When it comes to walking sims, they pretty much all fall victim to monotony. The stories tend to always be the same, little else is going on, and most of the games copy one another. Tomorrowhead Studio’s WILL: Follow the Light may have fallen into this, BUT, have done it a little differently.
WILL: Follow the Light follows Will, a lighthouse keeper who is searching for his son after a landslide took out most of their hometown. After learning that his estranged father took his son out to sea to fish during the disaster, Will sets sail in search of them, where he confronts the loss of his wife, his childhood, and his fears of turning into his father.
Now, onto the game itself! When it comes to the controls, it’s mainly limited, but quick to learn, like most walking sims.
I really enjoyed the game’s soundtrack, but I wish more of it played during the game, as it seems to play only when something cinematic or emotional happens. That is a shame, because the game itself, at certain moments, is strikingly pretty. I’m happy to report that there are humans in the voice cast and they’re good at what they’re doing!
As mentioned above, the game’s art is strikingly gorgeous, though I feel they downgraded some of the graphics when the game was ported to consoles, which is a shame. The world is atmospheric and at times quite cozy (when you go into the cabin of Will’s boat).
When it comes to gameplay, like other walking sims, Will explores the map. You can find secrets (little carved boats, tapes, tea tins, and little model planets) that tell more of Will’s story. There are puzzles, some of which I feel are a little too complex for a game like this. What I really loved was the sailing part of the game, where you can sail Will’s boat. There are moments when Will sails to different locations on his sailboat. You control the sails and navigate the waters; at times, you have to maneuver through obstacles.
I wish there were more sailing moments in the game, OR at least, you can unlock a “Free Sailing” playthrough where you can chart your course and sail to your heart’s content through different kinds of weather and during the day or night.
Overall, WILL: Follow the Light is a beautiful story about confronting grief, trauma, and the forgiveness of others and oneself. At times it’s hard to tell which direction the game is going in in terms of genre, as one minute it’s hinting at being paranormal, and others and fantasy adventure, as Will’s fate is very ambiguous. The story, lack of sailing mechanics, low replayability, and complicated puzzles affect the rating negatively. The art, voice acting, soundtrack, unique way of telling the story, and, ironically, the sailing mechanics help the rating. On my scale of 1-10, WILL: Follow the Light is an 8/10.
WILL: Follow the Light is out now on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC.
