We Happy Few puts players in the role of Arthur, a man living under constant pain and forced cheerfulness in a walled city built on lies. The 2018 release asks players to forget the war, forget the dead, and remember nothing. That tension drives the whole game.
Arthur’s Memory
Arthur can’t remember the war. He can’t remember his wife. He can’t remember why he’s being hunted. That forgetting is the point. The city wants its citizens happy, and happiness means forgetting. Players move through this world by taking pills, fighting, and hiding, while Arthur’s memories keep pushing back against the cheerful order around him.
Waking Up
We Happy Few asks players to wake up Arthur from the lie of his life. The game does this through a series of missions that force Arthur to face what he’s forgotten:
- Finding his wife’s diary
- Recovering old photographs
- Talking to people who remember the truth
- Learning the history of the war and the city
Each mission chips away at the cheerful surface, revealing a darker world underneath. Arthur’s journey isn’t a straight line. It moves back and forth between memory and forgetting, between the pill-induced cheer and the sharp edge of reality.
The City
The setting is a walled city under constant watch. Guards patrol the streets. The city’s leaders want everyone to be happy, and that happiness is enforced. Arthur moves through narrow alleys, open squares, and guarded checkpoints, always looking for a way out.
Combat is simple but effective. Players fight with knives, pipes, and other improvised weapons. Stealth is often the better option, since the guards know Arthur’s face and will chase him down if spotted.
Technical Issues
The game is not without problems. Frame drops and technical issues were present across platforms, though the extent varied depending on hardware.
Ranking the Experience
- Arthur’s character arc is the strongest part of the game.
- The world design supports a grim, believable setting.
- Combat stays tight and easy to learn.
- Technical issues hold back the experience on some systems.
- The ending feels rushed compared to the build-up.
We Happy Few is a solid, if flawed, exploration of a city built on lies. Arthur’s struggle to remember is compelling, and the world around him is well-built. The technical issues, especially on lower-end machines, keep the experience from fully delivering on its promise.
