Stories: The Path of Destinies

 PlayStation 4
Metascore
73

Mixed or average reviews - based on 41 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 23 out of 41
  2. Mixed: 17 out of 41
  3. Negative: 1 out of 41
  1. Wccftech
    Apr 12, 2016
    74
    With its interesting fairy tale feel and engaging mix old and modern gameplay mechanics, Stories: The Path Of Destinies is a love letter to action role playing games of years past. The unique narrative style, the choices system and smooth battle system are quite engaging during the first playthroughs, but the limited amount of content eventually makes the game feel a little repetitive. Even with its issues, however, Stories: The Path Of Destinies is a game that's very well worth the time of action role playing game fans
  2. IGN Spain
    Apr 12, 2016
    72
    Interesting yet unpolished proposal that falls too flat due to its repetition, despite its charming visuals and enjoyable gameplay.
  3. Digitally Downloaded
    May 3, 2016
    70
    If the RPG mechanics are your main attraction, you’ll probably be disappointed, but as an experiment in choice-driven narratives, Stories is clever, impressive, and well worth a look.
  5. CGMagazine
    Apr 27, 2016
    70
    An action RPG for all ages to enjoy that unfortunately gets muddled down by a mediocre soundtrack and lack of enemy variety.
  6. DarkStation
    Apr 25, 2016
    70
    With a cheeky narrator that doesn’t know when to be quiet, different stories that are told in brief, bite-sized chunks, and a fun and fluid combat system, Stories: The Path of Destinies is worth checking out even if its clearly lacking the amount of polish other games of this nature have.
  7. Eurogamer Italy
    Apr 17, 2016
    70
    Stories: The Path of Destinies is a curious narrative experiment, an action-RPG which doesn’t manage to overcome the average of this type of production in term of gameplay still providing, despite everything, a choice-driven plot with some good ideas.
  8. Shacknews
    Apr 13, 2016
    70
    Most of Stories: The Path of Destinies is hinged upon the idea of discovering the best possible outcomes of its story, no matter how nonsensical it may be at first. It’s a clever way to build a narrative, because it’s built around the assumption one will fail multiple times while still retaining useful knowledge to apply in a different run.
  9. PSNStores
    Apr 13, 2016
    70
    That said I absolutely recommend setting aside the five hours it’ll take to unlock the four truths and to seek out the true ending. The narrative and how it’s told is really interesting and is absolutely worth seeing.
  10. We Got This Covered
    Apr 12, 2016
    70
    Stories: The Path of Destinies offers an interesting narrative, unique plot progression system and often enjoyable gameplay. However, it's held back by unfortunate glitches and quite a bit of repetition.
  11. Everyeye.it
    Apr 19, 2016
    67
    Stories looks like a unpolished narrative experiment. The main problem here is an ordinary combat system and a set of situations that never challenge the player. Trying to discover every possible ending, though, you'll discover a light and inspired platformer.
  12. COGconnected
    Apr 12, 2016
    65
    It’s like that easy beach reading book that you enjoyed for a few hours on holiday, and then put back on the shelf never to read again.
  13. Games Master UK
    Jul 5, 2016
    62
    A story more innovative than the repetitive and often shallow game it's attached to. [June 2016, p.71]
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  14. GameCritics
    May 30, 2016
    60
    Ultimately, though, the drudgery of actually playing this game outweighs whatever interest its narrative has to offer. I have to admire the ambition of the concept here, but Stories: The Path of Destinies falls short of having systems equal to that aspiration. Like its swashbuckling hero, this game’s reach exceeds its grasp.
  15. Examiner
    Apr 18, 2016
    60
    While Stories: The Path of Destinies certainly has some unique elements and beautiful levels for people to enjoy, unfortunately it turns out to be a mediocre RPG that truly struggles to provide any meat. This is a hard game to recommend, though if the price is right or is on PS Plus, it's worth a look.
  16. Push Square
    Apr 17, 2016
    60
    Branching storylines, cool combat, and rewarding RPG elements work in tandem to form a memorable adventure, but one that needlessly stumbles and falls over various technical issues. This certainly isn't the true ending that we were hoping for.
  17. Hardcore Gamer
    Apr 12, 2016
    60
    Stories: The Path of Destinies is a clear example that the framework for success can only take you so far; the execution of an awesome idea has to be there for a game to reach its true potential.
  18. Metro GameCentral
    Apr 13, 2016
    50
    An inspired mix of Groundhog Day and Choose Your Own Adventure style decision making, combined with a half-broken action role-player of considerably lesser interest.
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  1. Kotaku
    Oct 19, 2016
    Stories feels like it’s trying something rewardingly different, to do more than just ape the linear style of a summer blockbuster movie. It’s embracing tried-and-true hallmarks of action game design and weaving them around interactive fiction elements. The result is both familiar and fresh.

User Reviews

All reviews »
User Score
7.5

Generally favorable reviews- based on 140 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 88 out of 140
  2. Mixed: 36 out of 140
  3. Negative: 16 out of 140
  1. Agarwel
    Apr 12, 2016
    9
    This game is a nice surprise. It is actually fun to play. (imagine simplified Diablo with free-flow combat from Batman). And from technicalThis game is a nice surprise. It is actually fun to play. (imagine simplified Diablo with free-flow combat from Batman). And from technical point of view it feels very polished.

    But what is most interesting is its unique story structure. It can be compared to Zero Escape (or a movie Edge of Tomorrow). Basically the story offers you several choices and it is branching according them. (really branching. Two games can be completelly different - another areas, another characters, another goals, another story).

    So instead of one continuous story, you get many smaller ones. It takes approx. 1,5hour to finish one story. But only one has the real happy ending. So you have to finish it mupltiple ways to explore whole story from different perspectives to be able to finish it properly.

    The most unique detail is, that the narator of the story remembers what happened in the previous stories (also you character keeps skills and equipment). And this unlocks you new story options the more you play it. (basically you can have a new event, that is based on knowledge of something that happened at the end of different story). So you need to finish multiple stories to be able to unlock all important info that will allow you to "power play" to the propper ending.
    The game is fun, really cheap and each playthrought feels enough different to keep you hooked for anough time before you start feeling repetition in re-used areas.    … Full Review »
  2. Flugruger
    Apr 12, 2016
    9
    I bought this game on a whim since it looked interesting. I actually saw it on steam first, but hadn't used my PS4 in forever so gave it a goI bought this game on a whim since it looked interesting. I actually saw it on steam first, but hadn't used my PS4 in forever so gave it a go on that.

    Going in blind made this game a great surprise. The combat is very satisfying without being too easy or too hard. I'll find myself up against a mass of enemies and some how manage to get to a high combo without taking a hit, but then get poked once in the next fight against 3 baddies when I let my guard down for a second.

    The single greatest aspect is how the story unfolds. I absolutely need to see how every story thread unfolds and I am now in the process of not being productive for the foreseeable future.

    The only reason I am not giving this a 10, and I really really want to give it one, is that there are some really annoying bugs. Fairly frequently (once every 10 levels or so) terrain will just fail to load which forces you to restart the level midway in certain circumstances. I also got stuck in the terrain while breaking ice crystals once.

    All things said this is well worth the $15 USD. I would honestly have paid $25 and been happy with it.    … Full Review »
  3. Kumatetsu
    Apr 12, 2016
    10
    Oh man, this is a game that has a lot of heart. Sure, there are plenty of things in this game that I have seen before in some form or fashion,Oh man, this is a game that has a lot of heart. Sure, there are plenty of things in this game that I have seen before in some form or fashion, but it never stopped me from having a fantastic time with it.… Full Review »
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