Roadwarden is a retro-RPG that’s been made with a whole lot 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, but it surely’s hobbled by the restrictions of the Swap 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 expertise (extra on that in a bit), you begin exploring, discovering what few settlements stay (and the stays of people who don’t), preventing beasties, and encountering the bizarre and unusual artifacts that dot the land (“Oh, an enormous tree, partially submerged in entrance of a stone altar? This deserves consideration…”)
The setup of the sport presents 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 can provide you bonuses to interactions all through the sport. The service provider’s guild has despatched you, however what’s your actual purpose for exploring? What do you hope to realize? 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 residing by no matter means they’ll. Dialogue is usually decision-tree primarily based; you see the checklist 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 can even have an effect on these relationships. Do you need to make a joke or take a sterner tone, leaning in your authority? These selections will matter as a result of whereas there’s a whole lot of exploration to be performed in Roadwarden, and also you’ll come again to the primary settlements repeatedly, unlocking info that wasn’t obtainable earlier than. In case you survive, that’s.
As a result of a giant part of Roadwarden is survival—not simply survival in fight, however the day-to-day problem of retaining your thoughts and physique collectively whereas residing 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. Illnesses can kill, certain, 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 whole lot 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 compelled 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 warfare solely reveals the a part of the city that you simply’ve chosen to discover. Do you go round or via? 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. Positive, your job is to tame the roads, however don’t be silly sufficient to assume you may spend the evening outdoor. You possibly can journey from city to city throughout the daylight, however ensure you discover a secure spot to remain at evening. And there’s one other ticking clock; you solely have 40 days to discover earlier than you could return to the service provider’s guild and provides your report (and remedy no matter different agendas you might have).
All of that is extremely immersive for a sport with such a minimalist presentation, however the greatest drawback is that it runs into its biggest foe: the Nintendo Swap interface. Roadwarden has a whole lot of info to maintain observe of: your whole stats, your tools, the time of day, the map, the dialogue, and your on-screen selections. And determining the right way to spotlight the factor you need to do is a freaking ache. You need to use the left stick to maneuver in regards to the display to what you’re making an attempt to pick, however if you happen to’re not utilizing the left D-pad, you’re a idiot.
It’s extremely irritating to be at a vital determination level and at last make your selection, solely (backside middle) to seek out that the sport is worried that you simply 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) after 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 large drawback is that on my series-one Swap, the alternatives ceaselessly simply don’t register. I’ve it highlighted, I hit the A button and…nothing. The opposite concern, in fact, is that Roadwarden is a text-based sport, and for my Outdated Man Eyes, enjoying it on the swap display is a recipe for complications and eyestrain. Docked must be the best way to go.
Additionally, you’ll need to maintain a pocket book useful. Roadwarden is a sport of particulars and names. The textual content will daring names and ideas which are vital (and retains them in an in-game journal you may discuss with), however there’s a lot info that you simply’ll want your personal, real-world sources to maintain observe of what’s vital to be used within the dialogue timber the place you may sort in your personal actions and subjects (one other space through which the Swap interface isn’t best).
That being mentioned, Roadwarden’s contained world presents a whole lot of leisure to those that take the time to discover (and re-explore) each nook and cranny.
