The Past Within has captivated players with its engaging cooperative gameplay, as evidenced by 68 positive mentions out of 68 for multiplayer. With a very positive overall reception, the game's post-release sentiment remains strong, boasting a 91% positive rate. The gameplay is widely praised, with 116 positive mentions out of 124.
What it's about: The Past Within est la nouvelle expérience en co-op de Rusty Lake ! Joue avec un ami en qui tu as toute confiance : l'un sera dans le Passé, l'autre dans le Futur. Observe et indique ce que tu vois autour de toi. Résous les puzzles et découvre le plan d'Albert Vanderboom.
In-game
« A fun puzzle game I enjoyed playing with my partner. Not too long and the puzzles are challenging enough to make it feel rewarding when you solve them. Would recommend! »👍 anonymous review · Apr 2026 · 2 h played1« Very good, just dont stare too much to the guy with white eyes. »👍 anonymous review · Apr 2026 · 2 h played1« This was a great game to play with my life long friend. I loved the whole experience start to finish. »👍 anonymous review · Jan 2026 · 3 h played11« Amazing balance of price vs fun. Such a novel idea for a co-op game, where both players don't need to have their games connected at all. Wife and I had a lot of fun figuring this one out. »👍 anonymous review · Mar 2026 · 2 h played1« finally got a friend to play the game with 10/10 damn that was a fun puzzle »👍 anonymous review · Aug 2026 · 3 h played1« Very fun concept with cool puzzles and lovely art style! A cheap, short, fun experience. »👍 anonymous review · Jun 2026 · 1 h played1
« Too short (2 chapters, wtf), too easy. Il liked all the other Rusty Lake games, but this one is a joke. I mean, it's always something like "tell the other to press the red button" there's not even a riddle, what were the devs thinking ? »👎 anonymous review · Aug 2026 · 2 h played« Honnetement trop de gaz pour rien, passez votre chemin. »👎 anonymous review · Nov 2025 · 2 h played« Jeu assez cher par rapport au temps passé sur le jeu (2h pour que chaque joueur puisse faire une fois le passé et une fois le futur). Enigmes assez simples à résoudre. L'histoire reste néanmoins sympa »👎 anonymous review · Jan 2025 · 4 h played« Assez déçu de la simplicité, poncé tranquille en 2h, ça a beau être 6 euros, ça m'embête quand même. »👎 anonymous review · Jan 2025 · 4 h played« I have no friends, so I play alone. this game needs two players, and I'm just one. no guest pass either. wuwu... »👎 anonymous review · Aug 2026 · 1 h played« Vraiment top ! Les énigmes ne sont pas très compliquées, mais j'ai vraiment apprécié. Je recommande fortement ! »👍 anonymous review · Feb 2025 · 3 h played
In players' words
« A fun puzzle game I enjoyed playing with my partner. Not too long and the puzzles are challenging enough to make it feel rewarding when you solve them. Would recommend! »👍 anonymous review · Apr 2026 · 2 h played1« Too short (2 chapters, wtf), too easy. Il liked all the other Rusty Lake games, but this one is a joke. I mean, it's always something like "tell the other to press the red button" there's not even a riddle, what were the devs thinking ? »👎 anonymous review · Aug 2026 · 2 h played« Very good, just dont stare too much to the guy with white eyes. »👍 anonymous review · Apr 2026 · 2 h played1« Honnetement trop de gaz pour rien, passez votre chemin. »👎 anonymous review · Nov 2025 · 2 h played« This was a great game to play with my life long friend. I loved the whole experience start to finish. »👍 anonymous review · Jan 2026 · 3 h played11« Jeu assez cher par rapport au temps passé sur le jeu (2h pour que chaque joueur puisse faire une fois le passé et une fois le futur). Enigmes assez simples à résoudre. L'histoire reste néanmoins sympa »👎 anonymous review · Jan 2025 · 4 h played« Amazing balance of price vs fun. Such a novel idea for a co-op game, where both players don't need to have their games connected at all. Wife and I had a lot of fun figuring this one out. »👍 anonymous review · Mar 2026 · 2 h played1« Assez déçu de la simplicité, poncé tranquille en 2h, ça a beau être 6 euros, ça m'embête quand même. »👎 anonymous review · Jan 2025 · 4 h played« finally got a friend to play the game with 10/10 damn that was a fun puzzle »👍 anonymous review · Aug 2026 · 3 h played1« I have no friends, so I play alone. this game needs two players, and I'm just one. no guest pass either. wuwu... »👎 anonymous review · Aug 2026 · 1 h played« Very fun concept with cool puzzles and lovely art style! A cheap, short, fun experience. »👍 anonymous review · Jun 2026 · 1 h played1« Vraiment top ! Les énigmes ne sont pas très compliquées, mais j'ai vraiment apprécié. Je recommande fortement ! »👍 anonymous review · Feb 2025 · 3 h played
Anonymized excerpts from public Steam reviews — picked among those most voted "helpful" by the community.
What players say, by aspect
PositiveMixedNegative
Gameplay
94 % pos · n=124
Multiplayer
100 % pos · n=68
Story / writing
93 % pos · n=30
Graphics / art
100 % pos · n=18
Content / longevity
41 % pos · n=17
Value for money
67 % pos · n=12
Audio / music
100 % pos · n=11
Interface / UX
100 % pos · n=3
Performance
100 % pos · n=2
Detailed data (table)
Aspect
Mentions
Positive
Mixed
Negative
Gameplay
124
116
3
5
Multiplayer
68
68
0
0
Story / writing
30
28
0
2
Graphics / art
18
18
0
0
Content / longevity
17
7
0
10
Value for money
12
8
0
4
Audio / music
11
11
0
0
Interface / UX
3
3
0
0
Performance
2
2
0
0
Positive reviews by playtime
🎮 Players who like it have spent 3.1 h on median; those who dislike it: 2.8 h.
<2h
89 % (n=99)
2-10h
92 % (n=379)
10-25h
78 % (n=9)
Fixed or still broken? Sentiment over time
➡️ Stable reception over time
% of positive reviews per month (months with ≥ 15 sample reviews).
💶 Price history
Steam price tracked automatically since Aug 12, 2026 · All-time low: €2.99 (Aug 12, 2026)
100% completion difficulty ("platinum")
11,5 %Moderate
of players have unlocked the rarest achievement — the upper bound of those who "100%'d" it. 24 achievements in total; the median achievement is unlocked by 42,8 % of players.
Gameplay dominates the praise: 116 positive mentions out of 124
Multiplayer is a standout feature, with 68 entirely positive mentions
The game's story and graphics also receive high acclaim, with 28 and 18 positive mentions out of 30 and 18, respectively
Weaknesses
Some players express dissatisfaction with the content, with 10 negative mentions out of 17
A few players feel the price is not justified, with 4 negative mentions out of 12
Who is it for?
This game is ideal for fans of cooperative puzzle games and those who enjoy a strong narrative. Players looking for a fun, accessible experience with a rich atmosphere will also find The Past Within to be an excellent choice.
Is The Past Within worth it in 2026?
Yes, without reservation for most players: 95% of 16,725 Steam reviews are positive (player score 91/100). Most-praised strength: Gameplay dominates the praise. Current price: 5,99€.
Verdict
The Past Within has clearly resonated with its audience, offering an engaging and enjoyable experience that is well worth playing. With its strong gameplay, immersive story, and beautiful graphics, this game is a must-play for fans of the adventure and indie genres. Its very positive overall reception and post-release sentiment further solidify its position as a top choice.
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💬 Discussion
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