Kentucky Route Zero: PC Edition

When I bought ‘Kentucky Route Zero’, I had no clear idea what kind of game it was or will be. All I knew was that many people praised it to no end, and I should play it without reading too much about it beforehand. Now that I have played it in entirety, I must say I’m glad I took that leap of faith. ‘KRZ’ is modern art in the form of videogame. The narrative is abstract and thought provoking. ‘KRZ’ is a celebration of the written word, a tribute to the old text adventure games, an interactive stage play, a social commentary about capitalism, and a dreamlike journey to a destination that at times seem so close, and yet so far. The graphics of ‘KRZ’ are simplistically beautiful. Vector art are deftly used to construct imaginative landscapes and stage sets, that fly or shift away as transition or to reveal breathtaking backdrops. The set pieces are eclectic, and may seem haphazardly created. Yet, they are effective in establishing the mood of this wondrous journey. With each episode, the setting becomes more enchanting and mysterious, which complement the enigmatic, interweaving storylines of our characters. It took the developers more than 7 years to complete ‘KRZ’, releasing a new episode or interlude about every year or two. While each episode was painstakingly crafted, the long wait in-between took its toll. When I was plopped in medias res at the start of Act V, I hardly recalled the events and the choices I’ve made in previous acts. I was a bit lost during Act V at first, and the idea of replaying previous 4 acts was frankly exhausting. Still, ‘KRZ’ -- now fully complete -- is a game I highly recommend. It’s a game with many juxtaposing themes: carefreeness vs. responsibility, companionship vs. loneliness, life vs. death, optimism vs. helplessness, freedom vs. oppression, and settling down vs. “passing through”. In short, ‘KRZ’ is modern visual literature. It’s worth experiencing, and re-experiencing at some point, much like the fine books in your library.

Captures the dreamlike sense of Magical Realism in a way that no other game before or since has been able to do. Like a video game version of that moment between waking and sleep, drifting in a surreal, dopamine-soaked limbo where the plausible and the ridiculous seamlessly merge. You know those rare moments where a sense of De Ja Vu comes upon you and you're transported to a time that's less a memory and more like a reality that's just half a timeline off from the one you actually lived? This is a video game constructed of such stuff.

Don't let 'Kentucky Route Zero: PC Edition' whimsical and surrealist storytelling confuse you; its story is very much concerned with real conditions of real people. It's that connection that makes it resonate with such emotional potency, as long as one meets it with patience. A letter of hope for the orphans and lost, that remind us, we can always build again. "Look for us under your bootsoles"

It's 4 years after the game was launched and it's 4/5 done. That's the reason for very low score. As for the game itself, it's a short adventure (about 1 hour per act) with enchanting atmosphere and some really powerful moments. Totally worth buying ... if you wait from a big discount and don't expect to get the 5th part soon.

The best this game has to offer is in the design and the programming departements. The art style is quite original and the 3d modeling is fantastic, see it for yourself; maybe the most beautiful adventure game ( visually, and the sound departement is equally good) ever created. But the writing is really the weak point, when it might have been the best, if they asked DFW to write it. Too late.