Now & Then

Master the mechanics, unlock all scenes, and navigate relationships in this narrative-driven experience

Now & Then stands out as a narrative-rich interactive experience that combines relationship-building mechanics with branching storylines. Players navigate complex character dynamics across multiple chapters, making choices that directly impact story outcomes and relationship development. Whether you’re looking to unlock specific scenes, understand character stat systems, or discover optimal gameplay paths, this guide covers everything you need to know about maximizing your experience. The game continues to evolve with a Director’s Cut in development, adding new content and polish to an already substantial experience.

Understanding Game Mechanics and Progression

Ever feel like you’re just clicking through a visual novel, hoping your choices matter, only to find out later they led to a dead end? 😩 I’ve been there. When I first started playing Now & Then, I treated it like any other story—choosing dialogue based on gut feeling. Big mistake. I missed crucial scenes with Sydney because my character stats were all wrong, and I was locked out of an entire romantic path by Chapter 8. It was a wake-up call. This isn’t a passive experience; it’s a intricate, reactive world where every point you earn and every word you say has weight. 🎮

This guide is the manual I wish I’d had. We’re going deep into the Now & Then game mechanics so you can master the narrative, build the relationships you want, and unlock every piece of content in this evolving story. Let’s get your playthrough on track.

How the Chapter System Works

Think of Now & Then not as a single, straight line, but as a sprawling novel where your bookmark is permanent. The game’s structure is its heartbeat, and understanding it is your first step to mastery. As of now, the story unfolds across 16 chapters, with more in active development. This ongoing growth means the world is always expanding, but the rules stay consistent. 📚

The chapter progression guide starts simply. You play through Chapter 1, make your foundational choices, and then Chapter 2 unlocks. However, the genius—and sometimes the frustration—lies in the persistence of your progress. Your stats, relationships, and major plot decisions are saved to your core profile. This means you can’t just start a “New Game” from the main menu and expect a clean slate for Chapter 1. That old save data? It’s still there, influencing what you see.

Pro Tip: This tripped me up! To truly start fresh, you need to use the in-game “Restart” function within a chapter. This resets your choices for that specific chapter, but your overarching profile stats remain. For a completely virgin playthrough, you might need to clear your game’s app data (on mobile) or locate and back up/remove save files on PC. It’s a bit of work, but essential for testing different paths.

This design creates powerful cascading effects. A choice between spending time with Naomi or Carol in the early chapters isn’t just a one-scene flirtation; it sets a trajectory. It influences available dialogue, opens or closes future intimate moments, and can even alter how other characters perceive you later on. The game remembers everything, weaving your unique tapestry from threads you spin in Chapter 1.

Character Stats and Relationship Building

This is where Now & Then truly separates itself from the pack. Your protagonist isn’t defined by a preset personality but by four core character stats: Strength, Intelligence, Charisma, and Empathy. These aren’t just numbers on a screen; they are the keys to the kingdom. 🔑

Stat system gameplay is beautifully straightforward. You earn points in these stats by making specific choices during key moments. Choosing to stand up to a bully might grant +1 Strength. Solving a problem with clever thinking could yield +1 Intelligence. Comforting a friend often boosts Empathy. These points accumulate across your entire playthrough, building a statistical profile of who you are in this world.

But why does this matter? Because character stats act as gatekeepers. Want to pursue a specific romantic or deep friendship path with a character? You’ll often need to meet minimum stat requirements. For instance, gaining Sydney’s trust might require a certain level of Intelligence, while unlocking more vulnerable moments with Alice could demand high Empathy. Failing to meet these thresholds doesn’t just block a single scene; it can gently but firmly guide you away from that character’s storyline entirely.

This intertwines perfectly with the brilliant character relationship system. Each major character—Naomi, Sydney, Alice, and Carol—has their own Love Points meter. Think of these as a measure of closeness and affinity, separate from but influenced by your core stats.

Love points mechanics are the daily currency of connection. You earn them through:
* Positive dialogue choices tailored to that character’s personality.
* Choosing to spend time with them when the narrative offers a branch.
* Successfully completing mini-tasks or conversations that appeal to them.

Here’s the critical nuance: you can accumulate Love Points with multiple characters simultaneously, but the game ultimately pushes you toward a Primary Love Interest. Your choices, especially at major crossroads, will subtly increase your “bond” with one character more than others. This influences which special scenes you can access and determines your primary story arc. You can be friendly with everyone, but your heart’s path is chosen through consistent action.

