I need to be honest with those reading this review that the “video game” The Path is not actually a video game. To classify Tale of Tales masterpiece of interactive adventure in storytelling artwork as a game forces expectations on The Path and these expectations would do more harm than good to this brilliant and memorable experience. For those who are expecting a game you will probably be disappointed and those who are open to a new experience will be amazed at how incredible The Path truly is. This is also the hardest review I have ever written because I cannot tell too much about The Path without spoiling the experience which unfolds in a brilliant but slow manner.


The Path is not an experience to be taken lightly at all because it has some very mature themes and moments which may surprise those who are expecting a run of the mill adventure game based on Little Red Riding Hood. What might shock people more is not the actual content of The Path but the actual way the experience unfolds before you as you travel the paths of the forests. So just to clarify this is not something to buy for your kids, no matter how mature you believe them to be, this is an experience is certainly for adults.
The Path is a modern take on the original story of Little Red Riding Hood and you play six sisters who all have a different experience in forest trying to get to Grandmothers house. If you are not familiar with the original fairy tale of Little Red Riding Hood you should know that the story, like all of the original fairy tales are not the bubbly stories we can tell to our children, but dark tales of death, murder, rape, sex, fear and more. It was in modern times that the stories became such tales for children to fall asleep to.

With this modern telling of the original story, Tale of Tales brings a gothic art style and a very dark telling of the story. The art style fits the experience so well, even though the graphics are far from AAA in quality you should prefer them over anything else you can imagine. The music is also excellent and some of the best music you will hear in a game or elsewhere for a long time. It fits so well other games, even those by large AAA development houses with huge budgets have much to live up to. More proof that indie development houses are the best place to find pure innovation.


There is no real user interface in the game other than a quick HUD and as you travel through the forest you will notice that the screen will change from showing you a sister’s face, moving borders which also have potential to show you if you are near something important. If you are lost or wondering where to go next you may see a girl in a white dress who dances through the forest, she is very important and can lead you to the path or areas of interest. The Path is full of wonderful innovative experiences like this and many more for you to discover for yourself.

This review does not tell you much about the game because if I started talking about it I would spoil the experience for you. Unlike all other reviews (at least so far) where you can talk about key features or experiences if I did that it would be wrong. What I can say is that The Path is an experience of exploration and emotion. You should enjoy the game in small doses and not rush your way through because it is a slow experience but a wildly artistic one.

I would LOVE to see this on Xbox Live Arcade or Playstation Network as a downloadable product. It is certainly a game which needs to be played by more people and it is one of those games which should do well on the console platform.

In our podcast of a few weeks ago I mentioned that The Path is a “game” no large development houses would ever do. I still believe this because they would not be willing to take a chance and create an interactive story experience like this. This is certainly the best example of indie innovation in memory. It is a must buy, especially at its low price point.


Overall Score – 9.5/10

Pros
+ You have not seen anything like this
+ Great graphics and audio
+ Wonderful slow paced experience
+ This is the best indie development
+ Love it…

Cons
- … Or hate it, but you will always remember it
- Many people will not get it or give it a chance

Posted by Brian Edey (Falelorn)

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