Review: The Path

snake2020

Trying to find words to describe The Path is not easy, especially without throwing in too many spoilers. So here goes - wish me luck.The Path is not a game. Sure, it contains elements found in thisgeneration of gaming (most notably mass-collecting) but it's clearlynot meant to be a game at all. It just all feels incredibly... messedup.
) K& X( l8 W0 \* U9 k9 _8 ]You probably know the setup by now. Choose from 6 Little Red RidingHood-esque girls, then make your way to Grandmother's House by walkingThe Path. Of course, while you're told 'Don't Stray from the Path',curiosity (and trying to find some actual fun) tells you to take offinto the forest and explore.
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This is where I try to keep the spoilers to a minimum. In thewilderness it's pretty empty and you'll pelt along for a while beforeyou encounter anything. That being said, it does mean that when youfinally do spot something in the mist it's a good feeling.
# K2 l% q) g3 C' s4 H% QYour next feeling all depends on what exactly is it that you'vefound. There seems to be three different types of scene to be soughtout. The first is a simple 'here is an object, interact with it, moveon'. Then you have pick-upables which your chosen girl will place intoher basket (accessable via the space bar). Finally, there are wholescenes set out to find which, depending on which character you are, mayor may not trigger cutscenes and special storylines.
( C8 ~- r8 q8 h" l1 \: CThe horror elements work very well. The creepy music and girlssinging/laughing/crying mix with the dark, spooky settings and randomshapes flash up all over the screen as if imprinted on your monitor.Tale of Tales set out to make a horror game and this they have pulledoff spectacularly.

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This is especially evident when you reach the end of the path andenter Grandmother's House. Again, trying not to give away too much, butdepending on what was encountered during your walk along The Path, theinside of the house will look, sound and feel completely different. Youmight take a different route to normal and end up in rather strangesettings, or maybe you'll take the regular path but the walls will becovered in... colour, and doors will be slamming in the wind.
So what it all boils down to is that Tale of Tales have developed anobject-hunting horror extravaganza. I'll put a big tick next to'horror' on their report card, but in the 'gameplay' box, I'm writing'See Me'.
5 ~, Z. w& h  A" P: ~6 E0 r% fThe thing is, like I said at the beginning, The Path is not a game.Yet, unlike other recent attempts at arty gaming (see Flower), Tale ofTales have not drawn that line between and art and gaming well enough.Everything screams that it's an arty-farty malarkey - there's poetry,beautiful surroundings, specific storylines dedicated to each girlwhich seem to be telling some kind of story about 'growing up' - butthe control scheme coupled with running around everywhere, grabbinggolden flowers and having a real, set objective to complete give it avery gamey feel.

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# g3 Q$ M- w0 A$ Y. p' sAnd this is rather a problem. As a game, it's pretty boring. Maybethe first run through is entertaining enough, then the second go letsyou use your new-found understanding of how the game works, but afterthat the whole experience just feels like an absolute chore. By thetime I'd powered through the forest with my final girl, I was sick andtired of it all and really could not be bothered.
$ Q# C( w/ q1 D, z: SI think it's also worth mentioning that this game did not like mycomputer at all. While I don't own an incredibly high-end machine, myrig is only a couple of years old and can run the likes of, say, FarCry 2 without problem. The first time I ran The Path, the opening videolagged immensely and I eventually had to turn the graphics down in theoptions to get it to run properly - that's with all the latest driversinstalled et al. Maybe it's just my PC, maybe it's ATI gfx cards - Ihaven't seen it run on another computer to check.

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So there is my spoiler-free take on this month's - hell, this year'sweirdest game. If you're wondering whether to grab a copy (there is nodemo, understandably, to try out first), decide which of thesecategories you fall into: If you're curious and are looking for amessed up experience, or are just a big fan of artistic gaming, give ita go; If you don't fit into that category, you probably won't like it.Of course, with this kind of game, it all boils down to your ownexperience, so what I think may not apply to you at all.
. K9 o- b6 [% ?* y  P1 h, V) `- GThat's why it is hard for me to either recommend or veto The Path.All I can say is, buying this game is a risk as some will like it andsome won't. Hopefully my experience with it has helped you to decidewhether it will be for you.

nevernam

尝试翻译一下吧,估计很多人看得累.

