Rating
The Pathless
The Pathless is a mythic adventure where you play as the Hunter, a skilled archer who explores a mysterious cursed island with an eagle companion. Your goal is to lift an unnatural shroud of darkness that plagues the world. As you bound acrobatically through dense forests, you will hunt prey, discover ancient ruins, and form a deep bond with your e...
Details
- Released
- November 12, 2020
- Developer
- Giant Squid
- Genres
- Action · Role-playing (RPG) · Adventure · Indie · Open world
- Publisher
- Annapurna Interactive
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The Pathless Reviews
Professional reviews from gaming critics
The Pathless is the next great indie adventure. Whether the joy you take from it is in its unique and super-slick traversal mechanics, or the arresting world and faultless artistry, there's no denying that Giant Squid has absolutely nailed it. If I could somehow travel back in time and get lost in this game all over again, I would. While I can't speak to the experience on Windows or Apple devices, I believe this is one for the PlayStation 5 players most of all. This world needs to be taken in at its most visually rich, and the unique properties of the DualSense heighten its gameplay even furth...
Unfortunately, the move to the Switch did come with some caveats, as to be expected. In terms of graphical downgrades when compared to the PS4 version of the game, there is less foliage on the ground, and the foliage that is present pops into existence just a few feet in front of you. The lighting is also noticeably flatter, which unfortunately takes away a good chunk of the beauty of the game’s landscape. Lastly, there were a few frame hiccups here and there, most notably when entering a new plateau for the first time. These problems are relatively minor, though, and I still found the game…
A subtle, immersive upgrade to an already brilliant game. The Dualsense really shines in making your traversal and combat feel more alive. The game runs brilliantly, looks beautiful, and has a great score to match. You cannot go far wrong with The Pathless, no matter what version you play.
Giant Squid Studios’ debut title ABZÛ was a stunning debut for the studio founded by former thatgamecompany art director Matt Nava. Given how great that debut title was, surpassing it was never going to be an easy task. However, the team – with the help of one of the best publishers in the business, Annapurna – has not only pulled it off, but has done so with flying colours.
An inspired & nuanced structure demonstrates where Giant Squid took the road less traveled, and it made all the difference.If I were to place words like
It turns out that The Pathless goes in the right direction.
When the issues of a game are rolled and stomped by its greatness, then it’s something to invest on if you have some spare.
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: Annapurna Interactive is a publisher that consistently puts out totally unique games. While they don’t always have the impact they’re going for with titles like Telling Lies or Donut County, there’s no denying that they back truly original ideas. However, Some of their games are masterful works of art, like Ashen, Gorogoa, and Outer Wilds. Needless to say, when I saw their upcoming action/adventure game, The Pathless, from the creators of ...
Rounding things off, The Pathless has a nice visual design and cleverly designed puzzles to solve. The movement mechanic is different but may not be to everyone’s taste and could even be off-putting for some. My main issue is that once gameplay has been established in the first and second sections it is pretty much repeated for the remainder of the game. I am sure that there are people out there (completionists especially) who will love this game as it is, but I cannot help but feel that a bit more inventiveness and a less cliché story would have made it much better.
I would prescribe The Pathless to anyone feeling numbed and locked by our days of inanition; it’s perfect if you feel your home becoming an isle on the edge of the world.
The Pathless is a short but well-designed open world game that doesn’t overstay its welcome. Read the review by Twisted Voxel.
While it's not without its flaws, The Pathless is still more fun than it is not, with impressive visuals, fun boss fights, relaxing puzzles, and an interesting movement system. It's one of the better PS5 launch games, and it's easy to see how a sequel could elevate the concept to the next level and become something special.