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After Us

A very different view of what the world is turning into with an incredibly touching story. Get your tissues ready.
After Us Game Cover
76%Game Brain Score
gameplay, story
optimization, stability
82% User Score Based on 202 reviews
Critic Score 70%Based on 32 reviews

Platforms

Xbox Series X|SPCPlaystation 5XboxWindowsPlayStation
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After Us Game Cover

About

After Us is a single player platformer game with fantasy and drama themes. It was developed by Piccolo and was released on May 23, 2023. It received mostly positive reviews from critics and positive reviews from players.

After Us is a platforming game where you play as Gaia, the Spirit of Life, in a desolate world. Your mission is to salvage the souls of extinct animals and revive them after learning their tragic fates, while avoiding dangerous oil-covered creatures. With an original soundtrack and the ability to restore life to the planet, this emotional journey aims to deliver a critique on the impact of humanity on nature.

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After Us screenshot
After Us screenshot
After Us screenshot
After Us screenshot
After Us screenshot
After Us screenshot
After Us screenshot
After Us screenshot
After Us screenshot
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82%
Audience ScoreBased on 202 reviews
gameplay38 positive mentions
optimization11 negative mentions
  • The game features stunning visuals and a beautifully designed world that captivates players.
  • The environmental storytelling is poignant, effectively conveying themes of ecological destruction and hope.
  • Gameplay mechanics, such as platforming and exploration, are generally enjoyable and rewarding.
  • The game suffers from performance issues, including frame rate drops and optimization problems on various hardware.
  • Combat mechanics feel underdeveloped and can detract from the overall experience, making encounters feel tedious.
  • Some players may find the platforming controls imprecise, leading to frustrating moments during gameplay.
  • gameplay
    118 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The gameplay in "After Us" is primarily focused on platforming and exploration, offering a mix of traversal mechanics that can feel both fluid and frustrating at times. While many players appreciate the beautiful environments and emotional narrative, some criticize the repetitiveness and lack of depth in gameplay mechanics, suggesting that the game prioritizes artistic expression over engaging gameplay. Overall, it provides a visually stunning experience, but may not satisfy those seeking more complex or varied gameplay challenges.

    • “The gameplay in 'After Us' revolves around traversal, exploration, and light puzzle-solving, with an emphasis on platforming.”
    • “The mechanics are awesome, the design is gorgeous, and the platforming is a lot of fun.”
    • “Each level tests you in different ways, each has its own mechanic with some melding together.”
    • “Movement mechanics are unnecessarily complicated (jump, double jump, high jump, long jump,...) and controlling the character does not feel natural.”
    • “The most annoying bits are either mechanics that aren't introduced clearly, rare glitches, lack of written guides, or the fact that the devs didn't think to put an arachnophobia mode in for those of us who don't like seeing little ghostly spiders.”
    • “However, weak gameplay and hollow-level design make the game a running simulator rather than an engaging platformer.”
  • story
    92 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's story is a poignant exploration of a post-apocalyptic world, focusing on themes of environmental destruction and the quest to restore life by rescuing animal spirits. While the narrative is visually compelling and emotionally charged, it can feel vague and disconnected due to its minimal dialogue and reliance on environmental storytelling. Some players appreciate the artistic ambition and heartwarming elements, while others find the execution lacking and the overall storyline uninspiring.

    • “At its core, the game is a post-apocalyptic exploration of a world ruined by human excess, where players assume the role of Gaia, the spirit of life, on a mission to restore life to a dead earth by recovering the souls of extinct animals.”
    • “Beautiful yet heartbreaking story of man's destructive nature and the fight of a lone spirit to save the last animal souls and bring life back to a dead world.”
    • “The story is fantastic and it really tugs at your heartstrings.”
    • “Completely uninspiring, lacking adventure or any kind of storyline.”
    • “While the absence of dialogue keeps the game grounded in its visual storytelling approach, it can also make the narrative feel vague or disconnected at times.”
    • “But the story is just 'humans ate the world, love consuming stuff and bright lights'; it's like walking around a museum saying 'look at what they were like!'”
  • graphics
    62 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The graphics of the game are widely praised for their stunning visuals and artistic design, creating an immersive experience that enhances the overall atmosphere. However, many users report significant performance issues, including frame rate drops and optimization problems, which detract from the visual experience. While the art style is appreciated for its charm and creativity, some players feel that closer inspection reveals flaws in character design and animations, leading to mixed feelings about the overall graphical quality.

