Road 96: Mile 0 [PC] | REVIEW

I liked Road 96 a LOT. Sure, it took a few missteps here and there, but the journey for freedom kept me fully invested all the way through multiple playthroughs. So, of course, I was ALWAYS going to dive into Road 96: Mile 0, a prequel that follows the story of returning character Zoe and her bestie Kaito.

Check out some screenshots down below:

Road 96: Mile 0 takes place before the original game, with players following the story of Zoe and Kaito as they look to live their life in Petria. Players will get to learn much more about Zoe this time around, exploring her wealthy roots in the country, how her father is a prominent figure, and what made her eventually want to leave, whilst Kaito is newly introduced but lives a much poorer life in the slums. This disparity in lifestyles doesn’t stop them from being friends, even if some shady secrets as well as a big change in the country does feel like it’ll bring a division between them.  

The storytelling of the game is fine, though it lacks the impact of its predecessor. Maybe it’s because I knew how parts of the story were going to pan out, or maybe it’s because the overall theme just felt less interesting the second time around? Whilst I found it easy to root for both Zoe and Kaito, the characters I met on their journey were less interesting and the choices I had to make throughout the narrative just lacked the dramatic punch seen in the first game. It’s not bad by any means, but everything just felt a bit more predictable. But hey, that’s a common problem with prequels with returning characters.

“[The psychedelic ride sequences are] a complete change of pace to what players might expect from the game, but they’re a really fun inclusion that give Road 96: Mile 0 its own sense of identity befitting of its energetic protagonists.”

One thing that does help spice up the experience is the inclusion of psychedelic ride sequences, which change up the narrative-orientated gameplay by challenging players with endless runner-style action as they jump, duck, and dodge to avoid obstacles in their path – all whilst some cool tunes play in the background and wild imagery is displayed to add to the artistic flair. They’re a complete change of pace to what players might expect from the game, but they’re a really fun inclusion that give Road 96: Mile 0 its own sense of identity befitting of its energetic protagonists. You’ll score points as you go along to add to the game’s replay value, whilst the over-the-top nature of some of the sequences ensure that players will be kept on the edge of their seat as they complete them. I was a big fan and would have happily played a game made up of those alone.

The gameplay outside of those sequences is a little less exciting, but that doesn’t mean it wasn’t interesting. Once again, it takes place from a first-person perspective, whilst there’s a bit of freedom offered to explore your surrounding and try to grab some collectibles. You can even customise your home hub with the items you find around you, whilst the environments offer some wonderful sights that are complemented by the game’s vibrant visual style. It was something I was a big fan of the first time around, so it’s nice to see that Road 96: Mile 0 also offers a tantalising world to explore.

Check out some screenshots down below:

It’s just a shame it doesn’t have the same intrigue and emotional impact seen in the first game. Road 96: Mile 0 could be a bit too on the nose with its ‘right’ and ‘wrong’ decisions when making choices, whilst the more linear approach it takes makes the adventure feel less personal. Don’t get me wrong, there were some gripping moments, but they were a little less frequent this time around. It’s one of the caveats of playing as established characters, with the more anonymous approach of Road 96 making the adventure feel like it really was the player’s decisions that mattered. This time? I found myself gravitating to doing what I thought the game would expect of Zoe and Kaito, with my decisions feeling a little less impactful over the course of the adventure. Sure, there are different endings to see unfold, but that didn’t stir up the intrigue quite as much as the lasting impact of my decisions in the first game did.

Developer: Digixart
Publisher: Digixart, Ravenscourt
Platform(s): PC (Reviewed), PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch
Website: https://store.steampowered.com/app/2095340/Road_96_Mile_0/