Compulsion Games has revealed today that their first-person indie game, We Happy Few, is now finally out on Early Access.
The game takes place in a dystopian 1960’s version of England, in the fictional town of Wellington Wells, where most citizens are under the influence of a personality altering drug known as Joy in order to forget all negative memories. The player, Arthur Hastings, is one of the few people who have rejected the use of Joy, leading to him being labeled as a “Downer”.
The main objective of the game is to find a way to escape the town all the while trying to defend themselves from the violent citizens of Wellington Wells. The game is purely based on melee combat and the player has to constantly keep a watch of their hunger and thirst levels.
In order to avoid suspicion, players can take small doses of Joy in order to blend better. If you take too much Joy, Arthur will forget his aim and the game will end.The game also features a time limit, and if this limit is exceeded, the game will end as well.
Perhaps one of the most interesting things about the game is that it features a form of permadeath. If the player is captured by enemies or if they die, then a new game has to be started, and because the town’s layout is procedurally generated, it is different each time.
While no official release date for the game has been given, the developers intend to keep the game in early access from anywhere between 6 to 12 months. You can currently get the game on GOG, Xbox One Game Preview and Steam Early Access for $29.99.
