Let’s hope it’s got a change of gear.
What was she hiding from them, and why?
Great; I’m all in.
There was no sense of mystery and no real sense of story.
Given the game is out next month, it was a very strange chunk of game to show.
I’m not sure about some of the things I did manage to see, either.
To me, these kinds of games run on their performances; they are the engine driving them.
It’s doubly true of Open Roads because it has limited character animations and almost no lip-synching, either.
This approach can work very well though - again, see As Dusk Falls.
But here, it feels flat, and I’m not exactly sure why that is.
The actors' performances seem fine and the sparing animations can be effective, and the artwork is appealing.
Put it all together, though, and something is holding it back.
All together, it ends up feeling like you’re watching a rehearsal, rather than a final performance.
What was nice to see, though, was the game’s attention to detail.
Clearly, a great deal of effort has gone into it.
It should take you back.
I like the way the game’s drawn, too - it looks unique.
There’s a neat bit of juxtaposition going on as well.
And the difference really pops - they spring out from the background.
And you wouldn’t get that dialogue path if you opted for something else.
What the consequences are of dialogue beyond that, though, I don’t know.
There’s no apparent web of choice and consequence that I could spot.
Is that just a bad decision on Annapurna’s part, or is it indicative of something more?
I don’t know.
Also, its time in development has been a seemingly difficult one.
Now, it’s developed by the Open Roads Team for Annapurna.
It’s understandable if its road to launch hasn’t been the smoothest.
But it hasn’t convinced me yet.
