This complete Forever Ago walkthrough guides you through each chapter of Alfred's narrative journey north following the loss of his wife, Audrey. Developed by Third Shift and published by Annapurna Interactive, the game alternates between present-day exploration, photography-driven environmental interactions, and playable flashbacks spanning a 52-year relationship. Below are the step-by-step instructions for every objective, puzzle, and journal task from Woolson Falls to the epilogue.
Core Mechanics and Interaction Tips
Before setting out on the road trip, keep these gameplay systems in mind:
- The Instant Camera: You can equip your camera to document your surroundings, trigger memory vignettes, and complete journal objectives. Use focus controls to sharpen images before snapping a shot. Photos taken on the road can be shaken to develop and manually pasted into Alfred's scrapbook journal.
- Journal Scrapbook: After key moments or when resting at camp, open Alfred's journal to place developed photographs and collected stickers onto designated pages.
- Dialogue and Narrative Choices: Dialogue choices—such as selecting the hypothetical color of the camper van or picking between chocolate chip and oatmeal raisin cookies—personalize conversational details throughout the story without locking you out of story progression.
Chapter 1: Woolson Falls (Flashback, 1974)
The story begins in 1974 with Audrey testing her second-hand instant camera in her bedroom before embarking on an art class assignment with Alfred.
- Test the Camera: Inside the bedroom, aim and photograph the camera manual, the teddy bear on the bed, and the calendar on the wall beside the desk.
- Photograph Alfred: When Alfred calls from outside the window, zoom in and snap a photo of him striking a pose in the yard.
- The Drive: During the car ride, converse with Alfred and take a picture through the windshield when the Woolson Falls road sign appears.
- The Trailhead: Exit the car, crouch to frame the roadside flowers, and snap a picture of Alfred posing like James Dean.
- Creek Crossing: After Audrey points out the missing bridge on the trail map, control shifts to Alfred in third-person mode. Jump across the stepping stones across the creek. During this sequence, choose a hypothetical color for a future camper van (such as yellow or green).
- The Waterfall: Reach the base of Woolson Falls. Set up the camera on a timer to take a joint portrait with Audrey.
- Scrapbook Tutorial: Shake the developed photo to reveal the picture, open the journal, and paste the snapshot onto the first page to conclude the flashback.
Chapter 2: Carl's Pump 'N' Mart
Fast-forwarding to the present, an older Alfred sets off in the couple's yellow camper van. His first errand is gathering supplies at Carl's Pump 'N' Mart.
| Supply Item | Store Location | Interaction Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Windshield Wipers | Right aisle towards the rear | Triggers a dialogue exchange with Milton regarding wiper blade maintenance. |
| Cookies | Left grocery racks across from wipers | Choose between chocolate chip (Alfred's favorite) or oatmeal raisin (Audrey's favorite). |
| Road Atlas | Display rack near the back corner | Found next to the toilet paper shelf below an old framed wall photo. |
- Van Exterior: Before entering the station, use your camera to snap optional sunset photographs of the van for your scrapbook.
- Store Entrance: Talk to the clerk, Milton, who explains that store owner Carl Wagner is semi-retired. Request $80 on pump one and grab a shopping basket near the entrance.
- Collect Supplies: Pick up the windshield wipers, the cookies, and the 230-page road atlas from the locations listed in the table above.
- Checkout and Memory Sequence: Approach the counter to pay. Alfred notices a 1977 photograph hanging on the wall showing his younger self with Audrey.
- 1977 Gas Station Flashback: Step outside into a memory of stopping at Carl's on Audrey's 21st birthday, where she talks about getting peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.
- The Nightmarish Hallway: Follow the linear corridor into a memory of Audrey calling out for help from upstairs while suffering from illness.
- Confrontation with Milton: Back at the register, Milton tries to empathize by mentioning an old flame, prompting an angry reaction from Alfred. Pay for the supplies and take the items to the van.
- Campsite Journaling: Settle down at the evening campsite and paste your gas station photos into the journal.
