A Way Out is very unique. I'd call it both a callback to older video games, and a testament to how far games have come in the past decade.
I say this because it's pitch is simple: a modern, story-driven game, combined to an old-school, couch multiplayer game. That is a very interesting pitch, and in the most part, it's executed quite well.
First off, the game has good ideas. For example, I thought playing the whole game in split-screen was really dumb at first. Then I realised it was a very good idea, as it really gives you the impression of being on the same couch as your friend. There's one instance where splitscreen is super dumb though as it directly contradicts gameplay, a moment which I won't spoil. But overall, this is the kind of really good idea A Way Out has. Hell, the pitch itself is a great idea: escaping prison with a friend ? That sounds cool !
The story is really good. It's a bit basic, but the characters are very enjoyable, their backstories are interesting, their dynamic is good... There's more to it than just "get out of prison". There are a few interesting plots in here as well, making the story the best part of this multiplayer game, which feels weird, but is what the game aims for.
As for gameplay, A Way Out focuses on variety more than quality. The game isn't that great in this department. a lot of the game is just a QTE basically, but the context of those QTEs are what make it interesting. It's also great that the game changes up its gameplay so often, because it would get really boring really quickly if not. The little minigames you can face your partner in are probably the best parts of this game apart from teh story.
However, this game does have its problems. As I said, the gameplay isn't the best thing out there. I've heard that It Takes Two does a way better job at this.
Also, the shooting sucks. It isn't enjoyable at all. You could say the same thing about stealth. For 90% of the game, this isn't a problem. However, the last 10% is mostly gunfighting, and those final 10% are easily the worst part of the game. See, every variation in the gameplay is fun because you only get to do it occasionaly. The first time we got a gun, I was really jealous of my friend because he was the one with it. My friend told me it wasn't the most enjoyable shooting he'd done, but who cares ? After all, this was just a one off. Like I said earlier, the gameplay isn't the greatest, but the context, the scarcity of the different phases of gameplay is what makes them enjoyable. So, when the game showers you in its terrible shooting, the fact that it isn't good isn't an excuse anymore, since you're not ecstatic about finally getting a weapon anymore.
And finally: the whole thing feels cheap. The animations are stiff, the cutscences often have robot-faces, the art-style feels like they tried to hide the fact that they couldn't do the best job at making the game look good, and so they decided to make it a cartoony, simplistic artstyle, which doesn't really fit the tone of the game, and that simply makes everything look like it's made of plastic.
This was however a very enjoyable time, maybe a bit too long, especially during the previously mentioned final 10%, but a good story, enjoyable enough, varied gameplay should make for a great time with a friend. A Way Out manages to fulfill its ambitious vision, without perfectly executing it sure, but for a first try at what I would call a new genre of games, this is very promising.
I say this because it's pitch is simple: a modern, story-driven game, combined to an old-school, couch multiplayer game. That is a very interesting pitch, and in the most part, it's executed quite well.
First off, the game has good ideas. For example, I thought playing the whole game in split-screen was really dumb at first. Then I realised it was a very good idea, as it really gives you the impression of being on the same couch as your friend. There's one instance where splitscreen is super dumb though as it directly contradicts gameplay, a moment which I won't spoil. But overall, this is the kind of really good idea A Way Out has. Hell, the pitch itself is a great idea: escaping prison with a friend ? That sounds cool !
The story is really good. It's a bit basic, but the characters are very enjoyable, their backstories are interesting, their dynamic is good... There's more to it than just "get out of prison". There are a few interesting plots in here as well, making the story the best part of this multiplayer game, which feels weird, but is what the game aims for.
As for gameplay, A Way Out focuses on variety more than quality. The game isn't that great in this department. a lot of the game is just a QTE basically, but the context of those QTEs are what make it interesting. It's also great that the game changes up its gameplay so often, because it would get really boring really quickly if not. The little minigames you can face your partner in are probably the best parts of this game apart from teh story.
However, this game does have its problems. As I said, the gameplay isn't the best thing out there. I've heard that It Takes Two does a way better job at this.
Also, the shooting sucks. It isn't enjoyable at all. You could say the same thing about stealth. For 90% of the game, this isn't a problem. However, the last 10% is mostly gunfighting, and those final 10% are easily the worst part of the game. See, every variation in the gameplay is fun because you only get to do it occasionaly. The first time we got a gun, I was really jealous of my friend because he was the one with it. My friend told me it wasn't the most enjoyable shooting he'd done, but who cares ? After all, this was just a one off. Like I said earlier, the gameplay isn't the greatest, but the context, the scarcity of the different phases of gameplay is what makes them enjoyable. So, when the game showers you in its terrible shooting, the fact that it isn't good isn't an excuse anymore, since you're not ecstatic about finally getting a weapon anymore.
And finally: the whole thing feels cheap. The animations are stiff, the cutscences often have robot-faces, the art-style feels like they tried to hide the fact that they couldn't do the best job at making the game look good, and so they decided to make it a cartoony, simplistic artstyle, which doesn't really fit the tone of the game, and that simply makes everything look like it's made of plastic.
This was however a very enjoyable time, maybe a bit too long, especially during the previously mentioned final 10%, but a good story, enjoyable enough, varied gameplay should make for a great time with a friend. A Way Out manages to fulfill its ambitious vision, without perfectly executing it sure, but for a first try at what I would call a new genre of games, this is very promising.