Our Life: Beginnings & Always is a visual novel that lets you shape a personal story of growth and connection, spanning from childhood to adulthood in a cozy seaside town.
Gameplay
In this choice-driven experience, you customize your character's name, appearance, personality, and pronouns, with options to adjust these as the story progresses, including shifts in pronouns. The narrative reflects your choices, as other characters recall your preferences and traits, creating a tailored journey. You interact with Cove Holden, whose own development in personality, interests, and looks depends on your shared experiences. The game emphasizes emotional expression, allowing moments of sadness, anger, stress, or worry to unfold, followed by support and understanding from those around you.
Everyday details add depth, such as selecting a favorite drink that neighbors remember, blending major life events with simple, relatable interactions. With a word count exceeding 397,000, the story offers substantial content, typically taking 16 to 24 hours to complete, depending on your pace and choices. You can also tweak font style and size for better readability.
Game Modes
The game divides its story into four distinct periods that represent stages of life: childhood, adolescence, young adulthood, and fully grown. Each period focuses on a summer in the protagonist's life, starting at age eight and spanning about 15 years total. These segments allow you to explore evolving relationships and personal growth over time.
Within these periods, you set the tone of your bond with Cove, choosing dynamics like immediate romance, gradual affection, or platonic friendship. The structure encourages multiple playthroughs by varying character qualities or relationship types for fresh perspectives on the same timeline.
Story and Characters
The plot follows Jamie, whose name you can change, as they meet Cove through his father, Mr. Holden, in a beachside neighborhood. What begins as a simple request for friendship evolves into a long-term connection filled with nostalgic, heartfelt moments. Supporting characters, including family and friends, contribute to a welcoming atmosphere that highlights themes of reassurance and emotional support.
Customization extends to how Cove perceives you, influencing his responses and growth. This creates a sentimental narrative that feels personal, with options to revisit and reshape key events across different life stages.
Is It Worth Playing?
For those who enjoy story-focused games with deep customization and emotional depth, this visual novel stands out as a rewarding choice. It has earned an overwhelmingly positive reception, with 98 percent of over 11,000 user reviews praising its charm and writing. Recent feedback continues this trend, showing 100 percent positive ratings in the last 30 days.
As a free-to-play title released in 2020, it remains accessible and supported, making it ideal for players seeking a wholesome, replayable experience without high-stakes action. If you appreciate narratives that blend life's big milestones with quiet, everyday joys, it offers genuine value and comfort.
