Them and Us

79%
Game Brain Score Based on 906 reviews
  • story
  • gameplay
  • atmosphere
Them and Us Game Cover
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Them and Us is a classic, survival horror game with a focus on atmosphere and player immersion. Discover the truth of Alicia’s past as she descends further into her strange, unending nightmare. THE STORY: The year is 1978. A lone bus, a terrible crash, out upon the old and winding dirt roads which skirt a vast American wilderness. A survivor. A young woman, her mind scarred by a life of tragedy…

  • PC
  • Windows
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

79%
Audience ScoreBased on 906 reviews
story74 positive mentions
grinding32 negative mentions
  • The game captures the classic survival horror atmosphere reminiscent of early Resident Evil titles.
  • Multiple camera perspectives (fixed, over-the-shoulder, and first-person) provide varied gameplay experiences.
  • The puzzles and exploration elements are engaging, offering a nostalgic experience for fans of the genre.
  • The game suffers from excessive backtracking and a convoluted key/item system that can lead to frustration.
  • Combat mechanics feel clunky, with enemies often acting as bullet sponges and lacking variety.
  • The story is underdeveloped, relying heavily on notes and lacking engaging cutscenes or character development.
  • story270 mentions

    The story of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players finding it lacking in depth and engagement. While some appreciate the atmospheric setup and the classic survival horror elements, others criticize the narrative for being thin, poorly executed, and reliant on notes rather than immersive storytelling. Overall, the plot is seen as predictable and often convoluted, with players expressing a desire for a more fleshed-out and coherent narrative experience.

    • “The story is gripping, with a haunting atmosphere, some puzzles to solve and it pulls you into Alicia’s nightmare as she fights for her life in a world twisted by unknown forces.”
    • “The plot is classic - a mental hospital, a missing daughter, a strange house with monsters and our favorite puzzles.”
    • “An intriguing story, just enough weapons and resources to make you not feel completely helpless, and lots of puzzles to solve.”
    • “The story can't even really make up for all of it because it's so paper thin it might as well be non-existent and included baffling choices like a second character that only has like 5 minutes of screen time and barely any explanation of his backstory despite the ending treating him as important.”
    • “The problem is though, there just doesn't feel like there is any urgency in the way that the story is told.”
    • “Most of the game's story is told in notes and messages found throughout the game; this wouldn't be a problem if the game did not commit the sin of 'show don't tell'.”
  • gameplay214 mentions

    The gameplay of "Them and Us" is a blend of classic and modern survival horror mechanics, offering multiple camera perspectives and a mix of fixed and over-the-shoulder controls. While it successfully captures the essence of older Resident Evil titles with resource management and puzzle-solving, many players find the combat mechanics clunky and the overall experience marred by performance issues and tedious backtracking. Despite its nostalgic appeal, the game struggles with some outdated design choices, leading to a mixed reception regarding its gameplay execution.

    • “The combination of fixed camera angles and over-the-shoulder gameplay gives players the flexibility to choose their preferred play style, whether it's a classic or a modern experience.”
    • “Gameplay wise it's the strongest aspect in my opinion; a well-balanced mix of survival horror and action, great exploration and puzzles. I played in over-the-shoulder view, which you can also play fixed and first-person, and just think it's pretty sweet you can play all three perspectives in one game; I've never seen that before.”
    • “Them and Us does a wonderful job at recreating that old school gameplay that Resident Evil was known for, but what got me liking this game is that first-person perspective; it really makes the game feel more involving to me personally.”
    • “The combat is also a mess because they decided to include a weird mechanic simulating Alicia's bad aim by having the crosshair take several seconds to zero back in if you move it or fire a shot, and RNG means it can take anywhere from 1 to 5 headshots to kill a basic zombie with the pistol even on easy.”
    • “Overall gameplay, paired with the understandably low-budget jank, makes me feel this game is more frustrating than it is worth spending time and energy on.”
    • “I can look past performance, but not when what's past it is tedious and boring gameplay.”
  • atmosphere172 mentions

    The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its ability to evoke nostalgia for classic survival horror titles, particularly the early Resident Evil games, with many reviewers highlighting its creepy ambiance, effective sound design, and detailed environments. While some players noted that modern controls and design choices diminished the tension, the overall consensus is that the game successfully creates a haunting and immersive experience, filled with suspense and engaging puzzles. The combination of atmospheric graphics, music, and level design contributes to a chilling and memorable gameplay experience.

