{"id":87,"date":"2021-02-02T19:25:04","date_gmt":"2021-02-02T19:25:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.gatecitygaming.com\/?p=87"},"modified":"2021-02-02T19:25:04","modified_gmt":"2021-02-02T19:25:04","slug":"savior-or-false-shepherd-we-happy-few","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.gatecitygaming.com\/index.php\/2021\/02\/02\/savior-or-false-shepherd-we-happy-few\/","title":{"rendered":"Savior or False Shepherd: We Happy Few"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

This article originally ran under a different banner\/website in August of 2018 and is now being here re-uploaded for purposes of convenience and consolidation. Please enjoy.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

GOOD MORNING!!! GOOD MORNING TO ALL MY FRIENDS AND FAMILY!!!\u00a0 I COME TO YOU ON THIS JOYOUS DAY A MAN WRAPPED IN BLISS AND GLEE.\u00a0 Why do you ask? Have I cast aside my fire-spitting and end-ranting doomsayer attitude?\u00a0 Well, after stories of an IGN editor found guilty for plagiarism and people doxxing CD Projekt Red over a tweet, I decided a vacation was in order.\u00a0 But where do I think?\u00a0 A cruise?\u00a0 A road trip?\u00a0 No, I needed somewhere where all my worries will melt away.\u00a0 Why not the wonderful Wellington, Wells, the happiest place on Earth?\u00a0 Surely some rest and relaxation in this colorful city is just what I need this time of year.\u00a0 In the happiest city in the world, no doubt I would return to my soapbox with smiling faces and pep in my step.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I arrived in Wellington in the garden district, the slums of the city.\u00a0 With all the dour faces, I was starting to question the promise of the happiest city in the world.\u00a0 Then I ran into a lovely chap by the name of Arthur Hastings.\u00a0 He explained to me that the garden district was for town folks who weren\u2019t taking Joy.\u00a0 Joy, I thought, how could one take Joy?\u00a0 Arthur then explained to me the marvelous drug all the people of Wellington take known as Joy, a drug that overwhelms you with feelings of happiness while also causing you to forget the past.\u00a0 I expressed my concerns with such a drug and Arthur agreed.\u00a0 After recalling an event involving his brother being sent off to Germany following the Germans\u2019 victory of World War 2, Arthur abandoned his Joy habits and vowed to find his brother.\u00a0 Moved by his story, I vowed to lend him a helping hand.\u00a0 To do so, we had to make our way to the other side of the city.\u00a0 To enter the city, we had to go through a rehabilitation center, a sort of colorful reverse rehab that helps you get back onto the drug.\u00a0 Upon taking the miraculous drug, I instantly forget about all the problems with the game industry.\u00a0 No thoughts of all the false trailers from E3, no thoughts of shady practices the games industry started to employ, and of course, no thoughts of political battle lines being drawn.\u00a0 It truly was a joy.\u00a0 If a simple pill could make me feel this good, surely the city is a beauty to behold, I thought as Arthur and I raced into the city.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Upon taking Joy thought, I started to feel funny.\u00a0 I started to become hungry, thirsty, and very tired.\u00a0 Sometimes I would just feel one of those effects.\u00a0 Other times, I would be feeling overwhelmed by all those effects at once.\u00a0 While the remedy was simply consuming the food or water that we gathered, it significantly slowed our adventure down.\u00a0 While we easily just grabbed any item we thought would aid our adventure, we were soon weighed down by our inventory and spent a quite large amount of time fiddling with what we were carrying.\u00a0 So after I started to become quite ill and started to violently throw up.\u00a0 Arthur explained that it had been too long since my last Joy and I was going through withdrawals.\u00a0 Before I could express my concerns that Joy doesn\u2019t seem to last very long, the townsfolk had formed an angry mob with their sights aimed at me.\u00a0 Much running and hiding then followed, and as soon as we lost the mob, I went to a telephone booth redesigned to dispense Joy to stock up.\u00a0 Hoping to not have the drug impede our adventure, I took three Joy where again I threw up, townsfolk got angry, much running and hiding came to follow.\u00a0 Arthur then explained that townsfolks hate when you overdose on Joy, and I had to strike a balance between taking enough and too much.\u00a0 Wow, I thought, Joy really seems like something designed not to improve our adventure, but stall it out.\u00a0 Wow, I am starting to sound like a Downer myself.\u00a0 I brought some Joy back from Wellington, maybe I should take some right now.\u00a0 Ahhhh.\u00a0 Much better.\u00a0 Now back to the adventure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

