With the narrative point of view, “Through the Woods” – memories of the main character, occasionally interrupted her interrogation records. In terms of mechanics – the horror-walker with elements of stealth. Start the game quite frustrating and more like a simulator of a family leaving for the city wandering around outside, go back into the house, the day passed, again wander outside …
This is followed by typical children and parents situations and comments with unknown destination; it is logical to give players some background, but for some reason it has to be something in the spirit of: “Oh, son, you had to stay with her grandparents, but did not work out.”
Also on the move faced with a major problem of this horror: everything is pretty obvious. Here it is impossible to stay on track, despite the idea that a red thread running through the narrative – you’re in the woods alone, and no one will help you. Yes,
Excessive straightforwardness does not disappear, but then the game becomes more interesting. Actually the search for the boy begins in the ruins of a Norman village.
You wander from hut to hut, reading records, stumble on rune stones. There are the first clues, hints of intrigue and Norse mythology … It captivates from the first moment, but at the same time does not collect my thoughts: seems to be clear how it relates to the son of the main character, but it is hard to believe.
Creators Through the Woods managed to embody the feeling of a kind of connection with the player’s unhappy mother through this lack of understanding and progressive “reconciliation” with the strange reality of the forest.
This is not enough to fully experience the dramatic nature of this situation, but empathy – even weak – in relation to a set of zeros and ones – a curious experience in itself. It’s not you’re scared. This woman single-handedly trying to find his son in a thicket in the middle of nowhere, and it is, of course, horrified. And you, for some reason, from this horror can not escape.
However, in the atmosphere may be mentioned as a possible cause. It is worth mentioning that the setting is very accurate and convincing: the level design is copied from a real forest in western Norway, where all the natural sounds were recorded. But it’s not even in detailed design. Question: Why does the main character, to say the least, not permanently on its own?
Because the “Norwegian Wood”, with its surreal instinctively makes her (and behind her, and the player) to doubt that all this is not inflamed mind tricks. Developers skillfully outplayed for psychological horror classic about a possible insanity, making all of the events and the characters are very “dense” unconditional.
From the point of view of common sense must be the fruit of a sick imagination, but no – it’s part of the objective world, which will have to deal with.
What’s more – you can not resist it. Gameplay Through the Woods does not include self-defense, which puts the main character in the position of the double vulnerability – physical and mental. A user, in turn, throws an additional challenge.
However, the main challenge Through the Woods is that we have to rely on your own instincts. The world around us – your best friend. He will give you a hint (if you can read them), and it is better to listen to it. If you thought that at some point you should use a flashlight – and do, for your own peace of mind and saving progress.
If the sound of a waterfall and the sounds of the wind gave way to alarm music – be ready.
