Someone once said: “The stupidest thing to do when you’re young is to wish you could grow up quickly.” In that time of innocence and clumsiness, “adulthood” was something very magical, because we could freely go where we wanted, do what we liked and escape the control of our parents. When I grow up, I see how tiring adult life is, the pressure is always waiting to fall on my shoulders, the desire for luxury at this time is a ticket back to childhood, no matter how expensive it is. No big swords or big hammers, A Perfect Day Like a slow-motion movie, it goes into every corner of the soul, awakening precious memories of a lifetime.
A Perfect Day takes players back to China in the 1990s, specifically December 31, 1999, the last moment before the world entered a new century. The unique hand-drawn graphics and nostalgic setting must make many gamers, especially the 8x and 9x generations, feel nostalgic, memories of that time rushing back to their hearts. Plays the role of a 6th grade student, Tran Luong, who is about to go through very special growing up experiences. On December 31, 1999, do you remember what you did? Secretly play games behind your parents’ back, sneak out to play Arcade or get excited with your first love? If you don’t remember, it’s okay, A Perfect Day will bring you “a perfect day”.
The story, mostly, revolves around the concerns of a 6th grade student such as family, friends, love and future. Because it is narrated from the perspective of a 12-year-old boy, the psychological description is also extremely subtle, including intelligence, innocence, and even the stubbornness and foolishness of a time. Which adult doesn’t go through this stage?
The beginning of the game is a familiar classroom scene, students wearing uniforms wearing red scarves, noisy conversations, teachers asking to check homework on the podium,… In a small city in the North. North here when night falls, neon lights flicker on the streets, VCD rental shops run down, and movie theaters with posters stuck on the walls. The time of industrialization and modernization has not yet arrived. Although everything looks dilapidated and outdated, life is slow and peaceful and that is the happiest moment. Any scene in this game can make players nostalgic and constantly reminisce.
On the last day of the year, Tran Luong’s school suddenly announced a holiday. His friend Kha Van, who seemed to be the boy’s crush, arrived late with tears in her eyes. He wanted to give Kha Van the greeting card he was supposed to give on Christmas day but was too shy to dare. This is one of the details that accurately describes the psychology of adolescence. Love is not really, it is simply a feeling of affection and gentle vibration towards a friend of the opposite sex. The content of the card Tran Luong wanted to send to Kha Van was also extremely clear and cute:
“To Kha Van: Merry Christmas!
Being able to join your study group with you, I’m really happy. When you lecture, you look extremely cool.
PS: This semester I will definitely try to enroll in the best school in the city!
PPS: You look a lot like a little swallow!”
(Little Swallow probably refers to the character Tieu Yen Tu in the movie Hoan Chau Cach Cach, because there is a poster of this movie hanging in the room).
Returning from school, Tran Luong kept following Kha Van, partly wanting to give this card to the girl, partly wanting to ask why she was late this morning and even crying. However, by the end of the prologue, this belated card had not yet been sent. Tran Luong was caught by his father standing under Kha Van’s house and dragged him home. Of course, like us back then, we were all children who didn’t understand things in the eyes of adults, so there was no way we could decide to do what we liked. In addition, the game also offers many other aspects for Tran Luong as well as players to face such as the disagreement of his parents, Kha Van’s sadness, the appearance of the mysterious Uncle Bach (who seems to be his stepfather). of the main character),… A Perfect Day has just released a Demo version so it can be confirmed that the plot when officially released will be much deeper and more complex.
Childhood passed quietly, at that time we were all fools, even considering it a time of confinement, suffocating because of schoolwork and parental supervision. We want to grow up faster but life is like vines wrapping around the body. The older you get, the more it tightens your body, making you feel frustrated and pressured. Right now I really just want to go back to childhood, even if just for a day, we will live every moment to the fullest.
A Perfect Day is expected to release its complete version on November 11 this year. Interested readers can download the Demo here:
