Game Review #189: The Way Remastered (Nintendo Switch)
Reviewer: Jordan M.
Developer: SONKA
Publisher: SONKA
Category: Platformer/Action/Puzzle
Release Date: 04.20.2018
Price (at time of review): $14.99
Buy The Way Remastered from the Nintendo eShop here.
She's Dead, Jim
The Way Remastered is a remastering of the original game The Way, which released in 2016. The game opens with a fairly dark storyline: your wife is dead and you, her husband, just can't handle this. You apparently have found, by traveling through space to a different planet, a way to possibly bring her back. Now it's up to you to make it happen. Your character will need to break all sorts of rules, defeat all types of enemies, and solve all types of challenges in this dark, touching side scrolling puzzle thriller. Having never played the original, I was excited to try this out. I don't think it disappointed me at all.
Buckle Up
Your character starts out having all kinds of things right off the bat that we must achieve. Our wife is dead, there is somewhere we need to be, and we need to get the hell out of there no matter what it takes. As you progress throughout the map, the game will offer you different objectives as far as specific goals necessary to complete each task. Your objectives at the current time of the game can be brought up by pressing X. A is your typical action button, allowing you to view maps, access computers, and so on. Your character can jump by pressing B. Your character also has the option to crouch, which is necessary for crawling through air vents as well as other things.
There are going to be all kinds of things trying to stop you. Luckily, if you die, the game doesn't really make you start a whole section over, rather just kind of drops you right back to where you previously were a few moments ago. I really enjoyed the depth to the levels. You will find yourself going back and forth over previously explored areas to solve different small puzzles throughout a large area. The game is challenging, but never made me feel too dumb to get it, which sadly some games tend to do for me... sigh. Anyway, each time I figured out a new part of an area, it gave me a small sense of accomplishment. Also, if I may say so, some of the challenges just look pretty cool.
Danse Macabre
For the limited graphics, some of the different environments were honestly awe inspiring. This is a really pretty game, and it has to know it. The attention to detail is clear, and the 2-D mechanics work really well for this game. The soundtrack is something to be noted. I especially appreciate that the game gives you the option to enjoy each track as discovered as a separate feature outside the main game. The graphics are clean and the game action is crisp. I wish the gun aiming action was a little more fluid, but it works fine for what it needs to.
Should You Puzzle Over This?
I really enjoyed this game. I thought the soundtrack was really good and the puzzles challenging and engaging. I like that the story went for a darker tone and sucked me in from the beginning. I enjoy games that do a good job of making you understand what’s going on without endless talking. The game is long enough to be worth the price point. It reminds me a lot of other games I enjoy such as Risk of Rain, Uncanny Valley, etc. as far as graphics. Overall, it’s a game definitely worth grabbing on the Switch if you're looking for something a little different and maybe a little darker as far as puzzlers go.
Score: 8.5/10
Buy The Way Remastered from the Nintendo eShop here.
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*Review Code Provided by MMPR