| Developer: | Moral Anxiety Studio |
| Publisher: | Assemble Entertainment |
| Genre: | Text-Based RPG |
| Release: | Sept. 22, 2022 |
| Price: | $10.99 USD |
| Platforms: | PC macOS Linux/Steam OS |
| Where to Buy/Wishlist | Steam |
Before I begin my review, I would like to let you know that the developers and publishers of the game “Roadwarden” offered it to me for free. As a result, I’d want to thank the developer/publisher for providing me with a free copy of the game to play on my stream as well as to write this review.
Roadwarden is a text-based RPG with isometric pixel imagery that blends mechanics from RPGs, Visual Novels, adventure games, and interactive fiction.
As a long-time fan of tabletop role-playing games, I was immediately drawn to Roadwarden. I haven’t gotten a chance to play many of the text-based role-playing games available on PC. However, I was drawn in by Roadwarden’s aesthetics. As I was not sure what to expect from the game itself. I went in with an open mind, and playing the game immediately reminded me of a Dungeons and Dragons one-shot.
If you enjoy visual novels and choose your own adventure games, then this is the game for you. When it comes to design, the game is quite plain, but in this case, less is more. The tale itself is fantastic. In Roadwarden, you play as a Roadwarden who has been dispatched to investigate the disappearance of a group of troops and their Roadwarden. As a Roadwarden, you are what I consider to be a mercenary because you literally do anything, such as deliver messages and fight against highwaymen and monsters, to mention a few.
You can pick which class your Roadwarden is as the game develops; you can be a fighter who relies on Physical Strength, a Mage who relies on pneuma or mana, or a Scholar who is Charasmitc and knows a lot and relies on alchemy. As with any RPG campaign, you must weigh your options and decide what is best for you. In my playthrough, I chose to play as the mage, primarily because they heal faster during resting periods. Also, once you’ve chosen your class, you can’t change it, so make sure it’s the one with which you’re most aligned.
The tale of Roadwarden draws you in from the moment you create your character until you get to know the other characters in the game. As previously stated, your actions have consequences, so you must consider how you would address circumstances. For example, at the beginning of my playthrough, I meet Lieutenant Tulia and her comrade, and as we talk, I choose certain reactions and actions that cause the line for an option to be unavailable to me, because she didn’t trust me enough, and I thought it was cool that your choices mattered.
If you’ve always wanted to play Dungeons and Dragons but don’t want the hassle of a group or prefer to play a one-shot story, I recommend picking up Roadwarden because you won’t be disappointed. If you want to play Roadwarden for yourself, you may do so on Steam for $10.99 USD on PC, macOS, Linux/SteamOS. In addition to playing the game on PC, macOS, Linux/SteamOS, if you own a Steam Deck, you can also play it on the go.
