PAX EAST 2022 | "We Were Here Forever"
Many co-op titles merely require gamers to play together. Total Mayhem Games wants them to do more, with their We Were Here series putting major focus on communication on their games. One player has some keys to the puzzles at hand; the other player has the rest. But in order to solve these tests, the two must talk to one another in order to share information and move on. The fourth game in the series We Were Here Forever aims to continue the conversation, as two other survivors find themselves in Castle Rock, a mysterious place in the middle of the Antarctic.
For the demo, myself and one of the game’s PR representatives found ourselves in separate rooms. In order to escape, we had to match symbols that’ll bring us to other areas, with the end result hopefully being a warm reunion. But the task wasn’t easy in the slightest, as communicating through walkie-talkie is the only way we can match the symbols properly. To solve this room, both of us had to point out every in the room, with every hint bringing us closer to communication.
Having a 15-minute time limit for the level (a PAX-exclusive, so as to move the line quicker) made the task a lot harder, as we both tried to hurry and solve the room puzzle. The feeling of panic as the unseen answers we had in our sights easily took us over, which made concentrating a lot more difficult. But after a deep calm breath, we assessed the situation and observed everything in our vicinity. The locked doors, the symbols, and the keys that bring forth more of these rooms and symbols were all hints that could lead towards the solution, but initiating them was quite the challenge.
Playing the We Were Here Forever demo required both myself and my partner to talk constantly. Communication led to aligning the right symbols and entry through the proper doorways. However, the more we solved, the more complicated the situation became, as more rooms gave way to more confusing elements. It’s when the mastermind behind the puzzle appears, mocking us for our skills, when we realized just what kind of mess we were in.
Total Mayhem Games takes pride in the kind of relationships the We Were Here series has built; they also get a laugh out of how many have been broken by them too. And I can understand why friendships and couplings may forge or break because of this, because it’s damn challenging to solve these sorts of puzzles together. Although we weren’t able to solve the room in time, myself and my partner knew we did the best we could, especially with the sorts of information we had at our disposal. And from what I experienced here, We Were Here Forever will certainly mend/break many more in the future.
We Were Here Forever hits PC and consoles in May. One best prepare their speaking and communication skills before then; otherwise, you may need to find a new Player 2 in your life!