What Never Was
Release date: Jan 11, 2019
Developers: Acke Hallgren
Publishers: Acke Hallgren
Genres: Adventure, Casual, Free To Play, Indie
Categories: Single-player, Steam Achievements, Partial Controller Support
Supported languages: English

Sometime in the late 2000s, Howard James Wright - an old but kind man - perishes. Leaving behind him many adventures, relics he's collected over the years as well as books authored, he is also leaving Sarah, his granddaughter behind. Having to shoulder the arduous task of clearing out her grandfathers attic, she is soon to find that not everything about her grandfathers attic is what it seems. What Never Was is a short, story-driven first-person game focused on exploration and puzzle-solving. You play as Sarah Elizabeth Wright, exploring through your grandfathers attic, solving small puzzles and uncovering the story through gameplay. What Never Was aims to combine the gameplay of classic point-and-click games with the control schemes of modern adventure and walking sim games. It is inspired by the likes of Myst, Indiana Jones and The Longest Journey and borrows themes from folklore, Norse mythology, and works from authors like H.P. Lovecraft. The game is the first solo game and passion project of game developer Acke Hallgren with the support of a handful of supportive creatives.

Press reviews: “Games like WHAT NEVER WAS are the reason why i love exploring indie games, you can see some truly great games made with a little budget. Definitely give WHAT NEVER WAS a shot it is worth the time.” Gameplay Review “This adventure game is a reminder of how enjoyable the genre can be with a good story. Made by Acke Hallgren in the Unreal Engine, this brief point-and-click allows players to explore an attic that has some unexpected items. With puzzles that are just challenging enough, it is both relaxing and frustrating in a way that only adventure games can be.” 7.9 – Indie Hive “...a first-person adventure that feels like a cross between Gone Home and Myst. It’s smaller in scale compared to Gone Home — in What Never Was you only have access to a single attic, as opposed to a whole house — but the attic still feels like a real, lived-in place that’s full of information that’s waiting to be uncovered.” TheVerge