The Way follows an admirably simple plot scope. By that I mean there aren't two nations at war, you aren't going to be out to save the world from an evil supervillain, or anything of that nature. In The Way you play as Rhue in a tale of self-discovery. In this regards, the game's plot can be considered basic; however, it's structured incredibly well. The basic plot you are given in the beginning is one many have had a guilty pleasure of enjoying. You're the definitive “man on a mission” searching for the love of your life, and although it has been done before, it feels so comparably tangible for a fantasy setting. This abstract sense of connectivity is really what makes the game memorable. We all have wanted something or someone we couldn't find, and the game's plot fills this desire extraordinarily well. It's tough to say exactly what's so great about The Way mainly because it's open-ended, and the author never explained a lot of what happened.
The open-endedness of the game is only good if you engage yourself and follow up a visit to the forums and check out some of the ongoing speculations and discussion post-completion. A casual gamer probably won't, so I would consider that a minor design flaw. I believe there is a fine line between creating a plot with a good ending because of a major twist, and creating a plot with a good ending because of a major vagueness or mystery to it. LunC pulls a bit from both, and it left me mostly-satisfied.
The major downfall of The Way is its gameplay. There are several systems integrated to enhance the overall gameplay. However, even with these, you'll be playing The Way for its storyline. The majority of the in-game menus are clunky and ill-responsive. On my second playthrough I discovered sub-menus I never knew existed. Still, many of the upgrade and methods of character growth are fun to play with. You equip stones and gems to your weapon and absorb them to become more powerful. It's an interesting concept, but I was done with battles after my first attempt at playing through the game, so I disabled them completely this time around.
One gameplay system that isn't so hot is the Plunge System, which feels like an elaborate version of rock paper scissors that greatly favors luck over skill. There are various ways to modify your move selection, but ultimately if you're looking for a system you can train and getter with over time you won't find it here. To be perfectly honest, the system is frustrating how many times you get your ass handed to you. Very rarely will you win, it seems. The sad part is there's only one duel you cannot win. It feels like much more, and at least LunC realized this. If you choose to take the plunge and lose, you won't get a game over. That's a relief, because if that weren't the case I don't think anyone would have honestly completed it.
The game's setting felt remarkably fresh, and it's definitely worth mentioning. The whole concept of The Way involves exploring an area where travelers must keep traveling, otherwise a huge fog envelops older area, preventing travelers from settling too long. It reminded me a bit of The Neverending Story, and I say that in a completely positive connotation. Travelers of the way also have various dialogue idiosyncrasies that make the dialogue fresh and different.
While wandering The Way, you'll come across a wide variety of tunes, many of which are very memorable. Most compositions are simply lifted from other commercial RPGs or some other artist. ("Sandstorm" anyone?) In the end, everything fits quite well. Coupled with a few original, memorable tracks and you have a solid music selection.
A hugely-debated design aspect of The Way is the game's graphics. People either love or hate the pre-rendered 3D graphics. There's no doubt in my mind that they're eye-catching, and I'm sure they contributed to the game's success. They look very neat and the characters fit in the environment as well as possible. The only real inconsistency lied in the fact that maps were either these beautifully-generated 3D backgrounds or grossly default RTP-looking maps. Unfortunately, this is where the game's age shows. To make matters worse, many of the maps (most notably the caves) are both recycled and filled with graphic errors.
These small errors are both important and beg to ask how much regression testing was done. For instance, the blinking system is cute, but it interferes with the jumping system in the cave. The result is sort of a mess in some ways that could easily have been prevented with a little extra effort. Near the end of LunC's development on the series as a whole, he began feeling very sick of developing the game, and it begins to show through. The resulting conclusion of the game does feel a bit rushed. A lot was unexplained, but many people consider that the charm of the series. Leaving the community to fill in the game's gap is a clever and mysterious way to end a game, and it's one that makes you feel slightly empty near the end game. It works out in the end because-
I'm not going to ruin it. This game is really good. I think all developers, no matter how awesome they think they are, can pick up a thing or two from The Way.
