We’re a bit partial to We Happy Few here at Thumbsticks Towers.
It’s that very particular British brand of dystopia that makes it so perversely appealing, you see. It’s relatively easy – to the point of being cliché – to build a world around what we’re going to refer to here as Hollywood dystopia. The likes of Fallout 4, Metro 2033, Dying Light and Day-Z may be great games, but it’s that particularly formulaic trope of world ends/grab weapons/become badass dystopia that has become such an over-trodden and familiar path.
This is why when something genuinely unique and interesting comes along, like the uniquely-set and starkly slow and contemplative The Long Dark, or the beautifully storied The Last Of Us – whose superlative writing and stellar performances lift it above its relatively generic post-apocalyptic setting – we all sit up and take notice.
We Happy Few – an Orwellian nightmare fed through the quirky filter of wholesome 1960s sitcoms while simultaneously coming down from years of hallucinogenic drug dependence – is therefore right up our street, and well worth everyone’s attention.
The good news then folks, is that as of today you can play We Happy Few Early Access (on the Steam platform, or via the Xbox Game Preview or Good Old Games ‘In Development’ service) to get your teeth into the experience.
We Happy Few Early Access purchasers will be able to stroll through the 1960s British town of Wellington Wells, experiencing key mechanics like social conformity and suspicion, Joy intake, crafting, combat, and survival. Over the course of the We Happy Few Early Access the city will expand and features will be improved. Much like that other post-apocalyptic-survival-based-craft-em-up The Long Dark, a story mode will be available in the ‘full’ release, with a concrete date still to be confirmed.
Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to go and take my Joy.
[youtube url=”https://youtu.be/e294JwLn7uM” autoplay=”no”]That’s better.
