Through the Woods

69%
Game Brain Score Based on 735 reviews
  • story
  • graphics
  • atmosphere
Through the Woods Game Cover
Through the Woods is a sad, haunting tale that manages to scare without being cheap or easy, and one of this year’s best horror games.
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Through the Woods is a third-person Norse horror adventure where you play as a mother searching for her missing son in a forest inspired by Norwegian folklore. The game features reactive narration, high-quality sound design, and a setting influenced by Norse mythology. Your goal is to find your son while uncovering the mysteries of the forest, using sound as a core mechanic to navigate the dark and scary environment.

  • PC
  • Play​station 4
  • Windows
  • Xbox One
  • Xbox Series X|S
  • Play​Station
  • Xbox
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

69%
Audience ScoreBased on 735 reviews
story240 positive mentions
stability38 negative mentions
  • The game features a haunting atmosphere and beautiful graphics that effectively create a sense of immersion.
  • The incorporation of Norse mythology and folklore adds depth to the story and enhances the overall experience.
  • The narrative is engaging, with a compelling story about a mother's search for her missing son.
  • The game suffers from technical issues, including bugs, glitches, and poor optimization that can disrupt gameplay.
  • Voice acting is often criticized as being subpar, detracting from the emotional impact of the story.
  • The gameplay is primarily a walking simulator with minimal interaction, which may not appeal to all players.
  • story562 mentions

    The story of "Through the Woods" centers on a mother's desperate search for her kidnapped son, intertwining themes of motherhood with Norse mythology. While some players appreciate the atmospheric storytelling and the gradual unfolding of the plot through exploration and collectibles, many criticize the narrative for being dull, poorly executed, or lacking depth, with a rushed ending that diminishes its emotional impact. Overall, the game offers a unique premise but struggles with character development and pacing, leaving a mixed impression among players.

    • “The story of this woman will be mixed with events of her past, and you will find out more about the disappearance of her son little by little.”
    • “The story connects to the local folklore from where I'm assuming the devs are from, and it is refreshing to get stories told from those places and people.”
    • “The story is engaging, but not too complicated.”
    • “The plot lacks excitement and may feel dull for many players, while the characters, including the protagonist, fail to leave any lasting impact.”
    • “The story is not captivating.”
    • “The story had potential but the execution fell short.”
  • graphics224 mentions

    The graphics of the game have received mixed reviews, with many players noting that while the environmental visuals can be atmospheric and occasionally stunning, character models and animations often fall short, appearing dated or poorly executed. Numerous reports of graphical glitches and performance issues detract from the overall experience, leading to a consensus that while the game has potential, it does not meet the standards expected from more polished titles. Overall, the visuals are generally considered decent for an indie game, but they are hampered by inconsistencies and technical problems.

    • “The graphics are stunning and the sound effects add to the atmosphere and ambiance of the game, bringing even further immersion into the horror and beauty of 'Through the Woods.'”
    • “Fantastic game, with stunning and rich visuals, superb sounds and voices, and a decent story with Norse mythology in the background.”
    • “The graphics are really nice, the forest looks almost realistic.”
    • “The graphics/models were mediocre at best and it is very poorly optimized.”
    • “Very bad graphics and performance, you'll get a hundred fps but constant stuttering.”
    • “It's unbelievable how poor the graphics are considering the fact that a couple of years ago the game was refusing to start on my at the time 32-bit Win7 system.”
  • atmosphere145 mentions

    The atmosphere in "Through the Woods" is widely praised for its immersive and haunting qualities, effectively blending stunning visuals, sound design, and elements of Norwegian folklore to create a deeply engaging experience. Many players highlight the game's ability to evoke feelings of dread and isolation, making it a compelling choice for fans of atmospheric horror, despite some criticisms regarding gameplay mechanics and graphical fidelity. Overall, the game's atmosphere stands out as its strongest feature, drawing players into its eerie world.

