Roadwarden is a retro-RPG that’s been made with a variety of care. Primarily text-based, it’s a narrative of exploration, survival, and thriller wrapped in a low-fantasy blanket. With its detailed writing, it makes an attempt to place you within the well-worn boots of a lone adventurer in an odd, forbidding world. It’s a narrative that succeeds, however it’s hobbled by the restrictions of the Change interface.
You play as a Roadwarden, and your job is to safe the savage roads of a peninsula for vacationers and merchants. With solely your horse and abilities (extra on that in a bit), you begin exploring, discovering what few settlements stay (and the stays of those who don’t), combating beasties, and encountering the bizarre and unusual artifacts that dot the land (“Oh, a large tree, partially submerged in entrance of a stone altar? This deserves consideration…”)
The setup of the sport provides you flexibility and replayability. You possibly can select your class (Scholar, Mage, or Warrior) and numerous beginning perks, in addition to your background and motivation, which may give you bonuses to interactions all through the sport. The service provider’s guild has despatched you, however what’s your actual cause for exploring? What do you hope to achieve? Are you an altruist who seeks to assist the human colonies join, or… one thing else?
When you begin on the highway, the primary motion of the sport is about exploration and worldbuilding. Set in a Darkish-Ages-esque kingdom of magic and monsters, you’ll encounter the people who eke out a dwelling by no matter means they will. Dialogue is generally decision-tree based mostly; you see the listing of subjects you may ask, and more often than not you’ll get a inventory reply. Generally individuals will refuse to reply questions till they belief you extra otherwise you supply one thing they need in return, however your tone also can have an effect on these relationships. Do you need to make a joke or take a sterner tone, leaning in your authority? These choices will matter as a result of whereas there’s a variety of exploration to be accomplished in Roadwarden, and also you’ll come again to the primary settlements again and again, unlocking info that wasn’t accessible earlier than. If you happen to survive, that’s.
As a result of an enormous element of Roadwarden is survival—not simply survival in fight, however the day-to-day trouble of retaining your thoughts and physique collectively whereas dwelling in that world. You haven’t simply your well being to fret about, and the situation of your armor and weapons, but additionally your nourishment (don’t starve to demise) and your cleanliness. Ailments can kill, positive, however failing to wash (with cleaning soap, a consumable useful resource) can have an effect on your interactions.
The tone of Roadwarden is so extremely sturdy. The textual content (and there’s a variety of textual content) spells out not solely what you’re coping with, however the really feel of being there: physique language, smells, the vibe of the bizarre, burnt-out fields you’re pressured to wander. As well as, the nearly-monochrome pixel artwork that accompanies the phrases actually provides an oomph! to all of it. You come throughout a destroyed settlement, however a fog of battle solely reveals the a part of the city that you just’ve chosen to discover. Do you go round or by means of? It smells horrible, your abdomen is popping (are you getting sick?) and the solar is getting decrease within the sky.
That’s one other side of the sport to maintain observe of: time. Certain, your job is to tame the roads, however don’t be silly sufficient to assume you may spend the night time outdoor. You possibly can trip from city to city through the daylight, however be sure you discover a secure spot to remain at night time. And there’s one other ticking clock; you solely have 40 days to discover earlier than it’s essential to return to the service provider’s guild and provides your report (and clear up no matter different agendas you might have).
All of that is extremely immersive for a recreation with such a minimalist presentation, however the largest downside is that it runs into its best foe: the Nintendo Change interface. Roadwarden has a variety of info to maintain observe of: your entire stats, your tools, the time of day, the map, the dialogue, and your on-screen choices. And determining spotlight the factor you need to do is a freaking ache. You should utilize the left stick to maneuver in regards to the display screen to what you’re making an attempt to pick out, however in the event you’re not utilizing the left D-pad, you’re a idiot.
It’s extremely irritating to be at a vital resolution level and eventually make your selection, solely (backside middle) to search out that the sport is worried that you just don’t keep in mind what your character title is or your class (higher left). Why are you telling me my armor is half-gone (which I can see on the center proper) once I’m making an attempt to inform the service provider the gossip I found? And don’t even get me began on making an attempt to maneuver out of a location and into a brand new, unexplored space on the map.
One other massive downside is that on my series-one Change, the alternatives often simply don’t register. I’ve it highlighted, I hit the A button and…nothing. The opposite challenge, in fact, is that Roadwarden is a text-based recreation, and for my Previous Man Eyes, enjoying it on the change display screen is a recipe for complications and eyestrain. Docked must be the way in which to go.
Additionally, you’ll need to hold a pocket book useful. Roadwarden is a recreation of particulars and names. The textual content will daring names and ideas which can be essential (and retains them in an in-game journal you may seek advice from), however there’s a lot info that you just’ll want your personal, real-world assets to maintain observe of what’s essential to be used within the dialogue bushes the place you may kind in your personal actions and subjects (one other space by which the Change interface isn’t ideally suited).
That being stated, Roadwarden’s contained world provides a variety of leisure to those that take the time to discover (and re-explore) each nook and cranny.
