Backwoods Entertainment were good enough to bestow upon me a demo version of their upcoming game, We Stay Behind. The game, rich in story, takes place in a small and strange fictional town called Laburnum Creek that faces imminent danger. Taking on the role of successful journalist, Laura Tanner, you are sent to find answers to the many questions surrounding the quaint, mysterious town.

The We Stay Behind Demo

While the We Stay Behind demo is relatively short-lived, it more than serves its purpose of giving you a taste of what’s to come in the finished product. It gives you a good test of what the finished game has to offer while, at the same time, not giving anything away and leave you wondering what exactly is around the next corner.

Furthermore, finishing the We Stay Behind demo one time only will leave many unexplored dialogue options. This at least gives you the opportunity to explore more paths and get a little more longevity and gather a little more information on the ill-fated residents of Laburnum Creek.

The Sounds of We Stay Behind

We Stay Behind immediately sets the scene and lays down the chilled-out and relaxing vibes. The chirping birdsong emitting from high above in the forest canopy, perfectly compliments a mellow tune that sedately plays as you explore the picturesque town of Laburnum Creak. The closest example I can think of are the gentle, tranquilizing tones of Minecraft.

At this point, it’s also worth noting that there are no voice actors in We Stay Behind. Personally, I preferred reading the subtitles and strongly feel that any actual voices would have intruded on the calming bubble the game had shrouded me in.

We Stay Behind – Graphics

Laburnum Creek, with its sprawling forests; long-winding roads; grassy landscapes and expansive lake, not only makes it the perfect place for relaxation and wildlife but also to showcase graphics. Here, We Stay Behind, makes good use of opportunities by hitting home with stunning lighting effects, beautiful scenery and all-round graphically delicious. There were a few moments when first entering a building that didn’t quite look right but bearing everything else in mind, this was quite easily forgiven.

The Problems with We Stay Behind

For all of its graces, We Stay Behind comes with a few niggling aspects that, with luck, should be fixed before the game is fully released. The actual control scheme follows a traditional WASD format, with the mouse being moved to control the camera angle. I found the camera to be particularly awkward, it was just way too sensitive. Sadly, the game’s options never helped out much here, which was a shame.

Additionally, the speed at which you traverse Laburnum Creek is ridiculously slow. I get it, it somewhat helps immerse you in your surroundings. However, walking anything over any distance quickly became tedious.

Some may say the lack of voice-acting should be put under this heading but, as mentioned earlier, I strongly feel any actual voices would have broken the spell. Besides, you can always just do the voices yourself if you’re missing them, like everyone else.

We Stay Behind – Summary

We Stay Behind throws you into a wonderfully luscious world of awe-inspiring scenery, relaxation and slow movement speed. It’s more than evident that the world of We Stay Behind was lovingly crafted by the guys and gals at Backwood Entertainment and for this, they definitely deserve the kudos that will likely be coming their way. They do, however, have a few minor creases to iron out before this hidden gem is officially released.

Keep your eyes on the game’s Steam Store page for the soon to come release.