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Open Roads

Open Roads

The Open Roads Team·Released Mar 28, 2024·Single player

Platforms
Xbox Series XPS4PCPS5Xbox OneSwitch
Genres
AdventureIndie
Critic63/100
Across 9 reviews
AgreementData pendingNo votes yet
About

Long-lost family secrets. Hints of a hidden fortune. And miles to go before they sleep. Tess Devine’s relationship with her mom has never been easy, but they’re about to set out together on a journey into the past that they’ll never forget.

Reviews

12 reviews
Nintendo Life logo
Critic70/100
Agreement

If you're interested in a three-hour narrative adventure in the vein of Gone Home and Tacoma, and you can justify the current price, then there's a memorable-enough time to be had with Open Roads. There's not a wasted detail in the game's storytelling and there's a lot to appreciate in the subtle and skilful way it leads you through its tale. We enjoyed the little moments of character growth that came from Opal and Tess throughout. By the end, we felt as if we knew them. The game's ending also, genuinely, surprised us, which is an impressive feat. There's a heartfelt originality to Open Roads. But, yes, the gameplay is also limited. The 'pick up an object, have a conversation' repetition only has a temporary appeal. Whether the game is for you or not depends entirely on how you feel about the genre as a whole.

Read full review at Nintendo Life
No vote recorded.
GameSpot logo
GameSpot
Jess Cogswell·Mar 28, 2024
Critic60/100
Agreement

Though Open Roads' characters and attention to detail are lovely, the overall experience is lessened by its brevity and lack of depth.

Read full review at GameSpot
No vote recorded.
Pure Xbox logo
Pure Xbox
PJ O'Reilly·Mar 27, 2024
Critic60/100
Agreement

Open Roads, in theory, should be another Gone Home-style success story. However, what we've actually got here feels strangely by the numbers, surprisingly short and very light on actual drama, mystery or thrills that genuinely compel. At around two hours long you won't need a lot of compelling to see it through, mind you, but overall this just feels like retreading the same sort of ground with much less of an effect. There's superb acting and it all looks great, but the narrative just isn't doing it for us this time, sadly.

Read full review at Pure Xbox
No vote recorded.
IGN logo
IGN
Sarah Thwaites·Mar 27, 2024
Critic60/100
Agreement

An earnest exploration of a family in turmoil, Open Roads has sharp teeth but ultimately lacks bite.

Read full review at IGN
No vote recorded.
Rock Paper Shotgun logo
Critic
Agreement

Open Roads is a well-observed, empathetic story about families and secrets, wrapped up in some lovely art and with barnstorming voice acting performances at the heart of it. It's short but bittersweet.

Read full review at Rock Paper Shotgun
No vote recorded.
GamesRadar+ logo
Critic70/100
Agreement

Open Roads' mother-daughter travelog about discovering long-buried family secrets is heartfelt, but this lightweight driving adventure doesn't reach the momentum of the mystery it so carefully maps out.

Read full review at GamesRadar+
No vote recorded.
Push Square logo
Critic60/100
Agreement

If you're hungry for a quick slice of narrative, one that's well-acted and has some smart dialogue to explore, along with a few secrets to uncover, Open Roads will feed that craving. In an age where walking simulators can be derided, though, it's a bit pedestrian in some regards, with a visual identity that doesn't cohere as it could, and some plotting that feels less than inspired. It's hard to escape the sense that the story of how this game was made will be told in detail at some point down the line, and that it might just be the most compelling part of Open Roads' legacy.

Read full review at Push Square
No vote recorded.