Anybody who knows me, or has followed my writing, knows I love a good drive. Now, a drive around your town is fine, but there is something liberating about a trip along the highways and byways, your past slowly fading in the rearview mirror and your future stretching out in front of you. And somewhere in between those two is you, changing in real time. This might be why the new game Open Roads, being developed by the Open Roads Team and published by Annapurna Interactive, has me so enticed.
The story follows the road trip of Mother Opal, played by The Americans’ Keri Russell, and her daughter Tess, portrayed by Dopesicks Kaitlyn Dever, as they drive their station wagon into the lost and shocking part of their family. That premise alone has all the characteristics of an Indie film darling on the Sundance and Toronto circuit before you factor in the animated art style used to present the game.
Both the lead and supporting cast are drawn in an art style reminiscent of some 80’s cartoons, complete with animations for dialog and movement. These characters are then juxtaposed against 3D backgrounds and settings. In exploration, a first-person view is adopted for the player to move around and see everything, interacting with items akin to games such as Gone Home or What Remains of Edith Finch.
But of course, you can’t forget the dialog, since no road trip is complete without a good existential crisis or fight. This will make up the brunt of the game, with visual novel elements. I will say, that this title seems to be following a great trend of revitalizing that genre through great art and relatable storytelling, following in the footsteps of two great games from last year, Goodbye Volcano High and As Dusk Falls.
Another reason why this title has been high on my list of upcoming games is probably my obsession with Road 96, a game I received for PC as a review code, and yet I would still go on to buy on every console. Of course, the biggest difference is that this game doesn’t allow you to project yourself on a faceless protagonist… But is that bad?
Sometimes the fact that the characters have a face, a personality, wants, and desires that aren’t yours is exactly what I want. In these cases, the worst that happens is we never truly relate, but I get a different perspective. However, when they do relate to you, even if only for a minute, in that moment you can feel less alone and the world a little less big and foreboding. Sometimes, that’s all I need from a game.
Open Roads looks to be an experience and one I don’t want to miss. The kind that pushes the conversation forward for games as an art form, where storytellers, artists, and developers can express their craft freely and without limit. I’m sure, in that regard it will not be for everybody, but for those it is for, and you know who you are, there is little reason to not want and head out for the open roads.
Open Roads takes to the highway on March 28th for PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series S/X, and Windows PC. It will also be available on Day 1 Via Xbox Game Pass.
If you would like to keep up to date on PixelByte make sure to follow us onĀ Twitter and Facebook where we post regularly. This helps us grow so we greatly appreciate it!
