A new gem for all point-and-click fans comes from independent studio Aruma Studios. Shadows of the Afterland will be available on Steam from 10 February 2026. Are you ready to embark on an afterlife adventure?
Shadows of the Afterland: Mysteries in the afterlife
Our adventure begins in the shoes of Pilar Cuevas and allows us to relive the last moments of her life. Pilar dies, but her spirit arrives in the afterlife in an unexpected way. Although she looks like Pilar, she has the memories of Carolina, a policewoman.
Our first encounter with the afterlife is somewhat comical: even here, we must wait in line and deal with bureaucratic procedures. After a while, we discover that it is 1960, and that our protagonist Carolina has yet to be born.
Our detective instincts lead us to investigate why our soul is linked to Pilar’s and to uncover the truth.
The entire narrative contains references to Franco’s Spain, focusing not only on the facts but also on the feelings of those affected by the regime’s repression and dictatorship.
Investigating the Underworld
Shadows of the Afterland pays homage to the old classics by adopting a fairly traditional structure, but with the addition of more modern elements to enhance the gaming experience. Notably, we can highlight hotspots and use a map to quickly travel between locations. There is no in-game hint system, but this is not missed.
The gameplay is straightforward, with minimal backtracking or complex puzzles. There are few items to collect, so we never find ourselves with pockets full of useless items as often happens in point-and-click games.
The entire game is driven by the narrative, which focuses on dialogue with all the inhabitants of the Afterlife. Some of the inhabitants reside permanently, such as the librarian, while others are just passing through. They are waiting to ascend or be reincarnated in order to purify their souls with good deeds in the world of the living and hope to ascend.
Our objective is to find a portal that connects us to the world of the living so that we can investigate the events that brought us to the afterlife. To achieve this, we must interact with many people, some of whom are more elusive than others, and find a way to overcome their mistrust and persuade them to assist us.
However, this will only be the first step because part of our adventure will take place in the mortal realm. There, we can benefit from a game mechanic that enables us to possess other bodies (the same mechanic was used also in The Will of Arthur Flabbington), allowing us to interact with people and objects. Thanks to these trips to the world of the living, we will be able to find out what happened to Pilar. However, the truth that awaits us is complex, and to face it, we will need not only courage, but also teamwork, which will be essential to safeguard more than one life.
How did you die?
Shadows of the Afterland has a solid narrative that grabs us from the very beginning, intriguing us about the connection between Carolina and Pilar. The plot is well developed, with each piece gradually falling into place until the final, highly satisfying conclusion. The voice acting makes the story even more immersive.
Visually, Shadows of the Afterland is beautifully crafted, featuring detailed 2D pixel art graphics and high-quality animations.
The gameplay complements the adventure well, with puzzles that allow us to advance while offering an interlude from the narrative, without ever interrupting it. We feel that the fact the puzzles are not difficult is a positive thing as it enables us to follow the game’s events more smoothly, allowing us to focus on the narrative rather than getting stuck and having to resort to trial and error.
Our adventure with Shadows of the Afterland lasted a total of 5 hours. We would have expected it to last longer, but despite everything, we managed to get to know both Pilar and Carolina thoroughly.
Leave a Reply