We continued our way through Wellington meeting a whole cast of interesting characters.\u00a0 From Arthur\u2019s old Irish neighbor, who clearly lost his mind, Olie, to a constable who is stuck in records due to one mishap with a flirtatious female, I wanted to meet everyone in Wellington and hear their story.\u00a0 I often found myself pushing through hunger, thirst, and throwing up just to talk to the next person.\u00a0 I\u2019ll never forget the private club that we snuck into.\u00a0 Everyone was wearing a rubber suit, electrocuting themselves for a bit of a sexual thrill.\u00a0 A club so bizarre and unique, and much like the rest of Wellington, I don\u2019t think I could possibly forget it.\u00a0 I often enjoyed just standing in front of the many TVs found in Wellington street that had Uncle Jack playing.\u00a0 Uncle Jack is pretty much like a British Jimmy Fallon or Ellen Degeneres.\u00a0 He talks about the news in Wellington Wells, often plays Simon Says with his audience, and frequently reminds folks to take their Joy.\u00a0 Truly visiting Wellington is an experience you will never get in any other city.\u00a0 Thought, my favorite has to be anytime we ran into Arthur\u2019s ex Sally.\u00a0 Arthur claims he has a grudge for her cheating on him fourteen years ago and will try to be cross with her, but he clearly has a soft spot for her.\u00a0 He always melts in front of her to the point I always ask him if he needs me to scrape him off the sidewalk.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Though talking with Sally usually doesn\u2019t end well.\u00a0 I doubt she is related to this, but it seems anytime she disappears in Batman-like fashion, some thugs will corner us in an alley looking to fight.\u00a0 The thugs always get us trapped in situations where we can\u2019t sneak off.\u00a0 This has happened multiple times.\u00a0 While I feel like I can fight one or two people, these thugs always come in groups of three or four, and basic blocking and wild swings, don\u2019t seem very effective.\u00a0 I tried to focus on improving my fighting prowess, learning moves designed to break blocks and cause my opponents to bleed more, but it didn\u2019t seem to matter when we were swarmed.\u00a0 I remember trying to fight a mob of citizens after experiencing Joy withdrawals.\u00a0 I was able to take down a few of the bobbies before someone flanked us and knocked us out.\u00a0 We woke up in a ditch.\u00a0 AGAIN STALLING OUR ADVENTURE EVEN FURTHER.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

There I go again sounding like a Downer again.\u00a0 Surely, that means it is time for me to have another round of Joy.\u00a0 Blimey, I keep forgetting these things don\u2019t last long.\u00a0 Ah, much better.\u00a0 You know, I am always impressed by the wonderful things everyone has to say in Wellington, especially Arthur.\u00a0 Having spent the whole time expressing how he wished we didn\u2019t have to fight and just get along, it was brilliant to just watch him confidently walk up to a bobby and lie directly to their face about being repairmen or inspectors.\u00a0 Everyone in Wellington speaks so elegantly when with their thick British accents.\u00a0 I still recall sneaking around an army camp, and having to stop Arthur from eavesdropping on a drunk soldier recall the tale of a General shooting an elephant in the face.\u00a0 Even with the soldier completely intoxicated, I was mesmerized by his storytelling chops.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Unfortunately, that was the only enjoyable part about sneaking into the army camp.\u00a0 Throughout Arthur\u2019s and I adventure, we had to our best Austin Power\u2019s impression to infiltrate the Army Camps, Doctor\u2019s hideouts, and the nighttime streets of Wellington Wells.\u00a0 I really can\u2019t say I was well equipped to be sneaking around these places.\u00a0 You think with all the horror games, I have played, I would be a master at peeking around corners, but for some reason, I just can\u2019t do it.\u00a0 If I want to figure out where people are moving to I to have to get out of cover and look, which creates more opportunity for another dreaded mob to line up to hit me with torches and pitchforks.\u00a0 Don\u2019t worry though, you can have the whole town chasing you, but as long as you duck into an alley and hide in a trash can, you will never be found.\u00a0 You might have to wait there though, taking more time away from your adventure, which seemed to be running theme here.\u00a0 I guess you can say the people of Wellington have a lot of nice things to say, but aren\u2019t very smart.\u00a0 No that doesn\u2019t make any sense.\u00a0 You could say they are well written but aren\u2019t programmed well.\u00a0 Oh bugger, this analogy is starting to break down.\u00a0 Guess it is time to drop the act.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

