Screenshots & trailers
Review sentiment over time
Weekly positive-review rate (green) and review volume (bars). Dashed lines mark significant patches; the amber line is the start of the current scoring window. Hover the dots to see what drove a dip or a jump.
How this score was computed
The VGC Score is a weighted blend on a press-comparable 0-100 quality scale. Steam approval rates are first calibrated (95% positive on Steam ≈ 89.5 quality, since Steam approval skews high). Press and tracked creator reviews each count ~2x a player review and share one cap against player evidence (creator buy/skip calls pool into an approval rate, calibrated like Steam approval); all-time sentiment is capped and halved (it's context, not verdict); reviews of the current build carry the most weight when a fresh patch anchors the window; and a 'typical game' prior keeps small samples from pegging the scale. Because press reviews and Metacritic user aggregates describe the launch build, their weight decays as the game ages (3-year half-life after a 1-year grace). That's how a game that launched rough can outgrow its old reception once updates win players over. Reviews under 2h playtime (the refund window), non-Steam activations, and free copies are downweighted.
| Component | Positive | Quality (0-100) | Weight (pseudo-reviews) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Press reviews (OpenCritic) | – | 63 | 39 |
| Creator reviews (4 tracked) | – | 73 | 2 |
| All-time Steam reviews | 77% | 72 | 1000 |
| Metacritic user ratings | – | – | 0 |
| Post-patch Steam reviews (trust-weighted) | 92% | 86 | 11 |
| Calibration prior (typical game) | – | 72 | 50 |
Scoring window: last 30 days (no significant patch detected) · 32 reviews sampled · 27 total reviews in window · weighted 23.9 up / 2 down · computed 2h ago · full methodology →
Press & Creators reviews (109)
Individual verdicts from outlets we track: scored reviews first, most trusted outlets first among them. The small badge is each outlet's trust score: how well its scoring history aligns with players.
- 35
“We Happy Few simply has too many technical issues to warrant a recommendation. Sure, the story and aesthetic may be cool, but the game falters in just about every other department. Bugs, performance issues, boring quests, annoying mechanics, etc.”
read full review ↗ - 20
“Unfocused in both its plot and gameplay, We Happy Fews completely misses the mark and does a huge disservice by spreading old stigmas associated with mental health issues.”
read full review ↗ - 65
“We Happy Few Has such a cool atmosphere, interesting world and clever story that is can easily be considered “an heir to BioShock”. In that case why did the developers opt to fill the game with tons of ludicrous content and made the player chase butterflies for dozens of hours? The world should be smaller, the gameplay better and the game shorter. A bit of a letdown.”
read full review ↗ - 60
“As the hours wore on, my love affair with We Happy Few began to chip away as more and more bugs and gameplay shortcomings popped up. The real saving graces for the game lie in its concept, story, and setting.”
read full review ↗ - 50
“As it stands, the game’s early comparisons to BioShock were far too kind, and I would not recommend We Happy Few to anyone.”
read full review ↗ - 60
“We Happy Few is a warning to any developer about the vision and ambition of a game overtaking the ability of the team to deliver all aspects of it.”
read full review ↗ - 50
“Although We Happy Few makes a strong first impression, it's hampered by half-baked gameplay systems and a lack of crucial quality-of-life features.”
read full review ↗ - 70
“The combination of tension, exploration, intrigue, and survival made for an strong artistic foundation for Compulsion Games to build their story upon. They’ve created something special here, and I hope they continue to do good story work going forward. We Happy Few’s stealth and combat, on the other hand, needed more work. While the game encourages you to seek out additional playthroughs, they only serve to cast a harsh light on the fundamental mechanics. And that’s a bitter pill to swallow.”
read full review ↗ - 50
“We Happy Few isn't bad per se, but it's a very near miss, as the game comes right up to the brink of collapsing in upon itself from its many missteps. The game offers such an intriguing backdrop for its world, and really grand art, that whenever it's more focused and non-procedural, it's a grand old time. These spikes of enjoyment are however far too infrequent given the scale and running time of the title, often times leaving you floundering amid strong art direction and music without a real desire to actually play what's on offer.”
