We Were Here Together (2019)

We Were Here Together isn’t only the best release in the co-op series so far, but a cleverly crafted and enjoyable puzzler that fans of the genre won’t want to ignore. Sure, it still has the occasional puzzle that’ll make you want to swear a LOT and there are some technical issues, but the ingenious design of the majority of the conundrums and the fantastic presentation certainly makes it stand out as Total Mayhem Games’ best release yet. The emphasis on communication has never been so strong either, with team work very much making the dream work here.

We Were Here Together suffers from puzzles that are not solvable through chatting with your co-op partner and instead feel like throwing darts while blindfolded, often being one or two steps too complex. Despite a bevvy of visual improvements and a great atmosphere, the third entry ultimately squanders what the previous two games helped build.

We Were Here Together is ultimately a bit of a let down on console. Some of the biggest puzzles are quite frustrating, some of the others rely on a poorly designed user interface, and the ones we most enjoyed were the shorter ones anyway. There are better coop puzzlers to spend your cash, time, and friendships on.

We Were Here Together is a "escape room" type of videogame, exclusively for two players online. Communication through voice chat is essential to solve the puzzles, but some of them are not very intuitive and the story is weak. If you've got someone to play with (and a bit of patience) you'll have a very unique experience.

This isn't quite Portal 2 levels of co-op bliss, but it comes somewhat close, and manages to be a decent way to kill a weekend with a friend. The puzzles aren't quite as good as the previous two titles in the series, and they would occasionally vacillate between being too easy or too vague. That winds up hampering what was otherwise a perfectly enjoyable experience. Still, if a fan of co-op gameplay and puzzle-solving, this is a borderline must-buy, because there are so few titles out there that satisfy this particular niche. We Were Here Together falls just short of the snowy peaks it was aiming for, but it is fun and interesting, and really stands out for emphasizing co-op puzzle-solving in a way few games have. So, go out and have some fun. Together.