I did not vacation in Wellington Wells for it is not a real place; it is a fictional city belonging to the game We Happy Few<\/em>.\u00a0 A game that I have always been excited about due to my love for fictional history setting that I have to blame Bioshock <\/em>for instilling in me.\u00a0 While many people loved comparing this game to Bioshock <\/em>for being set in a dystopian isolated city that has an obsession with the latest drug craze, I got more of a Dishonored<\/em> feel in We Happy Few<\/em>.\u00a0 Sure, the world We Happy Few<\/em> has created appears to be more alive through stronger storytelling, writing, and voice acting in comparison to the flat world of Dunwall seen in Dishonored<\/em>, but I would rather be Dishonored<\/em>\u2019s protagonist Corvo Attano than Arthur Hastings.\u00a0 Though Arthur has more interesting and unique things to say, his skills in stealth, combat and survival woe in comparison to Corvo.\u00a0 Dishonored<\/em> is also much more of a polished experienced compared to We Happy Few<\/em>.\u00a0 This has more bugs than a drug invested den, which is shameful for a game that had some time on early access.\u00a0 For your entertainment, I have screenshots of a bunch of them and present them below:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Now I will admit, I found the combat one dimensional, stealth a bit broken, survival mechanics pace killing and the swarm of bugs a bit humorous (not in a good way), I was determined to press through for the story.\u00a0 What finally KILLED We Happy Few<\/em> for me was a quest where I initially had to talk to Sally.\u00a0 She needed me to go to a competing lab and grab some materials.\u00a0 It was on the other side of town, which is annoying since the townsfolk don\u2019t like you running as it is a sign of someone off their Joy.\u00a0 So I slowly walk across town, only for them to turn me away and for Arthur to decide he needs to get a press pass from the local newspaper.\u00a0 A local newspaper that was literally RIGHT NEXT DOOR TO SALLY.\u00a0 ON THE OTHER SIDE OF TOWN.\u00a0 It was the last straw.\u00a0 I was done with you wasting my time We Happy Few<\/em>, and after I spent 60 dollars on this game.\u00a0 No We Happy Few<\/em>, we\u2019re done.\u00a0 I can\u2019t recommend you when the only interesting parts could be cut out, made into a movie, and be a better experience.\u00a0 I cannot recommend you at 60 dollars.\u00a0 I don\u2019t think I can recommend you for 30 dollars.\u00a0 I, personally, blame Gearbox for publishing for this mess.\u00a0 While the game appeared to be a mess while it was on early access, developers at Compulsion Games, had no plans of releasing it and was only charging 30 dollars for it.\u00a0 That was until Gearbox got its grubby hands all over it, did a 60 dollar price tag, and rushed released date appear.\u00a0 A bit ironic when your message is don\u2019t conform to social norms then you get into bed with a publisher who will jack up the price and rush you out to meet the demands of their shareholders.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Frankly, this game needs a massive overhaul before I can even consider recommending it.\u00a0 Some mechanics need to be cut, and what remains needs a massive amount of polish.\u00a0 If you are thinking about spending money on We Happy Few<\/em>, I would recommend picking up the newly released Dead Cell<\/em> and Guacamelee 2<\/em> instead.\u00a0 I will admit I haven\u2019t played either of those games, but frankly, I\u2019ll recommend anything over We Happy Few<\/em>, which disappoints me as one who loves games with an imaginative world.\u00a0 All in all, thinking of We Happy Few <\/em>does nothing but make me think I need another vacation.\u00a0 Maybe this time I will vacation in my favorite and frankly, better dystopian city, Rapture.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

This article originally ran under a different banner\/website in August of 2018 and is now being here re-uploaded for purposes of convenience and consolidation. Please enjoy.\u00a0 GOOD MORNING!!! GOOD MORNING TO ALL MY FRIENDS AND FAMILY!!!\u00a0 I COME TO YOU ON THIS JOYOUS DAY A MAN WRAPPED IN BLISS AND GLEE.\u00a0 Why do you ask?… Continue reading Savior or False Shepherd: We Happy Few<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":89,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-87","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-game-reviews","entry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.gatecitygaming.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/87","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.gatecitygaming.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.gatecitygaming.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gatecitygaming.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gatecitygaming.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=87"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.gatecitygaming.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/87\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":104,"href":"https:\/\/www.gatecitygaming.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/87\/revisions\/104"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gatecitygaming.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/89"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.gatecitygaming.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=87"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gatecitygaming.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=87"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gatecitygaming.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=87"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}