Road 96 is Genius, And Here's Why

[@Zenny-YouTube]

Come join the fun! Twitter: twitter.com/Zendrecdus Discord: discord.gg/HTM5htc2 Patreon: www.patreon.com/user?u=9691848

[@MatthewVanston]

Hello there, Zenny! I am Stan's voice actor. Your insight on this game was very interesting and also made me think deeper about its philosophy. I would also like to bring my own insight about Stan and Mitch especially. Since so little is known about them, here's how I viewed their background... *SPOILER ALERT* They are Sonya's sibblings and they are very protective of her, they love and care about her a lot. I believe that they didn't have an easy childhood, likely orphans living in the streets. Stan and Mitch, being the bigger brothers, they had to commit theft in order to provide for her as there was no alternative solution. But then, as they grew up, Stan and Mitch became addicted to their life of crime. Sonya did not want to live through that anymore so she worked her way to the top of society. She also wanted to repay her brothers for all they have done for her by taking care of them back but they declined her offert and they parted ways for years.

[@Zenny-YouTube]

I loved Stan and Mitch, and hearing just how deep their characters go is lovely! Hope you liked the video 😊

[@MatthewVanston]

@@Zenny-KZbin I have. Thanks for your reply!

[@mrCabbages_]

Matthew, I've seen your comments on a few Road 96 videos and I've gotta say, your voice acting was top notch and it's really cool to see you interacting with the community

[@MatthewVanston]

@@mrCabbages_ Thanks, I appreciate your comment.

[@Robsonski96]

You and Mitch's voice actor are the best. I always smile when I hear that "STAAAAAN AND MIIIITCH!" scream of yours.

[@robertl1135]

Honestly, the best part of the game was the audio. I thought all of the voice actors did an excellent job and the music was outstanding.

[@Zenny-YouTube]

I exclusively aside from 1 song used the road 96 soundtrack for the background music of this video. And it shows. The music is beautiful

[@potatos865]

@@Zenny-KZbinmy fav song is “on the road” what abt u?

[@rahimirahim1107]

@@potatos865 On The Road was my favourite track of the Road 96 album too. Have you listened to their new sequel’s song Land Locked Heart yet ?

[@vibrantyt]

@@rahimirahim1107 its so good 😋😋

[@ravenszn2]

far from home is the best song

[@Somtaaw7]

"You play as Petria" is a hell of a line. I think the underlying point about not being important to make a difference is true but also that just because you're not important doesnt mean your choices arent important. The choices you make lead to a full blown revolution, a protest line charging cops to break through the border, or a nation slowly dying as its youth disappear and flee.

[@orangejjay]

That's one of my favorite things to do in an RPG: Just play as a normal person and not some member of royalty. Road 96 does so many things so well. There's a ton of subtlety in the game as well that "if you know it, you'll see it" and that's bad ass. ❤

[@Adranium]

My favorite moment in any video game is when you meet Zoe in the trailerpark and she forces a trumpet on you and make you play "bella ciao". It unironicly made me laugh out load. It was the most emersed I've have ever been in a video game.

[@litneyloxan]

I played so horrendous every play through lmaoo

[@Alex-js5lg]

I laughed so hard I cried throughout the whole sequence, which of course made my trombone playing even worse.

[@brainscars]

Road 96 grabbed me like few other games do. Before playing, I saw enough to conceptualize it as a sort of "narrative rogue-like" thing, but it did so much more than I expected. Glad to see it getting attention.

[@Zenny-YouTube]

Such a good game aye

[@boq780_2.0]

I know this was a year ago but it's not even a rogue like, it just has slight variations

[@brainscars]

@@boq780_2.0 cool, so, obviously reading comprehension isn't your thing. I was specifically talking about what my concept of what the game might be was before even playing it.

[@boq780_2.0]

@@brainscars nope my reading comprehension is fine, you said it did much more than expected with implies it's a rogue like even though it's barely randomised

[@brainscars]

@@boq780_2.0 Sure, if you take what I said to mean that rogue-likes are the greatest height that a video game can aspire to, or that my expectations for "Road 97" had to fall entirely within that framework for them to be exceeded. I'm not even a particularly big rogue-like fan, so it wasn't some crushing disappointment in that regard; apparently it was for you.

