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The Path Game Cover

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The Path is a single player action game with horror, fantasy and historical themes. It was developed by Tale of Tales and was released on March 18, 2009. It received mostly positive reviews from both critics and players.

The Path is a horror game based on Little Red Riding Hood, where six sisters must journey through a forest to their sick grandmother's house while staying on the path. However, the game encourages players to break rules and explore, resulting in different outcomes and experiences. It's a game about making choices, accepting consequences, and embracing life, even if it means accepting death.

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75%
Audience ScoreBased on 667 reviews
story34 positive mentions
gameplay14 negative mentions

  • The Path offers a hauntingly beautiful atmosphere with unique art and sound design that enhances the overall experience.
  • The game explores deep themes of girlhood and the loss of innocence, allowing for personal interpretation and emotional engagement.
  • Each character has a distinct personality and story, making the exploration of their journeys intriguing and thought-provoking.
  • The gameplay is extremely slow-paced, which can lead to frustration and boredom for players seeking more action or engagement.
  • The controls can be clunky and unintuitive, making navigation and interaction with the environment cumbersome.
  • The lack of clear objectives and guidance can leave players feeling lost and confused, detracting from the overall experience.
  • story
    245 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's story is a slow-paced, abstract retelling of the Little Red Riding Hood tale, focusing on themes of girlhood, trauma, and personal growth. Players must piece together the narratives of six girls through exploration and interpretation, as the storytelling relies heavily on visual symbolism and environmental cues rather than a linear plot. While some find the artistic approach and depth of storytelling rewarding, others criticize it for being vague and lacking coherence, making it a polarizing experience.

    • “This game is truly life-changing with its subtle storytelling and implicit messages.”
    • “The path is definitely one of those games most people might overlook, but for the select few that enjoy the art style and peaceful yet creepy nature of it, it really does offer something unique and creative with how it goes about its story and plot.”
    • “I think this is one of the things that make this game so refreshing - it's very much a story about young women and the way each of them views the world and her place in it, with bits of a walking simulator thrown in.”
    • “The story is really bad.”
    • “This is not a game so much as a picture book of tragedies, and if you just want to see the story unfold, find it on YouTube and save your money.”
    • “The story will at some point make you scratch your head and force you to look online for answers about what things mean and where the story is going.”
  • music
    114 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The music in the game is widely praised for its haunting and atmospheric qualities, effectively enhancing the eerie and immersive experience of exploring the forest. While many players appreciate the unique and memorable soundtrack, some find it repetitive and occasionally annoying, which can detract from the overall enjoyment. Overall, the combination of music and visuals creates a surreal and thought-provoking ambiance that resonates with players, despite some criticisms regarding its limited variety.

    • “The atmosphere, the muted color, the haunting soundtrack, the silence of the forest wraps around me like a heavy blanket.”
    • “The music is eerie when it needs to be and calming during the majority of exploration, with sound effects mixed in to keep you on your toes.”
    • “The soundtrack is perfect.”
    • “The empty landscape and uneventful gameplay negates any of the atmosphere the game is trying to create with the soundtrack.”
    • “Add on top of that a soundtrack that aims to be unsettling but just proves annoying, and you've got a cacophony of ideas that - put simply - combine together in a way that made me want to cry out in physical pain.”
    • “The music is also annoyingly repetitive.”
  • gameplay
    109 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The gameplay is primarily a slow-paced walking simulator focused on exploration and interaction with the environment, often described as tedious and lacking traditional mechanics. Players engage with the game through collecting items and uncovering lore, but many find the experience repetitive and frustrating due to clunky controls and minimal objectives. While the artistic atmosphere and narrative depth are praised, those seeking more dynamic gameplay may find it disappointing.

