The Pathless is a mythic adventure game about an archer and an eagle who explore a vast forested island in order to return light to a world shrouded in a cursed shadow. It is the second game I directed at Giant Squid. The game features a unique archery mechanic that ties directly into the fluid, fast motion of the player’s character. Our aim was to expand on the freedom of movement that we loved developing for ABZÛ, this time in an entirely new setting. The Pathless takes place in a huge open world, but features no map -- instead the player navigates and tracks their progress with a magical mask that gives them glimpses of distant secrets to explore. The Pathless also features epic cinematic boss encounters and a moving, mythic story about the bond between the Hunter and the Eagle. The entire game manages to create stakes and mechanical tension without employing any game over screen in the design. With no load screens, no map screen, and no game over screen, players can fully immerse themselves in the atmospheric world of The Pathless. The Pathless was a PS5 launch title, and is also available on PS4, Apple Arcade and Epic Games Store.

Check out my post about the archery mechanics in The Pathless on the Giant Squid blog.