After Us unfolds in a post-apocalyptic Earth, ravaged and devoid of life. The sole remnants are distorted echoes of a forgotten civilization. As Gaia, an energy being, you are entrusted by Mother Nature with the critical task of rescuing animal souls ensnared within vessels. The world presents a perilous landscape, dominated by oil-slicked creatures known as Devourers, which are determined to preserve the desolate state of the world. Your mission is challenging, but each soul reclaimed and every victory against the Devourers incrementally revitalizes the environment.
After Us stands out as one of the most visually impressive games encountered recently. The environments are remarkably imaginative, and the game mechanics offer a compelling blend of challenge and entertainment. The game is structured into distinct sections, each containing a set of animal species awaiting rescue. The pervasive evil is manifested through oil and plastic pollution, making the cause of the world’s demise abundantly clear.
Gameplay involves climbing, jumping, and utilizing zip-lines to traverse fragmented bridges and structures. Humanity is represented by distorted statues scattered throughout the landscape, creating a detailed and unsettling world. To locate the next vessel, Gaia emits a song, and upon nearing its opening, she unleashes her heart – an energy surge that momentarily restores a verdant beauty to the surroundings.
Upon liberation, each animal soul animates the environment, and as more are rescued, the world progressively becomes more populated and vibrant. The sound design and musical score are exceptionally well-crafted, and in combination with the visuals and mechanics, After Us delivers a compelling sensory experience and engaging gameplay.
A notable similarity is the presence of an oily substance suffocating life, mirroring the narrative found in The Gunk and Wavetale. These titles, released within a year of each other, share a common theme with After Us, where the environment is threatened by entities that stifle nature, and a female protagonist emerges as the key to resolving the crisis.
A minor concern is the graphics mode options, limited to either 4K resolution at 30fps or 2K resolution at 60fps. While prioritizing frame rate over graphical fidelity is a personal preference, it is somewhat surprising that the game necessitates halving the resolution to achieve 60fps on a PlayStation 5, given the perceived complexity of the graphics and level design.
In conclusion, After Us is highly recommended, offering not only a thought-provoking narrative but also an engaging and challenging gameplay experience.
Private Division provided a review copy for this assessment. Content providers do not influence our editorial evaluations.
