Way of Defector

About

Way of Defector is a single player strategy game. It was developed by Dev Arc and was released on December 12, 2017. It received mostly positive reviews from players.

"Way of Defector" is a single-player strategy game offering 5 hours of playtime, focused on the true stories of North Korean defectors. Players must navigate through scenarios based on memoirs, making choices to overcome starvation, evade Public Security Officers, and reach South Korea. Create a unique escape story, as the scenario adapts to your decisions, providing a personalized and eye-opening perspective on the real lives of defectors.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

Skip User Reviews

75%

Audience ScoreBased on 32 reviews

emotional4 positive mentions

story3 negative mentions

The game offers a unique and engaging experience, allowing players to empathize with the journey of a North Korean defector.
The randomness of the gameplay adds a layer of challenge and excitement, making each playthrough feel rewarding.
For its price, the game is considered a worthwhile investment, providing replayability and enjoyment.

The gameplay can become repetitive and tedious, with some players finding it mind-numbing.
The tutorial lacks depth, leaving players struggling to understand the game's mechanics.
There are several grammatical errors and typos in the translation, which detract from the overall experience.

gameplay
16 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
19%
62%
19%
The gameplay is centered around rolling dice and making strategic decisions, which adds a layer of challenge and unpredictability. While many players find it enjoyable and engaging, some criticize it for being repetitive and slow, with a reliance on chance that can hinder progression. Overall, the mechanics are simple and accessible, but the experience may vary depending on player investment in the narrative.
- “An amazing game! It is fun and I really enjoy the gameplay. I hope they keep adding DLC characters and maybe a mode or new game where you escape a different country with this gameplay (Berlin Wall or Cuba). That would be cool! The gameplay is about rolling dice and seeing how the rest goes. One wrong mistake can cost the game, bringing a challenge to it rather than just winning all the time. I'm really happy with my purchase.”
- “In fact, it's amazing how they've managed to abstract the mechanics in a way where it's easy to play yet you still really feel the desperation.”
- “The gameplay itself is not complicated - you need to work to earn money, buy food, and collect information about the way to get from China (where you currently are, illegally) to South Korea.”
- “The 'game' is repetitive and takes on almost a D&D style of gameplay with the dice.”
- “The storytelling is so generic the game might as well be taking place in Iran. The gameplay is quite slow, because first you have to listen to a tutorial repeating what you've already heard, then you click on how long you want to do something, then it's done while you wait. At some point, you roll a dice but not before clicking on 'roll dice', and when this is all done, you've done something marginal like moved from point A to point B (but not before generic storytelling).”
- “I don't normally write reviews, so this is an especially broken progression mechanic that has no way of progressing without leaving it up to chance.”
story
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
37%
38%
The story is criticized for being overly generic and repetitive, with players feeling like they are on a never-ending quest to find a broker. The narrative lacks depth, making the gameplay feel slow and tedious, as it often involves repetitive tutorials and minimal progression. Despite these issues, some players found enjoyment in the straightforward nature of the game, suggesting potential for improvement in future updates.
- “Really enjoyed it, it's fairly straightforward. There are a few things that could be worked out to clarify where the quest marker is, but for a 1.0, it's pretty good and for such a price, it packs a good punch.”
- “The storytelling is so generic that the game might as well be taking place in Iran. The gameplay is quite slow because first you have to listen to a tutorial repeating what you've already heard, then you click on how long you want to do something, and then it's done while you wait. At some point, you roll a dice, but not before clicking on 'roll dice'. When this is all done, you've done something marginal like moved from point A to point B, but not before more generic storytelling.”
- “You seem to be constantly on a quest to find a broker. Just when you think you have achieved it, bam, rinse and repeat.”
- “The storytelling is so generic that the game might as well be taking place in Iran. The gameplay is quite slow because first you have to listen to a tutorial repeating what you've already heard, then you click on how long you want to do something, and then it's done while you wait. At some point, you roll a dice, but not before clicking on 'roll dice'. When this is all done, you've done something marginal like moved from point A to point B, but not before more generic storytelling.”
emotional
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the game emotionally impactful as it immerses them in the harrowing journey of helping a North Korean defector escape through China, evoking a strong sense of responsibility for the character's survival. The real-life inspiration behind the narrative resonates deeply with those familiar with defector stories, enhancing the emotional weight of the experience.
- “You are helping a North Korean defector escape through China, and together you go on an emotional journey where you feel responsible for this real-life inspired person's survival.”
grinding
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and unenjoyable, leading to a frustrating experience.
- “I've played this game only for a while, but it's just tedious.”