The Way Home: Pixel Roguelike

About

"The Way Home: Pixel Roguelike" is a Role Playing game with pixel art graphics and roguelike mechanics. It offers an intriguing and wholesome story, along with sensational soundtrack and good visuals. Despite some bugs and annoying ads, the game provides lots of grinding, replayability and moments that will make you laugh.

Genres & Tags

Role Playing

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

The Way Home: Pixel Roguelike screenshot

86%

Audience ScoreBased on 5,979 reviews

story388 positive mentions

monetization1.4k negative mentions

Charming graphics and engaging gameplay make it a fun experience.
The game offers a fair monetization model, allowing players to choose between watching ads or paying to progress.
The storyline is enjoyable and the characters are well-designed, adding depth to the gameplay.

The game requires watching a large number of ads (up to 30) to progress after the first island, which can be frustrating.
Players often feel that the game becomes repetitive after a while, with limited upgrades and skills.
The paywall after the first boss can be seen as deceptive, as it is not clearly communicated upfront.

monetization
1,506 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
6%
2%
92%
The monetization model of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players expressing frustration over the excessive number of ads required to progress after the first island. Players can either pay approximately $7 to unlock the full game or watch a significant number of ads (often 20 or more) to continue, which some find excessive and disruptive to gameplay. However, others appreciate the option to watch ads as a way to support the developers, noting that the ads are not overly intrusive during the initial gameplay. Overall, while the game offers a free-to-play model, the reliance on ads for progression has led to dissatisfaction among a portion of the player base.
- “A truly inspired piece that doesn't follow the modern day aggressive monetization techniques.”
- “No ads at all for the first part, and even when they introduce ads they made it fun and it's not intrusive at all.”
- “No ads and they give you a decent chunk of game to try before asking you to pay to unlock the rest.”
- “After the first island, you have to pay about 7€ to avoid watching like 10 ads, which is 5 minutes of ads just to proceed.”
- “You either pay $7 to get to the other islands or watch thirty ads for each island.”
- “The game is great but the ads have become unbearable.”
story
607 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
64%
34%
2%
The game's story is generally described as cute and engaging, with many players appreciating its charm and humor. However, several reviews note that the story is relatively short and can feel simplistic or lacking depth, with some players expressing a desire for more content and character development. While the storytelling is often overshadowed by gameplay mechanics and ad interruptions, it still manages to captivate many players, making it a fun and enjoyable experience overall.
- “The story is interesting, the building aspect is fun, and the main character, Cheese, matches my sense of humor.”
- “The story is solid, the ending was incredibly satisfying, the game was smooth and easy to understand, and I just had a lot of fun.”
- “The story is cute, characters and all.”
- “I think that the concept and the visuals of the game were pretty good, but the storytelling and dialogue is hot garbage and the gameplay is too easy and boring.”
- “The story is generic trash.”
- “Watch a couple hours worth of ads (plus more every time you play) just to progress the story, or pay $7.”
gameplay
448 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
64%
33%
3%
The gameplay of the game is generally described as simple, engaging, and fun, with intuitive controls and a satisfying loop that keeps players coming back. While many appreciate the charming graphics and humor, some reviewers express frustration with the repetitive nature of the mechanics and the heavy reliance on ads or paywalls to access further content. Overall, the game offers a pleasant experience, though it could benefit from more depth and variety in gameplay elements.
- “The gameplay is engaging, and the story is decently interesting and not intrusive.”
- “The gameplay loop is simple but so addictive.”
- “Great game with simple mechanics, easy to learn, hard to master.”
- “I think that the concept and the visuals of the game were pretty good, but the storytelling and dialogue is hot garbage and the gameplay is too easy and boring.”
- “By the final dungeon, it still feels like the first level, as all mechanics and gameplay are the same.”
- “The gameplay is the lowest aspect of the game; once you start an expedition, there are no checkpoints, nowhere to save your items in case you die, and only two places to heal.”
graphics
189 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
63%
35%
2%
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their charming pixel art style, reminiscent of classic titles, and are described as cute, colorful, and well-executed. Many players appreciate the visuals for enhancing the overall gameplay experience, although some report performance issues and lag, particularly on lower-end devices. Overall, the graphics contribute positively to the game's appeal, making it enjoyable and engaging for players.
- “The graphics are amazing and the storyline is incredible, so I see this game blowing up if you guys could do those things.”
- “The graphics and music fit the theme, very cute and stylized.”
- “Wonderful roguelite with beautifully done pixel art graphics.”
- “It's literally uncompletable because even at the lowest graphics settings, the game stutters so badly that I can't move anymore until I die.”
- “It has a tendency to lag badly in the midst of a dungeon (which can cost you your life, valuable items, and a good run with it), and has some not nice bugs (turning off the screen before a boss fight as the boss is talking may make you get stuck there unable to move, for example, but changing the language or graphics so the app refreshes can fix it).”
- “Unfortunately, I get poor FPS anytime I attack an enemy on my Pixel 6 even with the graphics turned all down.”
grinding
96 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
3%
99%
Overall, players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and repetitive, often detracting from the overall enjoyment. While some appreciate the initial fun and balance, many express frustration with the excessive resource gathering, crafting, and ad-watching required to progress, leading to a sense of monotony. The game is seen as having potential, but the grind can overshadow its positive elements, making it feel like a slog for many players.
- “The game features a fun, yet not tedious, battle system that keeps you engaged while grinding.”
- “There's a nice village building element that adds depth to the grinding experience.”
- “The great story wraps everything up, making the grinding feel rewarding and worthwhile.”
- “The game itself is good fun but a bit tedious and doesn't change much as you go on.”
- “Too much grinding is needed to be able to use the upgrades and buildings you pretty much unlock in the first few hours but won't be able to use until after a lot of grinding.”
