Games about isolation are tricky beasts to tame. If the mechanics and the level design aren’t well-executed, it’s quite possible to end up feeling like you’re aimlessly or unfulfillingly wandering in a completely empty world. WILL: Follow The Light is a game about isolation, but it is also a game that tries—and beautifully succeeds—in filling that quiet space with dread, puzzles, and a very large and difficult to manage boat.
We play as Will, a lighthouse keeper working a lonely shift in the freezing north. A sudden radio broadcast ruins the routine: his hometown is destroyed, and his son is missing. From there, he simply has to go find him. That is anything but easy, though. The darkness is something to be feared, as it hides many unexpected, blood-chilling terrors.
Trimming Sails and Petting Dogs
Please don’t think of Will as one of those games where we just hold down the thumbstick to jog across a map. WILL gets very physical, very fast. It is an unwelcoming world where the mechanics force us to deal with the elements through deep, realistic traversal systems. We spent a massive chunk of our time navigating the seas on a sailing yacht. It isn’t easy to go exactly where we want since the controls aren’t arcade-style. We have to actively manage the boat, trimming sails and fighting the restless waters. Otherwise, we’ll be stuck in place or just go in circles. Braving these waters is a genuine mechanical challenge that requires real focus.
When we eventually managed to hit land, we found that the movement shifts completely depending on the terrain.
We crossed an abandoned island where the oppressive silence felt deafening while we scavenged for clues. When we hit the mountain ranges, the travel switched to dog sledding. Again, the game leans into realism; we literally had to manage both the sled and the dogs to get through the difficult terrain. Finally, we explored the ruins of Will’s home on foot. Every location is masterfully designed, with awe-inspiring views and layouts that cleverly challenge how we explore. It was rewarding to learn new ways of progressing depending on where we were in the world.
More than just fetch quests
Between these long stretches of travel, WILL is a wonderful first-person puzzle adventure. The puzzles we encountered were immensely immersive and satisfying, with narrative set-piece moments in every chapter. We mean it when we say this: we had to physically explore the environment to piece together the truth about Will’s wife, his father, and his missing son. It’s a very slow but deliberate burn. Here, the challenge comes from the surroundings as much as the brain teasers.
We aren’t usually big fans of puzzles. Adventure games where we have to think for a long time just to take one step forward were never really our thing. But WILL has a way of making us feel fully immersed in the experience, wanting to push forward no matter what. Few games hold that kind of power.
Finding the Shore
Managing a yacht and a dog sled in first-person is a massive mechanical risk, and not all games make these mechanics satisfying or fun. The developers did a great job with the entire game, especially with these unique ways of moving through the world. Tying those physical and deliberate actions to a heavy story about family secrets anchors the whole experience.
WILL: Follow the Light isn’t just a lonely trip; it is a freezing one, and we can really feel it. The traversal makes us earn every mile. It is an adventure that we definitely think is worth experiencing.
Score: 9/10
ID Card:
- Developer: Tomorrowhead Studio
- Publisher: Tomorrowhead Studio
- Platforms: PC (Steam, Epic), PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S
- Release Date: May 7, 2026
- Genre: First-Person Adventure Puzzle
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