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When The Past Was Around

Review · Adventure · iOS · Xbox One · Nintendo Switch

When The Past Was Around

Reviewed: 01 May 2026

iOS · Xbox One · Nintendo Switch · PlayStation 4 · macOS · PC

Mojiken · 2020

Ludograph rating

A

Recommended

71 /100

Automated review

When The Past Was Around is a casual adventure game that builds problem solving and critical thinking through its engaging narrative puzzles, with minimal risks.

06010030Benefit →Low risk →B 55 · R 0
The Ludograph reading, plotted from the published benefit and risk sub-scores.

Growth (BDS)

55

Risk (RIS)

0

Daily limit

120min

Age guidance

7+

Developmental benefits

B1Cognitive
0.72
B2Social-emotional
0.40
B3Motor
0.35

When The Past Was Around offers a thoughtful and engaging experience that encourages problem-solving, critical thinking, and empathy through its narrative-driven puzzles. Players will develop memory and language skills while exploring a bittersweet story of self-discovery and overcoming personal challenges.

Design risks

R1Compulsion-loop pressure
0.00
R2Monetization
0.00
R3Social risk
0.00

The game presents minimal risks, with no manipulative engagement mechanics, monetization pressures, or social risks. Content risks are also very low, adhering to an E10+ rating with only mild, non-explicit themes.

Content (not in risk score)

R4.1Violence Level
0.33
R4.2Sexual Content
0.00
R4.3Language
0.00
R4.4Substance References
0.00
R4.5Fear / Horror
0.33

Content risk is displayed separately and does not affect the time recommendation.

Regulatory design checks · DSA — Assessed: meets criteria·GDPR-K — Assessed: meets criteria·ODDS — Assessed: meets criteria

  • DSA:What Ludograph checks: whether the game's design gives minors the transparency the EU Digital Services Act expects: plain terms, honest defaults, and clear reporting routes.: Estimated from review data. No dark pattern or child-targeting concerns found.
  • GDPR-K:What Ludograph checks: whether age assurance and consent flows are designed for under-16s, in the spirit of GDPR Article 8.: Estimated from review data. No privacy or child-targeting concerns found.
  • ODDS:What Ludograph checks: whether paid random-reward drop rates are disclosed, as required in China, Japan and South Korea.: Estimated from review data. No paid random-reward mechanics found, so drop-rate disclosure requirements do not apply.

These reflect Ludograph's assessment of the game's design practices against each framework's criteria, not a legal compliance determination.

Avg playtime~2 hReviewedMay 2026Report a data error →How scores are calculated →

Parents ask…

Is When The Past Was Around safe for kids?

Ludograph gives When The Past Was Around a rating of 71/100, recommended for ages 7 and up. It scores well on developmental benefits with manageable risks.

What age is When The Past Was Around appropriate for?

Ludograph's rubric recommends a minimum age of 7+ for When The Past Was Around, based on benefits, risks, and content review. That is more lenient than ESRB E10+: industry ratings reflect content intensity, while ours also weighs how the game is designed to be played.

How long should kids play When The Past Was Around?

Our session recommendation for When The Past Was Around is up to 120 minutes per day. It is derived from the game's own structure (natural stopping points, compulsion-loop design, monetization pressure, and social dynamics), not from a universal screen-time dose.

Session recommendations are design-based heuristics. Evidence linking specific daily durations to child outcomes is limited, and context matters as much as time; treat this as a starting point for household rules, not a clinical threshold.

What are the main risks of When The Past Was Around?

The game presents minimal risks, with no manipulative engagement mechanics, monetization pressures, or social risks. Content risks are also very low, adhering to an E10+ rating with only mild, non-explicit themes.