We Were Here Forever Review
Since the year 2017, Dutch developer Total Mayhem Games has been quietly developing The We Were Here series, which is a trio of puzzles that are cooperative only games that place players in the shoes of two adventurers who are stuck in dungeons, castles, deathtraps, snowstorms, and other escape rooms. The entire trilogy is a bit uneven however generally speaking, they're pretty great, especially considering that nobody else has scratched this particular asymmetrical puzzle as well as that of the We Were Here series.
The latest album, We Were Here Forever It's simply in a nutshell - a complete glow-up. It's stunning, with amazing art direction that transports players from familiar castle interiors, to surreal fantasies, a creepy lost village and more. There are a lot of obstacles that must be overcome in order to enjoy the best from We Were Here Forever, not the least of which is the need to purchase two copies at $18 each so it can be played with a similar player (unfortunately It's not quite as generous, as Hazelight was in its co-op games "A Way Out" as well as It takes Two with an invitation to play with friends for free.) If you can get someone to join you who enjoys the escape room and asymmetrical puzzles like you do, you're on the verge of a thrilling co-op experience unlike anything I've never seen before.
The puzzles make the show and the methods they test cooperation, observational abilities and the communication skills of both of you are truly in a class that's their own. I'm afraid to give too much detail of specific examples or display too many in fear of destroying the solutions. However, there's a fantastic variety of navigational puzzles which require one person to help the other navigate an area using only the information they've got; symbol-recognition puzzles that require both of you to communicate mysterious symbols to each other to achieve the same goal and asymmetrical races against the clock; difficult logic puzzles and other puzzles. The list goes without stopping, and there's sufficient content to take me and my friend about 12 hours to complete each one.
It's also worth noting that having a reliable partner is essential and the results you get from We Were Here Forever may depend on who you play with. There's random matchmaking available but it's not the right way to play with this game - I'd recommend playing it with a trusted friend. Teams like this require patience, perseverance and sharp observation skills. There are a lot of enjoyable opportunities to jog around and playfully troll your companion and occasionally even perform the old-fashioned humor with a little sabotage and can bring some much-needed levity to a narrative which takes itself somewhat too seriously. This is great for a group of friends however, being stuck with a shady person due to the draw could provide them with a number of opportunities to be rude. The world is in need of many more puzzles like We Were Here Forever. The world of cooperative-only puzzles is mostly unexplored and has plenty of potential which is why We Were Here Forever is one of the most compelling examples of that. Its puzzles are up there with the most innovative and most satisfying that I've ever seen on a game video and the decently long 10 - to 12-hour game guarantees that by the time it comes to its memorable end the requirement that every player purchase their own copy of the game doesn't seem like too much to make. The fact that it requires constant communication between players throughout the game means that it's not suited to matchmaking on the internet, which is why I strongly recommend taking your favorite puzzle-loving companion to enjoy the journey with you. It would have been an appealing deal if it was available with a friend's pass however, all things considered, We Were Here Forever is an enormous leap for a series which has been quietly but always delivering some of the most enjoyable co-op experiences available.
