Through the Woods

I felt like trying something different (I don't usually like horror movies or games) but quit and uninstalled after an hour due to boredom and frustration. I couldn't connect with the main protagonist (the way she tells her story just didn't make me feel much and her yelling was just getting annoying) and I hated that it felt like a walking simulator in seemingly open world that is in fact a set of narrow corridors full of invisible walls and I spent most of my time figuring out where can I actually go without running into a barrier that doesn't make any sense except that the developers don't want you to go there. Made it to a first monster and didn't enjoy the encounter (or the prospect that I was probably supposed to just run away from it, hoping that I'll miraculously avoid the omnipresent invisible walls long enough for it to let me be). Died twice and that was it for me. I'm fully aware of the fact that I've probably only just got through the intro but I can already tell I wouldn't enjoy the rest of this. Sorry.

I kinda pictured this as a beautiful hiking trip through the Norwegian wilderness with some mystic elements .. and was somewhat disappointed. The graphics are OK but far from great even at highest detail level. Also the faces of the few (three) human characters look somewhat ugly/uncanny even when compared AAA titles from 2004 - letting aside to what is state of the art in 2017. The mediocre optics stretch to the surroundings and most of the monsters look somewhat silly instead of terrifying. Which doesn't matter that much as you typically don't survive coming close to them and it's dark anyway. Actually the darkness throughout large parts of the game makes it hard to enjoy the landscape. In a nutshell: there isn't much eye candy in this game. I didn't take a single screenshot - which is a bad sign. Plus I didn't like that shifted "over the shoulder" 3rd person view. Furthermore, there is no open world but levels with a very linear path. Sometimes you can choose between two ways or so, but that's just because you need to sneak around monsters. There is no map or compass or any other kind of in-game display. You can collect a few pointless items which are just displayed as text entries somewhere in the main menu. Also the text pieces you can collect obviously aren't stored anyway to read them again later. So 90% of the game, you just run through the level and try to avoid trolls and the like. Sometimes you need to sneak a bit, but that's neither hard nor thrilling. The only other existing game element is scaring away monster with your torch and that's about it. There are no riddles apart from one thing which might also be a bug: there was a shed with a combination lock close to Erik's house which I didn't find a code for. In the end I tried around 700 of 1000 combinations since no walkthrough mentioned or showed (Youtube) this lock, but there was just another text entry anyway. And well, the ending is 100% predictable from the very beginning. Meh.

I have to start by saying that I did not have high expectations, especially after reading some of the reviews but I said I should give it a shot nonetheless It was worth it. I was on the edge of my seat the entire game. The story is very well written. The horror elements combined with the Norwegian Mythology is a great set-up. Well done to the developers for delivering such an awesome story. The music is great. I loved it. The characters are cool. By the end of the game, you get attached to them. My only complain is that the character's models could have been more polished. I know it's not a high budget game but the team could have taken their time with the models. That's the only "let down" of the game. Through the woods was a cool experience. I am happy I discovered this game. By how the game ended, I would suppose the team could make a sequel. I would play it if they would go for it.

Could be a nice game ... but too frustrating. There is no save and reload option. I played 3 hours and the game kicked me back to the beginning, when I restarded next day. b.s.

What a gem. This is a game for those who like creepy, horror-driven game experiences but who don't want puzzle or combat based gameplay (which is most horror stories these days). Through the Woods meets these expectations wonderfully. What's scarier than wandering through the woods at night in the dark? The game is brimming with Norse folklore, and it's set in a beautiful Norwegian forest. Yes, other reviewers are correct that the human character models aren't very good, but it hardly matters as they are rarely onscreen, and the rest of the game is eye-popping on max settings. It's atmosphere is super creepy and immersive, and the dread the environment causes in the player is satisfied by multiple mythical monster encounters in which the threat is quite real - these beasties will kill you. You have to learn how to sneak by them or to expose their weakness to temporarily ward them off. Some have commented on the game's short length, but I suspect those reviewers are not letting themselves play the game as intended. This narrative is all about exploration, and there are lots of secret areas to find that enrich the story. I clocked in at over 5 hrs of gameplay before I finished, which is more than enough for a solid game. But I also didn't rush through the game. This game never imposes a deadline on you, and it shouldn't be approached as a list of tasks to complete, but as a world to enjoy. The more you let yourself just experience the world, and react the way your avatar would realistically react in each context, the more satisfying the experience will be. I also lvoe that this is a totally non-American narrative; it's pretty terrifying in places, and this being horror, you will not find a happy ending by the end. Let it be what it is, in all its mythical glory. Not a perfect game, but a very satisfying experience.