Total Mayhem Games is a Rotterdam-based development group that began with 15 students from the Dutch University of Applied Sciences. A year ago, they released We Were Here, breaking new ground for the adventure genre. While action gamers can regularly shoot at each other and RPG enthusiasts have a plethora of online kingdoms to visit, puzzle-based adventure gaming has traditionally been a lonely hobby.

We Were Here introduced the concept of adventure gaming with a friend and did not require that two people huddle in front of the same screen. You and your friend play the game from your own computers, taking different roles in the story. You communicate in the game by walkie-talkie, using your own headset and microphone. The game received very favorable player reviews on Steam and is available for free.

On February 2nd of this year, Total Mayhem released We Were Here Too, which is described as an “on-line, two player cooperative adventure.” The game takes place in the frozen Antarctic. You and a fellow explorer are lost in a storm and running out of options. You find Castle Rock – a mysterious fortress that provides shelter. Upon entry, you are separated from your team member, with walkie-talkies as your only connection. To escape from Castle Rock, you and your partner will need to be each other’s eyes and ears because neither of you has access to a complete set of facts. Puzzle-solving and survival depend on collaboration and communication.

The original game, We Were Here, is a prequel to this new game and provides context and background history for Castle Rock. However, We Were Here Too is a stand-alone experience that does not require playing the prequel to become fully immersed. Total Mayhem promises that the story will not end here. Their current plan is to produce future episodes that “bring more exploration and cooperative puzzle-solving through communication.”

In my real life, my friends and family think I am a bit foolish because of my long-term passion for adventure games. They fail to understand that puzzles exercise a different side of my brain and that escaping into a virtual world is often just what the doctor ordered after a stressful day of real life. Most would not even consider the idea of playing with me.

Adventurers who find themselves in a similar situation may still be able to play We Were Here Too. The game’s discussion board on Steam has quite a few gamers looking for a partner to collaborate with.

For additional information on We Were Here Too visit the Total Mayhem website. The game is currently available for purchase on Steam.