Before I Forget
A first-person exploration of memory and Alzheimer's disease.
Before I Forget is an exploration game from 3-Fold Games, which both developed and published it. It first launched in 2020 as a Humble Original for personal computers, with console ports arriving the following year. The game follows a woman grappling with Alzheimer’s disease as she attempts to piece together her past.
Players take on the role of Sunita Appleby, a scientist diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer’s, navigating her own home from a first-person perspective. Interacting with objects she no longer recognizes triggers the return of some memories. The gameplay includes puzzle-like challenges, such as remembering where she left keepsakes and guiding Appleby to the bathroom when her house transforms into a disorienting maze.
The studio, 3-Fold Games, is made up of writer Chella Ramanan and programmer-artist Claire Morwood. Ramanan lives in Sweden, while Morwood is based in Scotland. The two met at a British game jam, where they conceived of Before I Forget. Ramanan had already been thinking about a story centered on memories and believed a video game was the ideal medium for exploring that theme firsthand. The jam’s theme was “borders,” and they saw mental health and Alzheimer’s as an interesting metaphorical take on the subject. Neither developer has personal experience with Alzheimer’s, and they always intended the game to be a character study. Initially, they had no plans to continue development, but feedback at the jam and an audience award changed their minds. As interest grew, they became anxious to portray the disease accurately.
A chance encounter with a healthcare worker corrected some details about Alzheimer’s, leading 3-Fold to partner with Gaming The Mind, a mental health charity. This charity helped design the game’s puzzles and internal dialogue to better reflect the reality of Alzheimer’s. The developers also incorporated suggestions from early playtesters who shared personal stories. The game was designed to evoke anxiety rather than horror, and Ramanan chose the color palette accordingly. The audio and visuals shift to mirror the protagonist’s mental state, with a division between greyscale and color representing confusion and clarity—a feature present from the earliest versions.
Though investors showed interest, they complained the game was too short. 3-Fold experimented with extending the gameplay but disliked the results.
Quick Facts
- Title
- Before I Forget
- Developer
- 3-Fold Games
- Publisher
- 3-Fold GamesConsole version published by Plug In Digital.
- Designer
- Chella Ramanan
- Programmer
- Claire Morwood
- Platforms
- Linux / macOS / Windows / Nintendo Switch / Xbox One / Xbox Series X/S
- Released
- Linux, Mac, Windows WW · July 16, 2020 / Switch, Xbox One & Series X/S WW · April 29, 2021
- Genre
- Exploration
- Modes
- Single-player
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
Players guide Sunita Appleby, a scientist with early-onset Alzheimer's disease, through her house. As she interacts with now-unfamiliar objects, some of her memories return. The game features puzzle-like elements such as recalling where mementos have been left and guiding Appleby to the bathroom when she perceives her house as a shifting maze. 3-Fold Games consists of writer Chella Ramanan and programmer-artist Claire Morwood. Ramanan lives in Sweden, and Morwood in Scotland. They met at a British game jam and conceived of Before I Forget there. Ramanan had been considering a story about memories and felt a video game would be the best medium to explore memories firsthand. The game jam's theme was borders, and they saw mental health and Alzheimer's disease as an interesting metaphorical take. Neither developer has personal experience with Alzheimer's disease and always meant the game to be a character study. They had not planned on following through with further development, but feedback at the game jam and an audience award convinced them to continue. As interest grew, they became anxious to depict the disease correctly. A chance meeting with a healthcare worker who corrected details about Alzheimer's disease led them to work with Gaming The Mind, a mental health charity, who helped design the game's puzzles and internal dialogue to be more authentic expressions of Alzheimer's disease. They also implemented suggestions from early playtesters who related personal anecdotes. The game was designed to depict anxiety rather than horror. Ramanan chose the palette to reflect this. The audio and visuals reflect the protagonist's current mental state. The division between greyscale and color visuals, representing confusion and clarity, existed from the earliest versions. 3-Fold said that although investors were interested, they complained the game was too short. In response, 3-Fold experimented with extending the gameplay but did not like the result. Lack of funding meant Ramanan and Morwood had to work on Before I Forget in their spare time. Humble Original eventually picked up the game, bringing financing enough to add voice acting and PR. It was included in a Humble Choice bundle in June 2020 and released for Linux, macOS, and Windows on July 16, 2020. It was ported to the Nintendo Switch, Xbox One and Series X/S on April 29, 2021.
Reader's Guide
Before I Forget received generally favorable reviews from critics, according to Metacritic. OpenCritic assessed that the game received strong approval, being recommended by 100% of critics. Hope Bellingham wrote in her review for GamesRadar that it 'sent me on an existential spiral' where she considered the nature of memory and how we perceive reality. Christian Donlan of Eurogamer wrote that it is 'filled with insight and generosity' and puts Appleby's life at the forefront without letting Alzheimer's disease define her. In The Guardian's review, Simon Parkin called it 'a memorable, affecting journey' that is both compassionate and celebratory. Nintendo Life's Thomas Whitehead called it 'a short, beautiful experience' that may be emotionally difficult for those who have personal experience with loved ones with dementia. Harry Shepherd of PC Gamer chose the game his favorite of 2020, calling it 'a mature, crucial experience that helps us understand' Alzheimer's disease. Before I Forget was also Henry Stockdale's choice for most memorable game of 2021 for Eurogamer. Stockdale called it 'utterly heart-breaking, incredibly compassionate, and absolutely beautiful all at once'. TechRadar included it in a list of best games from black developers and best games designed by women. It was nominated for the British Academy Games Award for Game Beyond Entertainment in 2020. Following the critical acclaim, Chella Ramanan continued to make waves in the industry by co-founding POC in Play, an independent organization dedicated to promoting diversity and inclusion in games. Her influence also extended into AAA game development, where she contributed as a narrative designer on Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora.
Did You Know?
- The game was conceived at a British game jam whose theme was borders.
- Neither developer has personal experience with Alzheimer's disease; the game was always meant as a character study.
- 3-Fold Games worked with the mental health charity Gaming The Mind to design authentic puzzles and internal dialogue.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Before I Forget?
Before I Forget is a first-person exploration game developed and published by 3-Fold Games, which debuted in 2020 as a Humble Original for PC before expanding to consoles the following year.
Who is the protagonist of Before I Forget?
You play as Sunita Appleby, a scientist diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer's disease. She moves through her own home trying to recover fragments of her past by interacting with objects she can no longer identify.
How does gameplay work in Before I Forget?
The experience centers on exploring a single domestic space from a first-person view, where examining items you no longer recognize can trigger memories to return. Puzzle-like challenges are woven into this process of reconstructing the character's history.
What platforms is Before I Forget available on?
The game launched on Windows, macOS, and Linux in 2020, with Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S ports arriving in 2021.
What is the central theme of Before I Forget?
The game places the player inside the subjective experience of losing one's identity to Alzheimer's, asking you to piece together a scientist's relationships and sense of self as her memories fade. It treats memory loss as an intimate, personal journey rather than a clinical condition.
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