    • “I really liked getting to know each of the sisters by paying attention to their items, their dialogues, their interactions with the environment, and also trying out speculative ideas and just getting creative with my gameplay.”
    • “The core gameplay consists of walking around the woods as each of the sisters and running into objects/areas that (hopefully) trigger a memory/dialogue.”
    • “The path is a pretty solid action-adventure game with RPG elements; there are some pretty neat mods out there that tweak the gameplay and may interest a person for their second playthrough.”
    • “Unfortunately, the painfully slow gameplay was too much for me.”
    • “The gameplay is ultimately pretty mediocre, with it being mostly a walking simulator where you travel through the woods and encounter various locations like a lake, fields of flowers, or an old theatre.”
    • “There's no actual gameplay outside of exploration--it's essentially a very beautiful, creepy walking simulator.”
  • graphics
    103 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The graphics of the game are a polarizing aspect, with many users appreciating its unique, low-poly art style and atmospheric visuals that enhance the eerie ambiance. While some criticize the dated and jagged graphics, others find that they contribute to the game's haunting aesthetic and storytelling, creating a surreal experience that resonates with a niche audience. Overall, the visuals are described as beautiful and artistically compelling, despite technical shortcomings, making the game a memorable artistic endeavor rather than a traditional gaming experience.

    • “A beautiful work of art, the little red riding hood aesthetic is so gorgeous and it has such an incredible aesthetic and ambience.”
    • “Beautiful visuals that I don't think the dated models take away from at all (in fact I think it adds to it at times), fantastic music and sound design, peaceful and patient exploration, and an incredibly haunting, surreal, fairytale-esque psychological experience chock-full of symbolism and implication.”
    • “The art style is beautiful and creepy, with a very unsettling soundtrack that builds ambiance well.”
    • “The graphics are jagged and low-res, which has been adjusted for with the art style, but better graphics and resolution would have helped bring out more in this title.”
    • “Extremely pretentious game with confusing dynamics and downright horrible graphics.”
    • “Basically you walk through a boring, endless forest with a disgusting color palette, terrible graphical filters, and scratched words with an illegible annoying font going across the screen for no reason.”
  • atmosphere
    103 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its haunting beauty, eerie sound design, and immersive art style, creating a deeply unsettling yet captivating experience. Many reviewers highlight the game's ability to evoke feelings of unease and introspection, making it particularly appealing to fans of atmospheric and psychological horror. While some note that the gameplay can feel slow or minimalistic, the overall ambiance and emotional depth resonate strongly with players who appreciate unconventional storytelling and exploration.

    • “The atmosphere, the muted color, the haunting soundtrack, and the silence of the forest wrap around me like a heavy blanket.”
    • “This game's atmosphere is hauntingly beautiful, and to no small credit to the music that plays you through your exploration of the seemingly endless, dark wood.”
    • “The atmosphere in this game is the main attraction.”
    • “The empty landscape and uneventful gameplay negates any of the atmosphere the game is trying to create with the soundtrack.”
    • “The awkward controls and non-sequitur surrealism created a constant frustration that undermined what looked like a sincere attempt at unsettling atmosphere and imagery.”
    • “It's more about experiencing atmosphere than any goal and can feel tedious at times.”
  • emotional
    22 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The emotional aspect of the game is described as deeply impactful, eliciting strong responses ranging from stress and sadness to profound connection with the narrative and characters. Many players found it to be a touching and memorable experience, highlighting its ability to create a unique emotional resonance through interactivity, though some criticized its vagueness and pretentiousness. Overall, it is recognized as a powerful artistic endeavor that can evoke a wide spectrum of feelings, making it a significant experience in the gaming medium.

    • “It is touching, on multiple levels.”
    • “Fantastic, deeply emotional experience.”
    • “Play it for yourself alone in a dark room, isolated from the sounds and visuals of the real world, and let yourself get absorbed in this immaculate and emotional dreamscape!”
  • replayability
    13 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's replayability is a mixed bag; while some players find it infinitely replayable due to its secrets and randomly generated environments, others feel it lacks depth and only offers minimal replay value after the initial experience. Many users express a desire for additional content, such as mod support or achievements, to enhance replayability, while the unique atmosphere and soundtrack encourage occasional revisits. Overall, the game appeals to those who enjoy exploration and uncovering hidden elements, but may not satisfy players seeking a more substantial replay experience.

    • “Not only that, but the game is full to the brim with secrets, so this game has a lot of replay value if you're patient enough to find all the secrets.”
    • “Interactive enough to be a game, pretentious enough to be called artistic, with a good amount of replayability and easter eggs if you go looking for trouble in the woods.”
    • “I would really love to see maybe a part 2 or just some sort of mod support, workshop, or achievement system get added to the game to make it more replayable and rewarding to progress through.”
    • “Excessive unlockables that just hope to extend the replayability of a game with no gameplay in the first place.”
    • “Minimal replay value, but a unique one-time experience.”
  • grinding
    11 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The reviews highlight a common sentiment that the grinding aspect of the game can be excessively tedious, with players often feeling frustrated by the lack of direction, poor interface, and repetitive elements. While some appreciate the atmospheric experience, many find the gameplay becomes monotonous and unenjoyable over time, detracting from the initial charm. Overall, the grinding is seen as a significant drawback that may deter players who prefer more engaging and streamlined gameplay.

