A Way Out was developed by Hazelight Studios and created by Josef Fares, who has recently made headlines for disliking the name of Xbox's new console, the Xbox Series X, and for commenting that he prefers Sony's strategy over Xbox and their Game Pass. In it, gamers get to play as either Vincent Moretti or Leo Caruso, both prison inmates with unique rap sheets.
A Way Out has garnered new attention recently, partially due to the announcement of its studio's new title, It Takes Two. With so many new players joining in on the action, it's the perfect time to review what they should know before jumping headfirst into a 1972 American prison.
10 It's Best To Go In Blind About The Story
There are plenty of great explanations about the story of A Way Out — in fact, we have one of our own — but it's better to experience this story with no knowledge of how the story plays out.
Every good game has a plot with an ending, as A Way Out does, and some players may say that they don't mind spoilers, but this really wraps the gamer up in the character they're embodying and the narrative being told, so it kills that engrossed experience a little to be told the plot in advance.
9 The Co-Op Tasks Are Not Always Riveting
When TheGamer reviewed A Way Out, we loved this indie game, with knock-out cutscenes and free-roam environments that players could explore as little or as much as they liked.
However, we had to note that the boring tasks that co-op players are occasionally asked to complete do create a few lackluster moments. If players go in expecting it to be all action, they'll be sorely disappointed. However, it's not often that the player gets bored, and the slightly less interesting tasks always lead to more exciting horizons.
8 Play With A Good Friend
The communication skills that the players need to get through this game — or, at least, to make that process enjoyable — aren't for the faint of heart. Making a game that could only be played co-op, and was best enjoyed split-screen, was a huge deviation from the rest of the gaming industry who seems to be abandoning the couch co-op experience altogether (to the dismay of many fans). EA, who funded the project through their EA Originals program, didn't even think it would sell. However, the game has quickly wormed its way into the hearts of gamers everywhere.
7 The Prison Break Is Only A Small Part Of The Game
If you asked anyone in the gaming community how they'd describe A Way Out, they'd probably call it a cooperative prison break simulator. If that's all a player dared to learn about the game, out of fear of spoiling the plot, they might be surprised when they learn that the prison break is ultimately only a fraction of the events of A Way Out. The player spends some time in the prison, then escaping, then on to the rest of the game, but some gamers might have kept wondering when the credits were gonna show up. Thankfully, the rest of the game is worth sticking around for.
6 It Might Take Multiple Sittings To Complete
If players are going into A Way Out with only vague knowledge from the internet about the plot and gameplay, they might expect to finish it with a buddy in one night. However, the game is actually between 6 and 8 hours long — meaning it could be played in a day, but you wouldn't get much else done. It can take three sittings to finish, but it could definitely be reasonably done in two. If gamers need to pick a friend to be their Player 2, they should pick someone who will reliably be around for another session or two.
5 There Are A Few Opportunities To Switch Weapons
The first time that the players are offered a weapon in A Way Out, they're given a few choices. The players can't pick the same gun, but there's otherwise no limit on which one they can take. Given the fact that the level features a shooting range to test out the one they've chosen, players might be tempted to test each and every one to make sure they've found their perfect fit — but there's no need. The game gives the players a few opportunities going forward to switch their gun if they aren't happy; so gamers don't need to force their friends to wait while they test 'em all.
4 There Are Minigames To Find
Throughout A Way Out, the characters get to explore several unique environments set up for them to muck about in. There are interactable NPCs with unique dialogue depending on the player's character, tools to pick up and use (even though they're often useless), pretty things to examine, and — best of all — minigames to discover. It's apparently a preferred feature from the developers, Hazelight Studios, who also added 25 unique minigames to their newest game, It Takes Two. Players should spend time thoroughly exploring every free-roam area!
3 The Cutscenes Are Seamless
A Way Out was designed to be a couch co-op experience because the boundaries of each player's half of the screen aren't static like they are in other split-screen games. Sometimes one player's share of the screen will be much larger than the other's, even though both sides are still visible. Sometimes the screen will decide to split horizontally instead of vertically.
When cutscenes arrive, there's never a jump to black before the cinematic kicks in - one player's screen just slowly grows and takes over. This amazing work of video game cinematics is a delight to experience first-hand; players will realize they don't even notice when their own screen shrinks or enlarges, because it feels so natural anyway.
2 You Both Have To Drive
For long-time multiplayer Halo fans, the concept of a designated "driver" and designated "shooter" will be very familiar. The concept appears in other games where two players ride in vehicles: though the game doesn't tell them which should drive, the players naturally divide themselves based on their abilities. Not so in A Way Out. Aside from one occasion where the driver can be either player, both characters are forced to drive something over the course of the game, while the other one takes pot-shots out the back.
1 The Gameplay Is A Cover Shooter Meets A Puzzler With Lots Of Chase Scenes
The player can't really get comfortable with one gameplay style or another in A Way Out. Just as soon as they feel comfortable with a gun in their hands, they're driving a truck, or trying to trick information out of a stranger, or some other new activity. Most of the active gameplay that isn't just "walk to point a, press a, walk to point b, press a" is reminiscent of third-person cover shooters like Gears of War — but they're interspersed amid chase scenes (which one should expect from a prison break) and problem-solving (even though the puzzles are occasionally mundane). The gamers, like the characters, never manage to get comfortable and lazy.