Chapter 3: Highway Star Diner
Alfred arrives at the Highway Star Diner (formerly Randy's Diner), seeking out landmarks tied to his proposal to Audrey.
- Find Audrey's Flower: Exit the motel room and head right toward the fence by the van and telescope overlook. Inspect the wild Mariposa lilies—identify the correct blossom by matching Audrey's sketch (a red flower with a butterfly-shaped brown marking at the base of the petal) and pick it.
- Highway Star Diner Jukebox: Enter the diner and head left to inspect the vintage jukebox. Select and play Patti Page's "Green, Green Grass of Home", only to find out the machine is broken and purely decorative.
- The Window Booth: Approach the corner window booth where Alfred and Audrey once sat. The waitress, Maddy, informs Alfred that premium booths are locked behind the diner's loyalty membership program.
- Trash Disposal Pest: Speak to Maddy at the service counter. Offer to investigate a suspected rat or raccoon problem by the outdoor dumpsters in exchange for booth access.
- Catch the Perpetrator: Go out the back door to the dumpster enclosure. Discover a stray dog that steals Alfred's hat. Snap a photograph of the dog with your camera and report back to Maddy.
- Proposal Flashback: Return to the window booth and take a photograph through the glass looking outside. This triggers a flashback to an evening when young Alfred proposed to Audrey with Mariposa lilies after sharing warm pecan pie muffins during a rainstorm.
- Diner Departure & Breakdown: Return to the present and try to order a pecan pie muffin. Maddy informs you they do not carry them. Leave the diner upset.
- Engine Failure: Down the road, the camper van breaks down due to an oil leak and blown gaskets. Inspect the puddle under the rear bumper, pop the front hood, and open the rear cabin hatch to retrieve your journal—only to find the stray dog from the diner resting inside.
- The Walk: Leave the van and walk along the highway in the heat toward a distant telephone booth. Alfred experiences auditory hallucinations before collapsing from exhaustion.
Chapter 4: The Sam Detour
Alfred awakens inside an unfamiliar home. He was rescued by a resourceful teenager named Sam and her father after the stray dog led them to Alfred's collapsed body.
- Explore the House: Read the bedside note, pick a fresh shirt from the wardrobe, inspect Sam's workshop area, and exit through the back door.
- Assess the Van: Speak with Sam by the van. Alfred attempts to diagnose the issue himself, but admits he is a carpenter rather than a mechanic. Sam notes the oil leak was caused by brittle, cracked gaskets.
- Water the Garden: Agree to help Sam water her raised garden beds so she can finish repairs. Grab the watering can, fill it up at the outdoor faucet, and water each dry plant box on the right side of the yard.
- Install Fresh Gaskets: Follow Sam to the storage shed to pick up replacement gaskets. Return to the engine bay and tighten the final bolts with the wrench.
- Walk and Fetch: Join Sam and the dog for a walk across the desert clearing. Engage in the stick-throwing minigame to play fetch with the dog.
- Overlook Conversation: Sit with Sam on the bench. Listen to her open up about her family moving to the desert and why she relates to Alfred's journal.
- Group Selfie: Pose for a group selfie with Sam and the dog using the instant camera, then paste the photograph into your journal before driving off.
Chapter 5: Captain Marley & The Buccaneers' Retreat
Alfred heads toward an abandoned pirate-themed water park and resort that he and Audrey frequented every summer for decades.
- Resort Entrance: Walk up to the main gate. The resort has been derelict since around 2001. Interact with the automated ticket kiosk to dispense a souvenir admission pass and slip through the turnstile.
- Captain's Galley: Proceed through the courtyard under the covered walkway. Enter the galley building and climb the interior stairs.
- The Living Room Nightmare: Pass through an emotional nightmare sequence depicting Alfred arguing with Audrey over experimental medical treatments and clean-air mountain retreats.
- Bridge the Gap & Get Bolt Cutters: After returning to reality, pick up the loose wooden boards to bridge the collapsed floor. Cross over and collect the bolt cutters.