[@seriousnorbo3838]

Something worth mentioning that caught me off guard when I played it. If you give wrong answers when talking to Jarod, he can actually kill you.

[@Zenny-YouTube]

Yeah I caught that on a play through after uploading, it's cool that I can go back and keep discovering new stuff about this game

[@thestrangeone1294]

I was flabbergasted when I was in the taxi and told him I watched the Lola tape and he just straight up shot me. Literally had to pause the game in shock. That was my first meet with him

[@5XXFelipe]

@@thestrangeone1294 I almost died when he started asking too many questions, i said ''were you kicked out of the brigades?'' and he got FURIOUS. I lived though, fortunately.

[@lazeppelini123]

You fking spoiler!!! 🤬🤬🤬

[@Kit-yv7ob]

I snitched in the motel room. He shot me.

[@ethanbeutler2861]

This game was beautiful to me. In a way that most games aren’t. I’d put this game up with fire watch. The soundtrack was amazing in every way, the character development was awesome, had amazing plot twists. It needs more attention than it currently has for sure

[@Tylerious]

Ooh yeah the graphics reminded me of firewatch, great game but for different reasons than most, both were amazing

[@nicebutter1821]

I tell you what same I was literally thinking when I got this I needed a new forewatch like game

[@Letnan8100]

This is exactly what I’m thinking. It had been a year since I finished my first play through of FireWatch and I wanted a new game like it. I knew that such masterpieces were extremely rare but, luck has it that road 96 had released less that a year ago. So I downloaded it, and was captivated by the story just like I was with Firewatch. I have just learnt this week that there is road 96 Mile 0 which is a Prequel and I just downloaded it to play it now. Can’t wait to see more about these characters.

[@paranojack]

The timing the animation the music cues. I love it all man I’m so excited to see more of you missed ya hella. Such a crazy amount of improvement. I’m genuinely stunned. Keep it up boss.

[@Zenny-YouTube]

Had alot of fun with the music on this one that's for sure!

[@justsomejinnwithinternetac4465]

Road 96 is my comfort game, and everything about it, especially the music, is amazing. Jarod has always been my personal favourite because I felt really bad for him. The other characters are done amazing too, and it's always fun going back and relearning the story, finding new paths, and making new choices.

[@dermegger7733]

Just happened to find this channel while looking for Road 96 reviews. Gotta say the animation and editing is hella impressive. I think you really captured what makes the game special in a lot of ways. Keep it up!

[@Zenny-YouTube]

Really glad you enjoyed the video! The last few days this videos been getting new people to the channel and its been so wonderful

[@TonyQuinn]

This is one of my favorite games that I’ve played in years. Narrative driven games like Telltale are my favorite kind, so being able to play several short ones as part of a larger story just brings me so much joy. I’ve read that there are countless ways the game can be generated due to its procedural nature so I’m really curious to see how that works.

[@mrCabbages_]

This is such a great breakdown of what makes Road 96 such an inventive game. I knew the multiple-character model was unique and the story being told felt important, but when you said "You play as Petria" it all just clicked. I struggled to understand the meaning behind it but I think you nailed it exactly. This game embodies "video games can be art" for me.

[@Justin_Davicus]

One interesting thing that does add more to the nobody characters you play as, is if you call home. On any payphone you have the option to either call a taxi, simply use the payphone, or simply call home. If you choose to call home one of many things happen. You could hear your father get arrested as he screams for you to keep going, or a friend angry at your sudden disappearance, or even the cops answering saying that if you come back they will let your parents out of jail. There are probably others that I missed through my playthroughs, but it adds to the idea that you are one of many, with attempting to leave this place affecting the people you left behind. Try it on your next run if you can spare a dollar. Its pretty cool!

[@Littleguyidaho]

I got the game a couple days ago, and it's beautiful. Being multiple different characters meeting and talking to people you saw in previous playthroughs creates a great atmosphere, the audio, and learning about the people's lives each tell their own story.

