June Assassination #4 (SG Win)

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Shortly after beating Disco Elysium and being properly enthralled by it, a friend suggested I try Roadwarden. Looking at the trailer, I was very skeptical -- how could a game that looks so simple match the grandiosity and genius of Disco? But is in this simplicity of systems and focus on a small-yet-very-dense world filled with interconnected events and great writing, Roadwarden took me and never really let me go.

Many people have already mentioned the typos that happen maybe a bit too frequently throughout the game, and I'll admit it bothered me, but not enough to write the game down. If it might seem the game lack polish, I am still willing to let it pass since this is mostly an one-man job. Graphically, Roadwarden gives you enough to suggest what the world looks like, but never enough to rob you of imagining your version of it. Musically, it's simple yet evocative, again, letting your mind wander and fill the gaps. But is in the game's writing and plot that it transcends most other RPGs.

I mean, the name implies it, but most RPGs are quite limited in the amount they let you effectively roleplay, but in Roadwarden, this is the whole game. The open-endedness of the tasks you're given and the tools to achieve them is shocking. I struggled to remember another game in recent memory that felt so … pen-and-paper like this one. My game ended mostly as I wanted, being an honorable fighter that spared more beasts than I killed, that respected most opinions even though they were different from mine, but that didn't shy away from tough confrontations with bandits or tyrant village lords. I was not able to achieve all my objectives, effectively antagonizing one tribe I was seeking the favors of and failing my personal goal, but it never felt like a proper failure, just as a life well lived where you do your best and sometimes fail to come through. The journey was harsh at first, easy later on, and entirely satisfying.

If you're looking for pure roleplay, there are very few games that match Roadwarden charm, ambition, scope and freedom. It might not be the prettiest boy in town, but it's certainly one of the smartest and most entertaining. It's harsh at first like life on the road, but it gets easier once you have friends in the wilderness and knowledge of the beaten path. A must for any pen-and-paper RPG fan.