- Skull & Coins Arcade: Use the bolt cutters on the balcony lock, descend the exterior ladder, and cut the chain on the arcade entrance. Flip the master power switch inside to restore electricity.
- Play Guardian Lord: Locate the old Guardian Lord arcade cabinet in the back corner. Play a round to clear the objective.
- Souvenir Shop Mascot Sticker: Exit the arcade, turn right, and use the bolt cutters to enter the gift shop. Pick up a mascot sticker from the display shelf next to the decorative parrot to continue Audrey's annual sticker tradition.
- Rowboat to the Island: Head down to the marina docks, cut the padlock securing the rowboat, and row across the lake toward the center island.
- Rowing Flashback: Mid-crossing, snap a photo to trigger a memory from 22 years into their relationship. Audrey confesses her fear of falling into an uninspired routine and asks to move back to Woolson Falls to build an art studio and buy a camper van.
- Tree Carving: Upon reaching the island in the present day, interact with the landmark tree to leave a fresh carving.
Chapter 6: Winslow Lighthouse
Following the resort, Alfred attempts to leave the dog at a municipal animal rescue shelter, but reconsiders. Acknowledging her loyalty, he names her Hope.
- Campground Morning: Brew a morning pot of coffee in the van and feed Hope breakfast.
- Meet Charles and Luke: Meet a fellow camper named Charles (Charlie) and his 16-year-old dog, Luke, who suffers from degenerative myelopathy. Charles asks to join Alfred on the hike toward the Great Sea.
- Hike to the Overlook: Walk along the coastal path alongside Charles and Luke. Stop to photograph wildlife and Mariposa lilies. Help Charles administer Luke's medication using a scoop of peanut butter.
- Lighthouse Memories: Arrive at the fenced overlook facing the Winslow Lighthouse and Williamina Peak. Point your camera toward the lighthouse tower to trigger a memory of Audrey's health failing during their prior visit, forcing them to turn back before reaching the summit.
- Parting Gift: Charles gives Alfred a commemorative keepsake and reflects on why dogs love so unconditionally. Say goodbye and return to the camper van.
Chapter 7: Williamina Peak & Epilogue
The final leg of Alfred's trip takes him into the snowy mountain range toward Williamina Peak.
- The Blizzard: Drive up the winding mountain road while operating the windshield wipers at maximum speed. A sudden skid causes the van to crash into a snowbank.
- Follow Hope: Step into the blinding blizzard. Listen for Hope's distant barking and track her fresh paw prints through the snow. Continue pushing forward along the ridge when the prints fade.
- Summit Reunion: Find Hope waiting near the summit stairway. Climb the remaining steps toward the observation deck to enter the final transition sequence.
- Audrey's Bedside: Enter a quiet room inside Alfred's home. Carry a bowl of warm soup to Audrey's bedside.
- Audrey's Final Letter: Open the bedside drawer to read the letter Audrey left inside Alfred's journal. She urges him to honor their 52 years of life together not by isolating himself in grief, but by seeing the world and continuing to make new memories.
- Epilogue: Returning home to his workshop, Alfred prepares dinner in the kitchen. Listen to a voicemail from Milton at Carl's Pump 'N' Mart, who accepts Alfred's written apology and invites him and Hope to the store's 50th-anniversary mosaic pumpkin barbecue. Paste the final pictures into the scrapbook, step outside, and play fetch with Hope in the yard to finish the game.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does it take to beat Forever Ago?
A standard playthrough of the main story takes approximately 3 to 4 hours, depending on how thoroughly you explore the environments and interact with optional scrapbook items.
Can you miss any story photos or collectibles?
Story-mandated photographs and memory vignettes must be completed to progress each chapter. Optional photos (such as extra landscape shots or roadside signage) and certain stickers can be added to your scrapbook at your own leisure during campsite interludes.
Do dialogue choices affect the ending of Forever Ago?
No. Dialogue options—such as naming the van's hypothetical color, choosing between cookie flavors, or rating Milton's gas station—shape conversational flavor and character reflection, but the narrative reaches the same emotional conclusion.
