When They Arrived
Released Jan 2019
Alan went hunting in his grandfather's country house. There was an invasion of the aliens. Cities are destroyed. You need to use survival skills and ingenuity to survive and save the planet. Build, explode, explore the world, develop your skills, try all ways to stop the aliens invasion."What would I do after the alien invasion?
35% positive · 130 reviews
Not yet
Released, but development status unclear
Low confidence
Development Uncertain
Not yet
Released, but development status unclear
Low confidence
Development Uncertain
Where to buy
Steam $3.99
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Evaluation
When They Arrived released on January 7, 2019, after a period in Early Access. The developer shipped several meaningful updates during Early Access, culminating in version 0.9 on January 9, 2019 (which included a Mars location and exited Early Access), followed by a v1.0 patch on February 20, 2019 and a v1.1 feature update on June 20, 2019.
In August 2019, the developer posted an important announcement stating they planned to completely rework the game's world, plot, concept, and graphics from scratch, citing feedback that the implementation hadn't lived up to the idea. Then on October 14, 2019, they announced they had begun work on a separate project called "When They Arrived Remastered," to be developed from the ground up with a different plot, graphics, and features.
That October 2019 post is the last communication from the developer. As of June 27, 2026 — more than six and a half years later — no further updates, patches, or announcements have been made. The current store description still describes the Mars location as "not yet added to the game" and claims the team is "in progress of its deep development," which has not been delivered. The promised Remastered project has never resurfaced. Given the extended silence following announced plans that were never fulfilled, the status of this game and its associated projects is deeply uncertain.
Evidence
Developer announced the start of 'When They Arrived Remastered,' a full ground-up rebuild with a new plot, graphics, and features. This is the last known communication from the developer.
Developer stated they plan to completely rework the game's world, plot, concept, and graphics due to player feedback about poor implementation.
Media
Details
Developer
Publisher
Second Reality
Achievements
—
Platform
Windows
Controller
—
Steam Deck
Not rated
Players
Single-player
About this game
The protagonist went hunting in his grandfather's country house. There was an invasion of the aliens. Cities are destroyed. You need to use survival skills and ingenuity to survive and save the planet. Build, explode, explore the world, develop your skills, try all ways to stop the invasion of the aliens.
"What would I do after the alien invasion?"
It's a question you've probably asked yourself, and it's a question we want to help you answer!
Key features:
- you are completely free in action and a huge world to research ;
- build, blow up and defend from enemies;
- mine ores, use it to create various useful objects ;
- hunt wild boars and deer, as they can become an excellent sources of food, but beware of bears and wolves ;
- construct various structures, including traps ;
- look for provisions, drive on an old ATV among a bunch of enemies;
- study the legend of the 'Witnesses of the second coming ', perhaps there you will find some answers;
- increase your combat skills and not only (for this there is a especial panel of cards);
- survive by fighting with an enemy unknown to you, try to have an influence on the invasion and much more;
- collect the parts and find the blueprints to create a "mini - mole hole";
- repair the spacesuit, collect all the equipment you need, and go to Mars to destroy the bridgehead of the aliens.
Mars in When They Arrived
Mars location has not yet been added to the game, but the team is in progress of its deep development. In the further updates, we'll polish and add it.
Now we are working on implementation of the most realistic conditions and the gameplay on Mars so you can completely immerse yourself in the atmosphere of the game and the red planet!
Are these done yet?
Last evaluated Jun 27, 2026
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