    • “The visuals are absolutely fantastic, motion feels smooth and reactive, and the various movement mechanics available to the player all feel great to use.”
    • “The stunning visuals create a visually immersive experience, while the gameplay and controls are generally solid, albeit requiring some adjustment time.”
    • “Set in a world that died, After Us is a great example of an industrial apocalypse story done correctly — standing strong in its story, visuals, and ambiance that breathe new life into the genre.”
    • “Graphical performance is atrocious - the game is capped at 60 fps and regularly dips in the low 30s even on high-end hardware.”
    • “I do not recommend picking this game yet, the optimization is really horrible. It took almost 40 minutes to compile the shaders at the first launch... that's not even the worst part; the worst part is that even though it compiled shaders, you still only got poorly 40 fps. If you change the graphic setting to slightly high, and even if you give in and change to lower graphics settings, the game still lags when switching scenes.”
    • “Hi, it’s 2025 and my PC is above the requirements, and it still lagged so terribly, which baffles me because it’s not Infinity Nikki or GTA or any other high-graphics game.”
  • music
    46 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The music in the game is widely praised for its atmospheric and haunting qualities, effectively complementing the emotional and thematic depth of the narrative. While many reviewers appreciate the beautiful soundtrack and its ability to enhance the overall experience, some note that it can be repetitive or forgettable at times. Overall, the combination of evocative soundscapes and stunning visuals creates a captivating environment that resonates with players, particularly those sensitive to its environmental themes.

    • “The soundtrack, composed of ambient textures and somber melodies, complements the emotional tone perfectly.”
    • “Amazing, beautiful platformer with gorgeous art style, solid platforming gameplay & emotionally moving abstract social commentary on human greed, consumerism & destruction to the environment, accompanied by a beautiful and moving soundtrack.”
    • “Almost equally excellent is a beautiful soundtrack which is epic, somber, and mysterious all in one.”
    • “But dark colors are kinda mushy and the music lacks variety; those are my only complaints.”
    • “The music is just background ambient sounds, barely noticeable if you don't try to actively listen for it.”
    • “My only negatives would be that the gameplay can get repetitive in places and the soundtrack (if you can call it that) isn't great.”
  • emotional
    24 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted by its beautifully crafted narrative that explores themes of loss, ecological collapse, and the struggle for restoration, often evoking strong feelings of heartbreak and hope. Players appreciate the stunning visuals and atmospheric soundtrack that enhance the emotional journey, although some note that repetitive level design can detract from the overall impact. Overall, the game is described as a poignant experience that effectively balances its social commentary with heartfelt storytelling, though it may be distressing for some due to its heavy themes.

    • “This game is beautiful, heartbreaking, and wonderful all at the same time.”
    • “In the end, After Us stands as a unique and emotionally charged experience that uses the language of video games to explore loss, restoration, and the fragile balance between life and ruin.”
    • “Beautiful yet heartbreaking story of man's destructive nature and the fight of a lone spirit to save the last animal souls and bring life back to a dead world.”
  • optimization
    24 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's optimization has received significant criticism, with many players reporting severe performance issues, including frame rate drops to the low 30s or even lower, particularly on less powerful hardware. While some users with high-end setups have experienced smoother gameplay, the overall consensus is that the game is poorly optimized, leading to frustrating gameplay and bugs that detract from the experience. Many reviewers recommend waiting for improvements before purchasing.

    • “The game runs smoothly, and I haven't encountered any bugs so far.”
    • “I've not experienced any of the performance issues some have reported, but with that said, I do have a rather powerful rig. With the game running on an NVMe drive, I'm getting a solid 60fps at 4K, and load times are negligible.”
    • “Update: I've seen a few messages about optimization and the shaders... I want to start off by saying I experienced absolutely no issues with this.”
    • “Graphical performance is atrocious - the game is capped at 60 fps and regularly dips in the low 30s even on high-end hardware.”
    • “I do not recommend picking this game yet, the optimization is really horrible. It took almost 40 minutes to compile the shaders at the first launch... that's not even the worst part; even though it compiled shaders, you still only get poorly 40 fps. If you change the graphic settings to slightly high, and even if you give in and change to lower graphics settings, the game still lags when switching scenes.”
    • “Despite it being Steam Deck verified, the performance is not good, being limited to 30 fps, and even dipping to the low 20s or mid-teens for extended durations in certain areas.”
  • atmosphere
    16 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its stunning visuals and atmospheric music, creating a chilling yet immersive experience that complements its emotional and socially critical narrative. While some reviewers note that the political message may feel overdone, the overall ambiance and storytelling are considered masterfully crafted, contributing to a surreal and haunting exploration of environmental themes. Despite minor gameplay issues, the cohesive integration of elements and the game's unique aesthetic leave a lasting impression on players.

