We Were Here Tomorrow, developed and published by Total Mayhem Games for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S and PC, takes the cooperative puzzle formula that has defined the series since its debut and pushes it further into science-fiction territory. Two explorers find themselves trapped beneath the Antarctic ice before awakening inside the mysterious Norček Industries facility. Under the direction of Kathleen Bowe, they are tasked with continuing the work of a missing research team, but it soon becomes apparent that the organisation has secrets of its own. The story provides a reason to explore the facility, although its mysteries are more effective at establishing an intriguing atmosphere than delivering a consistently compelling narrative. The dialogue can feel disconnected from the puzzles, and the characters and their motivations rarely develop enough to make the overarching mystery as engaging as the gameplay itself. Fortunately, the story does not need to carry the entire experience, because the partnership between the two players is where the game finds its real strength.
As in previous entries, We Were Here Tomorrow is built around two-player online cooperation, with both participants seeing different parts of the environment and frequently being separated into distinct rooms. Each player must describe what they can see, relay clues and explain the mechanisms available to them, allowing their partner to piece together information that would otherwise be impossible to obtain alone. This creates a satisfying balance between observation, deduction and communication. A seemingly obvious symbol or switch can become surprisingly difficult to interpret when it has to be described verbally, and success depends on asking the right questions just as much as finding the right answers. There is no convenient hint system to fall back on when progress stalls, so solving a particularly difficult puzzle can be immensely rewarding. Equally, the lack of guidance can make certain sections frustrating when both players struggle to understand what the game expects of them. The experience works best with a partner who is willing to think aloud, listen carefully and persevere rather than rush through the challenges.
The introduction of specialised equipment gives this installment a welcome identity of its own. Early in the adventure, the two explorers acquire different tools that remain central to their respective roles. One can launch a flexible tether to retrieve distant objects, activate switches and transfer electrical power, while the other can fire projectiles that create solid blocks. These blocks can serve as platforms, activate pressure-sensitive mechanisms or help overcome obstacles that would otherwise be inaccessible. Neither device is particularly complicated to understand in isolation, but their applications become increasingly inventive as the campaign progresses. Players must consider not only what their own equipment can accomplish, but also how their actions affect the other explorer’s environment. This adds a useful layer of physical interaction to a series traditionally driven by communication and observation, making the puzzles feel more varied without abandoning the central cooperative premise.
The most memorable challenges are those that play with perspective and the rules of the environment. Gravity-defying rooms turn walls and ceilings into navigable surfaces, while other puzzles require players to manipulate complicated electrical systems or coordinate actions across separate areas. One particularly effective sequence revolves around a machine that reduces one explorer to miniature size. The smaller player must navigate the machinery from within, while their partner remains outside and provides guidance using information that cannot be seen from the same perspective. This is exactly the sort of scenario that makes the series work: neither player has enough information to succeed independently, and communication becomes an essential gameplay mechanic rather than a convenient addition. The escalating complexity makes the adventure feel more ambitious than a collection of conventional escape-room puzzles, although some challenges can still lean on familiar science-fiction puzzle concepts. There is also a degree of repetition in the broader formula, but the variety of situations and the creative use of the new equipment generally keep the experience engaging.
The first-person controls are straightforward enough to keep the focus on exploration, examining the surroundings and operating machinery rather than demanding particularly precise reflexes. The difficulty comes from understanding how objects, switches and environmental systems fit together, then translating that knowledge into clear instructions for a partner. This is an effective design choice for a game that wants its players to think collaboratively, although the experience is only as smooth as its technical implementation allows. Small interaction problems occur prevent actions from registering and mechanisms that refuse to accept objects. In some cases, restarting an area was necessary to make progress – breaking the immersion momentarily. When a solution fails, it should prompt another discussion or a fresh approach, not leave both players wondering whether they have overlooked a clue or encountered a broken interaction.
Visually, the futuristic setting is a substantial departure from the medieval environments that helped establish the series, but it proves to be a productive change. The Norček facility offers an assortment of laboratories, elaborate machines and unusual architectural spaces that provide more than just attractive backdrops. The design of the rooms is often integral to understanding the puzzles, particularly when gravity, scale and spatial relationships are manipulated to confuse expectations. The contrast between enclosed technological interiors and the snow-covered Antarctic landscape also gives the journey some welcome breathing room. While the graphical presentation is not uniformly spectacular, the environments are varied enough to sustain curiosity about what lies beyond the next door. Some graphical glitches can occur, but the visual direction is still one of the game’s stronger qualities, even if its technical execution does not always match the ambition of its level design.
The audio presentation is more functional than remarkable. The retro-futuristic atmosphere is supported by a synthwave-inspired soundtrack that suits the technological setting, although the music does not always leave a particularly lasting impression. Much of the experience naturally revolves around the conversations between the two players, with the walkie-talkie system reinforcing the sense that they are working from separate locations.
Replayability is another consideration, since the two specialised tools and the different roles they create mean that one playthrough cannot fully reveal both sides of the adventure. Switching roles on a subsequent run offers another perspective on the puzzles and encourages players to revisit situations that previously appeared straightforward from the opposite side. This is a meaningful incentive for anyone who particularly enjoys the process of working through the game’s challenges, although knowing the solutions inevitably reduces the difficulty of repeat attempts. The absence of a Friend Pass is also worth mentioning, as both participants need to purchase the game rather than relying on one copy to bring a partner into the adventure. That makes choosing a suitable companion an important part of the buying decision, especially for newcomers who may not yet know whether this communication-heavy format is for them.
We Were Here Tomorrow is at its best when it trusts its puzzles to carry the experience. The new equipment, imaginative environmental mechanics and frequent shifts in perspective provide a satisfying evolution of Total Mayhem Games’ established cooperative formula. When everything works, solving a demanding puzzle together can be tremendously rewarding, and the futuristic setting gives the series room to explore ideas that would be difficult to accommodate in its earlier environments. For players with a reliable cooperative partner and a taste for demanding communication-based challenges, We Were Here Tomorrow remains a strong entry in the series.
Score: 8.3/10