Directed and scripted by Josef Fares, winner of the 2019 BAFTA for Best Multiplayer Game, A Way Out is a cinematic experience that is more like an interactive film with alternative endings than a game. Similar to games where two players are required, such as It Takes Two or Unravel Two, this work presents us with a deep and well-crafted narrative, impacting and giving rise to a bond of affection and empathy between the player and the characters. After being sentenced for crimes they didn't commit, Vincent Moretti and Leo Caruso have their fates crossed after helping each other in a prison fight, slowly establishing a bond of trust that intensifies when they discover they have the same enemy, a mobster called Harvey. It's from the moment Vincent creates an elaborate escape plan that the "real" game begins, with both players initially choosing one of the main characters to play.
With intuitive gameplay and a greater focus on visual and narrative elements, A Way Out achieves what many cooperative games fail to do: create an intense narrative and give the player the feeling that they are watching a film rather than playing a typical video game. Accompanied by a series of mini-games hidden in a detailed and rich setting, the player is allowed to deviate slightly from the "Story Mode", exploring the "false open world" that the game establishes (where the settings are minimally explorable). Although there is a lack of many elements that could enrich the gameplay (such as greater freedom to alter the characters' looks and a real open world to explore), such elements would eliminate the "interactive film" experience that the game offers. The sound ambience is superb and the development of both characters as you progress is exceptional. The need for constant co-ordination and help between the players to solve the puzzles is notorious and can lead to memorable moments during the experience for both players. In addition to the puzzles, there are also a few moments where the essence of the game comes together with the setting presented, adopting moments such as car chases in the middle of forest regions reminiscent of Uncharted or brief moments of survival that give a touch of The Forest (but without the cannibals the game is so well known for). Given the nature of the game, it's recommended not to delve too deeply into the story to avoid weakening the experience.
Even though it's a game outside my "gaming comfort zone", A Way Out was a tremendous surprise and one of the games that will go down in my list of "Best Games I Played in 2024". The graphics and sound work deserve to be applauded and the narrative in the construction of the characters of Vincent and Leo is comparable to characters in 70s thrillers (like the film Taxi Driver, for example). This brings this review to a close, giving the game a rating of 8.5/10 and leaving my recommendation to anyone looking for a game to play with a friend or loved one.
With intuitive gameplay and a greater focus on visual and narrative elements, A Way Out achieves what many cooperative games fail to do: create an intense narrative and give the player the feeling that they are watching a film rather than playing a typical video game. Accompanied by a series of mini-games hidden in a detailed and rich setting, the player is allowed to deviate slightly from the "Story Mode", exploring the "false open world" that the game establishes (where the settings are minimally explorable). Although there is a lack of many elements that could enrich the gameplay (such as greater freedom to alter the characters' looks and a real open world to explore), such elements would eliminate the "interactive film" experience that the game offers. The sound ambience is superb and the development of both characters as you progress is exceptional. The need for constant co-ordination and help between the players to solve the puzzles is notorious and can lead to memorable moments during the experience for both players. In addition to the puzzles, there are also a few moments where the essence of the game comes together with the setting presented, adopting moments such as car chases in the middle of forest regions reminiscent of Uncharted or brief moments of survival that give a touch of The Forest (but without the cannibals the game is so well known for). Given the nature of the game, it's recommended not to delve too deeply into the story to avoid weakening the experience.
Even though it's a game outside my "gaming comfort zone", A Way Out was a tremendous surprise and one of the games that will go down in my list of "Best Games I Played in 2024". The graphics and sound work deserve to be applauded and the narrative in the construction of the characters of Vincent and Leo is comparable to characters in 70s thrillers (like the film Taxi Driver, for example). This brings this review to a close, giving the game a rating of 8.5/10 and leaving my recommendation to anyone looking for a game to play with a friend or loved one.