Indie games are such a great space for expression and experimentation. Some of those great games come out to big shows like Summer Game Fest, and one of those is Way To The Woods. An adventure puzzle game announced when the singular developer was only sixteen years old, it's admittedly been a second since the public eye was on it. Now it's playable and was in my hands for about fifteen minutes, and what I played was nothing short of serene. Considering I was heading into my final day and it was the first of ten appointments, serenity was needed.
My time began with me being asked about who you are and who your favorite is. I went with my name and the name of my cat. The game seems to title the momma deer and fawn with those designations, which has me a tad hesitant. In a game where memories seem to be important from the introduction, I’m concerned this could end up a sadder story than we might hope for. That, and I’ve seen Bambi; I know how stories about deer can end.
The good news is that the gameplay is more chill than my worries. Controlling the momma deer, you’ll explore different areas in order to progress towards an end goal. What that is, I’m not exactly sure, but it does seem like these deer are out of place and looking for home. After all, I doubt a deer wants to live in an abandoned subway or aquarium. All of the visuals are done in a minimalist style, which drives home the subdued tone and feel.
To move forward, this momma deer seems to have a special ability. She can harness the power of light. All of the places I visited had something blocking my path which required more power than I had. In order to gain more, you’ll uncover random items – like cellphones or walkie-talkies – from which to siphon light. The game takes on a bit of a point-and-click feel at times, necessitating your trotting around the local area and trying to understand how to get the next power boost to finish the level.
Using the same light power, you can eliminate dark goop that litters the surrounding environment. By doing this, I found those specific items to help raise my power meter. The aquarium has an extremely cool way of utilizing this mechanic, as you are able to guide the fish using your light ability. As you move them across the aquarium tunnel (think of the ones you walk through and see all the aquatic creatures), they clear the goop away, which eventually paves the way for you to light up a switch and open the door to the next section.
I appreciate the fact that Way To The Woods isn’t rushing you anywhere. It’s nice to take your time as you play a game, and beyond my appointment time limit (something that won’t plague anyone but me), I was able to go at my own pace. There isn’t a lot to find outside of your task at hand, but you come across notes and newspapers. This world was quite possibly abandoned, leaving the animals to inhabit it, but if that theory is correct, we’ll have to wait for the full release to tell that narrative. What was funny was how the game dealt with these papers – you’re told you’re just a deer, and they can’t read.
There is some slight confusion on certain theming in what I played. Mechanical mice assist you in the opening area, but then the next two spots have actual cats and fish. I’m unsure why the demarcation exists for one species but not another besides it being a puzzle element. I do like the idea of these different animals helping each other to get home, however.
Lastly, the lofi soundtrack is excellent. Composed by aivi & surasshu of Steven Universe fame, it exudes relaxation. The piano fits the overall tone of Way To The Woods, effective at delivering the calm mood the game has inside.
Looking for something simple? Trying to unwind? Way To The Woods has the right vibes for you. While we don’t have any semblance of a release window, here’s hoping that its appearance at Summer Game Fest, and its promised Xbox Game Pass arrival, places it in the near future.