    • “This game captures the scary, gritty atmosphere reminiscent of the first Resident Evil games, delivering a true survival horror experience.”
    • “The atmosphere is tense and you are always afraid of what might be lurking in the next room.”
    • “The atmosphere, sound, and music are all top notch and really get you into the setting.”
    • “Tries to be a classic survival horror game, but in every regard, just doesn't quite land the mark: controls, atmosphere, puzzle design, etc. all feel lackluster, and none of it adds up to a great experience.”
    • “As a spiritual successor to the classic horror titles of the past, it hits the mark with beautifully moonlit light sourcing art style and uncanny ambiance, but falls short in recreating the tense atmosphere and jump scares that made those games so terrifying.”
    • “It doesn't give the claustrophobic survival horror feel (this isn't created by more creatures, it's created by atmosphere and clever mechanics) it makes me feel like I'm playing Killing Floor or World War Z with no ammo.”
  • graphics142 mentions

    The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with many praising the art style and atmospheric visuals that evoke classic survival horror, while others report significant performance issues, including low frame rates even on high-end hardware. Some users note that the graphics can appear amateurish in certain aspects, particularly animations, but overall, the visuals are considered a strong point of the game, contributing to its engaging atmosphere. Despite some technical shortcomings, the game's graphics are generally regarded as impressive for an indie title, with a vibrant color palette and effective use of lighting.

    • “The graphics are outstanding and the game runs like a gem!”
    • “With the great option to play with over-the-shoulder view and gorgeous graphics, this game brings the atmosphere of classic survival horror into the modern era with class.”
    • “The graphics, atmosphere and puzzles are top notch.”
    • “Despite my graphics card exceeding the recommended system requirements, I'm experiencing only 10 fps both in the main menu and during gameplay (on very low graphics settings).”
    • “The graphics are also mediocre by current standards and even on high-end hardware (i9, 3080, 32GB, M.2) some areas have massive dips in fps which, if the game wasn't so much fun, would be a critical issue.”
    • “I encountered constant frame rate drops throughout the entire game, even if I had it set on very low graphics.”
  • music100 mentions

    The music in "Them and Us" has received mixed reviews, with many praising its atmospheric qualities and integration into gameplay, particularly the unique save system using records. While some find the soundtrack engaging and reminiscent of classic survival horror, others note repetitiveness and occasional misalignment with gameplay moments. Overall, the music contributes significantly to the game's ambiance, enhancing the overall experience despite some criticisms regarding its execution.

    • “The atmosphere, sound and music are all top notch and really get you into the setting.”
    • “The soundtrack is phenomenal too.”
    • “The music is outstanding & the atmosphere of the game as a whole reminds me very much of a Dario Argento film.”
    • “The system of save-game with the gramophone and each disc has its own song is captivating but also very bad because it only gets used once, and every time you have to change the song you had already used.”
    • “Bad graphics, controls (alternative mode), badly recorded versions of classical music in the safe room unbefitting of this game, and very poorly written text.”
    • “It fails to understand the concept of how silence also makes music, and occasionally just throws enemies everywhere for the sake of filling rooms and giving you something to fight against (or avoid).”
  • grinding32 mentions

    Many players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious, particularly due to excessive backtracking, a cumbersome inventory system, and repetitive door-opening transitions. While some appreciate the atmosphere, the overall gameplay is criticized for feeling unnecessarily prolonged and lacking engaging content, leading to a frustrating experience. The reliance on numerous keys and minimal guidance further contributes to the sense of monotony, making exploration feel like a chore rather than an adventure.

    • “Overall, this game started out promising but quickly devolved into a tedious mess.”
    • “When you're running through same-y corridors trying to find the right door for the key you've found with no map for assistance, exploring becomes rather tedious.”
    • “There seemed to be no reason for the sheer amount of keys other than to extend gameplay; it's tedious.”
  • replayability32 mentions

    The game offers high replayability through multiple endings, unlockable costumes, and various game modes, including different camera perspectives and difficulty settings. Players appreciate the length of the game, which encourages multiple playthroughs to uncover secrets and easter eggs. Overall, it is regarded as a valuable experience with substantial content for survival horror fans.

    • “Good replayability too with unlockables and different camera perspectives with a decent mercenaries mode as well.”
    • “✔️ The game is actually quite lengthy, so you're probably not going to finish it in one sitting. It also includes multiple endings, secrets, and easter eggs for extra replayability.”
    • “Made by a very small team, this game features multiple game modes (fixed camera and over-the-shoulder, first person in DLC), several endings, tons of costumes, difficulty levels, and replayability.”
    • “The game is actually quite lengthy, so you're probably not going to finish it in one sitting. It also features multiple endings, secrets, and easter eggs for extra replayability.”
    • “It has a lot of replayability with its two different camera modes (three if you buy the first-person DLC), multiple difficulty settings, and six different endings.”
    • “While there are some problems due to the nature of the game having two perspectives, this addition adds a ton of replayability to the game.”
  • optimization28 mentions

    Overall, the game's optimization has received mixed reviews, with some players experiencing solid performance at high settings, while others report significant stuttering and frame drops in certain areas. Although recent updates have addressed some major performance issues, many users still feel that further optimization is needed, particularly for inventory management and specific gameplay modes. The general consensus suggests that while the game is enjoyable for survival-horror fans, its optimization challenges may hinder the experience for some players.

