“A Way Out” is a co-op game that truly deserves the title: Without collaboration, nothing works here. For a long time, MeinMMO author Max Handwerk left the game untouched – but now it has him hooked.
This is A Way Out: Yes, I know – for some players, “A Way Out” may already seem old hat. After all, the co-op adventure about two prisoners was released in 2018 and must have captivated many fans. However, I had somehow overlooked the game until now – until now.
A few weeks ago, my brother and I were looking for a game that we could play through together from start to finish. There are, of course, several candidates – and I had already had A Way Out on my radar. I just never took the plunge.
This time, two things made the difference. Point 1: The game is exclusively playable for two players. The co-op mode is not optional, but an absolute requirement. A feature I had never seen in any other game before.
And second: Only one of us had to buy the game. I grabbed “A Way Out” as a deal from the PS Store and sent an invitation to my brother. He just had to join via a free demo – and the adventure could begin.
A Way Out pulls you in with an exciting story
Two prisoners with one goal: When we started the game, we basically only knew that you have to break out of prison together. We didn’t know exactly how the story looked or how the gameplay was structured: we were going into the game “blind”.
It started in a helicopter, with the characters Vincent and Leo sitting across from each other. Each of us got to choose one of the two. I picked the slightly older, calmer Vincent, while my brother grabbed the younger, more impulsive Leo. That fit.
A surprising feature: The story begins with a flashback – and the screen splits. This surprised us: Even though we were playing online, we saw a split screen. But one quickly realizes that the technique makes sense: You can always see what the other is doing.
Furthermore, the split screen changes dynamically. Depending on where story-relevant events occur, the screen takes up more space. This works surprisingly well, even if it feels a bit unusual at first.
As Vincent, I go through the stages of a new prisoner who is just entering the prison. On the other side, my brother, as Leo, talks to some of the inmates. He has obviously been here a bit longer. After a few minutes, Vincent lands in the cell next to Leo.
The next section takes place a few days later in the prison yard, where both get into a fight. Here you must first prove how well you can work together: A long action scene unfolds, in which you have to take down one attacker after another using quick-time events – always alternating.
Subsequently, both characters notice that they have a common enemy: The mysterious Harvey, who has betrayed both and put them in prison. After some scuffles, Leo and Vincent decide to escape from prison together and take revenge on Harvey.
A game that plays like a movie
This is how the game works: As already mentioned, we had no idea what kind of game awaited us. A shooter? An adventure? It quickly became clear that it wasn’t that.
A Way Out can best be described as a playable movie. There are plenty of cutscenes. And many game elements, like battles, are scripted and rely on pressing buttons at the right moment. So don’t expect too much action; A Way Out can be played quite relaxed overall. At least most of the time.
But the further you progress in the prison break, the more versatile it gets. For example, there is a stealth section where you have to sneak past guards while you are actually assigned to cleaning duty. Then you try to smuggle a tool into your cell unnoticed, which turns more into a puzzle. But the breakout is just the beginning.
Later, you will need to steer a boat across a river together, rob a house, or evade the law in a high-speed chase. A Way Out is surprisingly multifaceted – and thus never gets boring.
Additionally, you will need to vote on which path you want to take: Do you follow Leo’s rather brute approaches (“Let’s crash through the barricade on the bridge with the car!”) or do you take Vincent’s plans into account (“Let’s crawl under the bridge and hope nobody notices us”). You must agree on a path, which can naturally lead to discussions.
Perfect for two players: After having ignored the game until now, “A Way Out” left my brother and me surprised: “How on earth did we miss this until now?” Because it’s just so much fun to experience the exciting story of Vincent and Leo together while trying to get both safely out of the clutches of justice.
That you can also engage in all sorts of mischief with mini-games or other items in the nicely crafted levels (“Come on, the police are already coming!” – “Wait, I still have to break your record in axe throwing back in that barn!” – “Alright, then I’ll clear out the fridge over there”), is just the cherry on top.
A Way Out offers a co-op experience like I’ve never known before. If you’re looking for a co-op game that you can wonderfully play together – whether at home or online – and still have time to comment on what you see, you are in the right place.
