Should you try out A Way Out in 2025?

A Way Out follows the story of two convicted prisoners working together to escape and seek vengeance against those who wronged them. The game was released in 2018 and developed by Hazelight Studios for the Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and PC platforms, which received universal praise from the gaming community and critics for its compelling narrative and its focus on a great co-op experience.

Unlike It Takes Two, this project is much more mature and gritty. Director Josef Fares wasn't held back by the possibility of failure given the lack of a single-player mode. Not everyone was eager to play games with another friend to experience one story. Nevertheless, this project was a cut above the rest and is worth playing in 2025.

Disclaimer: Some aspects of this article reflect the writer's subjective opinions about the game.

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A Way Out is not a regular co-op experience

Escaping prison and seeking vengeance does sound like a two-man job (Image via Steam || Hazelight Studios)

Director Josef Fares saw the opportunity to bring back the feeling of playing old local co-op games on the same console through A Way Out but with new gameplay elements for a much more immersive experience. Players will take on the role of Vincent and Leo, two prisoners who hold a grudge and seek revenge against Harvey, a powerful crime boss with deep connections.

Throughout the story, the two prisoners bond over their shared experiences and rely on one another to get through puzzles and obstacles. After Vincent saved Leo's life from an assassination attempt orchestrated by Harvey from the outside, the duo became an inseparable pair with a common goal of escaping and getting their pound of flesh. Players can take on either inmate and perform specific tasks.

While the duo are recovering from their injuries from the failed assassination attempt, they work together to grab whatever supplies they can find to help them bust out of prison. One player can cause a distraction to gain the guards' attention while the other can scavenge for supplies, such as bed sheets to help them rappel down walls, a wrench, and a chisel to cut through fences.

After escaping undetected and unscathed, Leo and Vincent bonded by sharing stories while running from the law. A Way Out is a great game to play with a friend, and it would be interesting to see how this story will test their friendship or ruin it by driving a wedge between them as the characters make hard choices.

Unlike most online multiplayer games, which are filled with toxicity and bullying, director Josef Fares wanted to encourage players that winning together is better than winning alone. This is a much more positive and unique take on how multiplayer games can thrive nowadays, especially in an industry overrun by live service games with microtransactions.

The narrative is fairly linear, similar to games like The Last of Us and Uncharted; however, A Way Out is about learning to collaborate with a partner. Leo and Vincent are just two men, but players will feel they can accomplish anything once they trust one another.

The developers added diverse side activities, such as arm wrestling, darts, fishing, and playing musical instruments like a banjo and piano. While in prison, Leo and Vincent can perform recreational physical exercises like push-ups and bench presses, and play sports like basketball and baseball. They can even set the tone with dialogue options while conversing with NPCs.

There are some similarities to other gaming franchises, like Red Dead Redemption 2 and Grand Theft Auto 5 where the protagonists can rob a store, but they have more options on how to do the deed. Leo and Vincent have different approaches and it would be interesting to see how a pair would discuss their options.

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The story is full of unexpected twists and turns

Other than a great co-op gaming experience, Hazelight Studios did not hold back with the compelling narrative. Players must make choices that could affect the outcome. While the general structure remains the same, a few changes depend on how a playthrough ends.

A Way Out has plenty of situations where players must think outside the box (Image via Steam || Hazelight Studios)

Despite being a split-screen co-op experience, the game has a cinematic vibe and doesn't harm gameplay. There are a few rare instances where Leo and Vincent are in a firefight and players must cover each other to reach their target. The driving and shooting mechanics are straightforward, which can lead to satisfying combat encounters against enemies.

The finale of A Way Out is hard to play, especially as soon players realize that only one man can walk away alive from this situation. It is up to the players on which ending they will get, but it is worth noting that they are equally tragic.

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Conclusion

It looks like not everyone has a way out (Image via Steam || Hazelight Studios)

A Way Out is a breath of fresh air for modern co-op games and has set the standard of a true Hazelight Studios production. While It Takes Two is a much more family-friendly adventure about two parents struggling to see eye to eye, this is about two strangers becoming friends.

If you and your friend are looking for a great co-op experience in 2025, A Way Out is available on multiple platforms and is extremely affordable.