A Way Out - Chapter 3: Preparation
Enough running, it’s time for Vincent and Leo to prepare for their revenge against Harvey.
After Vincent and Leo’s daring escape and pursuit by law enforcement, they’ll need to begin preparations for the next phase of their plan. Chapter 3: Preparation is the longest section in A Way Out, requiring you to meet up with family, torture someone for information, avoid an assassin, and flee from the police once more.
Reunion
Preparation begins with a family reunion between Leo, his wife Linda and his son Alex. Vincent and Leo will need to work their way through a trailer park, talking with the residents to try and find where Linda is now living.
You can either take your time to speak with everyone and interact with everything or weave through the trailer park until you reach the mechanic at the end. Go through the garage and out the back door to see Alex in the distance.
If you want to explore the trailer park, take some time to play baseball, hitting a high score will earn you an Achievement/Trophy. You should also speak with the lady holding the baseball bat and then approach the trailer where two people are having a good time, go back to the woman and let her know where her husband is – this will earn you another Achievement/Trophy. Finally, have Vincent and Leo sit on the swing together to unlock another awkward Achievement/Trophy.
Bonds
Walk through the mechanic and to the trailer to find Linda waiting for Leo. At this point, Leo will need to go and speak with Alex while Vincent helps Linda fix the motorcycle. Leo should head inside the trailer and talk with Alex, he’ll jump out the window and run up to the tree house, follow him by making your way through the chain-linked fence. Approach the treehouse and Alex will lift up the ladder. Grab the hammer off the nearby table to fix the sign. Meanwhile, Vincent should grab a wrench from the shed for Linda and start up the bike, doing this will unlock an Achievement/Trophy.
After the cutscene ends, you can play a game of basketball with Leo, Alex, and Vincent. Leo will get called over to Linda and the two will talk about finding Ray.
Hazardous Hunt
This next section of Chapter 3: Preparation starts off with another split decision between Vincent and Leo. You can either bluff your way in using Vincent’s way or threat the construction worker with Leo’s way.
Vincent’s Way: Bluff
Vincent will tell the worker that they’re here to inspect the worksite and ensure it’s up to code. Not wanting to cause trouble, Larry will give you some helmets as you enter.
Leo’s Way: Threat
Leo will threaten the construction worker, letting him know exactly what Leo plans to do to Ray. Turns out, Larry isn’t so fond of Ray either, and he’ll let you in.
Now that you’ve gained access to the construction site, you will need to work your way past the workers to the elevator at the back. Take the elevator up to the next floor to spot Ray – the chase will begin!
Vincent and Leo will both start chasing Ray. You will need to jump over obstacles, climb ladders, avoid falling to your death, all while making sure Ray doesn’t get too far ahead. Chase Ray until Leo and Vincent lose him, then head through the door ahead of you and shimmy across the ledge.
Ray will be hiding from you in a shipping container in the next room, open it up and then work together to bust open the double-door. Get one player on the crane to lower the bar down while the other player jumps on, raise them up to continue the chase.
Run across the top of the cranes, and when you reach the dusty-red one, interact with the controls to start it turning. Meanwhile, the other player will need to jump down to the next area and run across the building to meet the container as it nears the edge. Jump onto the container and beat on Ray until the container smashes into the building.
Chase Ray down the steep incline at which point A Way Out will change to a top-down perspective. Leo and Vincent will need to go opposite directions to close in on Ray in a pincer maneuverer, like how you caught the fish during Chapter 2: Fugitives.
Violent Questioning
Ray’s got the information on Harvey that Vincent and Leo need – it’s time to get it out of him. This section of A Way Out isn’t too picky in how you interrogate Ray, so at this point you can do whatever you please. The way I did it was to drag Ray to the edge, and then use various tools on him until he cracked under the pressure. There are multiple items you can use on Ray: crowbar, nailgun, blowtorch, lamp, wallet, and pistol. Now that you know where Harvey is, you’re going to need money to buy some guns.
Stick Up
The Stick Up section in A Way Out begins with another decision to be made: how are you going to rob the gas station, Vincent’s way of quiet and calmly or Leo’s way of in and out quickly?
Vincent’s Way: Vincent takes the gun
Now that Vincent has the gun, you can enter the gas station and speak with the customers in there to get rid of them. This reduces the amount of people you need to worry about. You can find one guy near the fuel pump, get Vincent to tell him about cheaper gas down the road to send him off.
Another customer can be found inside near a payphone, tell him to take a hike so you can destroy the phone so no one calls the cops. An anxious-looking customer is near the front of the store, he won’t leave no matter what you say. A shelf-stocker can also be told to leave.