[@ClovenCake]

Then you need to play Mile 0 too

[@valentincelestite9861]

Played it with my best friend during a night. This was a fucking blast. I mean seriously, it happened like 6months ago and I'm already so nostalgic of that night !!

[@JonnyKnowsThings]

So, to give you some insight on someone that isn't a gamer. I played this game first with a demo from the Nintendo Switch Store. thought it was interesting since i can't play shooters or something that is insanely involved with button combinations. After my first play through with one teen (who died by the way before reaching Road 96), i was hooked. as others have mentioned, the soundtrack is great as well as the replay value. playing over and over again to see all the characters' back stories and also to see the different ending you can get. I also would like to mention that there is a Prequel game for this called Mile 0. It is pretty good too and it gives you an idea on how this game started and how the country is from a couple different perspectives. I highly recommend giving Road 96 a shot even if you aren't a gamer. You'll enjoy it :)

[@leavemealone802]

This is a interesting idea for a game. And it does give out a message we all need to hear. "You don't have to be important to make a difference, you just need to stick together" It was very nice to see you again Zenny. For more to come Also, this whole algorithm thing... I am so CURIOUS ABOUT THIS!! I can not wait to see what it means

[@Zenny-YouTube]

If you like the algorithm stuff be sure to check the end of all my videos 👀👀

[@leavemealone802]

@@Zenny-KZbin I did, but no joke I am still lost lol

[@Zenny-YouTube]

Lost. Just the way I like it!

[@leavemealone802]

@@Zenny-KZbin lol!

[@stephengrott5916]

Came across this game for the first time last week - I dropped everything else like a rock immediately, haven't been that sucked into a game in a long long while

[@Zenny-YouTube]

It's such a magical journey

[@derrattenjunge]

This gem hooked me at the first Moment. Every Chapter is named after a 90s Song, the Stories you live through are great and entertaining and the Final is just Wow!

[@muhfuckingat]

Now thats where I read smells like teen spirit before

[@HarrisonsCarLife]

This guy explained this so well and used the perfect words to describe it. This was a really great video, and as a person who has had this for a few years, even I still learned some things from this that I didn't even know before!

[@Zenny-YouTube]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@chroment0962]

I have played thought the entire story twice, ive 100 percented it, and it still NEVER gets boring

[@Zenny-YouTube]

It's such a banger through and through

[@cody2244]

stan and mich are the best characters in the game by far, I think what I liked most about these characters is that they remember what you did with another character, for example when you go in to steal and the police catch you and they leave you and you end your adventure with That character when you start with another depending on your decisions they remember what happened and say that I hope the girl or boy is okay,

[@sorrenblitz805]

John and Zoe remember your other characters too. I had a scene with John where he mentioned he hadn't felt so good since he played soccer with another kid (something I did encountering him with a previous missing teen) and Zoe when hitching a ride with her in a van says she was going tell another kid about her Dad before getting kicked out of the trailer park. Sonya, Jarod, Fanny and Alex don't seem to mention encounters with your previous missing teens as least not that I've seen

[@charlieputman6836]

This was actually one of thr best video essays ive seen. "You play as Petria" blew me away, just a billion lightbulbs going off in my head. That you for your wonderful insight!!

[@Zenny-YouTube]

I love how much people resonate with that line. This will go down in history as my favourite video I ever made

[@charcole400]

The thing I like about the player characters is just that is that there isn’t just one guy because that’s not how revolutions take hold they begin through the actions of many people not just one

[@joshspace99]

Picked up this game for 5 bucks on sale, after I had it on my wishlist for some time. Played as the first character(the intro), and thought that it's one of those games where once I reach the end I'll replay the game, since they made it a point to tell you that the journey ends when you escape Petria. Imagine my surprise when I realised that once I escaped, it wasn't the end. I went on to play a bunch of different teens and experience different things. The soundtrack absolutely killed it, the atmosphere made it a good experience, with each character I really tried to escape while still trying to dethrone the dictator. I only had 1 issue with the game, and this is simply because every encounter is random. With 1 character, I started by helping alex finding the criminals in a robbery, only to be dropped of by alex and be part of that robbery with the 2 guys that apparently already happened. Only to later meet those 2 guys again at the border and they had no idea who I was. Similar thing happened to me knowing both alex and john in the same playthrough and "not knowing" them later apparently. But that's fine. For someone who is critical of games in general, this game has easily captivated me for 8 hours-ish without even realizing, truly amazing job those developer did. I'm hoping their next game, road 96 mile 0 will be just as good. Did I mention how good the soundtrack is?

