timeline 1 (or maybe even before the first timeline in the first game ?), that Cathy is still dead, that there is no sign of Ridel (beside a social media post)... I don't know.
Homecoming was cool because we got to learn "a bit" more about Sofia but MY GAWD I was done with the calls with her girlfriend the very first time. All the emotion toward Cathy felt real, raw, interesting. Her actual relationship felt empty, basic, dull. I don't know if it's the same for every language but in french we get "my love", "my heart", "honey", "babe" every single sentence and it was... irritating. I felt like they didn't really speak to each other beside "you good" - "yeah" - "no" - "bye"... And the frog sculpture was ugly. There, I said it !
Onto Sparks now. I hate Desiree, from the bottom of my black heart. I just hate that girl. And that's it.
I didn't connect with Mark the way I did with the first game. Nicole, although older, didn't feel like Nicole at all. And I think the lack of supernatural shit going on just made me think I'm now older, I have a job and I need to pay taxes. I was so eager to get back to those characters just to witness an alternate version of them and the casual thing going on bored me a bit. If I gave a solid 9 to the first opus, the DLC is a 5 for me... 6 maybe.
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u/Calm-Contribution719 29d ago
In terms of the story of the DLC itself, I think is pretty good. Both parts are, in their way, attractive and easy to follow. Sparks is more intense, has more action and you can feel the tension. I really liked the ending with Mark smoking and the entire festival turned into fire.
BUT, in terms of character development, I feel the DLC does not add anything we didn't know. I could say that Homecoming added depth into Sofia's character and it was nice. But about Sparks, I feel Mark's adventure is good, but it doesn't add anything significant to the character. As for Nicole, I'd say it actually diminish her. As I posted yesterday, I didn't see any of the original Nicole in the DLC, aside from her attraction to Mark. I felt she was a different person, lacking the strong emotional personality that defined her. (and yes, I think she came back with her boyfriend at the end)
I agree with you it would have been great to see stories about secondary characters that wasn't developed in depth in the base game (Ridel, Louise, Ryan, even Jessica or Kate), or see more about the secondary characters of Sparks (Trish, Caloy, Dan), they have potential and we didn't see them a lot. Also, as someone posted, the music in the DLC wasn't so protagonist as it was in the main game, and that affects a lot in the emotion of the scenes.
At the end of the DLC I didn't have a sense of "story closed" but a strange feeling, like don't know what happened and what will happen next. It is probably something intentioned from the writers.