We Were Here is a series of first-person, cooperative puzzle games where players must explore various unexplained scenarios and solve puzzles in order to uncover the story and escape their respective situations. Usually, players are split into two separate rooms and must communicate via the game's walkie talkie in order to solve the puzzles. The first game was created as a student project in 2017 by Dutch developers Total Mayhem Games, and a total of five games have be released so far.
The gameplay generally involves players waking up in an unfamiliar location with no memory of how they got there. They can interact with their surroundings, read information lying around, and use their walkie-talkies to pass on important clues. Players often see completely different things, and will have to communicate to figure out the premise of the puzzles and then solve them, making for a tricky but often hilarious experience. What are the best We Were Here games?
5 We Were Here Too (2018)
We Were Here Too does a great job of building on the first game's content, and it's helpful that anybody can jump straight in without having played the previous one. As a whole, this game feels like a big space to explore and there are some good puzzles that have a time-based element to add more stakes. The cooperative elements are very important, so it's perfect for gamers who love collaborating with their friends.
Although the game is fun, We Were Here Too has a lot of puzzles that can feel repetitive after a while. Due to its relatively short length, most players will likely finish it in one session — which means variety can be very necessary. Also, despite being the second game, there are a few more technical issues that can halt gameplay, and players may have to restart a level.
The secret ending is a fun element; however, most players will only know about it if they have already completed a run, since the solution is hidden throughout the entire game. Some players found that the secret ending was more trouble than it was worth, because it doesn't really matter once the cutscene plays.
4 We Were Here (2017)
The original We Were Here game is the foundation of the whole series, and its success is testament to how creative and fun it is — even as a student project. The puzzles are challenging but solvable, and the introduction of its signature mechanics are executed well. There is a good mix of different puzzles, including some time-based ones. It is worth playing twice since the game is very different depending on whether players choose librarian or explorer. The art style is perfect for the gothic atmosphere, and the controls are easy to learn.
Some of the best puzzles will have players interacting with the world. Players should be sure to explore their surroundings to make sure they don't become stuck. The creepy narrative is further established by an elusive jester marionette, and the co-op elements add immense stakes since it is up to each player to keep the other one alive.
However, as the first game, it did suffer from a few issues. For new players, the opening puzzles can be quite intense. For example, when choosing to play as the librarian, many clues and puzzles in the first room can feel overwhelming. Although, there aren't any time-based puzzles until after players have become more familiar with the process. That, in combination with a couple of minor technical issues such as the walkie talkie mechanics, makes We Were Here a great game, but not the best in the series.
3 We Were Here Expeditions: The Friendship (2023)
This installment is a standalone game that focuses on gameplay and achievement over story and progress. It is more competitive than the previous games, because this time players will be graded on how well they complete the puzzles. This gives it good replayability, but might be a minus for fans who want to follow the story. However, it is perfect for any puzzle loving gamers.
We Were Here Expeditions: The Friendship is set in a new location: an abandoned amusement park on a strange island in the sea. The central theme involves questioning whether players know their friends well enough to try their luck against these puzzles, and whether that friendship can survive the test of frustration. The game is on the shorter end, but it is advertised as a smaller installment, that narrows in on the puzzle aspects. It is nevertheless fun and creative, with its familiar but elevated art style and fun puzzle solutions.
2 We Were Here Together (2019)
We Were Here Together is a serious step up from the first two games. The developers clearly put thought and effort into expanding the game and enhancing players' experience. It is the first in the series to begin with players together in the same place, and suitable mechanics allow the explorers to emote to one another. Players can wave and point, which adds a helpful and also funny layer when playing with friends.
Overall, this game feels much bigger and complex compared to the first two, and the world is more fleshed out. The puzzles utilize sight, sound, and touch, which makes them more diverse. A general issue with the second game was the repetitiveness of puzzles, and its evident that the developers took that to heart. Players get to explore multiple areas, which makes progression more rewarding.
Many players will find the puzzles more difficult. They are not always obviously laid out, and may take some searching and intuition. However, the game runs smoothly and there aren't any noticeable bugs or technical issues, which makes it an immersive and fun experience.
1 We Were Here Forever (2022)
Total Mayhem Games a great job of listening to feedback and applying it in their sequels. That's why it's easy for the games to somewhat be ranked in order. With the success of the original trilogy, the developers knew there was an audience for their games, and they likely had a higher budget to work with. The fourth game, We Were Here Forever, takes great leaps of progress and creative direction.
For the first time in the series, the art style takes a more diverse and interesting route. There's more color and dimension, including some surreal scenes that add the experience and the narrative. Like its predecessor, the puzzles in We Were Here Forever are challenging. It may take players a long time to figure out the solutions, but due to the scale and style of the puzzles, it's very rewarding to complete one. This game also offers hints, so players won't need to break their immersion to scour Google for solutions.
The developers also built on previous mechanics. There is an emote wheel with lots of choices, including the ability to hold a lit torch, which helps tremendously with atmosphere and gameplay. These emotes also add enjoyment, as players will likely undertake the puzzles with a friend. They allow for silly interactions, but also necessary ones. We Were Here Forever is the perfect example of creators listening to players and creating a fantastic, entertaining co-op puzzle game.
The We Were Here series is available to play on PC, Xbox, and PlayStation.