The Retrospection of Tomorrow

About The Retrospection of Tomorrow

The Retrospection of Tomorrow is a non-linear time-travel romance visual novel from indie developer Cherish Fan. Released December 31, 2026, it plays out on PC, Linux, and Mac. You start by dating four love interests in a college setting but quickly figure out when they die mid-scene. The twist: you’re trapped in their memories, forced to backtrack through timelines to prevent their deaths. It’s a mix of narrative experimentation and emotional stakes, blending romance with existential dread. Think of it as a dating sim where every choice matters, and every happy ending is a battle to overwrite fate.

Gameplay

You spend most of your time reading dialogue, making branching decisions, and managing timelines. Each love interest has a unique arc, but all hit a breaking point where their death triggers a time-travel reset. The game forces you to replay segments from different perspectives, with past choices altering future events. For example, choosing to trust a character in Act 1 might let you save them in Act 3, or doom them. Combat is absent; the tension comes from limited dialogue options and the pressure to piece together buried memories. Sessions often end with a mix of guilt and curiosity, as you chase alternate endings. It’s slow-paced but dense with callbacks and hidden lore.

What Players Think

PlayPile community ratings are 4.3/5, with 72% of players completing over 80% of the story. Average playthroughs last 9.5 hours, though completionists log 20+ hours chasing all four endings. Mood tags skew heavily toward nostalgic (41%), bittersweet (33%), and eerie (27%). Critics praise its “haunting narrative structure” (The Visual Novel Times) but note pacing issues in side arcs. Some players gripe about dialogue repetition, with one user calling it “a puzzle game in disguise.” Achievement data hints at 20+ hidden milestones, with 65% of players unlocking 50% or more.

PlayPile's Take

This isn’t a casual pick-up. It’s for fans of visual novels with experimental twists and a taste for melancholic storytelling. At $19.99, it’s a low-risk bet if you enjoy figuring out time loops through dialogue. The lack of traditional gameplay may frustrate some, but the emotional payoff for completionists is strong. Skip if you want action or straightforward romance. The Retrospection of Tomorrow is a niche, thought-provoking experience that lingers longer than most.

Storyline

One day in college, your friend Noah invites you to a seminar about time travel. There, you witness the inventor, Leon, take his own life in front of the audience with a gun. As the gunshot rings out, buried memories start to flood back…