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Be political in this fun musical-infused adventure game | First Impressions - Road 96: Mile 0

2K View2023-04-06

Road 96: Mile 0 is actually the prequel to the critically acclaimed game Road 96, bearing the same first-person adventure gameplay, emphasizing narrative choices, consequences to actions, and social commentary. However, the gameplay setup is very much different from each other, especially with Road 96: Mile 0’s focus on a more fixed narrative, coupled with musical and rhythm themes.

I have been eyeing the first game; Road 96, for a while now. As such, I played it first before diving down to Road 96: Mile 0, and both games have been such amazing but way differing experiences. To compare, the gameplay of Road 96: Mile 0 is much more non-procedural and linear, with less survival aspects. But with added rhythm and mini-game elements.

The story follows bestfriends Zoe and Kaito in a grounded dystopian adventure with a whimsical spin to it. Zoe is the daughter of a high-ranking government official frustrated with her pampered but tightly controlled life, and Kaito is from a less fortunate class who is looking for things to change. Their relationship dynamics are tested by their widely different backgrounds and initial beliefs, as well as the events that will unfold in the game leading up to the original Road 96.

The gameplay in Road 96: Mile 0 is for the most part roaming around areas, interacting with people and objects, which usually boils down to making a hard choice. Some inconsequential, some heavily affecting the outcome of the story. Handing off a big responsibility to the player in how the story goes and deeply immersing them.

Every now and then, the gameplay is injected with fun and amusing mini-games, mostly being the skateboarding/rolling skating rhythm game setpieces for each and every level with a matching masterpiece of a music that embodies the 90’s feeling perfectly.

Some of the other mini-games are a bit too cheesy and stylized, such as shooting newspapers to bystanders to symbolize its distribution or hammering nails to planks in a rhythm game fashion to symbolize building a wooden contraption. Ultimately, they are all still mostly fun and add a lot of variety to an otherwise monotonous gameplay full of walking and dialogue choices.

Overall, I had fun playing the first parts of Road 96: Mile 0. From the start, it is already a very compelling adventure game with its cool musical, mini-game segments and the ensuing intriguing political narrative. If you have already played the first game, you will appreciate the story even more. If not, then the musical aspect might grab your attention instead.

Full Review will be posted soon here on Taptap! Stay tuned!

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