A while ago I posted my initial thoughts on A Way Out, and now that I've finished the game I'd like to expand on them a bit. A way out is pretty unique, being co-op only, and that remains its biggest strength. Gameplay never really evolves past simple puzzles and QTEs, but this game isn't trying to reinvent the wheel.

The gameplay here is simply a vehicle to move the story along, and it does its job well enough. There were a few times where the next button prompt simply didn't appear, and we had to reload a save or walk around a bit to trigger it, but it didn't mar the experience. A quirk of the game is that most of the puzzles require both players to solve, so you'll need to be in constant communication. I played with my brother, and a really nice feature of the game is that only one player actually needs to purchase it. The other player can just download the demo and join the host's game. 

The story is a classic prison-break tale, but backstory is slowly filled in, and the twist at the end was a genuine surprise. It was well-told and entertaining, and didn't overstay its welcome: A Way Out clocks in at about 6 hours, and there's not a ton of replayability. As I said before, the $30 MSRP is a bit steep, but I got the game on sale for $6 and it was well worth that price. 

While A Way Out does have some techincal issues and isn't the prettiest game out there, it's definitely a breath of fresh air. In a gaming landscape where games cost $70 and are unfinished, lock away paid content, constantly push microtransactions, and in some cases abruptly shut down, we could use more games like this. It's always nice when a developer tries doing something unique and succeeds at it. Definitely check out A Way Out if you've got a friend to play with and a few hours on a weekend to enjoy a good story.