Overview — What The Only Way is Forward Actually Does
You tap left or right, and that is your entire control scheme. The Only Way is Forward turns a roguelike RPG into a one-handed, thumb-driven journey where every step forces a decision—do you risk the darkened path ahead or double back to a safer fork? I found myself using it during my morning coffee, half-awake, yet completely absorbed because the narrative pulls you forward even when the luck-based combat feels unfair. The story deals with life, loss, and second chances without ever being preachy, and the real hook is that each death rewrites your understanding of earlier scenes. It gives you something that lingers after you put the phone down.
Guide and Usage Tips
Start by ignoring the urge to rush. The first few runs are meant to fail, so treat them as tutorials for the branching dialogue options. Resist the temptation to skip the recap screen—it shows you which choices actually mattered and which were red herrings. Hold your phone with your thumb resting near the screen edge; the tap zones are generous but a cramped grip causes accidental swipes. If you hit a difficulty wall, try focusing on one character's storyline per run instead of spreading your upgrades thin. One thing I learned the hard way: never assume a "forward" arrow is safe—listen to the subtle audio cues (a creak, a whisper) that hint at danger ahead. And turn off screen rotation; the game locks to portrait, but auto-rotate can throw off the button layout mid-run.
Main Highlights
The single most distinctive feature is the relationship tracker that doesn't use numbers or meters. Instead, you infer how a companion feels by the way their tone shifts after a tough choice—a quiet hesitation, a harsher laugh. The art style leans into watercolor sketches that blur slightly when your character is low on health, a visual cue that feels organic rather than a flashing alarm. Another detail that sets this apart: the path branches are not just linear—sometimes going "back" actually reveals a hidden scene you missed, making the backtracking feel like detective work rather than punishment. The haptic feedback when you confirm a decision is subtle but satisfying, a short buzz that anchors the moment. These micro-moments make the risk-reward loop feel personal, not procedural.
The Trade-offs — What to Consider
The luck dependency can frustrate players who prefer skill-based progression. You might roll a perfect run, then die because a random encounter spawned a boss with an unblockable attack. The lack of audio options is another friction point—there is no music toggle mid-game, so if you play in public, you'll either have to mute your device or miss the atmospheric sound design. That said, the slow pacing works in its favor if you treat it as a story-first experience rather than a combat grind. The initial time investment is real: expect at least two hours before you understand the narrative threads. If you are a patient reader who enjoys unraveling a non-linear plot, the difficulty becomes a feature that forces you to slow down and absorb the writing.
Conclusion — Who It's For and Whether to Download
This one is for anyone who loves character-driven, slice-of-life narratives with a touch of existential weight—think shows like *The Leftovers* or *Dark*. If you need constant action, leaderboards, or progression loops that reward grinding, the pacing will likely test your patience. The Only Way is Forward rewards curiosity over reflexes, and its best moments come from the quiet conversations between deaths. The first episode is free, so there is no risk in giving it a shot—just be ready to embrace failure as part of the story. For those who stay, the ending recontextualizes everything you thought you understood.
