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➕ The checkpoints that existed were quite welcome for those moments where we failed and kicked the bucket. While I, as the librarian, was doing more “instruction-giving,” it still felt like I was actively engaged in my teammate’s success the entire time. I felt We Were Here balanced the two roles well. ➕ With this kind of game there’s always a risk of one player having a lot less to do. As the peril approached, vision narrowed and the tension ratcheted up. ➕ There were moments of true suspense as one or the other of us was in peril and pleaded with the other to solve the puzzle in time. Even though this is how walkie-talkies actually work, it led to a lot of unnecessary frustration. ➖ While using the walkie-talkie, there was little indication of when I was talking at the same time as my teammate. I appreciated that these were both fun to describe and looked close enough to other “wrong” symbols that my description required precision. ➕ Some puzzles used abstract symbols as solutions. Both Theresa and I went into the menu to look up the key assignments. ➖ There was little instruction on what the controls were. They seemed to use a different color palette and were much more simplistic. However, the cutscenes used an art style that didn’t fit the rest of the game.
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#WE WERE HERE TOGETHER GAMEPLAY WINDOWS#
Attention to detail on the stained glass windows and the oodles of candles added character to the environment. ➕/➖ During the main game, the art design of We Were Here was strong. Most of the challenge stemmed from our ability to describe details quickly and accurately to each other. The puzzles were linear with easy-to-moderate difficulty. GameplayĬore gameplay centered around observing, communicating with my teammate, and making connections. The time period was never established, but there were walkie-talkies and a film projector, so it was set in relatively modern times. Moonlight, candlelight, and torchlight created a Gothic mood. I was in the cozy library and Theresa was in the dank dungeon. We were each in different parts of the same castle-like mansion. My role was “Librarian” and Theresa’s role was “Explorer.” Our goal: help each other escape. Once inside, we were knocked out by an unknown figure and separated into two locations. We had followed footprints through the snow to a mysterious estate. I played one of two members of an Antarctic expedition.
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Escape room teammates who miss live two-person escape rooms.That said, it was time well spent thanks to the atmospheric environment, the moments of tension, and the communication skills of my teammate. The ending, in particular, was a bit baffling. The look and feel was polished, but in the end, lacked a certain specialness that would have elevated it to a “must-play” recommendation.
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#WE WERE HERE TOGETHER GAMEPLAY HOW TO#
It’s clear to me that Total Mayhem Games understands escape rooms and how to keep players engaged. Because we were in completely separate digital locations, we had to constantly describe our surroundings through an in-game walkie-talkie, providing information that would help the other person advance. An escape room veteran, she was an excellent partner as this experience was all about communication. My teammate was Hivemind Writer Theresa Piazza. This was a two-person only, cooperative, first-person POV escape room game.
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I came away from the experience generally satisfied and interested in trying the two follow-up games. For more of the best online escape games in this style, check out the recommendation guide.ĭeveloper & Publisher: Total Mayhem Gamesĭespite the fact that We Were Here didn’t break any ground in either the cooperative or video game escape room arena, it was a very good example of both. We Were Here is included in our recommendation guide for 2-Player Online Escape Games.
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