Adventure · January 11, 2019
What Never Was (2019)
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.
Adventure releases from 2019
85 Adventure titles launched in 2019 — top 6 by review volume.
Peer Adventure titles
Comparable titles in the same genre and review-volume band — ranked by Steam positive percentage.
Community Tag Signals
Tag weights reflect how many Steam users voted each descriptor — larger pills = stronger consensus.
- Free to Play · 199
- Adventure · 134
- Puzzle · 132
- Indie · 117
- Story Rich · 114
- Singleplayer · 99
- First-Person · 92
- Casual · 90
- Mystery · 90
- Exploration · 82
- Female Protagonist · 79
- Point & Click · 75
- Atmospheric · 72
- Short · 68
- Relaxing · 58
Position in Adventure
| Metric | This title | Genre position |
|---|---|---|
| Review volume | 5.0k Steam reviews | Top 46% in Adventure |
| Positive rating | 95% positive | Genre average: 87% — this title sits in top 29% |
Press Quotes
“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…
Release & Availability
| Release date | Jan 11, 2019 |
|---|---|
| Developer | Acke Hallgren |
| Base price | Free-to-play |
| Platforms | Windows, macOS, Linux |
| Estimated owners | 100k–1M |
| External links | Official site · [email protected] |
Features & Capabilities
Community
- Steam Achievements
Input & Comfort
- Partial Controller Support
Other
- Single-player











