Road 96 Reviews
Road 96 is a masterpiece in storytelling and depending on your own experience, you may even be moved by its through line of hope, loss, and the ultimate goal of personal freedom. Many of the game's themes haven't directly applied to my life, but Road 96 is an education in empathy and it really makes you feel for the folks out there who are scrambling to get their lives in order because of other people's actions. It's not a perfect game — mechanically things could be improved at times — but its story is about as close to perfect as you could ask for, and for that, we recommend it without a shadow of a doubt.
I was really impressed with Road 96. I always enjoy these narrative adventure games, but few have managed to deliver such a powerful story while also incorporating over the top characters. There are a few niggles like dialogue options moving with the character and the graphics certainly aren’t anything to write home about, but the overall presentation is good and fits the style of the game. Road 96 is a journey worth taking.
Though the presentation could have used one more coat of paint, it doesn't prevent the game's core from shining brightly. Posing difficult and meaningful questions, Road 96 makes the player feel like every decision made has its consequences. And with such a vibrant and sympathetic cast of characters, you will want to ensure all of them get the ending they deserve. This is a story with heart, passion, and is a game for the dreamers who wish for a better tomorrow.
Don't let the rather simplistic visuals fool you: Road 96 is a beautiful adventure full of surprises. The initial premise of taking young people out of a country in full turmoil becomes a narrative full of interesting characters and, who knows, a profound change in the government and its population. After many choices and dialogues, observing the results of the complete journey is a unique satisfaction. If you enjoy games with a good story, this is a must-have for your library.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
While Road 96 lacks consistency in its quality and its approach to politics is occasionally superficial, it's a necessary game that raises an important topic of discussion. There are few products that deal with politics and its consequences so directly in this media. The innovative take on the theme highlights this game amidst an avalanche of good offerings, justifying the experience. Road 96 isn't perfect, but it has great ideas and a spectacular soundtrack!
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
Road 96 is an enjoyable narrative journey that makes the most of your first run to the best of its presentation. While it may not win over gamers of certain political mindsets, its strengths are more derived from how it made a narrative game entertaining enough that doesn't forget that it's a video game first. I'm always looking for creative ways to tell a story and these vignettes that chronicle a country's turning point through the eyes of its disillusioned youth are what inspire me to continue perusing interactive media as it pushes the boundaries as a storytelling medium. Long story short, Road 96 is certainly a journey worth taking.
Road 96 is a road worth travelling as you'll meet an interesting blend of characters and learn their stories while living in a corrupt dictatorship as you fight to escape and avoid becoming another missing teen. It's a very cool adventure indeed.
I simply had to know everything about each each character and wanted to see just how different the endings were. I can attest that in each of my playthroughs, no run was ever the same. With so many games being essentially carbon copies of one another, a game like Road 96 is a remarkably refreshing surprise. Don’t let it escape your notice, it’s well worth your time.
I really enjoyed my time in Petria, the characters had me interested in their stories and journeys. Being broken into 6 episodes makes perfect sense.
I was really happy to hear that Road 96 was coming to console. I loved playing it on the Switch and while playing again for this review, I fell in love with the game all over again. I recalled certain choices I had made in the past and went with another option so that I could experience all-new moments, and this had me hooked again. Road 96 is a great game and one I will urge people to try out. You will not be disappointed.
Road 96 takes us to a country ruled by a totalitarian dictator. While you run looking for a better life, you will try to change Petria's fate with your decisions. A title that is definetely worth playing.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
Road 96's memorable character moments are overshadowed by a central narrative that requires you suspend your disbelief far too often.
A small amount of texture pop-in aside, a very strong visual style makes Road 96 a delight to look at. Striking character art enunciates facial features, while environments and background vistas look beautiful. With a great soundtrack to boot, the game has an incredibly strong style. When the characters you meet along the way are just as striking in their conversations and political and social beliefs, Road 96 succeeds at weaving multiple tales through the lives of teens that just want to get the hell out.
Road 96 is a very good game, with some secondary characters that become main. The way of telling the story through a character who is a "spectator" but whose decisions influence the world and those around him is a success.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
I was wary about Road 96 because survival games aren't exactly my thing and usually I don't like randomly generated games as well. But this one amazed me. Each time I failed, I was motivated to try again. And each time I was successful, I felt nothing less but pure joy.
Review in German | Read full review
As such, Road 96 is incredible. It was an indie hit on its release for PC and Switch last year, and that success has easily converted over to other home console platforms. This is a fascinating, compelling, and immensely replayable experience that is certainly worth exploring.
Road 96 has a great story supported by a cast of interesting and likable characters and anchored by satisfying mini-games. The procedural nature of this game promises that each playthrough will be unique.
While many of your actions are said to have an impact on the game, in practice, that impact is fairly minimal. It all comes together in an ending that also feels far too convenient, not seriously reckoning with much of the themes the Road 96 brings up. In the end, it feels like Road 96 doesn’t have nearly as much to say about these topics as it thinks it does. It sticks the landing when it comes to its individual characters, but much less so regarding the overarching plot. Still, those character stories are engaging, the mini-games you’re thrown into are consistently fun, and Road 96 looks and sounds great. It all makes for a trip that’s worth taking, as long as you know what to expect.
On the whole, though, Road 96 remains a genuinely innovative game. It’s approach to storytelling and narrative branching is unique. Despite a few relatively minor issues, playing Road 96 is an engaging experience. The moral ambiguity of its characters and their choices feel true to life, even if the game’s conceit is a little less compelling.
Road 96 is an excellent storytelling adventure, earning the nickname 'adventure' better than others in its field. Various playable situations, monitor the parameters of the protagonist, make decisions with frank consequences, improve with each new attempt and keep traveling to find the desired freedom.
Review in Spanish | Read full review