What happens when the greed and apathy of humanity results in the complete destruction of all life on earth?
It’s a heartbreaking story, and one that’s mostly told through the environments and world.
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A secret sanctuary harbors Mother Nature and the spirit of life, Gaia.
After Us looks its best from a distance, not when examined up close.
After Us still manages to be frequently gorgeous, even if it just looks okay in the interim.
Performance-wise, it’s a little more complicated.
A secret sanctuary harbors Mother Nature and the spirit of life, Gaia.
The story in After Us lacks depth and breadth, but it still packs an emotional punch.
Just like with its visuals, it all comes down to the world.
In After Us, the world and all its life has been consumed by humanity’s greed.
Gaia, equipped with her Mother’s heart, must witness the atrocities of humanity and reclaim the energy that will help life breathe anew.
What’s left behind is the ruins of human civilization and the remains of all its animals and creatures.
The surreal, creatively realized world of After Us is the redeeming factor that protects the story from mediocrity.
you’re able to see some more images of After Us and its world below.
Slowly, you’ll reintroduce life to earth, while also releasing the spirits of long-extinct animals.
In the air, Gaia can jump, double-jump, glide, and air dash.
On paper, this all sounds great, and it mostly works well in motion, too.
Movement and platforming in After Us are floaty by nature, but it does feel pretty fluid.
The first vessel you’ll encounter is that of man’s best friend, abandoned in the trash.(Image credit: Windows Central)
At first, it’s a lot of fun learning new abilities and navigating the world.
It’s a very cinematic camera, which matches the drama and scale of the world.
Unfortunately, despite the strengths of its world and visuals, After Us is not a very enjoyable platformer.
With the Heart, Gaia has the ability to clear the way with bursts of vivid life, though that life is usually temporary.(Image credit: Windows Central)
Unfortunately, After Us is often not a very enjoyable platformer.
Beyond platforming, there isn’t a lot of gameplay to speak of.
There are plenty of collectibles (well over 100), which actually feel very obtainable.
The world of After Us is extremely vertical, which you expect from a 3D platformer.(Image credit: Windows Central)
The second are Memories, which I mentioned above.
I felt compelled to find them all, and I don’t regret it.
Slowly finding more animals and memories, piecing together stories while repopulating the world with shades of former life…
The remains of human civilization is haunting, and highlights how many humans were victims, too.(Image credit: Windows Central)
Some combat sections are needlessly difficult, too, detracting from the casual playability of the game.
After Us would’ve benefited more from more precise platforming and more story elements rather than this empty combat.
After Us: Accessibility
Let’s get localization out of the way first.
Gaia must travel to all corners of the world to find the vessels containing the last remaining life essence, including the depths of a lifeless ocean.(Image credit: Windows Central)
After Us does little in the way of accessibility, and requires a controller.
For accessibility, After Us is very limited on options.
Finally, you get some granular audio sliders.
Some sections of After Us fully embrace the surrealism, like with this final resting place of the great eagle.(Image credit: Windows Central)
That’s… all there is.
There’s not even an option to reduce the intensity of Gaia’s various bright, flashy effects.
After Us: Should you play it?
After Us strikes you with its stunning world many times throughout the game.(Image credit: Windows Central)
It also won’t appeal to the players whose favorite games are dripping in dialogue and world-building lore.
It’s beautiful, it’s depressing, and it wants to make you feel things.
I can’t overlook its weaknesses, though, which are unfortunately numerous.
The world is a very lonely place for Gaia, who is taking on the entire burden of bringing life back to the planet.(Image credit: Windows Central)
The core gameplay lacks the consistency necessary to have faith in your actions, leading to frustration and annoyance.
If I wasn’t reviewing it, I’d be one of them.
The world of After Us defies physics, and you’ll have to use every trick in your arsenal to navigate it.
These lingering Devourers add a new element to After Us, but one that rarely feels rewarding.
Disabling these toxic diggers can create oases of life, but many come with a challenge.
Mother Nature lacks the power to bring life back to earth alone. She needs Gaia’s help, no matter the cost.
