We Were Here Expeditions: The FriendShip arrives free for first month

• Announcements by Jack Allin
• Published:

New "bite-sized" installment in the asymmetrical co-op puzzle series available now for PC and consoles

Total Mayhem's popular We Were Here series began life as freeware, and for its next act is returning to its free-to-all roots – for a little while, anyway.

As with the previous four games in the series, We Were Here Expeditions: The FriendShip is an asymmetrical co-op multiplayer title, playable across all available platforms. Unlike its predecessors, however, here the protagonists are not trapped in a remote Arctic castle but on a boat trying desperately to navigate rough seas as the game begins. Soon the two explorers receive a mysterious distress call that leads them to a "deserted island where an abandoned amusement park filled with puzzling trials" awaits. The only way to solve them is to work together, which means it's time to grab your walkie-talkies (and whatever real-life mode of communication you choose to chat with your partner) and get to work overcoming challenges that will "test your communication, teamwork, and trust."

While the core gameplay of the main We Were Here series remains intact, with two players exploring their own distinct environments and communicating with the other to succeed, The FriendShip marks the first game in a new series of shorter (one to two hours) bite-sized episodes designed to be the "ultimate friendship test." The goal here is not to escape, but to provide a more casual experience that promotes sharing and "having fun together." But there's an incentive to do so effectively, as the success of your teamwork will be rated as you progress. There's no real penalty for failure, but a "personalized, animated end-screen" will be the final proof of whether your friendship "stood tall in the face of such brain-racking adversity."

The best part of all is that starting today, We Were Here Expeditions: The FriendShip is available free to all on PC (Steam, Epic), PlayStation 4 and 5, and Xbox One and Series X|S. The "free" part is only for a limited time, however, as the game will begin being sold commercially (for a nominal budget price) on October 14th. Those who claim it on PC and PlayStation during the free trial month will have unlimited access to the game, and it will remain in players' libraries even after October 14th. The free Xbox version comes with far more restrictions, with only ten total hours of play time. To continue playing on Xbox One or Series X|S beyond October 14th, the game will need to be purchased at its regular retail price.

• Advertisement
• Help support AGH by advertising with us