Image via Pikselnesia Studios
The first thing you notice about Afterlove EP is just how pretty it is.
Pikselnesia has crafted a gorgeous, sketch-like art style with soft, muted colors that make every frame feel like it could be framed and hung on a wall. It’s warm, welcoming, and incredibly distinct – a perfect match for the emotional weight this game carries.
But once you stop staring at the art long enough to actually play the game, you realize Afterlove EP is an interesting beast. It’s an adventure game, a visual novel, a rhythm game, and it even flirts with dating sim mechanics.
That’s a lot to pack into one experience, and if you’ve ever played a game that tries to do too much (cough every farming sim that forces you to multitask everything cough), you know how quickly things can spiral into chaos.
Thankfully, Afterlove EP doesn’t fall into that trap. It manages to blend its mechanics in a way that feels natural and – most importantly – comfortable. It never overwhelms, but it also never loses its emotional weight.
Key Details
- Developer: Pikselnesia
- Platform: PC via Steam
- Price: TBD
- Review Code Provided: Yes
A Story That Hits Hard
At its core, Afterlove EP is a story about grief, growth, and music.
You play as Rama, the singer and songwriter of a band, who has spent the past year completely shutting himself off from the world after the death of his girlfriend, Cinta. He’s neglected his friends, his job, and his music – until now. With a major gig on the horizon, Rama has to decide whether he’s ready to move forward or stay stuck in the past.
What makes Afterlove EP shine is its characters. This isn’t one of those games where everyone exists to prop up the protagonist and tell them how amazing they are.
No, Rama’s friends call him out. They’re pissed that he ghosted them. They understand his grief, but they won’t let him use it as an excuse forever. The game doesn’t paint anyone as a villain, but it also doesn’t let anyone off the hook. These are real, flawed people dealing with real, messy emotions, and it makes the story so much stronger.
And then there’s Cinta. She’s gone, but she isn’t gone. Rama still hears her voice in his head, and whether she’s a ghost or just his subconscious trying to cope is Rama’s – and your – job to figure out.
Gameplay: More Novel Than Sim
Describing Afterlove EP’s gameplay is a bit tricky. Yes, it has dating sim elements. Yes, it has rhythm game mechanics. But at the end of the day, this game leans much more heavily into the visual novel side of things.
You’ll spend most of your time exploring Jakarta, talking to people, and making dialogue choices. There is a day-and-night cycle, and you do have a deadline to get your band ready for the big gig, but don’t expect Persona-level time management. There’s no pressure to optimize your every move, and the game is far more interested in telling its story than making you grind through mechanics.
That being said, when the rhythm game sections do pop up, they’re solid. They’re not the most complex or challenging rhythm mechanics out there, but they’re engaging enough to make you sit up and focus when they appear. And hey, the music is fantastic, so even if you’re not nailing every note, at least your ears are having a good time.
As for the dating sim elements – well, they’re there, but they’re a bit underdeveloped. You can pursue a romantic interest, but there’s no traditional “hearts up” system or dialogue that clearly dictates how well you’re doing.
You’ll know you’re making progress because you’re spending time with a character, but there’s no explicit feedback. No gifts to give, no visible relationship meter, just vibes. It works in the sense that it feels organic, but a little more gamification wouldn’t have hurt.
Jakarta: A City That Feels Alive
One of Afterlove EP’s biggest strengths is its setting. Jakarta is a character in its own right.
From its bustling streets to its cozy cafes, the city is brought to life with an incredible level of detail. The game does a fantastic job of making you feel like you’re in Jakarta, and considering how few games take place in Indonesia, that alone makes it special.
It’s clear that Afterlove EP is a love letter to its home country. The game was developed by an Indonesian team, features art from renowned Indonesian artist Soyatu, and has a soundtrack composed by the indie band L’Alphalpha.
It’s an authentic, heartfelt representation of modern Indonesian life, and it’s refreshing to see a setting that isn’t just another generic Western city.
The Verdict
At the end of the day, Afterlove EP is a beautiful, emotional journey that sticks with you long after the credits roll.
Its heartfelt story, stunning art, and incredible soundtrack make it a game worth experiencing, especially if you’re a fan of visual novels. It nails the feeling of grief and recovery in a way that few games do, and its cast of characters feels refreshingly real.
That being said, if you’re expecting a deep dating sim or a robust rhythm game, you might come away a little underwhelmed. Those mechanics are there, but they’re more of a side dish than the main course.
A little more interactivity – some more dialogue choices with clear effects, a more structured progression system for the band, or even more rhythm sections – would have taken this game from great to exceptional.
But even with those minor critiques, Afterlove EP is absolutely worth your time. It’s a game that understands loss, healing, and the messy, complicated process of moving on. And if a game can make you feel something that deeply, it’s doing something very, very right.
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