- “The main gameplay loop is really tedious and there wasn't much variance between runs through the roguelite system.”
humor
84 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
99%
4%
The humor in the game is widely praised for its charm and cleverness, with many reviewers highlighting the funny dialogue, unique character personalities, and amusing storylines. Players appreciate the lighthearted tone and the creative ways the game incorporates ads into the narrative, making the experience enjoyable rather than intrusive. Overall, the humor adds significant value to the gameplay, contributing to a fun and engaging experience.
- “Great game mechanics, funny writing, awesome experience.”
- “The game is awesome and funny, 10/10.”
- “Dialogue throughout the game is funny, clever, and makes it interesting.”
- “It's not cute, it's not funny; it's pretty rude, to be honest.”
- “The jokes fall flat and often feel forced.”
- “I expected more clever humor, but it mostly misses the mark.”
music
75 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
55%
36%
9%
The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with many players appreciating its catchy and nostalgic 8-bit style that enhances the overall experience. However, some find it repetitive and annoying, leading to a desire for more variety or the option to mute it. Overall, while the soundtrack is praised for its charm and fit with the game's aesthetic, it also faces criticism for becoming monotonous over time.
- “Superb game with a load of great music, visuals, and 11/10 balancing!”
- “The team nailed the 8-bit feel on the artwork and music; it brings me back to the NES days.”
- “The music is nice and creative, and the story is really interesting!”
- “Graphics are really nice but the music is horrible.”
- “Couple small issues: a) the music is a ~20 second looping beat, which gets repetitive fast.”
- “Really miserable experience, the game isn't that original to begin with, with a terrible annoying soundtrack that sounds straight outta 'Frogger' from 1981.”
replayability
22 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
45%
41%
14%
Overall, the game's replayability is a mixed bag, with some players praising its engaging party mode and customizable features that enhance replay value, while others find it limited and not worth the price. Many reviews highlight the fun and addictive nature of the gameplay, but there are also concerns about the short length of the story mode and the presence of ads. In summary, while some players enjoy the replayable aspects, others feel it lacks sufficient content to justify multiple playthroughs.
- “Speaking of, the new party mode (not multiplayer, but multi-character) adds a lot of replayability once you're done with story mode.”
- “Story mode is pretty self-contained and can be completed rather quickly after the first island, but party mode offers a lot of replayability.”
- “Amazing, this is a great short and sweet rogue-like game and its fantastic, its style is very cute and its replayability is fantastic, its story is very unique, so overall 5/5 I recommend 👍”
- “There's not enough replay value to justify the $7 price tag, in my opinion.”
- “It lacks replayability and only lasts around 5 hours, so $7 isn't very worth it.”
- “This is extremely limited and practically has no replayability.”
emotional
19 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted by its engaging and heartwarming storyline, which resonates deeply with players, often evoking tears and a sense of joy. Many reviews emphasize the game's wholesome nature, charming writing, and impactful ending, making it a standout experience that leaves a lasting impression. Overall, players find the combination of beautiful gameplay and a touching narrative to be both entertaining and profoundly moving.
- “The story sucks you in wanting to find the answers - and when you do it makes you want to cry.”
- “The writing was cheesy - pun 100% intended, likely on purpose considering said pun - but the ending made me feel emotion in a way many games in general fail to do, let alone mobile games.”
- “Love the ending it made me cry❤ overall the game was great i love it❤”
stability
13 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
15%
85%
The game's stability has received mixed reviews, with many players reporting frequent bugs and freezing issues, particularly during intense gameplay or when ads are involved. While some users have experienced minimal glitches and praised the overall performance, others have noted significant lag and character immobilization, detracting from the gaming experience. Overall, stability appears to be a notable concern for many players.
- “Very quickly became my favorite mobile game; the controls are intuitive, and the gameplay is a short and sweet loop that's perfect to pick up and put down as needed. It runs great.”
- “Nice, bug-free game.”
- “When it is overloaded with monsters, you cannot even move an inch; it freezes and the next thing you will see is your death and game over.”
- “This freezes your character in place, making it impossible to move or dodge attacks.”
- “The ad engine fails to load, and the game freezes.”
optimization
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
75%
25%
Overall, the game's optimization is generally praised, with smooth performance and graphics for most users. However, some players report significant performance issues, particularly in party mode and on lower-end devices, where gameplay can feel choppy. While the game mechanics and controls are well-received, there are calls for further optimization to enhance the experience, especially during intense combat scenarios.
- “And the gaming experience is perfectly smooth in every aspect, from performance and graphics to gameplay and user experience.”
- “Great gameplay, perfect controls, nice style, outstanding optimization.”
- “Gameplay is well optimized for mobile experience and is just hard enough to keep me engaged.”
- “The game itself is good, but party mode comes with a serious performance issue.”
- “The game could use a bit more optimization; gameplay on devices with Snapdragon 660 and 765G isn't very smooth and feels like 40 fps. There's a huge spike in difficulty when facing the first boss, but I am enjoying the game so far and can recommend it.”
- “This game is really good; I'm just hoping the developers will increase the performance for low-end devices.”
character development
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The character development in the game is praised for its good design and charming humor, contributing to enjoyable and distinct personalities. Overall, players find the character design to be a standout aspect that enhances the game's fun and engaging mechanics.
- “A very fun and well-made game; the humor is charming and very enjoyable, as well as the character design and personalities.”
- “The game mechanics and character design are great.”
- “Good character design.”
atmosphere
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The atmosphere of the game is highly praised, with users noting that it effectively complements the mechanics, creating an engaging experience. The combination of a solid rogue-like foundation and a captivating ambiance enhances the overall enjoyment.
- “The atmosphere and mechanics are very well done.”
- “It's a basic roguelike with a captivating atmosphere.”