Pathless Woods is a deep moreish title that takes over your life. Moreover, many tasks and endless waves of enemies push you all the way. However, I found a slight imbalance in the gameplay frustrating. This game excels as a survival and crafting experience. Yet, the combat elements are lacklustre. Additionally, there could have been more danger and difficulty during the core quest line. Consequently, though much of the action is fantastic, some bits need tweaking.
This survival adventure title was developed and published by AniYa Games Studio. Furthermore, it can be enjoyed alone or with others online. This freedom to open your world to the wider community was fantastic. But if you are lacking in online friends, fear not. You can enjoy every time-consuming second as you build the base of your dreams or slay an array of bandits and animals.
Pathless Woods tells an outlandish tale.
I love an OTT fantasy story. Luckily, Pathless Woods obliged my desires. This almost outlandish plot unravels a world filled with mystery and strange creatures. Alongside this, some bandits bully the locals. As such, you must explore a vast world whilst restoring order and balance. Additionally, you are free to do as you wish. Subsequently, you can ignore the story and build a vast house. Alternatively, you can cultivate crops, craft new materials, and live a relaxed life.
Whatever approach you choose, it is great fun with friends or alone. Moreover, the anime aesthetic and the lush world were a pleasure to look at and explore. What’s more, the developer has done a fantastic job of creating a progression system and a nice blend of survival mechanics. Yet, it is this latter element that tests you throughout. With water, health, food, and a spirit meter to manage, it can be tough to survive. Alongside this, you must stay healthy to bolster your physique. After all, a hungry hero is a weak hero.
Classic mechanics.
You’ll feel right at home if you are familiar with the genre. The classic survival elements complement the day/night cycle. Additionally, balancing an all-out attack with your stamina bar can be testing. However, once you get to grips with the almost mindless combat, you needn’t worry. This was one of my major complaints! Pathless Woods doesn’t test your combat prowess. Whether you are using a ranged or melee weapon, it is very easy. Yes, the stamina bar adds a layer of difficulty, but this is quickly overcome. Accordingly, killing bandits or defending your base was too easy and disappointingly basic.
Thankfully, the combat pales into insignificance when you consider the building mechanics and the farming. These elements are some of the best I’ve experienced, and I loved the variety of materials and the tools on offer. Consequently, if you want to build a massive castle, you may. However, if you want to create a simple community, you can do this as well. The level of detail and the custom options for each building block were spectacular. Accordingly, this will get those creative juices flowing.
Time to grind.
Pathless Woods is a grind-fest and a time sink. This won’t surprise veteran gamers. However, if you are new to the genre, you’ll waste hours crafting new tools and gathering pieces of wood, stone, flint, and other materials. Furthermore, you must consider the weather as this damages your tools and exposure to the elements destroys your crafting stations. Subsequently, you must plan wisely if you wish to maximise your time.
Thankfully, the developers aren’t cruel, as they have incorporated NPC helpers to alleviate much of the strain. These workers will follow your instructions, defend your base, and grind for resources. Though it isn’t perfect, they help remove some of the effort as you focus on bigger and better things.
Pathless Woods is imbalanced.
My biggest complaint about Pathless Woods is the gameplay imbalance. The combat is so lacklustre that it is painfully disappointing. I was desperate to be pushed during each encounter, but this never happened. Sadly, some minor dodging and plenty of spamming of the mouse overcame every obstacle.
I’m not asking for a Souls-like experience. That would destroy a relaxing and enjoyable title. Instead, it would have been nice to have a layer of risk vs reward. In its current state, Pathless Woods feels more like a survival-building title rather than a full-blown adventure game.
A vibrant and attractive world.
I adored the blend of vibrant colours and pastel tones. The large world has an anime influence that is great to observe. Its larger-than-life creatures are juxtaposed with the fantasy monsters. Additionally, the bizarre structures have a religious undertone that supports the strange lore. Though I liked the character models, the animation was basic, and the combat was too easy to analyse. Subsequently, this undermines an already weak component of the game.
The fantasy edge is represented beautifully within the audio. The airy tunes flit between upbeat and lighthearted moments and sinister and dramatic layers. The expansive range of songs works perfectly with the day/night cycle and the ever-changing weather. Accordingly, you knew when danger was lurking or when you could relax and enjoy the moment.
Complex controls.
Pathless Woods is undoubtedly complex. Furthermore, there are mountains of resources to gather, plenty of materials to create and loads of tools to build. Consequently, the control system takes some getting used to. Moreover, the UI has layers of sub-menus that can be overwhelming at first. However, if you follow the tutorial and the hints, you will master this in no time.
Despite the combat issues, this will keep you playing for hours. There are countless side quests to complete, a central plot to explore, and a vast world to walk across. Furthermore, you are free to do as much or as little as you please. Therefore, the world is your oyster.
Pathless Woods is a great survival experience.
I hope the combat issues get resolved. If some complexity and difficulty are added to the mix, then Pathless Woods will be phenomenal. As it is, this is a great survival experience that is interesting, fresh, and attractive to the eye. Accordingly, I love it and I recommend buying it here! Can you discover the hidden mysteries? Explore a vast world, build a wonderful base, and stay alive.