Start the robbery by speaking to the lady behind the counter, she’ll throw some change on the counter and then deny that there is a safe in the back. Send a player into the back, they’ll be attacked by someone lying in wait, help them and then get ready to open the safe. Vincent should then get the safe combination off the clerk, which is 137. This will set off the alarm. Grab the money and head to the car.
Leo’s Way: Leo keeps the gun
If you choose to let Leo keep the gun, the robbery begins as soon as you enter the gas station. The anxious customer will immediately flee and you will need to contend with the other customer potentially using the payphone or leaving. Other than that, the scene plays out exactly the same. Threaten the clerk for the money, find the safe in the back room, fend off the surprise attack, get the safe combination from the clerk, open the safe and steal the money, then run back to the car. The only difference here is that a police office will be en route, so you need to be quick.
Gun Runner
Meeting Leo’s gun contact begins once more with a decision to handle it Vincent’s way or let Leo take control of the situation.
Vincent’s Way: Handle it
Choosing Vincent’s way makes Vincent grab the gun and pull it apart. This diffuses the situation.
Leo’s Way: Intervene
Choosing Leo’s way makes Leo sweet talk his way out of the confrontation.
This section is really short, but it will affect the next part of A Way Out, Chapter 4: Vengeance. The gun you choose here will dictate the weapon you take into the fight, so choose wisely. Because the majority of the next chapter takes place outside, it’s a good idea to select the M1 Garand and the M16, as they’re both long-range weapons. The shotgun and MP5 are not good at making headshots and it’s unlikely you’ll get close enough to take advantage of their short-range.
The Call
Before you set off on the final adventure, Vincent wants to check in on his wife at a payphone. To do this, Vincent will first need to get some change from the homeless person sitting nearby the theatre. Make the phone call to Vincent’s wife, and get ready for the next section. Meanwhile, Leo can walk around and speak to the people in the area.
The Assassin
After a brief heart-to-heart, Vincent and Leo will be attacked by an assassin. Start running through the theatre and into the back room. Use the filing cabinet to barricade the door and then push the boat structure across to let one person reach the other side. Help the other player up and open the yellow vent.
Use the panel of lights as protection, pulling it along with you as you creep along the upper gangplank. So long as you’re behind the lights or wall, the assassin won’t be able to hit you. The next set of lights are remote controlled so one person will have to sit back and use the switch while the other moves long. Drop down on the assassin and then work together to kill him.
A New Life
A New Life brings Vincent and Leo to a hospital so that Vincent can meet his newborn daughter and speak with his wife, Carol. As you enter the foyer, approach the information board ahead so you know where the maternity ward is. You can spend some time in this waiting area, speaking with patients and playing connect-four, but sooner or later you’ll need to go to the elevator.
Just as you enter the elevator, a guard will run in, too. Here you will need to decide how to deal with this new threat, Vincent’s option of talking your way out of it or Leo’s idea of clocking him on the head.
Vincent’s Way: Talk your way out
Choosing Vincent’s way is the non-violent option that sees Vincent pretending to be highly infectious. The guard will quickly get off the elevator.
Leo’s Way: Knock him out
It’s as simple as it sounds: Leo punches the guard in the face, knocking him unconscious.
When you reach the maternity floor, have Vincent speak with the receptionist to gain access to Carol’s room. While Vincent is in Carol’s room, Leo can entertain himself in the hallway.
Against All Odds
With police surrounding the hospital, Vincent and Leo have only one option: run. This section plays out a little bit different to all the other sections of A Way Out as the perspective will switch back and forth between Vincent and Leo.
As the perspective switches, you will need to be prepared to take control of your character and continue the escape. The first person to start running is Vincent who must flee over the roof before the action cuts to Leo, who is running through the hallways. A Way Out will switch back and forth, but one major section is where Leo must sprint through a darkened hallway and then block a door with a cabinet. Stay still and wait for the cop to leave before exiting through the door and kicking open the door across the hall. Run to the elevator shaft and jump inside.
Vincent will need to run through an operating theatre and climb into a vent, at which point Leo will need to fight his way through several guards in a side-scrolling beat ‘em up section. Kick, punch, counterattack, and use the lamp to beat up anyone who runs at you.
As Vincent exits the vent, a couple of cops will enter the same room. Quickly exit out the window and creep along the ledge when the cops aren’t looking, you’re trying to reach the ladder on the other side. Descend the ladder and kick in the window.
Leo will find himself with a hostage. From here, walk backward until you reach the red door to the exit. This leads to Vincent who will be in the waiting room as several officers enter. Head to the right and sit in the waiting room chairs until they pass. Head through the open door and jump out the window.
Leo will be captured and it’s up to Vincent to save him. Run down the steps to the car, jump in, and floor it down the ramp toward the hospital steps. Leo needs to run down the steps and jump in the car to escape.
It’s an incredible way to end this chapter, but more thrills await in Chapter 4: Vengeance.
