Parents' Guide to A Way Out

It's a well-known fact that lots of things work better in pairs, like socks, shoes, scissors, and escaped prisoners. So maybe that last one isn't as well-known, but that doesn't make it any less true in A Way Out, a prison break buddy film wrapped around a co-op adventure game. Right off the bat, the first thing you'll learn is that there's no such thing as "single-player" here. You'll need a buddy that's willing to tag along for the six- to eight-hour ride in the gaming equivalent of a three-legged race. If you can't find someone to share a couch with, you can recruit a partner in crime from your online friend list. Thankfully, unlike most co-op games, you don't need to worry about the other person owning the title thanks to its "Friend Pass" system. After sending an invite, your co-op partner will be prompted to download a "demo" version of the game, which contains all of the content but doesn't allow that player to create a game of their own.

The real question is whether or not A Way Out is actually worth making that friendly commitment for. The answer: Absolutely. The game's cinematic presentation does an amazing job of making you (and your partner) feel like you're not just playing a game, but playing an active role in an action movie. It's particularly fun when one player's actions show in real time during the cutscene of the other player, or when a third scene plays out while both players are in the thick of things. There are a couple of minor problems with this movie-like plot development, though. The biggest issue is that the plot is much more linear than it seems. Players can occasionally choose different ways to overcome certain obstacles, like choosing stealth or charm over threats and violence. But it doesn't ever really matter which path you choose since you always wind up in the same place afterward. This also hurts the game's replay value. After all, it might seem interesting to see how events would play out if you went with Plan A instead of Plan B, but since nothing changes, there's not much reason to care unless you're a completionist. Still, like most good movies, A Way Out is at its absolute best the first time you experience it, with no idea what's coming.