Trying to find words to describe The Path is not easy, especially without throwing in too many spoilers. So here goes - wish me luck.The Path is not a game. Sure, it contains elements found in thisgeneration of gaming (most notably mass-collecting) but it's clearlynot meant to be a game at all. It just all feels incredibly... messedup. . ULsV)  
You probably know the setup by now. Choose from 6 Little Red RidingHood-esque girls, then make your way to Grandmother's House by walkingThe Path. Of course, while you're told 'Don't Stray from the Path',curiosity (and trying to find some actual fun) tells you to take offinto the forest and explore. &UOlS-H:  
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尝试描述THE PATH 这个游戏并不是一件容易的事,尤其在不剧透太多的情况下.那么我就说说自己的看法吧,只能希望我是对的.
' W, r% u" x& ^/ k4 IThe Path其实并不是一个游戏.当然了,它确实包含了这个类型游戏的元素(最明显的物品收集),但却很明显开发者并没打算将其做成一个”游戏”.反正让人感觉混乱到了极点..
4 [9 U6 f0 @6 w+ h+ N8 L7 t玩到现在你应该已经知道游戏是怎么开始的了,从6个红色骑乘类型装束的女孩子选择一个,然后用你的方式,通过大道去到外婆的房子里.当然了,在被告知不要离开大道的时候,好奇心就会告诉你应该去森林里面探险.
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This is where I try to keep the spoilers to a minimum. In thewilderness it's pretty empty and you'll pelt along for a while beforeyou encounter anything. That being said, it does mean that when youfinally do spot something in the mist it's a good feeling. 5yNg'4+vO  
Your next feeling all depends on what exactly is it that you'vefound. There seems to be three different types of scene to be soughtout. The first is a simple 'here is an object, interact with it, moveon'. Then you have pick-upables which your chosen girl will place intoher basket (accessable via the space bar). Finally, there are wholescenes set out to find which, depending on which character you are, mayor may not trigger cutscenes and special storylines. rEE!NK1cv  
, n9 s8 r/ J4 U' s$ P" PThe horror elements work very well. The creepy music and girlssinging/laughing/crying mix with the dark, spooky settings and randomshapes flash up all over the screen as if imprinted on your monitor.Tale of Tales set out to make a horror game and this they have pulledoff spectacularly. q97DZOu0  

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这里我会尽量把剧透控制在最小程度.这片荒野非常空旷,你得狂奔上一段时间才能发现一些东西,也就是说,这并不意味着,当你终于在迷雾中发现了东西会感觉很好,其实你的下一个感觉取决于你发现的到底是什么.看起来有3种你需要去发现找到的场景.第一个是:”这里有件东西,去弄弄它,然后继续”.你选择的女孩会把它放她的篮子里(通过按空格键查看).最后,会有完整的场景出现(取决于你选择的女孩),有可能影响到剪切片段和特殊故事线.
恐怖元素还是很有效的,令人毛骨悚然的音乐和女孩子的歌唱/笑/哭 声和黑暗交织在一起,怪异的设定和随机的图形闪现过屏幕,好像残留在你的显示器上面一样.Tale of Tales着手制作一个恐怖游戏,现在看来他们完成的非常优秀.

