Follow Us Preview

Few things are as stressful as trying to instruct someone on a task over the phone. While humans might have invented language, that doesn’t always mean we’re great at communicating with each other in some circumstances. That’s the focus of developer Game Atelier’s latest title, Follow Us. A friend and I had the chance to try out the game in Early Access to see just how well we communicate in stressful situations. 

So, first things first, there’s not really a plot of note here, although there is a setting: essentially, in the future, people live entirely through their screens, and you’re working for a very shady channel called Follow Us. Your mission, as it stands, is to keep the public entertained and make sure that you stay alive. If I’m honest, I kind of wish that this element were actually more prevalent in the game, such as having a chat window in the corner or an audience review, but that’s not the case currently, and it feels like a missed opportunity.

In terms of the actual gameplay, you basically have one player as the “guy in the chair” looking through cameras. This character is the only one with a map and has access to certain abilities depending on the game mode you’re playing. For instance, in the first mode, you can help to slow down the mannequins that chase the other player, while in the second, you’ll use a set of DJ equipment to help find discrepancies on the map. It’s an interesting amount of variation, but the issue is that you’ll often be experiencing a very different set of emotions compared to the other player. It’s also possible to swap who does what for each mission, which can help add some variety, as there are currently only three levels.

See, the other streamer is actually in the map, and in the horror-focused game modes, it’s very stressful. Now, I can only guess that this is the idea, with the other player having to guide someone who’s in a more hectic situation. In a sense, it kind of works, but the horror isn’t quite there just yet in the two horror-focused modes. That being said, the third option you can play has you looking for differences between the two player perspectives, and it is certainly stressful. However, the actual explanation given for the mechanics leaves something to be desired. 

I think part of the problem is that, at least in the two more horror-focused missions, there’s not really any interaction with the fear for the viewer. There was one moment when a mannequin climbed through the monitor, but it was very brief, and nothing came of it. There’s also the issue that the watcher doesn’t always have that much to do, so I’d like to see later maps give a bit more power to the person in the chair, while offering the other player more ability to help empower the player in the chair. For instance, I’d like to see a map in which the first player can shock monsters through the cameras, but the second player needs to find the circuits for the ability as they navigate the map.

Overall, it’s an interesting take on a multiplayer game, but there’s currently one slight issue I can see: Follow Us is clearly a game for streamers, rather than one that the average person will see much point in playing. Now, that isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but it does make it hard to really recommend at this point. However, this could change as the game’s production continues, so we may see features like leaderboards that could help to push groups to play against each other. 

One thing I will say is that the visuals are impressive; they’re a nice mix of retro and realistic, and the music also helps to set the tone. I'd like to see the camera resolution higher, as it's hard to see on the first map, especially spotting the mannequins on a smaller screen. 

Follow Us has some interesting ideas, and there is certainly room to grow. So, if you have a friend you like to boss around, then Follow Us could be perfect, but I would wait a bit for some more varied levels before you do.