[@andydyer6591]

Yeah, I had a few moments like that. For example, my teen was held at gunpoint by Jarod and forced to help him dispose of a body, then later saw him at the Tyrak party, where he was after Sonya. I was really hoping for her to be able to warn Sonya that she knows who this guy is and he's a dangerous killer. On the other hand, I mainly feel like that because of all the times when the previous encounters do affect later ones in big or small ways. Like how Alex remembers you if you talk to him on the CB in John's truck after helping him earlier. Or you can recognise John in the police van with Zoe if you've seen him before. So I can forgive them missing a few scenarios like that. Agree with all your other comments. This is one of my favourite games.

[@verynsawyer1413]

I recently had a playthrough where I failed to convince Alex not to build the bomb, then picked him up in my car and helped him make Furious Tanks WHILE THE BOMB WAS LITERALLY IN MY BACKSEAT. I was like, are we really not going to talk about this..? I usually find those moments kind of funny and entertaining, though. I like trying to imagine what's going on in my character's head, like they're offended they weren't recognized, or are trying to keep it cool despite internally panicking, or feel like they'd be seen as crazy, stuff like that to explain or play off of small contradictions.

[@hudsonlosee9008]

When I played this game for the first I had the wrong game. I already got it so decided to play it. To this day I will listen to the sound track and that makes me feel nostalgic. I would play this late at nigh, after school or wherever I could. This video does such a good job describing what it feel like. This earned my subscription easily

[@AWeekLastTuesday]

This game is amazing, and loved playing it, and this video was a great take on it, and never thought of playing as the people, and these people slowly make their presence known. I also love the music, very soothing and something you want to hear when travelling. Least for me.

[@RipperTips]

This game is one of those "i wish i could erase it from my memory just to experiance it again for the first time"

[@RipperTips]

The soundtrack is so fucking just perfect

[@mid12345]

Tried it and finished it on gamepass. when i first started it i ended up staying for the music and visual vibes. by the end i it felt like i was witnessed something special. like i was living in petria during a very specific timeframe and you had to be there to understand how special that time was...kinda like that one summer back in the day...its mos def worth a play through. It gave me a nostalgic gaming feeling while going playing the story not because i played it before but because its been awhile since ive played a game that hand me engaged...you know that anxious feeling you get when your excited about the gaming journey and you kinda forget its a game for a sec and your just taking part of the journey...yeah thats how this game felt.

[@6982chad]

Every once in awhile you play a game that stays on your mind long after you turned it off, this is one of those games.

[@Zenny-YouTube]

Couldn't agree more

[@theglitchguardian]

This is the first time I've seen one of your videos, and honestly how appropriate it is on a game that only just recently flew to the top of my list as one of my favorite/comfort games. Honestly you did a really fantastic job explaining the game and its mechanics, plus I love your point of view of how Road 96 tells its story in a really unique way. For me this game was so much more than just a story play through. It was a full immersion into a story that goes beyond any single game I've ever played. The perspective of the player really make you feel more like a movie director with immersion breaks that remind you that you're playing a video game. Its really, really, difficult for me to put into words because of how in-depth this game feels. What I'll subjectively say is that this isn't a game, this is an experience and I urge people to give it a chance and play it through. You earned my sub Zenny, cant wait to hear your take on the sequel Road 96: Mile 0.

