Each girls trip ends with her encountering her Wolf. It is strongly implied that ’something’ bad happens. When they wake up on the bridge it is now raining and there is a leadenness to their movements, BUT their clothing is not askew nor are they bleeding or bruised. They clearly had an experience that changed them, probably not a good experience, but you don’t really know what it was. The surreal scenes in Grandma’s house give clues to the girls psyche and their fate but no answers.

The thing is, I’ve read a number of on-line comments around the web that grumble about the sexual violence and murder in The Path. One even called it a Rape-Sim. Because of this I hesitated to purchase the game for a long while. When I finally went ahead and got it I was surprised. There is nothing graphic or gratuitous in the cut scenes at the end of each journey. The Wolf scenes are all quite metaphorical, and the outcome is deliberately ambiguous. What happens when each girl encounters her Wolf can be viewed in many ways. What you think happens to each of them is more about your own psyche than anything else. Those that think they absolutely understand the girls fate are in my opinion being too Freudian and are showing their own Wolf.

The fate of each of the girls is to a very great extent what you believe it to be.

This story pulls for archetypes on a basic level, which is its hook. It is Little Red Riding Hood taken up a notch. Important, I think, not to read too much into it. Just a place to go and hang out, let it trigger some emotions, enjoy the environment, and not get overly bogged down in trying to explain it. It is an interesting place, fun to explore, and much like when one person finds a book boring and the other finds it good, it is subjective in its interpretation.

First it is a piece on growing-up which references several sources, the most apparent being the tale of Little Red Riding Hood. It shares many qualities with a painting or a poem in that we are introduced to a setting, some characters, their experiences and thoughts. Although narrative exists it is abstract enough that we are able to create our own opinions and stories on the piece. I see it as a dialogue with other works and as a dialogue between the ‘player’ and the piece. I wouldn’t hesitate to call this aspect of The Path art, but we all know what a subjective label that can be.

And we had to “tame” Drama Princess quite a bit to prevent our characters from behaving “like The Sims”. That would not have been appropriate.

Thank you for realizing that a game is hard to make. More people should be aware of this. Every game is a small miracle. We should be more respectful of the effort it takes to make even the most banal game.

Even my sister said so, she still asked some questions about the game which mean she was interested. But when I said why just looking at me that playing the game and not trying to play, she said she just interested to see. XD

Oh yeah, I thought at first that the game will looks like playing Silent Hill series that the characters could move on their own when the player don’t take control like The Sims series. They do of course, but still lack of free will and responses to the environment, I think. They just act when there is an object.

In the end, the game looks great for me. Even I feel it’s weird too if I don’t want to understand the character, ambiguity is the key of this game and the basic of art. People can interpret the game in many ways, not like the other games which are quite simple and easy to understand without any ambiguity happens. (That’s my words for the review :D)

Keep up the good work! I’m sorry if what I said before is not right for you. Besides, it’s really hard to make a game. I’m really appreciate what you have done.

Anyway, I think the person who like this game must know about this before playing the game since my younger sister (age 15) saw me playing the game and she said that the game has nothing special and it’s looks awful because the character is alone in the middle of shredded forest.

Well, that’s what she said to me. And that’s true for some people who don’t know about the game yet.

You know, you’re quite famous too in my country, in Indonesia. They say your game is amazing because it’s breaking free the traditional way of gaming; What the game gives as objective is leading the character to failure, not to success. (Well, that’s what they say. And so others in another places :P).

However in my opinion, that’s the weakness of the game. For those who don’t have much curiosity, they will give up easily. Too bad.

In the first scene you can click on a girl to select her as an avatar. After that, in the forest, you can move her around by holding down the mouse button. Or the up key. Or pressing the joystick forward.

Unfairness is an essential part of the narrative. You’ll see.

I don’t play the game yet. But of course I will try.

Hmm – it is supposed to leave you with this feeling?

>Because the story of the hero is a lie.

Arguable, but would depend on what you consider a “hero”. (not that Little Red originally was a hero-centered tale)

>In reality, we are all losers. We are all monsters.

Thanks. That’s a creators statement that helps me understanding a lot more about how to take it. There would be much more to say, but I’ll leave it.

Thanks for the quick replies anyway.

But the existence that is being discussed may be completely alien to you. And as such you encounter nothing but absurdity and negativity. Other players, however, discover in The Path a metaphor for life as they see it, or for events that they have experienced.

The Path is very much about not being in control, about false choices, about the horror that comes with freedom. And to a large extent, it is about how, most of the time, there is no pay-off, no reward, no clarity, no resolution. No winners, no losers.

This is not a negative message in our eyes. Because the story of the hero is a lie. In reality, we are all losers. We are all monsters. In The Path we try to figure out how to accept that and find a way to enjoy life nonetheless.

I didn’t posted intentionally “anonymous”, I just had a look at the forms and boards, and didn’t wanted to register. Seems though not necessary at the blog.

Bottom line; Don’t start playing expecting to play a video game!

The Path breaks most of the ‘unwritten laws’ of gaming;
-You don’t NEED to collect every item.
-Getting where your going isn’t everything.
-Death is not the end.
-The ‘bad guys’ can be avoided, but you’ll be missing out.

I could go on and on, but don’t think this is a negative review. What makes The Path so mold-breaking is that it challenges these rules, casts them down and says “No, there can be more to this than gold rings and princesses in castles!” I recommend The Path to anyone who enjoys games but who is open minded enough to see it as more than just that.