We Happy Few Reviews
Much like Contrast before it, We Happy Few shows off plenty of potential with its original and engaging world from a team whose passion and heart clearly shines through.
We Happy Few combines survival mechanics with a deep and thoroughly enjoyable narrative, but technical hiccups hamper the experience. There was a bit too much reliance on stealth, giving a one-dimensional gameplay sensation, but thankfully you don't have to confront to that type of approach (although things are harder if you don't). Side missions help give life to the charming and witty characters you'll come across but are entirely optional if you want to play through the main narrative. The technical shortcomings and terrible frame rate are disappointing, along with some annoying missions, but with a deep and thrilling story, I was able to look the other way on some of the glaring issues, as none that I encountered were game breaking in any way. It is just a shame that Compulsion Games didn't remove the boring open world sequences and focused even further on tightening up the narrative experience.
After completing all three story acts, I found that I enjoyed the journey the game took me on, but I was also overwhelmingly relieved that it was finally over. At the end of the day, We Happy Few leaves me feeling conflicted.
It's a world to which you want to return, but it's also a world that throws up a new problem with every visit. With several patches, this game could be a fun experience, but right now it can often be an exercise in frustration.
We Happy Few is a game with an excellent narrative incipit, unfortunately limited by the open world size, mechanics, control system and AI.
Review in Italian | Read full review
There's a huge amount of potential in this dystopian 1960s drug trip, but ultimately it starts to feel frustrating quite quickly. Every time We Happy Few draws you in with an interesting tidbit about the world or the character you are playing as it's scuppered by the systems fighting against you. It just becomes frustrating and makes a potentially immersive experience an irritating exercise in dealing with the game mistaking your intentions. Much like the dystopian world in which it is set, We Happy Few never feels quite right.
In its launch state, however, We Happy Few pleases the eyes and ears, but much like the fictional drug it features, the Joy is great… until it wears off.
A jog-fest with sluggish combat and inconsistent stealth, but a story that will pull you toward the end anyway.
Overall, the game could have been something amazing. Alas, that’s not the case. It stands between being mediocre and exceptional, making it feel like “meh”. You can still find some fun out of it, but that all depends on how you wish to take on the game. I personally felt like the gameplay hasn’t done the plot justice as it’s one of the more interesting ones in today’s current generation of games. So give it a shot if you feel like it and try to see what fun you can get out of We Happy Few.
We Happy Few is a disappointment from Compulsion Games. It has a world including lots of potential but the result has ruined the complete experience. It doesn't worth $60 and I can call it a Failure.
Review in Persian | Read full review
We Happy Few is a game that deserves some more time to improve. As it stands, it offers some truly interesting characters in a well realized and intricate story, that unfortunately have been hampered by an overall unpolished feel.
We Happy Few has a pristine narrative vision, but it feels layered on top of a wholly different game. Much like the famous visage of the Wellington Wells citizenry, the story is a mask that tries to hide a buggy open world and needless procedural generation.
We Happy Few is going to go down as a cult hit. If you can muster the strength to get past its janky gameplay, there's a whole lot to love here in the world and characters. But the fact remains that this adventure is one that could have used a bit more refinement.
We Happy Few Has such a cool atmosphere, interesting world and clever story that is can easily be considered “an heir to BioShock”. In that case why did the developers opt to fill the game with tons of ludicrous content and made the player chase butterflies for dozens of hours? The world should be smaller, the gameplay better and the game shorter. A bit of a letdown.
Review in Polish | Read full review
Compulsion Games transformed its randomly-generated, survival game into the dystopian narrative everyone asked for, but those randomized elements are still holding We Happy Few back from reaching its full potential. The twisted tale of a society addicted to its own Joy is lost underneath an endless hunt for bobby pins and scraps of cloth.
The ideas of power, giving in to hegemonic cycles just to feel safe, and other gameplay systems are unfortunately overshadowed by the technical hiccups found in the game's software. It's a shame, because this game could have been good.
Encompassing a brilliant and inventive setting that is let down by half-baked systems and a lack of polish, We Happy Few is heavily flawed though still ultimately enjoyable adventure romp.
We Happy Few is an ambitious open-world survival game that does not benefit from being one. Tedious exploration courtesy of poorly-designed environments and underdeveloped survival mechanics detract from an otherwise strong main adventure. Charming presentation, colorful writing, and powerful environmental storytelling are highlights that are unfortunately eclipsed by a shallow open world.