After Us

 PlayStation 5
After Us Image
Metascore
65

Mixed or average reviews - based on 39 Critic Reviews What's this?

User Score
5.9

Mixed or average reviews- based on 30 Ratings

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  • Summary: Play as Gaia, the Spirit of Life, and navigate stunning platforming environments in an abstract world to salvage the souls of extinct animals. Revive these creatures after learning their final fate: the last whale harpooned, the final eagle caged, the last deer hunted down, and more, whilePlay as Gaia, the Spirit of Life, and navigate stunning platforming environments in an abstract world to salvage the souls of extinct animals. Revive these creatures after learning their final fate: the last whale harpooned, the final eagle caged, the last deer hunted down, and more, while you survive encounters with dangerous, oil-covered Devourers that roam the wasteland in search of remaining life.

    In this emotional journey from the creators of the critically acclaimed Arise: A Simple Story, you alone can restore life to the planet.    … Expand

Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 18 out of 39
  2. Mixed: 17 out of 39
  3. Negative: 4 out of 39
  1. PlayStation Universe
    May 23, 2023
    90
    Piccolo Studios has once again managed to take something dark, desolate, and painful and find the beauty in it. After Us is a haunting tale of humanity's atrocities against the planet that hits closer to home than most people would want to accept. The game's mesmerising imagery haunted me at times and at other times had me in awe with its gorgeous vistas and art direction. It may be a simply platformer but it has a power message that everyone should pay attention to.
  2. Finger Guns
    May 23, 2023
    80
    After Us is an atmospheric platforming adventure that leaves you thinking about the beauty in extinction rather than the horrors. With slick controls, appealing environments to explore and a tranquil nonintrusive soundtrack, fans of titles like Journey will likely enjoy the exploration of a surreal and desolate world of post-human life.
  3. Impulsegamer
    May 23, 2023
    80
    After Us a mesmerizing narrative on the PlayStation 5 of hopes, dreams and clever gameplay that also serves as a challenge.
  4. Cubed3
    Jul 29, 2024
    70
    After Us stands as a thought-provoking testament to human responsibility, but it leaves untouched the broader canvas of nature's relentless force. Recognizing both sides of this environmental equation would have offered a more comprehensive perspective on the intricate dance between humanity and the natural world, underscoring the urgent need for responsible stewardship of our planet. The gameplay is serviceable and the game's length won't leave anyone asking for more, but the real showstopper is its gorgeous visuals and ambiance.
  5. GameCritics
    Jul 17, 2023
    65
    Despite its immediate beauty, After Us doesn’t generate the emotional response I would hope for from a title in this genre. Perhaps if it were a bit shorter and more focused, I would have been more motivated to explore and rescue every spirit. Instead, the unpolished platforming and surplus of unnecessary collectibles diluted its intensity. Though there are certainly some memorable moments here, there are simply other titles in the genre that are much more successful at doing what After Us is attempting to accomplish.
  6. MMORPG.com
    May 23, 2023
    60
    I liked After Us in the end, I appreciated the story it told and the imagery it used to tell it (even if most of it was as blunt as blunt gets). However, what could have felt like a two-hour conversation is bloated into a ten-hour lecture series due to overly large worlds with very little to do in them. It seems like there was an internal struggle between "brevity in storytelling" or "filling the world with collectibles," though unfortunately, the solution they reached was far from the most efficient. If you can stomach the slog, there's a beautiful, important message to be heard in After Us. Unfortunately, and ironically, it's buried in excess.
  7. App Trigger
    May 23, 2023
    40
    Unfortunately, what was promised with After Us did not come to fruition due to lackluster design and aspects that worked in contrast to each other rather than cohesively. Instead, we are left with a nice looking world yet below average platformer and hope for what may have been with a worn out “humans killed the planet” trope and poor execution.

See all 39 Critic Reviews

User Reviews

Write a Review
Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 5 out of 6
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 6
  3. Negative: 1 out of 6
  1. Kharador
    May 25, 2023
    10
    Such a beautiful game. I just finished and gave me chills. They've had a great feel for this game and I think it's one of my favorites thisSuch a beautiful game. I just finished and gave me chills. They've had a great feel for this game and I think it's one of my favorites this year. I love how you can control Gaia and the world they have built. Thanks for this game… Expand
  2. AngelRJ
    May 29, 2023
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Hola, probablemente uno de los mejores juegos a los que haya jugado, y tiene unos motivos muy concretos. Aunque el comienzo no sea su fuerte, a los cinco minutos el cambio es drástico, la historia es increíblemente profunda y cuidada al detalle en cada escenario, la crítica social de cada escenario junto a su Banda sonora es algo que te atrapa a mirar cada detalle del juego y olvidar tu alrededor (recomiendo jugarlo con cascos). El sistema de plataforma es probablemente el más genuino que haya jugado ya que solo sientes satisfacción en tus manos, añadiendo al sistema de puzzles de cada "zona del mundo" que es magistral. Un juego que transmite al unisono; temor, riesgo, ansiedad, ternura, aventura, desafío, exploración, es imposible que no te sacie como entretenimiento. Todos estamos de acuerdo que el sistema de batalla queda en un segundo plano, pero es agradable, ya que te enfocas en lo que realmente te atrapa, su jugabilidad y contenido, nada repetitivo y original. Hay una serie de ilustraciones que son pura realidad y a veces son agradables y otra no, de eso se trata. No he podido evitar conseguir el Platino con ansia y satisfacción.… Expand
  4. ReikalaLez
    May 31, 2023
    10
    Overall enjoyed the game very much. The atmosphere, the music and art. Also really liked the platforming and Gaia's heart ability. All theOverall enjoyed the game very much. The atmosphere, the music and art. Also really liked the platforming and Gaia's heart ability. All the areas had ideas and elements that were unique to them. I really wish the combat would have been a bit more interesting though or had something more to it. Also has some frame drops especially when going into new areas.

    Nevertheless still enjoyed the experience as a whole all the way through! Especially liked what they did with the Garden, very very neat!    … Expand
  5. Jt0429
    May 26, 2023
    8
    Good-
    Strong aesthetics, backed by incredible atmospherics and particle effects. Platforming feels very good, thanks to tight controls, while    Good-
    Strong aesthetics, backed by incredible atmospherics and particle effects. Platforming feels very good, thanks to tight controls, while environments and challenges are varied and unique. Storytelling is solid, especially with how each area ties into the fate of each Spirit.

    Bad-
    Frame drops tend to occur during rainy sections. Combat isn't terrible, but also not very exciting. Memories could have provided some interesting Devourer lore but ended up lackluster.

    Thoughts-
    After Us doesn’t reinvent the wheel in platforming and exploration, but it offers very compelling gameplay in both areas. The abstract art style is vivid and raw – all over the place, at times, but in a good way, while the environmental story-telling (outside of the Memories) is solid. Mild performance hiccups can be annoying, and the combat is mostly fine without being extraordinary. However, if you can face your future failures, it’s a somber yet endearing journey down the rabbit hole.    … Expand
  6. Heisneberg
    May 26, 2023
    1
    This was one of the few games I had to put down after playing for a while. Very lackluster combat, poor writing and overall just not fun inThis was one of the few games I had to put down after playing for a while. Very lackluster combat, poor writing and overall just not fun in any way. One of the worst game I've played.… Expand

See all 6 User Reviews

Awards & Rankings

82
#82 Most Discussed PlayStation 5 Game of 2023

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