To visualize how this all connects, here’s a breakdown of the core cast:

Scene Unlocking and Replay Features

So, you understand the stats and the character relationship system. Now, how do you actually see the good stuff? 🎬 This is the art of the scene unlocking guide.

Most special scenes—especially romantic or deeply personal moments—are locked behind a combination of factors:
1. Story Progression: You must reach a certain chapter.
2. Stat Checkpoints: Your character stats must meet or exceed a hidden minimum.
3. Love Points Threshold: Your relationship meter with that character must be high enough.
4. Previous Choices: You must have chosen the correct branching options earlier in the story.

This is where your save management becomes a superpower. The game allows you to create multiple save slots at virtually any point. My personal strategy? I create a “branch save” at the start of every chapter, and another just before any obvious big choice (like “Go to Naomi” or “Go to Carol”). This lets me explore every fork in the road without replaying hours of content.

The replay functionality is built for this experimentation. You can jump back to any completed chapter via the chapter select menu and play through it again. However, remember the golden rule: your persistent profile stats (Strength, Intelligence, etc.) will update based on your new choices in that replay. This is how you can grind a stat you missed! If you need +2 Intelligence to unlock a Sydney scene in Chapter 10, you can replay Chapter 4 and make the smart choices you skipped before.

Now, let’s talk about the future and a huge quality-of-life feature: the upcoming Unlock All function. The developers have indicated that in the final, complete version of the game, there will likely be an option to unlock all scenes for viewing in a gallery, without condition. This is meant for players who want to experience all the narrative content without the grind of multiple playthroughs. 🎉

Important: This is not the same as the current replay features. As of now, you still must earn your scenes through gameplay. But knowing this is on the horizon is great—it means your dedication to mastering the Now & Then game mechanics is for the joy of the journey, not just the destination. Your focused playthroughs now are about crafting your story. The Unlock All will later be there to let you appreciate every story the writers created.

Your Practical Scene-Hunting Checklist:
* Identify Your Target: Which character’s scene are you missing?
* Check the Chapter: Note when it should trigger. Use community guides (sparingly, to avoid spoilers!).
* Audit Your Stats: Replay earlier chapters to boost the required character stats.
* Maximize Love Points: In every interaction with that character, choose the most favorable dialogue.
* Save Scum Religiously: Save before every major choice and before entering a new chapter.
* Use Chapter Replay: Systematically revisit chapters to correct past “mistakes” in your stat growth.

By treating the stat system gameplay and love points mechanics as interconnected tools, you move from being a passenger to the pilot of your Now & Then experience. It transforms the game from a linear story into a dynamic playground of possibilities, where your effort to understand the game mechanics is directly rewarded with richer, more complete narrative payoffs.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: I replayed an early chapter to raise my Intelligence, but it didn’t seem to change my options in a later chapter. Why?
A: This is the most common quirk of the persistence system. When you replay a chapter, the new stat points are added to your overall profile. However, to see their effect on a later chapter, you often need to replay that later chapter as well, or continue the story from a save point after your stat grind. The game checks your stats at the moment you enter a new scene. Try loading a save from just before your target scene after you’ve boosted your stats.

Q: How do I manage save files to see scenes for different characters without starting completely over?
A: The save management strategy is key. Before any major relationship branch (like the initial Naomi/Carol choice), create a dedicated save slot. Name it clearly, e.g., “Ch1_Before_Choice.” Then, play out one path, save your progress in a new slot. Reload your branch save, choose the other path, and use a different set of save slots. This creates parallel timelines you can jump between.

Q: I’m sure I met the stat and love point requirements, but a scene still didn’t trigger. What did I miss?
A: Double-check for a hidden choice dependency. You may have missed a seemingly minor optional interaction with that character several chapters back that is a prerequisite. The character relationship system sometimes requires consistent attention. Also, ensure you’re at the right location at the right time; some scenes are tied to specific “free roam” or “time of day” moments within a chapter that are easy to bypass.

Now & Then offers a rich, choice-driven narrative experience with intricate relationship mechanics and multiple story paths. Understanding the stat system, character requirements, and strategic save management allows players to fully explore the game’s content and unlock all available scenes. The game’s current completeness combined with the ongoing Director’s Cut development ensures both immediate enjoyment and future enhancements. Whether you’re pursuing specific character routes, seeking all available scenes, or simply experiencing the branching storyline, the mechanics and systems discussed in this guide provide the foundation for maximizing your gameplay. As the Director’s Cut continues development with new animations, bonus content, and the Unlock All feature, players have both current content to enjoy and exciting additions to anticipate.