[@commenter8181]

I don't know if you've seen or not but there'll be a prequel coming out in April this year (Road 96: Mile 0) It's definitely not necessary if you don't want to play the game, but I'd definitely recommend it. From the trailer, it seems to give backstory to Zoe's character, giving her a lot more depth, and even better understanding of her actions in Road 96. This is additionally just my personal theory, but I think it'll also give more context to all of the main cast in Road 96 without them being in the prequel (since most likely they won't be except for a few shown in the trailer). I'd love to see you play through it and give your analysis on the game since you are great at analysing games, which sometimes are harder to analyse then actual written works/TV series. This video was very well done! :)

[@Zenny-YouTube]

Oh trust me I'll definitely be playing!

[@TravelingKen]

My emotions about this game started as a bit rollercoaster-like. Initially I was hyped as I thought it was completely open world, but then was disappointed that it wasn't as free roaming as I thought, but the characters sort of grabbed my attention and I wanted to at least see the game through to the border. Then when I was finished the story that had unfolded (so far) grabbed me! And then the Sonya Show came and presented more missing kids and I was blown away! Loved thew video by the way! Excellent video essay!

[@Lobster_RL]

The perfection of this game is how you have to do new game+ to get every interaction and get 100% on every character

[@Evanz111]

I wish other story heavy games would have as much variety as Road 96 does, they don’t all need to be straight walking sims

[@phillpana]

As a content creator myself I have to acknowledge the effort you put into editing and animations as its far better than what you may find on larger KZbin channels. If your a one person team producing this type of content i do hope it pays off sooner rather than later as this content would be extremely time consuming. I'll continue to support you but don't give up and keep bringing quality content our way !

[@SamPostStuff]

"You are not important, and that's the point." This really sums up what's so fascinating about Road 96. This has got to be one of the first games (that I've personally played) that highlight the rest of the other characters except for you, and how that is a good thing and that's the intention. You'll never be disappointed when the main character takes the screen time away from you because it's supposed to be their screen time. The story that DigixArt tells would have never worked if we were playing as one of the characters, or heck, 'ourselves'. (Side note and vague spoilers, this is where Mile 0 can fall flat since you play as two different defined characters. I personally enjoy the game still but definitely not to the same degree as I enjoy Road 96). This is a fantastic video about a game that I will never stop talking about (and that I honestly found out about on accident, I never saw trailers for it, I just saw it advertised on the Nintendo Switch store and from the vague description I read, it scratched a part of my brain, but even then I did not know what I was in for.) And I know everyone gushes about the soundtrack a lot but holy shit, I don't know how they made such an amazing soundtrack with no misses (imo) but they did! It's definitely one of my top 5 favorite games of all time. Wonderful editing and good brief summary of the game!

[@muhammadaun...]

Give Sonya's voice actor be the best of the year award

[@masonyork7938]

One thing I love doing in this game is making up character names for the people you would play as like let's say teen #1 would be Joseph Williams and Teen #2 would be Robert Sutherland or some stuff like that

[@leinix25]

Great video... I have to say I love this game ever since my first playthrough and I have not stopped thinking about how amazing the experience was.

[@orangejjay]

I was out of gaming for decades and just now got back in. I played Life Is Strange 2 which I absolutely loved but it broke my heart ... yet, I still wanted to play another game like it and that was how I found Road 96. Road 96 is such a cool game. It makes me super happy that there's casual but fun games that do what they do. I remember playing PS1 games and the only reason why I would keep at them was to get to the next cutscene and now there's games that are practically all cutscenes?! Heck yeah!! ❤ Also, the enslavement of people "not going over people's head" was literally what happened in the USSR, happens in China with their Muslim population, is known to happen in North Korea, and, heck, happened in the US during WW2.

[@MYoung-yr9yi]

Best commentary and review I’ve seen across the internet. The narrative structure of the game is very inspiring.