This is especially evident when you reach the end of the path andenter Grandmother's House. Again, trying not to give away too much, butdepending on what was encountered during your walk along The Path, theinside of the house will look, sound and feel completely different. Youmight take a different route to normal and end up in rather strangesettings, or maybe you'll take the regular path but the walls will becovered in... colour, and doors will be slamming in the wind. "x 1o%:90q  
So what it all boils down to is that Tale of Tales have developed anobject-hunting horror extravaganza. I'll put a big tick next to'horror' on their report card, but in the 'gameplay' box, I'm writing'See Me'. M\\~M_^v(Y  
The thing is, like I said at the beginning, The Path is not a game.Yet, unlike other recent attempts at arty gaming (see Flower), Tale ofTales have not drawn that line between and art and gaming well enough.Everything screams that it's an arty-farty malarkey - there's poetry,beautiful surroundings, specific storylines dedicated to each girlwhich seem to be telling some kind of story about 'growing up' - butthe control scheme coupled with running around everywhere, grabbinggolden flowers and having a real, set objective to complete give it avery gamey feel. @z`1VM
W  
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当你到达大道的末端,进入外婆的房子,有些东西就会很明显了.还是一样,游戏尝试不向我们透露太多,而是取决于你在路上遇到了什么.进入房间后,听觉,视觉和感觉都会完全不同.你可能一般会选择特别的路径,然后在非常奇怪的设定中结束,也可能选择普通的道路但是墙上会被涂上颜色,门会被风刮得砰砰响.
; Y$ o# f; o/ V# e5 [8 r所以,这一切都可以归结为:TALE OF TALES 制作了一个物品搜寻的恐怖型娱乐表演.我会在他们的问卷表上对”HORROR”这个词做个大大的标记.但是在”GAME PLAY”的空白上,我会写上”SEE ME”.
实际上,就像我在开头说的那样,The Path不是一个游戏.不过,不像其他进来的”艺术向”游戏( Flower),Tales of Tales在区分艺术和游戏性上做的并不够好,所有东西都显示这是在故弄玄虚—为每个女孩打造的诗歌,美丽的环境,相关的故事线好像在诉说某种关于”成长”的故事,但是游戏的控制路线,加上在游戏里到处跑,拾取金花,设定目标去完成,让这一切看起来多余.
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And this is rather a problem. As a game, it's pretty boring. Maybethe first run through is entertaining enough, then the second go letsyou use your new-found understanding of how the game works, but afterthat the whole experience just feels like an absolute chore. By thetime I'd powered through the forest with my final girl, I was sick andtired of it all and really could not be bothered. .Na#Y<;g  
! B7 J7 t$ ]' t: S: BI think it's also worth mentioning that this game did not like mycomputer at all. While I don't own an incredibly high-end machine, myrig is only a couple of years old and can run the likes of, say, FarCry 2 without problem. The first time I ran The Path, the opening videolagged immensely and I eventually had to turn the graphics down in theoptions to get it to run properly - that's with all the latest driversinstalled et al. Maybe it's just my PC, maybe it's ATI gfx cards - Ihaven't seen it run on another computer to check. c'[zDo  
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这其实是个蛮严重的问题,作为一个游戏,它比较无聊,第一次玩可能感觉还有趣,第二次玩可以让你找到对游戏进行方面新的理解,但是这之后,游戏体验就完全成为了日常杂务一样.当我让最后一个女孩通过森林的时候,我已经非常厌倦这个游戏,而且心情很不好.’
/ E. Z- j5 Y: U& y6 L- C/ f我想有一点很值得提到的是:可能这游戏不大喜欢我的电脑,因为我的电脑性能并不很高端.我的配置是几年前的,但是可以运行FARCRY2这样的游戏.但是第一次运行the path的时候,开头动画非常卡使得我不得不把设置调低去适当的运行.而且用的是最新的驱动了.不过有可能是电脑的问题,也有可能是ATI显卡的问题,我这边还没试过在其他电脑上运行尝试.

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So there is my spoiler-free take on this month's - hell, this year'sweirdest game. If you're wondering whether to grab a copy (there is nodemo, understandably, to try out first), decide which of thesecategories you fall into: If you're curious and are looking for amessed up experience, or are just a big fan of artistic gaming, give ita go; If you don't fit into that category, you probably won't like it.Of course, with this kind of game, it all boils down to your ownexperience, so what I think may not apply to you at all. VaL}$/oE  
That's why it is hard for me to either recommend or veto The Path.All I can say is, buying this game is a risk as some will like it andsome won't. Hopefully my experience with it has helped you to decidewhether it will be for you.
.......

SO这是我关于这个月的,哦不,今年的最奇怪游戏的一些剧透.如果你在犹豫是否要买盘来玩玩(并没有试玩版可以试玩,可以理解),或者这个种类的哪个游戏来玩;如果你很好奇,想体验一下乱糟糟的感觉,又或者只是艺术类游戏的FAN,去玩一下看看吧.如果你不适合这个类型,你应该就不会喜欢.当然了,这种类型的游戏,主观的因素影响比较大,我想的可能并不适合你.
所以我很难去推荐或者去否定The Path这个游戏,我只能说,因为有些人会喜欢有些人不会喜欢,买这个游戏会有点冒险.希望我的这些相关经验能够帮助你做出决定.
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水平比较低,将就着看吧,另外欢迎纠正错误,里面也有几处地方不大明白

三生石

貌似那种哥特死亡主题～～～～～

nevernam

这个POSTER的很多观点我也是很赞同的,比如the path的定义上
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如果用游戏的角度去体验,那"这个游戏"还真是没什么好玩的,但是如果把它当成艺术作品(或者说难听点伪艺术)来体验的话

- N/ I* c% [- g! R- r: b还是挺能满足猎奇感的,片中的人物相互之间一句话都没有,但玩完后,每个女孩的性格特征却是活灵活现,会忍不住喜欢上里面
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寂静岭系列虽然从头到位也贯彻着黑暗,死亡艺术的描绘,但是主题上还是倾向与赎罪,自省等现实题材的表达的\\
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$ u) L  o' Z1 ?  ]6 E) @the path在黑暗哥特,死亡主题和犯罪冲动上的描绘就更加纯粹了,我想作者并不打算向玩家们说明什么哲理,或者是激发

$ \2 [. G3 y% A4 i: l) [, W玩家某方面的感情,而是像很多抽象艺术家那样,旨在给读者和观众一种陌生的,含蓄的,但又触动心灵深处的体验

想深化或者进一步了解这些体验的内涵,还是要做一些情结和细节上的探究的,而这正是众多AVG FANS对AVG乐此不彼的工作.