Berlin (dpa) — After the death of her grandmother, Tess and her mother Opal have to sell their house and move out. In the attic they discover a diary with a family secret that leads them to an abandoned summer house.
What begins as a simple road trip in the console and PC game “Open Roads” turns into a journey through the past and the impressive landscape along the US-Canadian border.
The gameplay impresses with its ingenuity and gripping narrative. The creators of “Gone Homes” and “Tacoma” take players on a new adventure in the mystery thriller genre.
As Tess and Opal explore the old summer house and encounter the ghosts of the past, an exciting story unfolds. On their way they find clues and gain new insights. Their relationship with each another also changes.
Players can actively influence both this relationship and the course of the story through an interactive dialogue system. The game offers a compelling story of family, the past, and change in a calm atmosphere that allows players to immerse themselves in the plot without being overwhelmed by hectic pace or excessive tension.
As Tess, you explore places such as your grandmother's house from a first-person perspective. You search environments and solve small puzzles, like finding keys or opening doors.
The game cleverly combines detailed 3D settings with lovingly designed 2D characters in the spirit of the Nintendo DS, subtly conveying the feeling of being transported back to the 2000s.
Despite its short playing time of four to five hours and an abrupt ending, “Open Roads” offers a captivating gaming experience. It almost feels as if you are directly part of the story and are experiencing the events up close.
The game is available for PCs and Nintendo Switch, PlayStation, and Xbox consoles and costs around €19/$20.