[@Zenny-YouTube]

Cheers my dude! It's appreciated, this is still one of my favourite videos I've made

[@GTAVictor9128]

What makes Road 96 so relatable is the unfortunate fact that almost every country in the world either had a dictator in the past, or still has one (perhaps not an outright dictator but someone undermining a country's checks and balances). For example: If you're Spanish, you can easily liken Tyrak to Franco. If you're Chilean, Pinochet. Brazilian? Bolsonaro or the military junta that came before. Belarusian? Lukashenko. Hungarian? Viktor Orbán. Iran is still experiencing a revolt as we speak. And so on, with many more examples that would make things comment too long. Thus, the game serves as an important lesson - choosing to only look out for yourself in the game leads to the bleakest outcome. To enact change when your country is run by a dictator, you need to rise up and protest, even if that means the state police responding with violence. Being a French company, the theme of protest couldn't be more fitting for Road 96 considering the current situation in France. Overall, this game is a masterpiece not because it offers fancy graphics or a big open world like the AAA games, but because it offers a unique experience no other game has explored before.

[@highwind1369]

I stumbled into this game with Playstation Plus. Y'all, I enjoyed Everyone's Gone to the Rapture and Firewatch. This kinda feels like those but faster paced and with more interaction. Also a "rogue light" vibe. If you absolutely hate "walking sims" I understand. But give it a shot. Especially if you've got PS+. It's worth your time.

[@lilstrats944]

I think one of the best parts about this game is that you are eight kids that never meet each other, yet when combined together they can change history. You find yourself running into friends instead of making friends, yet that friend almost never sees the same kid that we’re playing as twice. You know them all but they just met you. Just another peach fuzz or youngblood. My only complaint is that my Zoe’s and #7’s graffiti disappeared from the cave, I hope it’s not because I sacrificed myself for Zoe.

[@mushy_pancake]

No game will affect me like Road 96 did. It's the best gaming experience I've ever had in my life. This was a beautiful video essay, and I appreciate you reading and liking every individual comment, it just adds so much feeling and shows the work you put into your channel. I wish I could boost this video so people know the underrated masterpiece that is this game. I've never had a more immersive experience while gaming until Road 96.

[@Xmxgaming5]

Love your content, you are so underrated!!

[@Chelsnep]

I honestly dont remember why I got this game. Like I have no memory of buying it but im damn glad I did. It was one of the best games ive played narratively in a long time

[@OnlyTwoShoes]

15:51 My man Noodle Arms, best Easter Egg in the game

[@Alfedesconneries]

This is exactly why Roard 96 is my favourite game. It’s the first time I see ya tbh and I found you funny :)

[@mrdiamozz9612]

KZbin has started recommending me underrated channels from nowhere, and you are one of them! :D

[@danielhuras617]

this really reminded me of a recent adventure game im currently playing through: "Beyond a steel Sky". and its almost the complete inverse in its premise and ideas. Its a squeal to an old lucus art game. the main idea is what if a dystopia city was tried to be fixed by an ai robot and worked, but also all the problems that these changes created. how even if everything is provided, things can still be bad.

[@bastiansitiols]

I love how you describe the game, it sounds so poetic, i'm gonna play it just because of this video. Thank you!

[@Zenny-YouTube]

YES! GO PLAY IT! It's endings can be a tad hit or miss but the characters are remarkable

[@-NoraaroN-]

I loved this game so much me and my friend would play it over at her house, swapping turns each time we started a new character, and it was honestly amazing

[@Thesnuzz]

I just finished road 96 and I haven’t had a game always be on my mind when I wasn’t playing it since Elden Ring. I love this game and it’s one of the best games I’ve played. And that “you play as Petria” and the whole thing is amazing. I loved this game from beginning to end and I will probably have many more playthroughs.

[@blockeontheleafeon]

It's pretty awesome that this review was recommended to me. Makes a ton of sense once you realize what this game is actually about. So, thanks KZbin. You did something nice today.

[@rasyidpamuji7219]

Your channel is pretty underrated. Everything you explained was easy to understand. Great video!

[@kaojiryuthphuangsombat4143]

Dude the edit and all of effort on the video is mind blowing you deserve way more man you earn a sub🎉

[@inapixelbloom]

Welcome back, Zenny. Good to see you uploading again.

[@Zenny-YouTube]

It's good to be back!

