REVIEW OF ROAD 96
Interactive dramas often seem to have more narrative branches than they really contain. Although games like Heavy Rain can take you on very different paths, they start at a point designated with decisions at hinges modifying your itinerary. With 148,268 stories permutations, Road 96 promises to make the trip of each unique. Offering an impressive number of possibilities, this procedural generation, will it choose your own adventure, will it be able to maintain a coherent story while making each trip along the separate highway?
Located in Petria, a country under totalitarian control, you play several teenagers looking to reach the 96 road. Due to the oppressive views of the government, young people flee, try to cross the border and make a kind of freedom. Although it is an intriguing premise, the heart of this game lies in the characters you encounter during each unique hike.
With seven main personalities whose stories extend over several parts, Road 96 is an innovative narrative game not like the others. The non-linear narrative approach has been perfectly implemented, supplying history drip, gradually constructing a deep, emotional and comforting adventure. While your path is properly generated, the sequences are meticulously designed to create three-dimensional and identifiable characters. Whether you crossed you during a flight or showing aboard the same coach, each meeting develops his personality by creating a narrowly interconnected story which is a highlight of the medium.
The segments are brought about choice-oriented discussions that not only shape your avatar, but also influence the world around you and future episodes. With the political problems in the foreground, you can encourage those you encounter to revolt against the tyrannical president, vote for change or fight to keep it orders; adding weight to decisions, making you consider the ramifications of each option. In an impressive way, the characters will refer to your previous shopping, helping to make Petria the impression of being a living and breathable world. For this reason, the level of investment increases considerably as you start learning and worrying about each person.
The duration of the self-stop to your goal varies according to your itinerary, your exploration and your choices. Although each zone is pretty linear, some environments allow you to interact with NPCs to discuss their views on government issues or to participate in mini-games. More than most other interactive dramas, Road 96 offers a wide variety of gameplay. Intuitively, the algorithm selects scenes that complement each other, creating a pace suitable for each trip. Whether it's a relaxing part of Connect 4 or an intense shooting while devalging the highway, every moment will be memorable.
The episodes can end abruptly or deviate massively according to your decisions. Whether you die or survived, every trip seems unique because of the plethora of options throughout. At any time, you can view the menu to see the progress you have made in the history of each character. Reported by a percentage, this encourages you to replay and discover how stories are developing and one another.
DigiXArt opted for an artistic style that shares a resemblance with TELLTALE GAMES and FIREWATCH. The areas are well designed and give the impression of being part of a larger world. Unfortunately, it is a bit rough on the edges with low-resolution textures and strange assets that appear, breaking the immersion. However, it is the performances that really disappoint Road 96. Throughout, the frequency of images remains incoherent. Although it does not remove anything clearly conceived narration, it makes the gameplay of moment slowly. I met a serious bug that prevented me from continuing my story. For this reason, I had to remove the data from the game, losing all my progress. Although frustrating, I can not wait to take the road instantly, thanks to the incredible world at hand.
Music and cinema play a big role in the game. With references dotted everywhere, it is clear to see love and admiration for the arts in Road 96. This is still reinforced by its sumptuous soundtrack that captures The sensation of a road movie from the mid-90s. It is melancholy or synth-wave, each piece adds an atmosphere to the scenes that drip authenticity thanks to the game of stellar voice. Road 96 is a courageous step forward in the world of narrative video games. The extracted style structure superbly interlaces the diversity of characters, creating an incredible journey through an authoritarian world. Although there are performance problems, it's an experience like no other and a must for game fans based on stories. _ Code of the game Switch provided by the publisher _
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