We Are Chicago is a paid adventure game from Culture Shock Games that does a great job of telling a personal story using video games as a medium. In this indie sim, you assume the role of Aaron. As an African-American teenager growing up in the suburbs of South Side, Chicago, you fight against the challenges of poverty and culture. 

Make the tough choices and defend your family in the way you see fit in We Are Chicago. With representation taken from personal interviews by the devs, it feels like a Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas spinoff with Bully tones.

Experience life beyond the gunfights

We Are Chicago attempts to break the stereotype that has formed in tackling gang violence and African-American culture in general. Usually, games like GTA: SA glamorizes the action and the high-risk, high-reward life. This game focuses on a more personal perspective, which justifies its heavily story-driven gameplay style. Be warned of mature topics though, as Aaron experiences bullying and faces gang members throughout the game.

It ultimately creates a message of hope as Aaron connects with the community in a positive way. The game, set over the course of a week, makes story choices all feel important and urgent. Character designs look like they can use more polishing though. The animation is generally smooth, but it lacks realism especially when characters interact with each other. It makes the game feel less immersive, despite being first-person.

Lastly, the technical aspects make it worse. The released version is rife with bugs that completing a playthrough without them would feel like an achievement in itself. From collision issues to poor camera angles that make it awkward to look at, the devs could definitely use more work on this part. Also, the same goes for the voice acting, lacking emotion and a natural flow.

Great premise, poor execution

It’s hard not to recognize the effort We Are Chicago gives for representation and storytelling in video games. It manages to humanize not just the persisting gang culture in urban areas, but also offers hope for the demographic it supposedly represents. However, as a video game, it suffers from a severe lack of development—from the graphics, animation, and even the voice acting.