by It’s difficult being a delivery truck driver, particularly when the directions to your destination require a path that’s not on any map, and the people you encounter along the way only seem interested in twisting you up in their own winding affairs. That’s the case in the first act of Kentucky Route Zero, an offbeat and alluringly atmospheric five-part episodic adventure for Mac that finds its lead, Conway, out in search of a mystical highway.
However, the path he actually takes through the episode is not on the titular Route Zero, but rather through a series of conversations with the odd locals. While most point-and-click adventure games get bogged down with tedious and oft-obtuse puzzles, Kentucky Route Zero is more concerned with building narrative and ambiance alike through dialogue. As Conway, you can explore items in the environments and choose conversational paths to fill in your backstory as desired, all while the game nudges you closer towards finding the way forward.
Much of Kentucky Route Zero’s success at developing immense atmosphere comes from its fabulous visuals, which utilize basic geometry and liberal use of shadows to create a sense of the unknown at every turn. Perusing the stark black and white map screen, you’ll uncover new destinations and marvel in their aesthetic delight; and seeing a horseshoe spin confidently around a stake at the spot of each click never grows tiresome. Luckily, the music – including an impromptu (but regionally appropriate) Bluegrass performance – and writing also pull near-equal weight in creating this singular setting.
Spanning less than two hours, the first act is a brief quest with a very abrupt ending; after a tantalizing tease, it quits to the desktop without warning. It’s not the brevity that left me a bit wanting in the end, but rather the simplicity of the initial experience. Any character-building seems solely done in your mind and not carried over to future episodes – the last four of which are expected over the course of the year – and interactivity proves pretty minimal thus far. But the hook it creates through its esoteric design and intriguing tale has me pinned down for at least another episode or two, and there’s incredible potential to be explored in this universe.
The bottom line. Short, sweet, and a bit too simple to start, Kentucky Route Zero nevertheless casts an intriguing spell with its initial act that leaves players curious for what’s down the road.
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