We Were Here Together
- October 10, 2019
- Total Mayhem Games
- 6h median play time
We Were Here Together is a fun escape the room type of puzzle game with an interesting story and beautiful aesthetic and soundtrack. It’s let down by some unnecessary difficulty and teething console issues with regards to controls.
Get on SteamWe Were Here Together is a cooperative first-person puzzle game where players work together to escape a haunted castle in Antarctica. Players communicate through walkie-talkies to solve puzzles and uncover secrets, using only their wits and the items they find along the way. The game is a challenging and immersive experience that requires strong teamwork and communication skills.
Mac OS
PC
Playstation 4
Windows
Xbox One
PlayStation
Xbox
Reviews
- Challenging puzzles that require good communication and teamwork.
- Improved graphics and atmosphere compared to previous games in the series.
- Engaging co-op experience that tests and strengthens friendships.
- Numerous bugs that can break puzzles and require restarts, particularly in Chapter 8.
- Some puzzles are overly complicated or lack clear instructions, leading to frustration.
- The story feels disjointed and less engaging than in previous installments.
- story546 mentions
- 35 % positive mentions
- 57 % neutral mentions
- 8 % negative mentions
The story in "We Were Here Together" has received mixed reviews, with some players appreciating its attempt to deepen the narrative compared to previous installments, while others found it confusing and poorly executed. Many noted that the game requires multiple playthroughs to fully grasp the plot, as each character experiences different storylines, which can lead to a disjointed understanding of the overall narrative. Overall, while the story adds some intrigue, it often feels secondary to the puzzle-solving gameplay, with several players expressing disappointment in its coherence and depth.
“The story continues to be engaging and captivating to continue playing.”
“The added depth to the story and the immersive environments made our journey truly memorable.”
“The story is more of a desert compared to the main dish which is the gameplay.”
“The story is incoherent and everything takes an unreasonable amount of time to do.”
“The story just kinda seems to happen in front of you, with little explanation as to why.”
“The story is nonsensical and feels very forced.”
- gameplay208 mentions
- 36 % positive mentions
- 61 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative mentions
The gameplay of "We Were Here Together" is characterized by its engaging co-op mechanics that emphasize communication and collaboration between players, with a variety of puzzles that range from intuitive to frustratingly complex. While many players appreciate the improvements in graphics and puzzle design compared to previous entries in the series, some criticize the inclusion of time limits and certain mechanics that can lead to tedious gameplay experiences. Overall, the game offers a solid cooperative adventure, though it may not be suitable for those who easily become frustrated with challenging puzzles or technical issues.
“It offers engaging yet generally very logical puzzle-solving mechanics, fun (and very silly) lore and worldbuilding, and a truly solid co-op adventure.”
“The variation in settings not only adds to the visual appeal but also introduces a range of challenges that keep the cooperative gameplay fresh and engaging.”
“Amazing gameplay with puzzles that prove to be pretty challenging and intuitive once you start putting the clues and hints together allows for people to come together and learn how to communicate in fun ways.”
“But the puzzles and gameplay don't work well in this one.”
“Some of the timed puzzles were a bit tedious and I felt the time mechanic did not offer much to the experience other than tedium and frustration.”
“Gameplay felt very one-sided; I often found myself waiting on standby because the person I would be playing with was taking too long.”
- graphics204 mentions
- 48 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 1 % negative mentions
The graphics in this game have received significant praise for their improvement over previous installments, with many reviewers noting a vibrant art style and detailed environments that enhance the overall experience. While some players experienced minor graphical glitches, the visuals are generally described as beautiful and well-executed, contributing to a cozy and immersive atmosphere. Overall, the graphical upgrades have been well-received, making it a standout feature of the game.
“I have to say, this installment has made noticeable improvements in both its UI and graphics compared to the previous two games in the series.”
“The graphics, audio, and animations are all a major step up, and the puzzles are much harder.”
“The graphics are significantly better, and map designing is on-point.”
“The devs have obviously spent a lot of time on upgrading the graphics, but to be honest they aren't much better than some top puzzle games from 20 years ago.”
“We had bugs that ruined the experience; it was a disappointment compared to the first two, even though the graphics were better, but that is not what we look for in that game.”
“I can say that there was a lot of improvement in the graphics, the storytelling, the environments, and the length of the game compared to the first game, but there were a few things that I had high expectations for and was quite disappointed.”
