Kentucky Route Zero is going to get some stick, which is a shame, because it's really good. It's incredibly interesting and made with a finely-tuned attention to detail.
Without going into too much detail of the set-up, KRZ is a point and click game about a man called Conway (and his dog) who's trying to make a delivery. The titular "Kentucky Route Zero" is the road he is told he must take. That's as much as I feel needs to be said, since any more does kind of ruin the impact of the game (and if you feel you MUST know more, you can read this review).
I had mixed feelings going into KRZ. I really love the point and click genre, but I also dislike drifty art games with more "meaning" than "gameplay". Fortunately, KRZ strikes a good balance between these things. True, there's not a huge amount in the way of puzzles, but it's not really about puzzles. Kentucky Route Zero is more like a dream exploration simulator.
And this is why Kentucky Route Zero will get some stick. It is the epitome of an arty indie game, that on the surface looks pretentious and un-gamelike. I fear that'll put some people off. But you shouldn't be put off. Give KRZ a go, because it's a truly incredible experience. Yeah, it might run a little short, but playing it again is actually a really fulfilling experience.
I'm not even sure what it is that I like so much about KRZ, really. There's a wonderful surreal road trip vibe about it. Exploring reveals the tale of an America that no longer exists, or perhaps only ever existed in the minds of those writing about it. Conway isn't so much a blank slate as a closed book, waiting to be explored and explained. There's a beautiful sadness about the whole world that is waiting to be told.
So yeah. Kentucky Route Zero. Give it a go. It might surprise you.
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