World to the West
- May 5, 2017
- Rain Games
- 25h median play time
Great 2.5D take on the world of Teslagrad, with a fun puzzle dynamic and plenty of head-scratchers within. Well worth a look in if you’re after a modern take on the early Zelda games.
Get on Steam
Get on Xbox Games Store"World to the West" is a action-adventure game set in a world filled with magical teleportation devices and steampunk technology. The player controls four different characters, each with unique abilities, as they explore, solve puzzles, and battle enemies in a quest to uncover the truth about their pasts. With a complex narrative and exciting gameplay, "World to the West" offers a unique and engaging experience for fans of the genre.
Mac OS
Nintendo Switch
PC
Playstation 4
Playstation 5
Windows
Xbox One
Xbox Series X|S
Linux
PlayStation
Wii
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Reviews
- The game features a vibrant art style and atmospheric world design that is a joy to explore.
- Each of the four characters has unique abilities, adding depth to the gameplay and encouraging strategic thinking.
- The puzzles are clever and engaging, providing a rich and rewarding experience for players who enjoy exploration and problem-solving.
- The game suffers from significant backtracking, as each character must individually unlock fast travel points, which can become tedious.
- Combat mechanics are often criticized for being simplistic and unengaging, detracting from the overall experience.
- There are numerous bugs and glitches reported, including issues with controls and character movement, which can disrupt gameplay.
- story139 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 72 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative mentions
The story of the game is generally viewed as simplistic and forgettable, often lacking depth and resolution for its characters. While some players appreciate the humor and charm in the narrative, many criticize the abrupt ending and the reliance on collectibles to convey backstory, which can feel disconnected from the main plot. Overall, the storytelling is seen as a weak point, with mixed opinions on its execution and engagement.
“The story is incredibly detailed and the puzzles for some reason bring me to a halt and I can struggle for ages.”
“A great little game with engaging story and characters and a fantastic soundtrack.”
“Over all, World to the West is a beautifully and carefully crafted game with a compelling story, beautiful art design, amazing soundtrack, and fun mechanics.”
“The story is by far one of the weakest I've experienced that simply boils down to 'bad guy doing bad thing and must be stopped'.”
“It's no spoiler to say the conclusion was as satisfying as licking a soiled lollipop; literally no one's story is concluded and not even a single word or piece of text is spoken or displayed in the extremely hodgepodge cutscene that kicks you out the door to thank you for your arduous time.”
“The story is incredibly detailed, but the puzzles for some reason bring me to a halt and I can struggle for ages.”
- gameplay88 mentions
- 27 % positive mentions
- 67 % neutral mentions
- 6 % negative mentions
The gameplay in "World to the West" is characterized by its fluid mechanics and clever puzzles, allowing players to control four distinct characters, each with unique abilities that enhance exploration and problem-solving. While many players appreciate the challenge and variety this system offers, some find the character-swapping mechanic tedious and the combat lacking depth. Overall, the game is praised for its engaging exploration and aesthetic design, though opinions vary on its execution and complexity.
“The fluid gameplay and clever puzzles will keep you hooked, while the varied characters bring a fresh dynamic to the adventure.”
“The gameplay is tight and well done, the mechanics are very cool, and the characters are all fun and interesting.”
“World to the West is a follow-up to Teslagrad, although both are very different gameplay-wise, the game delivers a big open world map to explore with 4 different playable characters, it has an excellent visual presentation and design with very good music and great story, overall it's an excellent game that I would recommend.”
“The mechanic of taking all the characters through individually rather than them helping each other becomes tedious.”
“You spend 8 chapters doing more straightforward gameplay and it's... okay but kinda dull.”
“The only real gripe I have mechanically is that changing characters is very clunky, and often means just to move from one zone to another, you have to do it four times - once for each main character, since they all discover the totems independently.”
- music79 mentions
- 62 % positive mentions
- 34 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received mixed reviews, with many praising its charm and ability to enhance the overall experience, while others found it repetitive or bland. Some players highlighted the soundtrack as a standout feature, describing it as beautiful and fitting for the game's atmosphere, while a few criticized it for being simplistic or not memorable. Overall, the music contributes positively to the game's aesthetic, though opinions vary on its impact and quality.
“The gameplay and music are the highlight of the game.”
“With strong writing, nice visuals, and an excellent soundtrack, I think I'd recommend this one.”
“The soundtrack is fantastic and very upbeat, helping to solidify the welcoming and goofy atmosphere the rest of the game is covered in.”
“I did not like the soundtrack.”
“The music is almost non-existent and very bland; the sound effects are okay but very generic.”
“I was also not impressed by the music, which was largely simplistic and repetitive—childish, really.”