read full review ↗ - 65
“Overall, the game could have been something amazing. Alas, that’s not the case. It stands between being mediocre and exceptional, making it feel like “meh”. You can still find some fun out of it, but that all depends on how you wish to take on the game. I personally felt like the gameplay hasn’t done the plot justice as it’s one of the more interesting ones in today’s current generation of games. So give it a shot if you feel like it and try to see what fun you can get out of We Happy Few.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“While this may not be what many players originally envisioned the launch version of We Happy Few being like, it’s hard to deny that it’s one of the more consistently interesting open-world games I’ve played, sporting deeply enjoyable lore and writing that make up for some gameplay shortcomings.”
read full review ↗ - 40
“It calls up any real experience of anxiety lickety split. But the threat's easy to escape and even easier to forget. The difference between a great idea and a great story is subtle, but important.”
read full review ↗
cublikefoot
Hu3br
GRYOnline.pl
Total Gaming Network
VGChartz
Cubed3
PC Invasion
Too Much Gaming
Push Square
PlayStation Galaxy
Killa Penguin
The Escapist…and 97 more tracked reviews.
Patch history
- Update 1.9 dropping on Monday, November 11.Nov 8, 2019significant · resets scoring window
- Update 1.8 is live!Jul 26, 2019significant · resets scoring window
- Arcade Mode and update 1.7 now live!Mar 25, 2019significant · resets scoring window
- Arcade Mode and Update 1.7!Mar 22, 2019
- We Happy Few 1.6 is live!Jan 25, 2019significant · resets scoring window
- We Happy Few 1.5 is live!Oct 23, 2018significant · resets scoring window
- We Happy Few 1.4 now liveSep 24, 2018significant · resets scoring window
- We Happy Few 1.3 Hotfix now liveAug 18, 2018
- We Happy Few 1.3 - Hotfix (Live on Beta branch)Aug 17, 2018
- Weekly Journal - Quick Production updateApr 20, 2018significant · resets scoring window
- Weekly Journal - Last journal as we know it!Mar 9, 2018significant · resets scoring window
- Weekly Journal - Last journal as we know it!Mar 9, 2018significant · resets scoring window
- Weekly Journal - Release schedule update and introducing SallyJan 19, 2018significant · resets scoring window
- Weekly Journal - Release schedule update and introducing SallyJan 19, 2018significant · resets scoring window
- Production Update and Story TeaserJan 19, 2018
- Production Update and Story TeaserJan 19, 2018
- Weekly Journal - Happy New Year!Jan 12, 2018significant · resets scoring window
- Weekly Journal - Happy New Year!Jan 12, 2018significant · resets scoring window
- Weekly Journal - Happy Holidays!Dec 15, 2017significant · resets scoring window
- Weekly Journal - Happy Holidays!Dec 15, 2017significant · resets scoring window
- Weekly Journal - Yuletide UpdateDec 8, 2017significant · resets scoring window
- Weekly Journal - Yuletide UpdateDec 8, 2017significant · resets scoring window
- Weekly Journal - Eye of the stormOct 6, 2017significant · resets scoring window
- Weekly Journal - Eye of the stormOct 6, 2017significant · resets scoring window
- Weekly Journal - Production update and regional price adjustmentSep 8, 2017significant · resets scoring window
- Weekly Journal - Production update and regional price adjustmentSep 8, 2017significant · resets scoring window
- 44776 - Life in Technicolour Hotfix 2Aug 28, 2017
- 44776 - Life in Technicolour Hotfix 2Aug 28, 2017
- Weekly Journal - Joy DivisionAug 25, 2017significant · resets scoring window
- Weekly Journal - Joy DivisionAug 25, 2017significant · resets scoring window
- 44631 - Life in Technicolour Hotfix 1Aug 22, 2017
- 44631 - Life in Technicolour Hotfix 1Aug 22, 2017