The Way

The Way is a thought-provoking tale about life and death, but its lackluster gameplay continually frustrates.

Even if you've never played the games that inspired this one, all you really need is a love for adventure games and science fiction. As long as you're willing to consult a guide whenever you get stuck, you'll find this to be a fascinating adventure with a relatable emotional core.

The Way isn't perfect. The wonky checkpoint system and the underlying feeling that the design was built on artificial padding makes the title feel a bit disingenuous. However, most of the puzzles can be fun because of the powers at your disposal, and the story is gripping enough that you'll want to see things through until the end, even if the game starts to grate. It may not completely capture all of the traits of earlier side-scrolling puzzle platformers, but it's worthy of a look from genre fans.

The Way has a lot going for it: the world is interesting, the puzzles are testing, and it has a wonderful charm. The movement is precise enough to make the platforming work, and controlling the powers is never an effort. Worth a punt if you’re looking for something a little retro this summer.

Drinking from the same fountain of the games the Way is inspired, it delivers a beautiful story, art and gameplay.

If you feel nostalgia for classic arcade adventure games from the Nineties like Flashback and Another World, you should not miss this one. But be aware of it's unforgiving level design.