At last, we have the Broken Roads release date confirmed. A seamless blend of Fallout 2’s isometric style and the high-brow, philosophical choices of Disco Elysium, the CRPG from Drop Bear Bytes has been on our radar for a while now. Set in a post-apocalyptic version of Australia, Broken Roads is an RPG game with a twist – rather than traditional character classes, you choose from four foundational philosophies, and let those shape your play style and your decisions. With an authentic landscape, a complex morality system, and a commitment to characterization and drama, Broken Roads could be one of the underground hits of 2023, and we finally know for sure when it’s set to launch.
Combining turn-based combat with choice-driven dialogue and a focus on decision-making, Broken Roads follows a group of survivors as they struggle across the harsh, post-apocalyptic Australian outback. Eschewing the traditional class system, Broken Roads nevertheless lets you customize your build and play your own way. At the same time, it has a different approach to morality than you might normally see in RPGs.
Rather than a binary or reductive ‘good versus bad’ system, the Moral Compass in Broken Roads lets you make decisions – either in regards to the story or dialogue – based on your characters’ philosophical leanings. There are four philosophical archetypes – Humanist, Utilitarian, Machiavellian, and Nihilist – and each one has different ideas on how to solve problems and talk to people.
If you’re a Humanist, for example, a lot of your choices will be weighted in favor of helping other people. That contrasts with the Nihilist, who might be indifferent to their own or other peoples’ struggles, and the Machiavellian who will try to manipulate people. Utilitarians meanwhile will try to solve problems and forge decisions based on the maximum amount of practical good and efficiency. It’s much more in-depth than a lot of RPG decision systems, and lends itself perfectly to Broken Roads’ sweeping, post-apocalyptic tale.
And of course, the entire game has a gorgeous, classic CRPG-style aesthetic, combining the isometric view with detailed assets and beautiful, hand-drawn-style backgrounds. The Broken Roads release date is confirmed for Tuesday, November 14, and you’ll be able to pick it up on Steam. If you can’t wait that long, there’s a free demo available right now.
If you miss the days of isometric RPGs, try some of the other best old games on PC. Alternatively, the best story games will spin you a fantastic yarn.