So, after completing this game I went on IMDb to see what kinds of things that people were saying. Something that I found particularly interesting was that the two main characters were voiced by none other than Troy Baker (who’s been in games like “The Last of Us,” and the Batman “Arkham” games) and Laura Bailey (who was in games like ‘Injustice 2,” “The Last Of Us Part II,” and in many of the animated Marvel projects as Black Widow).

If that alone doesn’t pique your interest, I don’t know what will! The Pathless is a single-player, third-person, open-world action/adventure game that comes to us from upcoming game developers “Giant Squid,” who gave us the recent indie title, “Abzû.” In this game, you control The Hunter.

Armed with only a bow, The Hunter arrives on a mysterious new island with the means of achieving one goal: stopping the evil, and manipulative Godslayer from shaping the world into his own image, and the image that many of his shadowy followers had sought for so long.

Along the way, The Hunter gains a companion in the mother of all the living creatures on the island, the Eagle. And with her help, they set off to stop the Godslayer in his villainous path.

Right off the bat, the first thing that needs to be said is the artistically breathtaking visuals this game lets your eyes feast upon. Everywhere you look in this game, it is a visual marvel to behold, from the blue colored aesthetic of the fields to the red orange storm, the visual team should feel proud at the visuals that they have put forth.

This game also has one of the best gaming soundtracks of the year as well. Austin Wintory, who composed the score in “Abzû” (as well as games like “Journey,” and “Assassins Creed: Syndicate”) returns to the composer seat to once again. He delivers a beautiful score which helps elevate the games narrative, and the thrill of it’s combat and moments of tension.

Many times you will be running around this cursed land, and there will always be a fantastical beautiful score accompanying you, adding that extra sense of wonder, and epicness that Giant Squid is known for thanks to their previous title.

The Gameplay and Mechanics are also really innovative and fun as well. Itgoes to show that Giant Squid are willing to dip their toes into any waters in terms of pacing. I mention this because there is a noticeable change from “Abzû,” the game is noticeably way more action-packed, thrilling and intense.

Like I previously mentioned, as the Hunter, you are armed with a bow and with this weapon. It allows the player to shoot various talisman laid throughout the map that gives the Hunter stamina, allowing her to sprint and sprint faster, which make for some really fun and exciting moments.

The talisman also offers a way of escape, because as The Hunter progresses, she will come across the Godslayer’s giant minions, the four giant guardian animals that you must save, and the storms that surround them.

There will be times where violent red storms roll around when you are trying to collect the necessary items and complete expertly crafted puzzles you need to gather and complete to save the creatures. This causes you to cease your search and run from the storm, in such a cinematic way.

At times, it is a matter of stopping your puzzle solving as the storm roles in, and search for the nearest clear opening to run away. And at others, there is no escape.

There are times where you will be swallowed by the storm, forcing you to find your eagle companion, and outsmart these giant creatures whose vision acts like that of the T-Rex in the “Jurassic Park” movement. Those moments make for some amazingly intense moments, as one wrong move in the view of these behemoths will cause them to engage.

There really isn’t all that much to gripe about other than the casual frame drop, and random moments of lag. Things like that happened, but it was certainly not enough to downplay the game for me.

This is a beautifully made, thrilling, action-packed, open-world game with a profound message of: follow your own path, not that of someone else’s.

This game is available on all iPhone and iPad devices, Playstation 4 and 5, and PC. If you have any of those systems and were a fan of games like “Journey” or “Abzû,” or if you’re a fan of expertly crafted puzzle/open-world games, please do not miss this one. It is worth every penny, and it’s truly a shame that not enough people are talking about this title.

Jury declares: A Must-Buy