[@zoutigkaasplankje5057]

This is by far my most favourite game. It is just sooo goood

[@NgaMarsters]

Well I wish they could do more with the writing in terms of Petria as a country it's clear the devs did know what they were talking about (Bella Ciao etc) The voice acting did rub me the wrong way sometimes (John and Fanny were my fav) but the game more than made up for it with the overal vibe complimented by the stunning music. Plus I found the whole 'escaping a dying country' very appealing. I do wish they didn't go with the 'disgruntled teen' thing though Because adults can also hate fascism too lmao.

[@andydyer6591]

I think having it focus on teens running away sort of makes sense in that they’re the generation most staring down a future that has nothing for them, and they don’t have anything to lose the way adults would (jobs, houses, etc). For what it’s worth, though, the game does have a couple of instances that show that it’s not just teens trying to escape: Zoe finds a journal about a man and his son trying to cross; and you meet a family in the tunnels.

[@NgaMarsters]

@@andydyer6591 oh I actually like that analogy, I can't believe I of all people didn't pick up on that.

[@stevegillies1687]

This weekend I did something I've not done in ages. I was broke and had a extra day off work so I went onto gamepass and just downloaded a game completely blind. That game was Road 96 and wow did it suck me in. The visuals and premise drew me in and I was expecting something a little bit like Firewatch which I'd played and enjoyed. But within the first two chapters (which for me were football with John, then the trailer park playing the trombone with Zoe) I knew I was falling in love with this game. I cared about these characters and wanted to spend time with them and take them with me. The climb to the border with that huge synthwave soundtrack made it feel like this epic journey and arriving at the waterfall/scaling the peak for the first time will be one of my big gaming memories. I realised i was getting to the border way too quickly, and suspected that the game would force me to turn back and that I'd need all the characters to have high progression to successfully attempt a crossing. I was so shocked when my character died attempting to make a run for it. The excitement when I realised that this was a rogue-like and I would be trying again with a different character? Amazing. I finished it in one day and been looking for reviews for it ever since to see if others loved it as much as I did/why i'd never heard of this game before. The way the story builds and intertwines on each trip, the way I got the ending I thought I wanted all the way through the game, only to find out that it wasn't the satisfying ending I wanted at all.... What an absolute hidden gem! Been looking for a way to summarise what it is about this game that hooked me and I think you hit the nail on the head. . Also thank you, this video may have cured my Jarod fear going forwards lol! Great job! :)

[@hughmc4168]

Loved road 96. Was such a good game. Just such a well thought out game. Good shit, keep it up

[@milkpotbay1322]

Can’t believe KZbin only recommended this to me just now, this is such an awesome review! As a fellow Jarod fan I’m so so happy to see someone not just label him as annoying cause he can kill you in the game. Generally your focus on the story rather than the gameplay is awesome, you broke the game down to its essence masterfully, especially loved that wrap-up at the end!

[@Zenny-YouTube]

I love breaking down games down to their core writing attributes and admiring or breaking it down. Jarods such a brilliant character that I honestly feel bad for those who got annoyed

[@oceanramen7190]

We need more games like this. More Non-linears.

[@pariah825]

Downloaded this on the game pass blindly thinking it was some little open-world driving game. Nearly gave up on it when I realised it wasn't but after escaping Petria for the first time I was hooked. Love this game. Great video man!

[@Zenny-YouTube]

It caught me by suprise aswell. Thought it was a survival game based in the desert

[@CuteBenji]

Played this game 3 times still seingf new interactions

[@Zenny-YouTube]

It's brilliant ain't it!

[@MrChapStick91]

I love this game and wish there were more like this

[@aligmal5031]

my only problem with the game how it made tayrak a cartoonish villain it didn't really dive that deep in the grey area between tayrak and flores and made the player choose

[@vapelordmarco4203]

Holy shit your videos are some of the most in-depth and entertaining I have watch in a while, absolutely amazing

[@Zenny-YouTube]

TOO SWEET!

[@ShadowWweeb]

I got road 96 before this video and almost had the same experience as him Now I understand the true meaning of this game and I love

[@BigBenn2014]

I love this game. I had a real sense of loss when I finished it. It has such a great vibe and looks superb.

