What if an ordinary year of high school suddenly turned into something much bigger?

That is the question at the heart of Until Then, a narrative adventure that combines everyday teenage life with mystery, emotional storytelling, and a world inspired by the Philippines. You play as Mark Borja, a high school student trying to get through another year with his friends while dealing with homework, relationships, insecurities, and all the small moments that make teenage life feel so important.

But everything changes after a mysterious meeting sets off a chain of events that turns Mark's world upside down.

A Normal Life That Doesn't Stay Normal

At first, Until Then feels surprisingly familiar.

You wake up in a teenage bedroom, practice the piano, worry about homework, chat with friends, and try to survive the everyday chaos of high school. Mark's life is filled with ordinary experiences the kind of moments that might seem insignificant at the time but become memories we look back on years later.

You’ll meet classmates and friends, build relationships, deal with group projects, and experience the awkwardness and excitement of growing up.

Then something happens.

People begin to disappear, memories become unreliable, and Mark starts to realise that something is seriously wrong.

Your Choices Shape Mark's Story

One of the most interesting aspects of Until Then is the focus on relationships.

Mark has a diverse group of friends and classmates, and how you interact with them helps shape the experience. You can talk to people face-to-face, communicate through text messages, and even send and receive emails.

These interactions aren't just background details. They help reveal the personalities, problems, and personal stories of the people around Mark.

As the story develops, you'll have to make difficult choices. Will Mark stand up for his friends? Will he make the right decision when someone needs him? And can he learn to let go of the past?

There aren't always easy answers.

Your Phone Is Full of Secrets

In Until Then, everyday technology becomes an important part of investigating the world.

Mark's smartphone lets you browse social media, read emails, visit webpages, and communicate with other characters. What might initially look like ordinary social posts or messages could actually contain important clues.

This makes the smartphone feel like more than just an inventory screen. It's a window into the lives of the characters and the mysteries surrounding them.

You never quite know where the next clue might appear.

The Little Things Make It Feel Real

While the mystery is at the centre of the story, Until Then also spends plenty of time on the ordinary moments of teenage life.

You might find yourself playing small minigames, struggling with a flash drive, competing with a friend over food, or simply enjoying the rhythm of everyday activities.

These moments help make Mark's world feel lived-in. They also create a contrast with the darker mystery developing in the background.

Sometimes, the most memorable moments aren't the dramatic ones  they're the silly, mundane experiences you share with friends

A Stunning Visual Style

Visually, Until Then stands out with its combination of hand-drawn pixel art and 3D environments.

Characters, locations, and objects are brought together with detailed lighting, shadows, and reflections, creating a cinematic look that feels both nostalgic and modern.

Warm colours and atmospheric music add even more personality to the world, creating an experience that can feel comforting one moment and unsettling the next.

The visual style perfectly matches the game's story: a beautiful world trying to move forward after tragedy.

A World Inspired by the Philippines

Another major part of Until Then is its setting.

The game takes inspiration from Philippine locations and culture, creating a fictional version of the Philippines for Mark's journey. From busy city streets to long bus rides through open countryside and coastal towns, the world feels distinctly different from the typical settings found in many narrative games.

The interiors, environments, transportation, food, technology, and everyday interactions all help create a strong sense of place.

It's not simply a backdrop for the story  the world itself is an important part of the experience.

Love, Loss, and the Mystery of Memory

At its core, Until Then is a story about people.

It's about friendship, love, loss, regret, and the difficult process of growing up. Beneath the mystery is a much more personal story about how people deal with the past and how our memories can shape who we become.

As Mark tries to uncover the truth, you'll also see him and his friends struggle with their own problems.

And as the mystery becomes increasingly difficult to understand, one question becomes more important:

How much can you trust your own memories?

Until Then

Until Then combines the familiar experience of teenage life with an increasingly mysterious narrative, creating a game that can feel both incredibly personal and completely unpredictable.

From chatting with friends and scrolling through social media to travelling through a beautifully recreated Philippine-inspired world, the game gives you plenty of opportunities to simply experience Mark's life.

But underneath those ordinary moments is a mystery waiting to be uncovered.

Sometimes, the biggest mysteries aren't about what happened they're about what we remember.

UNTIL THEN will be released on September 3th for PlayStation 5 and Nintendo Switch.