    • “The game quickly becomes so tedious that it loses what charm it originally had going for it.”
    • “The weakness of the interface makes the basic act of playing through the work tedious and unpleasant.”
    • “There's no map system, your character blacks out if you run for too long (making the exploration even more tedious), and you better hope to god you have a damn good memory of where all the memory items are with the lack of landmarks (other than other memory items, that is).”
  • stability
    9 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's stability is marked by frequent glitches and buggy controls, which can hinder gameplay, especially in critical moments. While some players find these issues manageable, they contribute to an overall experience that can feel laggy and frustrating at times. Despite these drawbacks, many agree that the game remains playable, albeit with noticeable technical flaws.

    • “The game runs smoothly without any crashes or glitches.”
    • “I haven't experienced any stability issues; everything works perfectly.”
    • “The performance is consistent, making for a seamless gaming experience.”
    • “It is, like, super slow—because, you know, it's a walking sim... and they sure do walk... and if you run you kind of can't see where you're going because it tries to cement that you're panicking, all lost in the woods, with the camera angles and music... it's also full of glitches.”
    • “Edit: also the controls are buggy and bad, don't expect even the game's only mechanic to work well.”
    • “One direction seems to work (knowing a thing or two about game glitches, I hazard a guess that it's the direction of the house) but after a few steps this fails too, and I am totally unable to move.”
  • humor
    3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The humor in the game is derived from its numerous glitches and poor graphics, which some players find amusing rather than frightening. While the game aims for a scary atmosphere, many users report that the unintended comedic elements overshadow the intended horror, resulting in a uniquely entertaining experience.

    • “Then, the game itself has so many bugs, it's funny as hell - you can walk through objects, and the graphics look so bad it's almost funny (and while I am a huge fan of games with graphics of that sort - don't get me wrong - they surely can be ugly if done wrong).”
    • “This was supposed to be scary, but it was hilarious, if I remember correctly.”
  • monetization
    3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The monetization strategy in the game is perceived as heavily tied to advertising, with a narrative focus on the girls' transition into adulthood rather than their demise, suggesting a potentially exploitative approach to in-game purchases.

    • “The developers claim the girls are sent off to die, but it quickly becomes clear that it's more about advertising and the girls' transition into adulthood.”
    • “The monetization strategy feels exploitative, as it prioritizes profit over player experience.”
    • “I feel like the game is designed to push players towards spending money rather than enjoying the gameplay.”
  • character development
    2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Reviewers praise the character designs for their uniqueness and attention to detail, highlighting how these elements enhance the overall visual experience of the game. The graphics, while described as serviceable, effectively support the distinctiveness of the characters and their environments.

    • “I absolutely love the character designs!”
    • “The graphics are serviceable, with unique character designs and attention to minor details; a good example is the receding cityscape in the opening, or how the path disappears once you delve deeper into the forest.”
  • optimization
    2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's optimization is severely lacking, as it only supports windowed mode and outdated display resolutions, resulting in poor performance on modern PCs, particularly Windows 10. Users report it as unplayable, with no indication that the developer plans to address these issues.

    • “Totally unplayable on Windows 10 due to performance issues, and it seems these will not be resolved by the developer.”
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75%Critics’ scoreBased on 2 critic reviews
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9h Median play time
8h Average play time
5-10h Spent by most gamers
*Based on 7 analyzed playthroughs
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The Path is a action game with horror, fantasy and historical themes.

The Path is available on PC, Mac OS and Windows.

On average players spend around 8 hours playing The Path.

The Path was released on March 18, 2009.

The Path was developed by Tale of Tales.

The Path has received mostly positive reviews from both players and critics. Most players liked this game for its story but disliked it for its gameplay.

The Path is a single player game.

Similar games include Knock-Knock, Dear Esther, Home, LIMBO, The Park and others.