    • “I had no performance issues on my 4080 at 4K.”
    • “- Performance: excellent (solid 60fps at 1440p. My system: i7 10th gen, RTX 4070 Ti).”
    • “The latest update fixed major performance issues to boot.”
    • “Poor performance in TPP and FPP modes (both DX9 and DX11).”
    • “Some areas need a bit of optimization; in the graveyard, the area where Paul has a big fight in the field, FPS drops to 50 even though I use an i7 11800H CPU at 4.2GHz (temps are in the 60s for both GPU-3070 and CPU).”
    • “I like Resident Evil, but it's hard to revisit it with how poorly optimized it is and how much harder it is.”
  • stability16 mentions

    The game suffers from a range of technical issues, including glitches that, while infrequent, can disrupt gameplay and are particularly noticeable to discerning players. Problems such as non-functional sound, item drop failures, and a buggy fixed camera system contribute to a frustrating experience, leading some players to spend significantly more time than expected to complete the game. Despite being released from early access, the focus on new features rather than addressing these stability issues has left many players concerned about the game's overall playability.

    • “First of all, the insane amount of technical issues I encountered playing, a game that honestly would take 15, maybe less hours to platinum, took me 40 hours. Buggy encounters, game sound just stops working, some playthrough items not dropping (the last old key in the jail cell never dropped for me in any of my plays, doesn't matter the difficulty).”
    • “Fixed camera was buggy, the aiming system wasn't working, the boss' hitboxes were not matching the animations, and there were clipping issues.”
    • “I can't imagine what other glitches this game has that break the game because the development team was far more focused on coming up with new camera views for a game you cannot play.”
  • humor14 mentions

    The humor in the game is a mixed bag, with players finding amusement in the absurdity of certain elements, such as the protagonist's ineptitude as a medic and the comically underwhelming nemesis character, described as a "balding dude in latex." While the game offers a funny experience for about ten hours, it also frustrates players with excessive backtracking and other genre-related issues, leading to a blend of laughter and disbelief during gameplay. Overall, the humor adds a unique charm, even amidst the game's shortcomings.

    • “The funny thing is at the start of the game in the manual information section, it talks about how your character is a medic and can't shoot for shit, so expect to miss shots sometimes.”
    • “Edit: I had to come back and talk about the nemesis/mr. x kind of enemy you fight 3 or 4 times throughout the game. Holy moly, I've never seen a more lame boss in my life. Everything about him is just so funny; at no point was I scared of this dude. I was laughing my ass off! The boss you're supposed to be terrified of is a balding dude wearing latex. I cannot make this up! At this point, he is something I enjoyed about the game because I was bored, and then he appears, and I was laughing my head off. I love you, Gatekeeper!”
    • “You usually have a good bit of ammo to deal with them, especially as your arsenal gets stronger, but still, sometimes I was left just laughing out loud in disbelief after being swarmed by multiple different enemy types at once.”
  • emotional8 mentions

    Players express a strong emotional connection to the game, appreciating its intent and narrative depth, which resonates with those who enjoy this genre. However, some experience frustration with certain gameplay mechanics, such as a disorienting first-person section and an unsatisfactory ending that requires replaying significant portions of the game. Overall, the emotional engagement is notable, but technical issues and pacing can detract from the experience.

    • “I do like it, but I love this type of game and what it intends; it buys a great deal of emotional leeway with me.”
    • “I feel like I'm pretty far in, but I also just got to a spot that made me feel like I'm actually not even close to the halfway point; however, I definitely feel like I have enough to go on for a review.”
    • “Just wished the game didn't end by touching the helicopter, meaning I had to redo the whole Paul section to get the proper ending.”
  • character development6 mentions

    Character development in the game is largely criticized, with reviewers noting a lack of depth in storytelling and character arcs. While the character design is considered decent, it does not elevate the overall experience due to the absence of meaningful character growth or narrative engagement.

    • “The story and the character design are amazing.”
    • “The character design is pretty good — not amazing, but considering some character designs coming out of AAA studios these days, who am I to complain?”
    • “There is a complete lack of stories or character development.”
    • “The game fails to provide any meaningful character development.”
    • “Character development is virtually non-existent, leaving players feeling disconnected.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

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Play time

6hMedian play time
5hAverage play time
2-7hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 4 analyzed playthroughs

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