- music139 mentions
- 65 % positive mentions
- 33 % neutral mentions
- 2 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received widespread acclaim, with many reviewers praising its immersive quality and ability to enhance the overall atmosphere. The soundtrack is described as beautiful, memorable, and fitting for the game's themes, contributing significantly to the player's experience. While some found the music repetitive or less satisfying in certain contexts, the majority agree that it is one of the standout features of the game, elevating both gameplay and storytelling.
“The soundtrack is absolutely mesmerizing and the gameplay is unique and not trivial.”
“The ingenious puzzles and stunning visuals, coupled with a haunting soundtrack, create an immersive experience that kept me hooked.”
“Not only does this game have incredible co-op gameplay, amazing graphics, and challenging puzzles, it has one of the best video game soundtracks I've ever heard in my life.”
“The music was kinda happy and when you solve the puzzles, the little music that plays in this game isn't as satisfying as the other two.”
“Furthermore, the art style is quite nice and simple; the music is somewhat plain and repetitive; the gameplay is straightforward and clean.”
“The game is tagged as 'horror' in the store but I've genuinely no idea why, there are no scares or even sinister music, nothing, I've no idea why it would be tagged as horror, it's kind of the opposite.”
- atmosphere86 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- 29 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its immersive and cozy qualities, with many players highlighting its beautiful visuals, engaging soundtracks, and thematic settings that enhance the puzzle-solving experience. While some reviews note a shift from the darker tones of previous installments, the overall ambiance is described as captivating, making it a compelling choice for fans of cooperative gameplay and atmospheric storytelling. Despite minor criticisms regarding replayability and certain narrative elements, the game's atmosphere remains a standout feature that draws players into its world.
“The atmosphere is amazing and the setting really feels like a journey.”
“Everything fitted with the disturbingly calm atmosphere of the Antarctic's desolate places and Castle Rock, nice ambient music and a story good enough not to be an obstacle on the way to immersion.”
“The atmosphere in the game just keeps you on the edge of your seat.”
“The first two games had a better atmosphere and a better price to play time as this game felt rather short when I was expecting it to be a bit longer.”
“The atmosphere is a bit disturbed in the last chapter, due to a character from the storyline loudly shouting while the players are trying to solve the last puzzle.”
“So if you have the game for free and want to see if you are prone to aneurysms and/or are looking for a game that abandons its homely atmosphere for mwaahhh evil castle baddies then sure I guess you can have fun but the risk of brain damage did in fact push this experience into a negative.”
- stability85 mentions
- 4 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 96 % negative mentions
The game has been widely criticized for its numerous bugs and glitches, which significantly hinder the gameplay experience. Many players reported game-breaking issues that required restarts, frustrating puzzles that were often made more difficult by technical problems, and inconsistent performance. While some users noted improvements in stability compared to previous entries in the series, the overall consensus is that the game remains a buggy mess that detracts from its potential enjoyment.
“Nevertheless, it's a really enjoyable game, for the most part bug-free, and with good company, it's really, really fun.”
“Gameplay is smooth, with no glitches at all, and features nice visuals along with an interesting story depending on the character you choose.”
“The game looks great and runs smoothly, although the difficulty ramps up after the first two puzzles.”
“However, this particular game has proven to be the most frustrating and buggy one so far.”
“Firstly, this game is horridly buggy to the point that entire sections are nigh unplayable, which is extremely frustrating.”
“An absolute bug-ridden mess.”
- grinding54 mentions
- 6 % positive mentions
- 13 % neutral mentions
- 81 % negative mentions
Overall, players find the grinding aspect of the game to be excessively tedious and frustrating, with many puzzles described as long, confusing, and lacking clear objectives. While some puzzles initially offer enjoyment, they quickly devolve into repetitive trial-and-error tasks that detract from the overall experience, leading to a sense of dissatisfaction rather than accomplishment. Many reviewers express a desire for more engaging and less grind-heavy gameplay, indicating that the current design feels like a chore rather than a fun challenge.
“And not tedious at all.”
“The puzzles are fun and not tedious.”
“A bit grindy sometimes.”
“The game quickly devolved into a tedious cycle of trial and error, leaving me feeling unsatisfied.”
“It robbed you of the sense of accomplishment when you finished one puzzle and instead left you with just a tedious feeling of 'when will I get to leave this horrible room??!'”