[@Zenny-YouTube]

There aren't many games out there that can make you feel like road 96 does. It holds a special place in my heart

[@Clovefromwish]

An amazing video for an amazing game with a beautiful sound track

[@jamescastle763]

This game was incredible. I was hooked immediately

[@cj-bi7hz]

I love this game with my whole heart and the soundtrack helps with my anxiety so much I listen to it all the time

[@ThePhantomSquee]

Great editing and presentation in this video, for an underrated gem of a game! I've always had very mixed feelings about Jarod as a character, but I appreciated the fresh perspective you offered about his motivations.

[@alexbayer2365]

As a Russian. This game is so good and dictator Tyrak looks like a Putin for me. They are equal.

[@nemanja98rs]

Came here to say this. Same thing for Serbia

[@TheVertamin]

Just arrived at your channel by random luck. Your content is really good and has a lot of work put on it. Please continue doing it!!

[@Zenny-YouTube]

Well you are in luck! I may have a new video coming out this weekend 👀👀

[@TheVertamin]

@@Zenny-KZbin nice!!!

[@NgaMarsters]

The song that plays when you select a new character, chills man.

[@eranbenzeev627]

this is definatly a game worth experiencing. put yourself in the shoes of the teens and enjoy the story, even when you fail sometimes

[@ArchitectWren]

This was a delight to play; I wish I could go back to my first playthrough when I realized that escape wasn’t the point, or even the end, of the game.

[@callmesnowboo]

I randomly found this Game and i love it. Couldnt stop playing.

[@Zenny-YouTube]

It's so addictive for like 4 days and then after it's over you never touch it again. It's kinda lovely that way

[@UnrealBenji]

I downloaded this game randomly from gamepass to play something, little did I know I stumbled upon one of the best games I’ve ever played. It was simply a breathtaking journey. And I’m truly sad that I’ll never be able to play it for the first time again.

[@christianmcbrearty]

I love this game! Especially the taxi guy, the trucker and Zoe. All the characters are amazing and so well voiced/written!

[@Ada-un7zk]

This is the first video im watching on your channel because it randomly appeared on my feed. I subscribed before the intro even came on because I like your energy!!

[@JamesMiller69]

Been waiting for this video since you showed me the thumb way back when, a few minutes in and pure banger already

[@kittyb3049]

i loved everything about road 96, the characters, soundtrack and gameplay are absolutely incredible!! definitely worth playing if you haven’t!

[@williamreilly5167]

i just finished my first full play through and started my second and honestly cant wait to play more of this game and buy the prequel

[@Akanisen049]

"You play as Petria" gave me goosebumps

[@Zenny-YouTube]

I love hearing that my scripts hit the way I'd hoped they would, thank you so much for commenting about it, fills me with so much joy!

[@mononclecochon337]

Your content is too good to be ignored by youtube. Hope you get what you deserve, which is way more than what you got.

[@Zenny-YouTube]

Your melting my heart here, cheersA

[@thelizardking3866]

Thank you so much for pointing out the mirror between Jared's daughter and the player. Really shed some light

[@darkartsandcrafts8474]

Commenting for the algorithm. This channel is criminally under-subscribed. Top-tier, intelligent, and fun!

[@Marcusianery]

I did not expect this game to say what it said. It was very interesting. The themes and the whole story makes for some odd nostalgia of the 90's and what not.

[@jimmay6687]

love the 3d hand like hands, very hand like in the design and their use.

[@kylieattaway5355]

The soundtrack is SO GOOD DUDE literally have the road by cocoon on my everyday playlist

[@Zenny-YouTube]

I used the entire sound track in the video and it's so damn good

[@nitrousovercast]

Road 96 is probably the best game I’ve ever played tbh

[@Zenny-YouTube]

Still waiting for a game to make me feel like this game did

[@jonathangrant480]

Holy shit he's back!!!

[@Zenny-YouTube]

DAMN RIGHT!

[@Cyromantik]

I like that the art style for a story about dystopian collapse could have been gritty, but they went in the opposite direction. That's cool.

[@Zenny-YouTube]

It's a nice contract that honestly makes things even more bleak

[@domcruise07]

I played this game completely blind for the first time and it was a great experience