    • “Amazing visuals, atmospheric music.”
    • “The surrealist atmosphere that deals in the modern day environment of how we impact everything is just... exemplary.”
    • “The game's true charm lies in its ambient atmosphere and the cohesive integration of various elements.”
    • “While I feel its 'political' message is a bit overcooked, that is also what makes the game so flavorful in terms of atmosphere, so it's hard to criticize it too much.”
    • “The surrealist atmosphere that deals with the modern-day environment of how we impact everything is just... exemplary.”
    • “[Progression is unclear at times; the oppressive atmosphere becomes grueling after a while.]”
  • stability
    5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Overall, the game's stability is mixed; while some players report enjoying a glitch-free experience, others encounter occasional stutters, freezes, and rare glitches that can disrupt gameplay. Additionally, unclear mechanics and a lack of in-game guidance contribute to frustration for some users. Despite these issues, many still find the game enjoyable and scenic.

    • “The most annoying bits are either mechanics that aren't introduced clearly (the aforementioned TNT fuses are snuffed with your shot power but you aren't shown this in a cutscene like most new mechanics are introduced), rare glitches (I got shot while a light saw me through a tree once in the deer area), lack of written guides (I'm weird about videos, I prefer to avoid them unless I have no other option), or the fact that the devs didn't think to put an arachnophobia mode in for those of us who don't like seeing little ghostly spiders (there are two spider spirits, one each in the quarry and power plant).”
    • “I want to play it more, but it stutters, freezes, and crashes on me.”
    • “There are a few glitches here and there, but nothing major.”
  • grinding
    4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    While some players appreciate the game's mechanics and art direction, many find the grinding aspect tedious and frustrating, citing slow movement and combat as detractors from the overall experience. The combination of open-ended level design and performance issues further contributes to a sense of tedium, overshadowing the game's potential for fluid and engaging gameplay.

    • “God, this game is so close to being fluid, fun, and constantly engaging, but instead we get slow, frustrating, and tedious movement, combat, and puzzles.”
    • “Gorgeous art direction and an admirable anti-pollution message aren't enough to make up for tedious combat, performance issues, and open-ended level design that plays things a little too loose.”
    • “For me personally, I loved the game, but I understand why others would find it tedious.”
  • character development
    3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Reviews indicate that while the visual art style of the game is appealing from a distance, closer inspection reveals shortcomings, particularly in the main character's design and facial animations, which detract from the overall character development experience.

    • “The visual art style is actually pretty great from afar, but the closer you look, the worse it gets - especially the main character design and facial animations.”
    • “Character development feels shallow and uninspired, leaving me disconnected from the story.”
    • “The characters lack depth and their arcs are predictable, making it hard to care about their journeys.”
  • humor
    3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The humor in the game is noted for its sharp critique of humanity, effectively blending wit with social commentary. Players appreciate how the developers cleverly highlight serious themes through comedic elements.

    • “It's funny that the developers nail the criticism about humanity so hard...”
    • “The humor in this game is sharp and clever, making even the darkest moments light-hearted.”
    • “I found myself laughing out loud at the witty dialogue and absurd situations throughout the game.”
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70%Critics’ scoreBased on 32 critic reviews
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6h Median play time
5h Average play time
2-7h Spent by most gamers
*Based on 2 analyzed playthroughs
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Frequently Asked Questions

After Us is a platformer game with fantasy and drama themes.

After Us is available on Xbox Series X|S, PC, PlayStation 5, Windows and others.

On average players spend around 5 hours playing After Us.

After Us was released on May 23, 2023.

After Us was developed by Piccolo.

After Us has received mostly positive reviews from players and mostly positive reviews from critics. Most players liked this game for its gameplay but disliked it for its optimization.

After Us is a single player game.

Similar games include RiME, Hob, Kena Bridge of Spirits, Ori and the Blind Forest, ENDER LILIES: Quietus of the Knights and others.