Broken Roads Review (PC)

The enemy group doesn’t have enough ranged weapons. This is understandable given how hard it must be to source working rifles after a nuclear apocalypse. And it’s great news for my party, which I kept well-stocked with ammunition. I use a choke point to limit their movement options, we trade fire for a few turns, and, even if Ella and Mad are a little banged up, we win the fight pretty handily.

It’s time to get back to Merredin and get a reward. Maybe we can also find an assistant for a character we’ve recently met. I am using the Barter Crew origin and feel compelled to also deliver philosophy books for a library and some comic books. The people need a good trade link, especially in uncertain times. Finishing these side quests might also offer more insight into two settlements and their power structure.

I know I should be looking for a way into Kalgoorlie but none of the presented options seems appealing. More options will open up as my party explores more of the world and interacts with characters. I might be a Utilitarian, but I’m not interested in deposing a leader, possibly using force or arms, because a city guard demands it. We’re on our way to Koorda when the drop bears decide to launch an ambush.

Broken Roads is developed by Drop Bear Bytes and published by Versus Evil. I played it on the PC via Steam. The game is also coming to the Nintendo Switch, the PlayStation 5, and the Xbox Series X and S. The title offers an immersive universe and some interesting choices to make but some of its mechanics feel under-baked.

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The apocalypse has come to Australia in the form of nukes that wipe out most of the population and destroy cities. Survivors need to wrangle limited resources while finding ways to rebuild and testing out new ways to organize as a society. Character creation involves both picking a character class and answering a set of questions that map out a clear philosophical approach.

Broken Roads is a wordy game that asks players to chat with a ton of characters, read quite a few descriptions, and then ponder how their avatar should handle a situation. Moving through the world also reveals points of interest. Click on them to get a bit of experience and some lore. The developers make sure to give explanations when thoroughly Australian slang is used, which is nice.

I like the writing a lot, mainly because it immerses players in this Outback-flavored universe. On top of that, the Moral Compass system adds complexity to choices. A Utilitarian character cannot suddenly pivot to Machiavellian just to push a certain outcome. It’s a good way to create consistency, although sometimes the answers don’t perfectly match the philosophy they are ascribed to.

Broken Roads is a classic role-playing game, using a mix that delivers more exploration and conversation than combat. During the first chapter players meet their party and other significant characters before a catastrophe forces them to flee to Merredin. Once there, they are free to move between Outback settlements, getting the lay of the land, and talking to characters, while receiving and completing quests.

The player’s created character always leads conversations. The Moral Compass tracks his decisions and offers a range of potential decisions when dilemmas appear. It’s a good idea to gather as much information as possible before making important choices. Other party members do not chime in and are happy to go along with what gamers decide.

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Broken Roads’ combat is turn-based, with each character able to use movement points to get into cover or a good combat position and action points to strike in melee, fire a range weapon, use items, or activate special abilities. Battle spaces aren’t big. Grenades work well to tenderize big groups and healing items should be carried by all characters.

Players should use the Flee option for any random combat encounter. Exploring settlements, understanding the philosophies of inhabitants, and finding secrets is the best part of the experience. Battling bandits in wilderness areas only takes up time and resources and isn’t very fun. I focused on seeing as much of the Outback as possible while trying to determine who’s right and how my character and his companions can improve the future for its inhabitants, even those my moral stance would qualify as evil.

Since launch, players have also reported bugs and the developers at Drop Bear Bytes have laid out plans for long-term support, with an initial focus on eliminating issues affecting quest progress. I saved a lot and lost some progress but didn’t experience game-breaking problems. The game’s world and characters are interesting enough to keep me coming back even if there’s one quest, I will probably never be able to complete.

Broken Roads isn’t a graphical powerhouse but has charm. Mad Max has clearly influenced the general look but there are plenty of nice, quirky touches, which make the setting feel unique. Character portraits are varied and suggest personality traits, but animations aren’t great. Interface design will be familiar to RPG players and works mostly as intended, although inventories can become somewhat unwieldy.

The game doesn’t feature full voice work, but the cast does a good job with the lines that they do read. The highlight is the narrator, who deploys pathos and a strong Australian accent to elevate even average writing. The game’s soundtrack is twangy and a little melancholic, a good fit for the universe, while sound effects fail to stand out.

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The Good

The Bad

Conclusion