Road 96

 Switch
User Score
7.8

Generally favorable reviews- based on 41 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 32 out of 41
  2. Mixed: 3 out of 41
  3. Negative: 6 out of 41
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  1. xamrah
    Aug 18, 2021
    4
    I may come back and edit this later, I'm only half way through right now.

    I have the game on switch, and it holds a nice steady 12 fps. Exaggerated obviously, but the frame rate is extremely distracting. If the game was at least a stable 30 all the time it might be a better experience. The gameplay is honestly minimalistic., Bordering on being boring. You will get a few dialogue options    I may come back and edit this later, I'm only half way through right now.

    I have the game on switch, and it holds a nice steady 12 fps. Exaggerated obviously, but the frame rate is extremely distracting. If the game was at least a stable 30 all the time it might be a better experience.

    The gameplay is honestly minimalistic., Bordering on being boring. You will get a few dialogue options in each section usually followed by a mini game of sorts. These mini games are shallow, and usually very very easy trial and error types. Some have been better, but they are still fairly obvious as to how to beat them.

    The dialogue is... Weird. Which is why you are playing this type of game in my opinion. the voice acting is mediocre to bad, but a good script can do wonders. There are parts that surprise me, but mostly I'm thinking "why tare they saying that?" Or else the NPC answer won't perfectly match what you asked, meaning they would have answered the same way no matter what you asked, removing the illusion of choice.

    The characters are very diverse and pretty interesting actually. They are easily the best part of the game. I'm very interested in their backstories, some more than others, as some of them feel like you know everything there so to know about them after one interaction (looking at you Alex). This is because the dialogue beats you over the head with an overly specific story of that character's life. Most characters are vague and make you want to play again to learn about them though. In fact that's the only reason I haven't dropped the game already, I want to know the motivation of some of these characters, but I can tell I won't have to wait long, and then the fun will be over.

    The gameplay loop of dying or failing is a good idea, but it is waaay to short in practice. It took me 15 minutes to fail my first time, then thirty minutes to cross the border my first time. There is also only a small challenge in managing resources, as most choices are pretty obviously a good idea or a bad one. Only at the end do you think maybe I should have done this different. Until then, choices don't matter much.

    All in all, it feels like a rushed game, made by a somewhat talented group with a good idea but no money.    … Expand
  2. Vikiren
    Mar 31, 2022
    0
    ringrazio tutti i ragazzi della Digixart,questa perla è frutto di tanto amore e passione,tantissimi minigiochi contestualizzati,una storia lineare,ma ricca di personaggi che rimarranno nel cuore di molti,musiche Fantastiche.. Grazie grazie grazie!

Awards & Rankings

53
#53 Most Discussed Switch Game of 2021

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
75

Generally favorable reviews - based on 20 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 13 out of 20
  2. Mixed: 7 out of 20
  3. Negative: 0 out of 20
  1. PLAY! Zine
    Nov 16, 2021
    70
    In order to enjoy this game to the fullest, you’d have to be a teenager, still trying to find yourself while having a clear political view. Sounds terribly specific? No sweat. Loving adventures and rogue lite games should also prove useful when it comes to liking Road 96. It’s a good game, just not for everyone.
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  2. Nintendo Force Magazine
    Nov 8, 2021
    75
    Even if the writing and characters were somewhat weak at times, Road 96 was still a heart-pounding emotional road trip that doesn't pull any punches. You might win freedom, but what will you end up losing in the end? [Issue #56 – November/December 2021, p. 24]
  3. GameCritics
    Oct 8, 2021
    80
    It’s bizarre, to say the least, and I can only assume it works better on PC (I played on Switch). I also experienced a few framerate dips, though they never detracted from the overall experience. However, those issues don’t get in the way of telling a simple, effective story of survival in a harsh country. Its politics might be a bit too idealistic and simplified for my taste, but I have yet to see another interactive experience tackle these themes more directly than this. It may be based on hitchhiking, but this is definitely a trip worth taking.
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