- graphics65 mentions
- 46 % positive mentions
- 49 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The game's graphics are generally praised for their vibrant, charming art style and atmospheric world design, evoking a nostalgic, cartoonish aesthetic reminiscent of titles like "Wind Waker." While many players appreciate the visuals and find them delightful to explore, some critiques mention that the graphics can appear simplistic or dated in certain areas, with limited customization options. Overall, the combination of appealing visuals and a captivating soundtrack enhances the gaming experience, despite some inconsistencies in execution.
“The game’s vibrant art style and atmospheric world design are simply a joy to explore.”
“The graphics are gorgeous, going for that Wind Waker feel, but from an isometric perspective.”
“World to the West sports a very unique and visually pleasing aesthetic.”
“Lightweight graphics and pedestrian gameplay.”
“I was not at all impressed by the art style of the environments, which seemed to me more like an excuse to not include much detail.”
“Graphics - World to the West features cartoonish 3D graphics with basic textures and a somewhat dated look.”
- grinding18 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Overall, players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and often frustrating, with many describing the mechanics as unnecessarily slow and repetitive. The requirement to manage multiple characters individually and backtrack frequently contributes to a sense of monotony, detracting from the otherwise engaging world and lore. While some players note that certain elements can alleviate the tedium later in the game, the initial experience is largely characterized by a lack of engaging challenges and excessive padding.
“It's a shame because there's a neat world and lore going on, but the game just does very little with it and goes out of its way to be tedious.”
“The mechanic of taking all the characters through individually rather than them helping each other becomes tedious.”
“It seems like it is trying to be a puzzle game, but the game has no challenges and is really just tedious from start to finish.”
- humor9 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is generally well-received, with players noting that while the story may be forgettable, it features funny moments and relatable characters that enhance the experience. The game's atmosphere and character design contribute to its comedic appeal, although some feel it leans too heavily on clichéd humor. Overall, players appreciate the lighthearted tone and the occasional chuckles throughout their gameplay.
“The game’s story, while not very interesting, is genuinely funny, and you can be assured to have a few chuckles throughout the journey.”
“The characters are really funny and relatable, and you find a playstyle that fits you in one of them.”
“There are some solid puzzles, some genuinely funny moments, good character building, and a neat visual aesthetic.”
- atmosphere6 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 17 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is characterized by its vibrant art style, charming music, and light-hearted humor, creating an enjoyable and welcoming environment for players. The well-designed characters, each with unique personalities, enhance the experience, while NPC interactions and mini-games further enrich the world. Overall, the combination of delightful visuals and engaging soundtracks contributes to a striking and immersive atmosphere.
“The game’s vibrant art style and atmospheric world design are simply a joy to explore.”
“Charming music, beautiful landscapes, and a nice atmosphere make it a great experience, with dialogues adding some comedy.”
“The soundtrack is fantastic and very upbeat, helping to solidify the welcoming and goofy atmosphere the rest of the game is covered in.”
“The atmosphere in general is very striking: design, humor.”
“The atmosphere is more light-hearted than Rain Games' previous game, and WTTW has also added NPC interactions, from conversations to some mini-games.”
- stability5 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game's stability has been criticized for being incredibly buggy, with numerous glitches affecting gameplay, particularly in the combat system. Despite these issues, some players still express a strong affection for the game overall.
“There are so many bugs, and not just random glitches or crashes.”
“The combat system can be a bit... 'buggy' at times.”
“I experience some control glitches, but I honestly love this game.”
- optimization3 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 67 % negative mentions
The optimization of the game is highly inconsistent, with some users experiencing severe frame rate drops from over 60 fps to below 15, even on low settings, while others report smooth performance at 4K/120fps on high-end hardware. This disparity in performance has led to mixed recommendations among players.
“Great performance, no problems at 4K/120fps (1080 Ti).”
“On the performance front, I'm experiencing wild fluctuations in FPS, dropping from 60+ to below 15, even on the lowest settings.”
“I really want to like this game, but the performance issues and the bugs I've encountered prevent me from recommending it to others.”
- character development1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Critic Reviews
World To The West Review
World To The West is a nicely put-together adventure game, making use of a good roster of characters with different abilities to provide the player with enjoyable puzzles and combat. Some pacing issues and the odd niggle here and there prevent this game from being truly special but, if you are a fan of 3D adventure games full of humour and exploration-based puzzles, you’ll definitely have some fun here.
70%World to the West Review
A World to the West is actually superior to its predecessor. The puzzles are wonderful and offer up some real head-scratching challenges, and the mechanics are engaging and fun. Parallels are evident between this and A Link to the Past and considering the quality of that game, in the comparison, it shows the quality of this one. A real surprise here, it is definitely one of the best Nindies to hit Nintendo Switch yet, and considering some of the titles hitting the console recently, that's really saying something.
80%World to the West Review
World to the West puts players in control of four unlikely heroes with unique skillsets and tasks them with exploring a puzzle-filled map. The world and its humourous characters are presented in a delightful art style and the soundtrack is great but the gameplay becomes repetitive in lengthier chunks.
80%
