Kentucky Route Zero TV Edition

Kentucky Route Zero’s PSX Demo Doesn’t Do it Justice [Hands-on Preview]

Kentucky Route Zero is a point-and-click adventure game that I’ve been excited for, mostly due to its cult-level fame in the PC community. The announcement of the TV version coming to Switch and other consoles got me excited, so I was happy to finally check it out for the first time at PSX 2017 on PS4. Unfortunately, I walked away unimpressed.

This is mainly due to the lack of any context whatsoever. My short demo took place during the Town of Nothing (Un Pueblo de Nada) section of Kentucky Route Zero. What little I’ve seen from it previously was a traditional 2D adventure game, but this took place in a 3D space similar to a Telltale game. Despite that change, I really liked the artstyle and its unique, handdrawn aesthetic.

The troubled parts of this section of Kentucky Route Zero begin with its control scheme. Coming directly from PC where it’s easy to select everything with your mouse, it didn’t surprise me that it doesn’t translate super well to using the thumbsticks on PS4. Various objects you can select are clearly marked onscreen and when you navigate close to one, it will automatically gravitate towards it.

Also: Detroit: Become Human Handles Heavy Themes Like Abuse with Care

This causes selections to be way too finicky, as you can very easily overshoot the object you’re trying to select and make it more frustrating than necessary. Beyond that, this demo left me with more questions than answers as to what Kentucky Route Zero is actually about.

Kentucky Route Zero TV Edition Preview

In the Town of Nothing section, you play as a woman that works at a TV studio in a small town. My overall objective for the short 10 minute demo was making sure the late night news show went well by fixing tedious problems and making sure each person was doing their job.

However, it dealt with none of the mystery and story elements that have made Kentucky Route Zero so loved. It seemed like an odd and boring place to show it off; not doing it justice in the process. I’m still hopeful for the TV edition, but this mixed preview has me more skeptical than I was before.

Upcoming Releases
Kindred Fates is an open world monster battling RPG, and a love letter to the monster battle genre. Our goal is to evolve the genre, and finally bring fans what they've been asking for.
Inspired by the beauty of the natural world around us, Everwild is a brand-new game in development from Rare where unique and unforgettable experiences await in a natural and magical world. Play as an Eternal as you explore and build bonds with the world around you.
Atlas is an action-rpg with rogue-like elements where you use your ability to control the ground to fight the enemies and move through procedurally generated worlds.
Reviews
X