Roadwarden

You either need to play this game multiple times or spend a lot of time studying the gameplay before you start to understand what is going to happen to bypass pitfalls. I am not playing a game over and over again to get the intended ending because the game hides it from you during the gameplay. The world is nicely built out and the presentation of that world were nice, but you can only do good things to help the people within this game once you already understand the world, and then you're just going through the motions.

This game is a perfect example of what happens when developers have a firm grasp on the scope of their project and execute. The world is small but dense, the writing is compelling, the soundtrack and visuals drive home the setting, and you have a lot of choice on how your character handles situations. Exploring the world frequently gives you new information that opens up dialogue options and choices that impact quest outcomes, and it also gives you better gear that in turn opens up more exploration. This is a text-based adventure game that has lovely pixel art to flesh out the world. Normally, text-based / visual novel / choose-your-own-adventure games aren't my thing, but this has enough depth to its resource management and other systems that it drew me in. On top of that, it's respectful of your time and doesn't overstay its welcome. I absolutely recommend this game to anyone who loves RPGs!

As many other reviews say, this text based rpg is heavy on the text and is not voiced, so if reading is not your thing or isn't accessible to you this game may be a struggle. The atomopshere is an experience that shows the true vision of one person. The monochromatic illustrations, the background score and writing style sets a tone that is sombre and grim. Many memorable characters that you encounter that are so well written they feel real. If the creator of this game ever writes a book, I would certainly read it. Go in blind and let your choices take you through the branches of possibilities. Well worth the time spent to play it. I also listen to the soundtrack sometimes and I never do that!

I'm so glad I found this game. I don't know if it's up everyone's alley, but if you're in the mood for a retro-style text-based game with an amazing soundtrack give it a try. Personally I think it's got great world building. It won't blow you away, but it doesn't really need to. It's trope-y enough to be familiar (fun fantasy setting), but with enough personal flavor to still seem unique and interesting. It's got replayability too. I've gone through about 3 times I'd say and there's different ways of handling the story. Your choices matter and feel like they matter. I also loved that it's primarily text-based. I have a soft spot in my heart for text-based games. They were mostly being phased out when I first started playing video games, but there's still some nostalgia there. The characters aren't terribly complex, but there's definitely some pathos. The "mysteries" of the story were also fairly satisfying. It was fun unraveling the past of the world you're in. There are some puzzles and they aren't terribly difficult, although there were a couple times when I just couldn't seem to find the right command or keyword and I had to look something up. And finally I absolutely LOVE the soundtrack. Super chill. Great vibe. Adds a wonderful ambience to the game. End of the day, it's probably not for everyone, but if you're even remotely interested in the genre, I'd give it a go. It's one of those games I'm really glad I discovered and played. I wish more people have played it so I could talk about it with them. And it's stayed with me, I bought and beat it about a year ago, but found myself randomly thinking about it (and started listening to the soundtrack) and decided to write a review.

One of the best visual novels I ever read. That's the kind of adventure I want to have. Many options, challenging but not punishing gameplay, some difficult choices, great lore. Check it out!