Soundtrack is absolutely phenomenal - haunting, mysterious, and atmospheric. It's what kept me coming back as much as I did. Luckily, it's on bandcamp to listen to and support the artist there.
The game's prose flows quite well and doesn't fall into the traps of being overly purple or too vague, striking a good medium that feels natural to read. While I do think the game is well-written, the actual pacing and traversal through the world of Roadwarden is incredibly frustrating and unrewarding, as the game's philosophy seems to be centered around the idea of "nope, you can't do that." It felt like playing a DnD adventure with the worst DM of all time:
>You come across a group and need to ask them questions about your quest.
>Ok I ask them questions
>No. They don't trust you, so they won't tell you. You're too dirty and nasty from traveling.
>Ok is there any way to wash up here?
>No. Also they will never change their minds about this even if you get cleaner later, so you fail.
>You come across a clearing with a tree and dead body.
>I inspect the tree.
>Cool. You discover it's a treant and it attacks you.
>I attack back.
>No. You die.
>Ok, I reload. I try to check the body this time.
>No. The treant attacks you and you die.
>Ok, I reload and try to deal with the treant a different way this time.
>No. I don't accept any of the options you type in. You die again.
>Ok, I reload and just leave this entire area and don't interact with the content because that's a fun way to play a game.
>Ok I found a new settlement and I will specifically make sure to NOT talk to them about the entire point of me coming here until I am clean, except there's no way for me to do that here, so I will leave and come back.
>Ok. You can do that.
>Ok I wash up and get completely ready - I repair my clothes and even buy a better set of clothing.
>No. While you are traveling you fall into a stream and tear your clothes on brush and are back at square one. By the way it's now nightfall and you can't travel at night so you have to waste another day, and you only have 40 to begin with.
>Fuck....you.
Making a text adventure that deters you from actually adventuring makes absolutely no sense. The world is tough and grueling, but that can be (and is) shown through descriptions, characters, and narrative direction - players shouldn't be constantly thwarted from interacting with a game's content. If 80% of the time, the safest option is to just walk away, then that's what I will do for 80% of Roadwarden and just purchase the OST on bandcamp.
The game's prose flows quite well and doesn't fall into the traps of being overly purple or too vague, striking a good medium that feels natural to read. While I do think the game is well-written, the actual pacing and traversal through the world of Roadwarden is incredibly frustrating and unrewarding, as the game's philosophy seems to be centered around the idea of "nope, you can't do that." It felt like playing a DnD adventure with the worst DM of all time:
>You come across a group and need to ask them questions about your quest.
>Ok I ask them questions
>No. They don't trust you, so they won't tell you. You're too dirty and nasty from traveling.
>Ok is there any way to wash up here?
>No. Also they will never change their minds about this even if you get cleaner later, so you fail.
>You come across a clearing with a tree and dead body.
>I inspect the tree.
>Cool. You discover it's a treant and it attacks you.
>I attack back.
>No. You die.
>Ok, I reload. I try to check the body this time.
>No. The treant attacks you and you die.
>Ok, I reload and try to deal with the treant a different way this time.
>No. I don't accept any of the options you type in. You die again.
>Ok, I reload and just leave this entire area and don't interact with the content because that's a fun way to play a game.
>Ok I found a new settlement and I will specifically make sure to NOT talk to them about the entire point of me coming here until I am clean, except there's no way for me to do that here, so I will leave and come back.
>Ok. You can do that.
>Ok I wash up and get completely ready - I repair my clothes and even buy a better set of clothing.
>No. While you are traveling you fall into a stream and tear your clothes on brush and are back at square one. By the way it's now nightfall and you can't travel at night so you have to waste another day, and you only have 40 to begin with.
>Fuck....you.
Making a text adventure that deters you from actually adventuring makes absolutely no sense. The world is tough and grueling, but that can be (and is) shown through descriptions, characters, and narrative direction - players shouldn't be constantly thwarted from interacting with a game's content. If 80% of the time, the safest option is to just walk away, then that's what I will do for 80% of Roadwarden and just purchase the OST on bandcamp.
FallenGrace
1 year ago