Yesterday
A graphic adventure about an amnesiac investigating homeless murders.
Yesterday is a 2012 point-and-click graphic adventure from Spanish developer Pendulo Studios, published by Focus Home Interactive. The story centers on John Yesterday, an amnesiac hired to probe a string of murders targeting homeless people in New York City. On computers, the game earned "mixed or average" reviews according to Metacritic and sold poorly, but its iOS port fared better both in sales and critical reception.
The plot opens in New York, where a serial killer is burning homeless people alive. College student Henry White and his friend Samuel Cooper volunteer with the Children of Don Quixote charity. They drive to an abandoned subway station; Henry enters alone while Cooper waits in the van. Inside, a traumatized homeless man named Boris captures Henry, acting on orders from Choke, a deranged cult leader who believes he rules the subway. Choke's congregation consists only of mannequins, with Boris as his sole follower. Choke forces Henry to solve chess problems as punishment for trespassing, then sentences him to die in a rat pit. Henry secretly radios Cooper, who sneaks in, finds a gun, and—while flashing back to his childhood—kills Choke and subdues Boris. The pair learn Choke's ceremony was a fake; Henry was never in danger. Enraged, Henry is revealed as the serial killer. They load Choke and Boris into the van, which drives off as Choke miraculously stands and Boris laughs.
After a timeskip, Henry has inherited White Enterprises. He meets with John Yesterday, an amnesiac under Henry's care, and claims they are old friends.
Development began around 2009, during work on *Runaway: A Twist of Fate*, with an early working title of *Runaway Noire*. Spain's economic troubles forced a tight budget; Felipe Gomez Pinilla said it was made with "one-quarter of the budget" of the previous *Runaway* game. Josué Monchan compared the core concept to *Planescape: Torment*, adapted for an adventure game. To meet market demands, Pendulo intentionally made the game easier than its earlier titles, continuing a company trend.
The game was released under different titles worldwide. Monchan explained the changes were meant to tailor marketing to each region.
Quick Facts
- Title
- Yesterday
- Developer
- Pendulo Studios
- Publisher
- Focus Home Interactive, FX Interactive (Spain)
- Released
- Windows / 22 March 2012 / iOS / 21 June 2012 / Android / 5 December 2012
- Genre
- Adventure
- Modes
- Single-player
- Platforms
- Microsoft Windows, iOS, Android
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
Yesterday was conceived around 2009 during the development of Runaway: A Twist of Fate, with an early working title of Runaway Noire. Due to economic turbulence in Spain, the game was developed on a tight budget, using one-quarter of the budget of Runaway: A Twist of Fate. Pendulo intentionally made the game easier than its past titles in response to market demands. The game was released under multiple titles worldwide: New York Crimes in Spain, The Case of John Yesterday in Germany, Yesterday: Mark of Lucifer in Russia, and Yesterday: A Pendulo Studios Game in English- and French-speaking markets. It was also Pendulo's first attempt at an iOS release.
Reader's Guide
Yesterday's significance lies in its role as a turning point for Pendulo Studios. The computer version's commercial disappointment contributed to a downward trend for the company, making it difficult to secure funding for new projects. The team resorted to porting its back catalog to iOS to survive, a strategy compared to that of Revolution Software. The iOS port, however, was a moderate hit and sold many more copies than the computer version, remaining one of the highest-rated Spanish games on Metacritic by 2017. The game's mixed reception was reflected in reviews: Destructoid called it worth time and cash despite noticeable problems, GameSpot noted its unsteady narrative but solid puzzles, and GameSpy criticized it as really, really stupid. The game's failure was attributed to its blend of casual gameplay with hardcore storytelling, limited publisher support, and lack of interaction with players and the press. Pendulo was revitalized in late 2014 by a contract with Microids to develop Yesterday Origins (2016), a prequel and sequel to the first game.
Did You Know?
- The game's early working title was Runaway Noire.
- The iOS port was Pendulo Studios' first-ever attempt at the platform.
- The Russian title Yesterday: Mark of Lucifer was chosen to appeal to Russia's interest in satanic subject matter.
- The game's sequel/prequel Yesterday Origins was Pendulo's first 3D game.
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