Common Sense Media Review
By David Chapman
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
VR beat 'em up packs a punch with over-the-top fun.
Parents Need to Know
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Path of the Warrior
Parent and Kid Reviews
What’s It About?
PATH OF THE WARRIOR takes gamers on a VR-fueled parody trip down memory lane to the back alleys and bad streets of old school beat 'em up staples from the heyday of '80s and '90s arcades. Welcome to Rage City, a place where the local gangs have all joined forces under the leadership of the mysterious crime boss, Mr. S. Now, the city streets are flooded with gang members, ninja, and homicidal clowns, leaving the citizens cowering in fear of being strapped to explosive devices and held hostage in randomly inconvenient hiding places. With the police force overworked and Rage City under siege, it's up to you and your street brawling prowess to beat down this crime wave and foil Mr. S's plans for good.
Is It Any Good?
Back in the late '80s and early '90s, arcades and consoles were filled with cheesy, over-the-top beat 'em up games like Double Dragon, Final Fight, and Streets of Rage. While the legacy of these games might live on in some modern brawlers, none put that nostalgic action in your face quite as much (or as literally) as Path of the Warrior. The game drops you into the sleeveless jacket and fingerless gloves of a streetwise hero as you fight your way through wave after wave of ever more ridiculous thugs in ever more ridiculous settings. Yet as bonkers as the action gets, it never strays far from the absurdity of the original games it's making fun of.
While Path of the Warrior might be poking fun at the old school beat 'em up games, it still manages to capture every bit of the appeal those titles had to offer. There's no problem that can't be punched (or kicked) away. Street gangs attacking? Punch 'em. Doors locked? Punch 'em. Ticking time bombs need to be defused? Don't waste time cutting wires … just punch 'em! Sure, it's a bit repetitive after a while. And yet, the controls are quick, smooth, and responsive. Plus, there's always so much to interact with, you can't help but get fully immersed in the experience and lose all track of time. It's not a deep or a long game. And it certainly isn't a complex one. But what Path of the Warrior does offer is a path that's paved in pure, unadulterated fun.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about violence in video games. Is the impact of the violence in Path of the Warrior affected by the lack of blood and gore in combat? Would the impact be intensified if there was more realistic imagery as a consequence of your actions?
What are some of the ways that video games have changes and evolved over the years? How do today's games still draw inspiration from the classics of the past?
Game Details
- Platforms: Oculus Quest , Oculus Rift
- Pricing structure: Paid
- Available online?: Available online
- Publisher: Twisted Pixel Games
- Release date: December 13, 2019
- Genre: Action/Adventure
- Topics: Sports and Martial Arts , Adventures
- ESRB rating: T for Use of Alcohol, Violence
- Last updated: December 17, 2019
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