“In the two previous entries, the puzzles seemed to have a clear end goal, but the puzzles in this one felt needlessly long, tedious, and confusing.”
- replayability44 mentions
- 27 % positive mentions
- 57 % neutral mentions
- 16 % negative mentions
The game's replayability is a mixed bag; while it offers some value through different character perspectives and paths, many players find that once the puzzles are solved, the experience diminishes significantly. Some enjoy the unique cooperative gameplay and varied storylines, but overall, the lack of randomized puzzles and limited new content leads to a consensus that replayability is quite low after the initial playthrough.
“The decision to give each player one different piece of the whole story is a really good idea; it's amazing to reunite at the end and find out that both of you have seen and done different things. It's good for replayability too; replaying the other side is a lot more fun than the previous games.”
“I also really like the fact that the game has some replay value in that you can swap roles with your friend and play the game again through a completely different lens.”
“Replayability: the game offers multiple paths and endings, giving players a reason to replay the game to experience different outcomes and explore new paths.”
“The replayability of this game falls flat; a lot of puzzles are not randomized at all.”
“Sadly, these kinds of games lack much replayability once you know the puzzles. Most of the fun is seeing the puzzle fresh for the first time.”
“All the puzzles are always the same, so it doesn't have much replay value after the initial two-sided clear.”
- humor31 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is a standout feature, with many players highlighting its ability to generate laughter through absurd situations, funny quotes, and cooperative mishaps. While some puzzles may not consistently deliver comedic moments, the overall atmosphere is described as chill and fun, making it an enjoyable experience, especially when played with friends. The combination of challenging gameplay and humorous interactions often leads to memorable and hilarious moments, enhancing the game's appeal.
“The game provided us with a great amount of interesting and funny moments.”
“If you love screaming at each other or laughing like crazy, cause the other one is too stupid to do something, then this is the perfect game for you.”
“At one point nearly killing each other in frustration and then laughing looking back at how dumb me and my sister were.”
- optimization23 mentions
- 30 % positive mentions
- 39 % neutral mentions
- 30 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's optimization has received mixed reviews, with many players reporting significant performance issues such as lag, stuttering, and framerate drops, particularly in certain areas. While some users noted that the game runs well on lower-end systems and praised its graphics, others experienced frequent glitches and technical problems that detracted from the gameplay experience. In summary, despite some positive aspects, the game's optimization is generally considered poor, making it challenging to enjoy fully.
“The graphics have been significantly improved as well as the performance compared to the previous entry.”
“Good graphics, cute animations, well optimized.”
“One of the best puzzle games I have ever played; it runs smoothly, it looks beautiful and it's designed very well.”
“The game is constantly lagging and it's just poorly optimized, which makes it unbearable to do the puzzle and communicate with people.”
“Despite its small size and limited scope, the game is poorly optimized; you need a computer capable of running most modern 3D games.”
“Performance is absolutely awful; some rooms drop framerate to just 20, while others give you a slideshow until it magically recovers.”
- emotional12 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players consistently highlight the game's profound emotional impact, with many expressing feelings of sadness and heartwarming moments throughout their experience. The combination of engaging puzzles and a compelling story evokes strong reactions, often leading to tears and a sense of connection. Overall, the game is praised for its ability to create an emotional atmosphere that resonates deeply with players.
“The story, ending, and everything about this game was enticing, powerful, and at times emotional.”
“It amazes me how emotional and atmospheric the game is.”
“Truly an incredible emotional experience.”
- character development2 mentions
- 150 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 150 % negative mentions
Character development in the game is criticized for its poor storytelling and confusing elements, leading to a lack of clarity and depth in character design. While the atmosphere and world-building are appreciated, the overall execution leaves players feeling frustrated and disconnected from the characters.
“The atmosphere, world-building, character design, and story were all exceptional.”
“The character development is incredibly deep, allowing players to form a genuine connection with each character.”
“I loved how the characters evolved throughout the game, making their journeys feel personal and impactful.”
“I don't recommend this game unless you somehow enjoy being constantly confused, with poor storytelling, bad character design, and a lot of trial and error due to a lack of explanations.”
“The character development feels shallow and unengaging, making it hard to connect with anyone in the game.”
“There are no meaningful choices that impact character growth, leaving the development feeling linear and uninspired.”
- monetization1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Reviewers note that the monetization system enhances the overall immersion of the game, adding depth to the player experience.
