You can either play as the new inmate, Vincent, or the seasoned prison veteran, Leo. Seeing as the game is exclusively cooperative, the gameplay trailer, shown below, demonstrates how Leo and Vincent can help each other out by creating diversions, such as starting fights.
Vincent and Leo’s journey starts in prison, but like most pieces of entertainment involving prisons, there’s the escaping prison portion of the game, and the attempted return to the life they used to have. We see Leo hug his son outside of prison in the reveal trailer, and Vincent arriving at the hospital as his wife (?) holds their newborn child. A Way Out, based on the two trailers and from Fares’ explanation, obviously wants to tell an emotional narrative about seeking redemption and forgiveness from the loved ones that the two men hurt.
Josef Fares, the game’s director, said, “I wanted to make another game that pushed the boundaries on how to tell stories without compromising on gameplay.” As for the gameplay, it appears that outside of the prison, the game features large set pieces, and at least a somewhat open world.
Fares previously created the 2013 indie hit, Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons. Brothers featured two central protagonists as well, but they were controlled with the same controller. While A Way Out can be played online, Fares strongly suggested that the best experience will be had for those who play split-screen, on the couch, like the good old days.
A Way Out is the first title from Fares’ Hazelight Studio, and is part of the EA Originals program. A Way Out launches on PS4, Xbox One, and PC in early 2018.
