The world has succumbed to pollution and consumption at the hands of humanity and you are Gaia, the Spirit of Life, tasked by the great Mother with locating the souls of the last of the world’s animals and returning them to a sanctuary called The Ark. That’s the premise of After Us, the latest game from the folks behind the quietly great Arise: A Simple Story, and after getting the chance to play through its opening moments it’s a journey I’m keen to see through to the end.
To achieve this lofty goal, you’ll traverse a ruined twisted post-extinction version of Earth, using your spritely powers to navigate the busted-up remnants of humanity, avoid oily hazards and tussle with the hulking post-human “Devourers.”
I was able to play the first 90 minutes of After Us, which seemed like the perfect amount of time to get an understanding of how it all comes together. In that time I made my way through a handful of environments comprising suburbs and skyscraper cities, giant highways and parking garages and more, following a linear path in which my progress was marked by my position on a constellation nap as well as the occasional “permanent oasis” that would act as a fast travel point.
Moving across these areas takes a combination of Gaia’s ability to sprint, jump, glide, wallrun and release bursts of life that can (mostly temporarily) cover the immediate area in lush greenery. Combining these forms the core of the game’s exploration and platforming and, despite some occasional foibles with the somehow simultaneously floaty and stiff jumping physics, it’s satisfying in action. Optional animal spirits pepper every area to give you some added optional challenge in finding them, and you’re spurred ever forward by the huge and somberly gorgeous environments you find yourself in.
Though a large portion of the threat of death in After Us comes from the world itself – falling from heights, being pulled into deadly goo, among other things – there’s also a pseudo-combat element to the game. In the short time I was able to play the enemy encounters were probably my least-favourite component. It’s simple stuff, mostly just asking the player to fire a ball of energy that Gaia possesses at the baddies until they disappear, but this definitely feels more like a game that could completely hold its own sans any kind of conflict.
Of course there’s still plenty of time for things to change up over the course of the game, as what I played covered maybe a quarter of the journey at most.Right at the end of my preview I was able to witness the game’s multiple paths of progression, reaching a point where my path forked three ways with a new animal spirit to rescue at the end of each one. While I don’t anticipate the order that you do these things in having any lasting effect, I’m sure having the choice at all will be appreciated.
Although I have some concerns gameplay-wise, After Us seems poised to be another great, surrealistic indie experience in the manner of games like Journey, Inside, Vane or The Pathless. It’s also wonderful to behold, the rich and incredibly unreal locations I’ve seen so far painting an especially bleak picture of humanity having finally met the result of its deeds, and then giving way to immense beauty when the natural and spiritual worlds are allowed to creep back in.
After this small tasteI’m keen to see where the game’s themes find themselves by the end, where else Gaia’s journey takes her, and how the exploration and combat mechanics evolve over time. There’s not long to wait, either, with After Us launching on PS5/Xbox Series X|S and PC on May 23rd.
