Every once in a while you come across a game that absolutely blows your mind. Maybe the graphics set a new standard in the industry, maybe it's really funny, or maybe it evokes a mood you didn't know you wanted in a game until hits you. That's where Cardboard Computer dev comes in, with its fascinating journey of over seven years in the making. For those unaware, Kentucky Route Zero began as a Kickstarter in 2011, with the first of five planned episodes dropping in early 2013. As the series progressed, the gap between episodes grew. was digging in as development got more elaborate, but the small team efforts would pay off. Kentucky Route Zero: TV Edition is unlike anything you've played before.
At first glance, the game appears to be a text-based title mixed with a traditional point-and-click adventure style, but that does the title a disservice. While that might be a loose way to describe it, the way the game conveys its story is quite unique and unlike anything to adorn the medium. This may be how the game plays, but the actual structure of the game is so varied that it becomes harder to quantify. Many sets have more in common with that of the theater than a normal video game. The game is even split into acts and scenes, and on occasion the camera pulls back in such a way that you feel like you're about to see the literal scene appear.
You play as Conway, a delivery man tasked with making an important delivery for an antique store alongside your dog, whose name will be different depending on the choices you make in-game. As you get lost, you find that the way to achieving your goal is to locate and use the fabled “Zero,” a surreal highway located in rural Kentucky. This is where your journey begins in earnest, as you begin to connect with a motley crew of interesting characters, each with their own quirks and baggage.
Kentucky Route Zero is many things, but simple is not one. While that ultimately defines the game as an exquisite journey of personal discovery, intrigue, and fascinating weirdness, it doesn't give the game much appeal. You have to be prepared to put some of your own work into the game to get the most out of it. All the required information is presented to you from the start, but the connective tissue in many cases will be worn out or completely absent. If you don't read all the words, you might find that some things range from being major narrative wins to just random, disconnected quirks.
It'll be obvious pretty much immediately if this game will be for you, though. We were delighted from the first images, but this is absolutely not a game for all tastes. The opening moments already give the impression of being lulled into a strange Lynchian excursion. While the game isn't generally as outlandish as the works of David Lynch, it retains some of the famous filmmaker's tendencies. The entire game seems to take place in a world ruled by dream logic, and many of the encounters Conway has are vaguely inarticulate.
This feel is enhanced by the game's striking visual presentation, which is highly stylized with a non-pixelated low-poly look that is once again incredibly unique. This also extends to nearly every corner of the game's visual design. Rather than render entire cities for example, you explore each "open world" via a monochromatic map, with Conway's vehicle represented by a tire going through various roads in the region. It's an interesting form of transportation, and it helps break up the monotony of just walking Conway everywhere. The styling also extends to the title's use of color. As you progress through the Zero and things get weirder and weirder, you'll also start to see the color pop out a lot more. Things are mostly shades of black and brown at first, but as your mind begins to expand, so does the visual splendor. And it will grow, because virtually every environment in the game is interesting and memorable. Whether it's a gas station with a monstrous horse head or a distillery run by glowing skeletons, these environments will stay with you long after the experience is over.
This memorization also extends to music. A curious combination of buzzing synth ambience and rural Americana folk, Ben Babbitt's score is up to the task of providing a soundtrack for this wondrous adventure. It's also the catalyst for a standout moment not just in Kentucky Route Zero but in the game in general, where Conway sees a band performing at a bar. This moment really leans into the surreal aspects of the game, but it's a joy to behold, even if the gameplay during it amounts to branching dialogue.
Ultimately, the gameplay is why we struggle to quantify what the game is really about. about puzzles, of which this game has very little – in a traditional sense, that is. The adventurous dialogue and text pretty much represents the gameplay, as in a pretty awesome move, even the things you don't choose for Conway to say help in-game to characterize it in a way that no other game has. never quite accomplishes. . Things left unsaid give you an idea of his personality and greatly enrich the experience.
Like we said, you'll know early on whether or not this is a game you'll want to stick around for, but it's hard to argue that the game does anything other than vision what it has. intend to accomplish. What starts out as a game with what seems like an ordinary, mundane endpoint quickly turns into one of the most satisfying and satisfying deep dives into a subject hitherto untouched by the game.
Conclusion
Even with a veritable cavalcade of triumphs, Kentucky Route Zero's greatest asset is its ability to redefine itself from episode to episode. The deeper your journey delves, the weirder things get, but the more meaningful they also become. While the game will certainly be a bit too weird and densely obtuse for some, it's a game unlike anything you've ever played.
- Transcends typical adventure game tropes
- Unique and memorable places
- Stunning surreal visual style
- Unusual but extraordinary soundtrack
- His crazy vision won't please most
- Gameplay takes a step back
Excellent 9/10
Scoring policy
Review of copy provided by Annapurna Interactive
