A Winding Path was released on PC in August 2021 and has now wandered onto Switch so you can take your adventure on the road. A Winding Path wants you to relax into its calming world filled with slow-paced gameplay, charming characters and lighthearted story. Developer Three Eyed Games clearly set out with a mission to create a low-key, puzzle driven romp. Those looking for high-octane action or intense gameplay best move on now as nothing like that will happen during the two or so hours of this walking and talking adventure.
The story is the heart and soul of A Winding Path and its kept fairly simple while touching on several themes. Its not clear at first why you, a wandering stick man, has to solve several problems in an unknown world. As with any story driven game things get clearer the further you explore this quaint monochromatic world. Without diving into the details of the story too much, you will explore corruption, distrust and despair across light touch puzzles and by solving problems for the locals.
The interface and controls are simple, use your left stick to walk left or right and the A button to interact with characters and items. There is one part of A Winding Path that requires you to shoot arrows at targets and this again is simple, Up and Down to aim, A button to fire. The only other control is with the right stick to play your lyre in a similar way Link plays his Ocarina. The lyre is also used to call upon rain clouds but it would spoil the story to explain more. Suffice it to say you will need to use water in several puzzles and making rain comes in handy.
The story moves along by helping the locals of three separate areas. You start in a simple village with only a few inhabitants before moving into a town and then a city. Each part of the journey requires you to solve more detailed puzzles. However, none of the puzzles in A Winding Path is particularly difficult. Most require you to talk to one person and then travel to another area to talk to another. The focus is on the characters and their plight rather than pulling on your puzzle-solving skills in any meaningful way.
The real pleasure in A Winding Path is uncovering twelve dewdrops that act as milestones for your progression. You don’t need to find them all to finish the main story but many will want to solve the mini-mysterious to uncover them. Some are fairly easy to find and are presented naturally, several though, will require a little thought and exploration. Every time you find three dewdrops you have the chance to swap your hat out for something else. The different hats don’t change anything, they’re purely cosmetic, but it’s a nice touch.
A Winding Path is a perfect game to while away a Sunday afternoon. It’s a soothing, non-taxing story adventure that can be finished in about two hours. Even the atmosphere and music are relaxing. It feels like a calm summer breeze that creates pressure-free gaming at its best. It won’t be to everyone’s taste however, those looking for actual action should pass this one by. You also won’t find difficult puzzles to challenge your brain. But if you enjoy a lighthearted romp with a relaxing feel, this is for you. Simply a lovely stroll through a beautiful little world.