Instants – A Review

They say memories are stories we tell ourselves. To forge who we are, we often
misrepresent situations as to how they happened, thereby believing a unique truth that each
person identifies with. But there is another side to this coin. Pictures let us capture those
moments to recreate unforgettable scenarios when walking down memory lane more vividly.
Instants is a short and sweet video game that focuses on these small pleasures via a
storytelling experience where you arrange images in a photo album.

Just like a warm Summer’s day at the park, Instants’ artful imagery evokes some of life’s
most heartening moments while also letting the artist in you run free. Closely followed by a
green-eyed and red fur cat painted in a gorgeous watercolor style, your cursor is to pick a
charming letter held by the feline. The premise is as simple as can be. Arrange pictures in a
photo album! That’s it. Thanks for reading. Oh, wait, there’s more.

Recently showcased in the Wholesome Direct event this past June, I cannot think of a more
fitting video game than Instants that belongs in that wondrous event. The family narrative is
alluded to with letters at the beginning of each chapter. Nothing ever exists in a vacuum, and
piecing together the story of the character that you are helping arrange the albums is a
delight to see unfold. From a picture with three women dressed in Indian dresses in front of a
building with that same veneer, to clues in each piece of the puzzle as the story eases you
into its charm, is one homey way to spend an evening.

There is a puzzle element to the gameplay experience. The main goal is to arrange each
picture attached to the letters chronologically. Situations like being in a county fair trying to
toss rings to win a big bear in one of the classic games, or the evolution of a relationship, all
the way to being married, have to be correctly displayed. Red and green arrows will indicate
if the timeline is correct.

To be blunt, that is mainly an excuse for you to let your inner artist work with this blank
canvas. Once the pictures have been arranged correctly, there is no time limit to decorate
each of the pages in the album to your liking, and you can end that chapter at any time you
want. From the pattern and colors of the photo album’s pages to the various fonts and styles
you can write on the blank slates, there is no end to the personality one can imbue their
albums with.

Just outside of the frame of the photo album, there are carefully placed items for your
diligent photo album arranger to have a great time while adorning it. A scrumptious tea with
a couple of sugar cubes, delicious cookies that look like they were made by grandma, and a
cassette player are all interactive to eat, drink, or change tunes at any time you like. These
little additions make every subtle element in the game as pleasant as can be.

As a side note, Instants is a brief, evocative experience engaged through the sole use of a
mouse-like interface. You would have to forgive me as I excitedly tried the new Joy-Con
feature on the Nintendo Switch 2, which, naturally, did not work. To my relief, a normal USB
mouse works perfectly fine connected to the dock, and the game even goes the extra mile,
offering intuitive control setups for both the Joy-Con and advanced controls for the mouse,
such as grabbing several items to move them around the album more easily.

Have I mentioned the soundtrack yet? Because this is one of those games that you might
just accidentally keep in the background for an entire afternoon. Powered by the smoothest
of jazzes that I have heard in recent memory, the concept to take it easy and look at family
memories while organizing them your way is not a novel idea, but it is a cozy pastime all the
same. The fact that you can change each track is the cherry on top.

Verdict

While Instants is basically a game where you solve the straightforward puzzle of how things
came to be, at its core, is about letting your creativity run wild. Looking at heartwarming
moments in life, such as the first date, the birth of a couple’s first child, or the opening of
presents on Christmas Day are the basis of the albums, but your way of decorating each of
These stories will give it a personal touch that can make it authentically yours.

I am glad a game like this exists. A veritable celebration through its most memorable
moments, Instants is exactly what it says on the package. Reminiscing through 17 chapters,
from each quiet to bombastic situation, this gentle game serves as a reminder of what is truly
important in life, to connect with those around you. After all, what is life if not the instants that
make life worth living?

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