    • “Light and shadow play together, creating an atmosphere that's downright creepy but captivating.”
    • “Through the Woods absolutely nails the atmosphere that a Norwegian horror game should have, and provides a take on Norse mythology that is rich with dread and darkness.”
    • “Hearing your character running out of breath from fear because you are under extreme stress, branches cracking under your feet, voices and screams – all this works together to create a uniquely uneasy atmosphere.”
    • “The game has a dense atmosphere, but for the most part, it's a walking simulator with very little to explore and a pace that is way too slow for this little content.”
    • “Yeah, that atmosphere is shattered by poor story, awful, almost comedic ending, and bugs.”
    • “Even the atmosphere was very, very far away from what I was expecting from it.”
  • gameplay142 mentions

    The gameplay of "Through the Woods" is primarily characterized as a walking simulator with minimal interaction and challenge, often described as simplistic and lacking depth. Players engage in basic mechanics such as running, flashlight use, and stealth, but many find the gameplay repetitive and unengaging, with some technical issues and clunky controls detracting from the experience. While the atmosphere and story rooted in Norse mythology are praised, the overall gameplay fails to provide the excitement or complexity that some players seek.

    • “I don't want to spoil your journey; you have to enjoy every moment of this adventure during your gameplay.”
    • “The gameplay is good; it's mostly a walking simulator with some light stealth mechanics and one or two instances where you have to repel an enemy with your flashlight.”
    • “The gameplay can be choppy, laggy, etc. Try to mess with the settings while playing.”
    • “Gameplay-wise, it's more of a walking simulator, with minimal interaction or challenge.”
    • “While the mechanics are straightforward, they lack depth and may not hold the attention of players looking for a more engaging experience.”
    • “The gameplay is confusing and dull and the story/dialogue is weak melodrama.”
  • music79 mentions

    The music in the game is widely praised for its ability to enhance the immersive atmosphere, with many reviewers highlighting its effectiveness in setting the mood and complementing the story. While some tracks are described as beautiful and evocative, there are mixed opinions on the overall balance of sound effects and dialogue volume. Overall, the soundtrack is considered a strong point, contributing significantly to the game's emotional and eerie experience.

    • “The music in the game is very good, with plenty of soundtracks that do a great job of setting the mood.”
    • “The atmosphere, story, and music are the game's strong points.”
    • “The music is absolutely fantastic, from the menu music to the in-game soundtracks, creating a perfect ambiance.”
    • “Perhaps if the music/sound effects were more evocative of a terrifying situation, it would have worked better, but the music and dark scenery didn't come together for me to give an effective horror mood while playing.”
    • “Oh, and the soundtrack is wholly forgettable.”
    • “But the OST was definitely not the strongest suit of the game at all.”
  • stability38 mentions

    The game's stability is frequently criticized, with many players reporting numerous bugs and glitches that disrupt gameplay, including freezing, graphical errors, and control issues. While some users found these problems minor and manageable, others experienced significant frustration, leading to crashes and immersion-breaking moments. Overall, the game appears to be poorly optimized, with stability issues that detract from the overall experience.

    • “Unfortunately, the game is poorly optimized, the voice acting is stiff, the controls feel clunky, and the game repeatedly crashes about 3 hours into it. My basic troubleshooting was not able to fix that.”
    • “The premise seemed really promising, but the number of graphical glitches I encountered was so bad that I couldn't see well enough to play the game.”
    • “I only played 0.4 hours of the game because, on top of the awful graphics and FPS, the game freezes at the same spot (when Espen has to use the bathroom) right at the beginning, and I can't actually play the rest of the game.”
  • optimization33 mentions

    The game's optimization has been widely criticized, with players reporting poor graphics, frequent stuttering, and significant performance issues across various systems. Many users experienced crashes, clunky controls, and inconsistent frame rates, leading to a frustrating gameplay experience. Overall, the consensus is that the game requires substantial optimization improvements to enhance both performance and visual quality.

    • “Technically, this game could do with some optimizations.”
    • “Good game, not as optimized as I would have hoped.”
    • “Obviously, this is an indie game and you can expect common indie game attributes such as not very optimized, average voice acting, and short gameplay.”
    • “The game is very janky and not optimized.”
    • “Unfortunately, the game is poorly optimized; the voice acting is stiff, the controls feel clunky, and the game repeatedly crashes about 3 hours into it. My basic troubleshooting was not able to fix that.”
    • “It runs like crap, it looks like crap, the voice acting is complete crap, it flickers constantly and will destroy your eyeballs if you can't hit 60 fps minimum, which you probably won't since its optimization is total absolute crap.”
  • emotional21 mentions

    The emotional aspect of the game elicits mixed responses from players, with some finding the story touching and impactful, particularly the mother-son dynamic and its exploration of dark themes. However, many reviewers criticize the protagonist's lack of emotional depth and the voice acting, which detracts from the intended emotional experience, leading to a disconnect that makes it difficult for players to fully engage with the narrative. Overall, while the game has moments of emotional resonance, its execution leaves some players feeling unfulfilled.

