Quick Look: We Happy Few

I'm fine with Dan being harsh on the game. From everything already mentioned in the video to the comments here they seem spot on. This isn't some rinky dink indie game developer. It's Gearbox. They haven't been the best developer lately but they should still be held to a higher standard. This should be a $29.99 release, just for that horrid ladder climbing fade out alone.

Problem is, they TRIED to be on the level of Bioshock. There's nothing charming about being gamey and unpolished when it's evidently due to the dev team being rushed and changing the game's direction midway through development.

It IS a small developer though. Gearbox published it, the developers are Compulsion Games, which made Contrast in 2013. Their site says they're 40 people.

If you think a game is bad, say so. I don't want to hear this, "Well, you know, it's really decent for such a small team." apologetic, qualified nonsense. Let me see the game and freely give me your opinion of it. That's all I need as the person being asked to spend valuable time and money playing it. I'll look, listen, and come to my own conclusion from that.

As for that small team's feelings, I would hope a group of creative professionals understands. Nobody makes it this far without facing plenty of criticism, constructive or otherwise. And Dan's points, harsh as they may be, are perfectly fair.

Dan is a Downer

I agree. There have been amazing games made by 1 person, or under 10 people. Look at Dust: An Elysian Tail, Fez, Super Meat Boy, OG Minecraft, Hotline Miami, Magicka, Castle Crashers, etc etc. None of those developers, at least according to cursory research, have over 25 employees, and most under 10 or even 5. The amount of people working on a game is not indicative of it's eventual quality. We don't have to add that qualifier to a game review or Quick Look because it has been proven time and time again that that doesn't often matter.

Of course, you could argue that the scope of something like We Happy Few is larger, and therefore it is a valid point, but if that's what is holding back, maybe the developers should have scaled it back to appropriately account for that and make the best game they could within their means. I don't know. I am kind of sad that this game seems to be so average when I remember being so wowed by the initial trailer a few years ago. It looked like a cool successor to BioShock. Instead it sounds like the story is still cool but the problems in gameplay overshadow it.

Of course, I need to play it for myself to be sure, but I am certainly not buying now at full price with the negatives I have heard. Again, it's a shame too because I was really looking forward to it.

@casse1berry: Gearbox is the publisher - they didn't develop this game.

Ugh Dans incessant bitching and whining kinda ruined this QL after about 6 minutes. Its a cool game premise but its not hard to see the game needs more work, Im not doubting that. But he just whines like a 12 year old about. I was really, really hoping they let anybody but him QL the game after hearing him moan on about it on the beastcast.

That being said Id like to try the game, but not at full price, it just doesn't seem like a full price game, at least to me. Too bad demos are dead these days. Steam winter sale, here I come!!!!

From the company that proudly put it's name on acclaimed games like Duke Nukem Forever and Aliens colonial marines. I kinda figured it was going to be a budget bioshock. I assumed it was going to be bad when i saw the gameplay the first time, but it looks like it just got worse and worse. Man this looks like a studio ender. It definitely looks like a game that wasn't tested very well, and just got slapped together at the end when they ran out of funds. If you wanna play a good bioshock knockoff check out singularity.

Lmao wow this game genuinely looks like trash. Like lowest of the low trash. Like one step above garbage steam asset flip. With the amount of great games coming out at this day and age I dont know how you create a product like this and think "yes, this is good to go and definitely worth 60 dollars".

It's really a shame, because their previous game Contrast was actually really really cool.

This was a Kickstarter at one point before Gearbox picked it up. They then released a fucking busted early access game at a 60$ price point. And a collectors edition.

Jesus, I thought Mighty Number 9 was the textbook example of "What Not To Do" in game development.

If you post or lurk on this website and currently work for Compulsion, consider an exit strategy before your paychecks start to bounce. This is not going to end well.

This game is not very good, but for god's sake you learn how to make lock picks in the first minutes of the game. It's obvious Dan gave this game no chance. All he did is make him self look lazy and stupid. Nothing new there and nothing can possibly be learned from his quick look of this game. It's almost like he read the new press lease didn't understand a word of it and played less than 30 minutes. Like I said it may not be a great game in my eyes but look elsewhere for a qualified!!! look at this game if you were interested in it. I can honestly see scores from 60% to 85% depending on your personal preferences.

This has def some glaring flaws and reminds you at every point that it's a videogame but.. I still see some potential i think. I think the style is quite cool, and graphically it's not bad neither. Like hearing & seeing that bearded character animate was pretty well done. And if there are some creative quests in this, i can see myself having a good time.

That said, not for 60$. I'll wait till this hits the 'bargain bin' It's definitly not a must play.

I’ve been enjoying “We Happy Few”. I gotta ask, why Dan? This is not his strong point.

For the record, this studio spent 1.2 million from the Canadian Media Fund for this game and raised a kickstarter for another 334k, not to mention whatever tax credits Quebec offers (Something like 40% of employees salaries).

Then Microsoft purchased them.

This studio, this game, that sale is exactly what is wrong with the industry.