No Straight Roads

Part rhythm game, part platformer, part boss rush, No Straight Roads takes the best parts of these genres and forms a fun, groovy whole that'll have your ears tingling, heart pumping, fingers twitching, and feet tapping. For Metronomik’s first game, you wouldn’t think it given how much of a blast No Straight Roads is. In fact, in this author’s opinion, the only major downside to it is that it feels too short. But even if that’s the case, the game doesn’t drag on to the point of fatigue, each little collectible or side mission or story beat sitting comfortably where it needs to be. I picked this game up for the premise alone, but the bosses and music definitely helped me stay.

No Straight Roads is one of this year's surprises on Nintendo Switch. An adventure game that perfectly mixes rhythm and platforms, full of charisma, with a spectacular soundtrack and dubbing. A Malaysian gift to indie games.

There is no denying that No Straight Roads boasts quality music, visuals, and wit, plus a co-op mode that’s in perfect harmony with regular gameplay. There are few calls for an encore, though, with stability issues and an empty-feeling overworld.

Everything functions well enough, but it doesn’t evolve beyond that at any point besides the boss battles. Even with these issues, No Straight Roads is one of the most heartfelt and stylish games I’ve played in a really long time.

No Straight Roads is a loveably scrappy indie action adventure where the villains and their multi-stage musical battles are the true stars you’ll keep returning for.

No Straight Roads is a beautifully made adventure with a fantastic soundtrack and some phenomenal art design.

There is a diamond trapped within this rock, and I truly hope the team at Metronomilk is able to polish it to the full potential that is so clearly there. For now, though, its problems are too hard for me to ignore and make what could be a great game into a game that’s just alright.

No Straight Roads is a wacky adventure with loveable characters. Mayday and Zuke just want to show the world that EDM isn’t the only kind of music out there – that rock is most certainly not dead. From the bright visuals to the hilarious dialogue and fun gameplay, as well as the option for couch co-op mode, it’s an easy pickup. While I, of course, had a few issues with the game, it’s all mostly forgiven with every quick and heavy whack of Mayday’s guitar.

No Straight Roads surprises with its insane yet attractive argument, its likeable protagonists and its eccentric bosses, in long and rich combat. But it's too short, the difficulty is inconsistent and, in general terms, its gameplay is less solid than its presentation. A case of style over substance, even if it's worth playing for the music alone.

In some ways, No Straight Roads felt like the second coming of Scott Pilgrim vs. The World. It had all the right ingredients to be the perfect blend of rhythm and action into one phenomenal package. And while it does plenty right, it’s a little too off-key where it counts. Some fine-tuning on the combat would certainly help sync the boss battles with the aesthetics and exploration aspects, as that mechanic carries way too much weight to ignore. Still, I can’t lie — I’ve absolutely fallen in love with No Straight Roads for what it does offer, which is an explosively intense experience that will punch your teeth right out of your face. If you favor adventure over rhythm, there’s no reason not to pick up No Straight Roads; if beats are more important than battles to you, perhaps wait for tickets to go on sale.

No Straight Roads often has a frustrating difficulty that stems more from developer choices and less from player skill, making for flawed fun. This rhythm brawler is best played as an in-sync duo or trio. But a slicker, more stylish toe-tapping passion product, you’re not likely to find. I hope to see more of Bunk Bed Junction.

Not the rhythmic experience we could expect, but still an enjoyable hack 'n slash musical game.

No Straight Roads is a rock game that delivers in terms of variation. At least in the levels and the different boss fights. In terms of enemies, the game lacks a few miles and the dialogues of the game tend to get a little annoying because of the screaming main character. Still, this is a game you should definitely play. For just under 40 euros you get six hours of entertaining gameplay full of colors and a very strong soundtrack!

Impeccable in its soundtrack, offering some inspired boss fights and really enjoyable to play, No Straight Roads is therefore convincing in its core proposition, except for a few readability concerns during more heavy clashes visually and soundly.

My time in No Straight Roads was torn between true enjoyment and wanting to hurl my controller at the screen. Between camera issues, bugginess, and other weird little problems (especially in multiplayer mode), there’s enough to put a damper on the whole experience. However, The characters, bright futuristic world, imaginative boss battles, and excellent music act as wonderful antidotes. Once I eventually got into the groove, I found a really special and evocative musical experience in No Straight Roads. But I had to work pretty hard to get here. No Straight Roads asks a bit of its fans, but I’m glad I put the effort in and I’d gladly buy the t-shirt.

No Straight Roads is made with a lot of love, and the soundtrack is excellent. It's just a shame the gameplay isn't as tight as it could be.

No Straight Roads isn’t a bad game at all, but it’s one that consistently falls short of the tremendous potential that it often hints at. The world, characters, music, and overall idea of its gameplay are ripe for a groundbreaking beat ‘em up game, but this, unfortunately, is just a so-so one. Performance problems, camera issues, and repetitive gameplay are all factors that hold this one back from greatness, but these issues are often balanced out by the spectacular boss fights, excellent soundtrack, and charming writing. We’d recommend this one to beat ‘em up fans looking for an interesting new entry in the genre, but with the big caveat that you consider this release’s flaws before taking the plunge. It’s certainly a worthwhile experience, but one that will likely disappoint if you come into it with the wrong expectations.

No Straight Roads is a colossal wasted opportunity: the first work of the young Malaysian team Metronomik has character to spare and an aesthetic to scream, of those that grab attention without being shot. But be careful not to be charmed by a spell that ultimately proves to be all form and no substance.

No Straight Roads has fantastic ideas, but it fails to make good use of them. Even if the foundation is interesting, the execution ends up delivering tedious interaction and imprecise controls.

They’ve sold all the tickets but forgot to wake the lead singer up. No Straight Roads is only for those that enjoy half a performance. [Issue #2, p.63]

No Straight Roads is a little hard to recommend on Switch. It's a solid enough game at its core, with some neat ideas and a very solid soundtrack, but its visuals are lacking, its text is too small, and its controls lack the fluidity to make it a truly great experience. It still may be worth picking up on another platform, but for now the Switch version is more miss than it is hit.