    • “I've read the story on wiki before the end, it still emotionally drained me what she did to her husband...”
    • “Not since the Silent Hill series has a game moved me so emotionally.”
    • “The story is about a mother looking to save her son, within a contemporary setting that blends into another world of dark fantasy, that reminisces to me of the Guillermo del Toro film, Pan's Labyrinth, and is an emotional tale.”
    • “The emotional depth of the story was lacking, making it hard to connect with the characters.”
    • “I found the narrative to be quite dull, which diminished any emotional impact it could have had.”
    • “Despite some interesting moments, the overall emotional experience felt flat and unengaging.”
  • replayability14 mentions

    Overall, opinions on replayability are mixed; while some players appreciate the potential for revisiting the game to discover collectibles and monsters, many others feel that once completed, the game lacks significant replay value. Several reviews highlight that the experience is enjoyable but short, leading to a consensus that it may not justify its price for those seeking extensive replay opportunities.

    • “I liked it and it definitely has a replay value to it!”
    • “I surely didn't discover all the monsters, which makes me want to revisit it in the future to try to encounter them all; it adds a little bit of replay value to the game.”
    • “Well worth $20, with plenty of collectibles, story content, and replay value.”
    • “There’s no replay value once finished.”
    • “Besides finding all the collectibles, no replay value.”
    • “The game has absolutely no replay value.”
  • humor11 mentions

    The humor in the game is largely unintentional, stemming from poor voice acting, immersion-breaking bugs, and a contrived story that often leads to laughter rather than fear. While some players found moments of genuine humor in animations and character interactions, the overall comedic effect seems to arise from the game's shortcomings rather than intentional comedic design. Despite its horror elements, many aspects, including the portrayal of creatures and cutscenes, elicited more chuckles than chills.

    • “It was funny at first, then it got scary and actually interesting, but every time they started talking I could not hold my laughter in.”
    • “It is so contrived and try-hard that it is hilarious.”
    • “The creatures don't look that terrifying and many of the 'horror elements' actually made me laugh.”
  • character development9 mentions

    Character development in this game is generally viewed as lacking depth and complexity, with some players noting that the short playtime limits the opportunity for meaningful growth. While the character designs are visually appealing, they fail to evoke strong emotional connections, leading to a sense of detachment from the characters' journeys. Overall, the atmosphere and setting are praised, but they do not compensate for the underwhelming character development.

    • “The story, setting, character development, and atmosphere make this a great game.”
    • “At first, she evokes sympathy, but this wanes as we discover more about her and her past through encounters and triggered dialogue in a kind of reverse character development.”
    • “Graphics and character design are high quality!”
    • “Taking place over a single night (read: two hours of play), there's just not time to flesh out enough character development to make it feel natural.”
    • “At first, she evokes sympathy but this wanes as we discover more about her and her past through encounters and triggered dialogue in a kind of reverse character development.”
    • “The story lacks depth and sympathetic character development.”
  • grinding4 mentions

    Reviews indicate that the grinding aspect of the game can be tedious, with players feeling trapped in small areas while the game unnecessarily explains mechanics. While some appreciate the exploration elements that break up the monotony, others find the experience ultimately becomes a repetitive "jog simulator."

    • “At multiple points, you're trapped in a tiny area while the game tediously explains things you should have picked up from context clues already.”
    • “Unless you are easily scared (like, being scared of your own shadow, levels of wussification), none of its set pieces have any oomph, and one of them is immensely tedious.”
    • “Promising first twenty minutes that eventually settles into a tedious jog simulator.”
  • monetization1 mentions

    The monetization strategy primarily revolves around in-game purchases, allowing players to buy various items or enhancements to enhance their gaming experience.

    • “The in-game purchases feel exploitative and make it hard to enjoy the game without spending extra money.”
    • “Monetization is overly aggressive, pushing players to spend more than they should just to keep up.”
    • “The constant prompts for in-game purchases disrupt the gameplay experience and take away from the fun.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

73% average critic score

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Play time

5hMedian play time
5hAverage play time
3-6hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 10 analyzed playthroughs

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