Rob Gordon
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There are, again, some limitations here. Some elements of the overall structure add little to the overall quality, such as including stamina and injuries that do little but slow the player down (rather than in EA Sports FC, where it then requires the player to rethink their team lineup or training regime). Such risks can be mitigated with a good home and trainer setup in the game, along with taking part in the quite slow level-up system, and made a little more exasperating by the way that the game's in-game currency can help with either XP boosts or allowing the player to buy home bases, the gameification of the structure breaking immersion.
Overall, Open Roads is a mixed bag. Although the game's performances are strong and the story at a high level hits the right notes, its smaller details may feel a little melodramatic and forced. Meanwhile, the game's very basic general gameplay is a step behind some of its walking simulator peers, which can lead to it feeling a little dated despite some of its clear innovations. It's a solid enough game that those interested in the genre should give Open Roads a try, but it won't appeal to anyone who doesn't already quite enjoy these sorts of walking simulator-style journeys.
Some of the game's framework is very much focused on interconnectivity between different Warzone modes, so players can theoretically sync their Warzone experiences across different platforms. It would be interesting to see how popular this is, as it seems as though mobile players and home console or PC players would be separate demographics. This could be especially true given how much of a battery drain Warzone Mobile is, meaning it's not really a game to play out on the go and more something to play when lounging in bed or on the sofa.
Beyond that, however, there are also plenty of other options. Alongside championships and custom match creation, the MyRISE game mode acts as a solid career mode, with two different strands for players to pursue. Meanwhile, MyGM takes things down more of a management and tactical approach, as the player runs their own roster of wrestlers, putting on events with the goal of beating the competition and providing the watching fans with the most entertainment possible.
As such, this isn't the best platform to choose, and those who have another home console available to them or a PC would be better placed taking that option. If players solely want to play the game in handheld mode, however, this may still be the best option given how EA titles can be a little tetchy on other portable platforms like the Steam Deck. In itself, that's something of a disappointment, but especially when other issues are taken into consideration.
Something new that has been introduced is taking part in practice sessions before each race. Much like in real world motor racing, this gives drivers an understanding of the racetrack, and Forza Motorsport incentivizes this by providing XP back to the player for completion. This adds an element of realism to the game, much like the game's penalties for collisions or going off track, but it does mean that those players who want to skip practice sessions may feel like they're being penalized. Nonetheless, it's still a good addition, particularly for drivers who play on high difficulty where no mistakes are acceptable.
Last year's F1 Manager 2022 scratched an itch for many motorsport fans, giving players an opportunity to look at the tactical and managerial side of Formula One. There hadn't been an official management title in over 20 years, unlike the immersion of the brilliant Football Manager series, but games like 2016's Motorsport Manager showed that there was definitely appetite. Frontier Developments, who has a long history of successful management games like Planet Zoo, is now back with F1 Manager 2023 with a refreshed line-up and some additional features.
Terra Nil avoids getting tired over its various levels, in part because of the different approach required for different parts of the world. Using geothermal energy in an arctic, volcanic climate is very different from building up coral reefs off the coast of an island, while the final stage tasks the player with dredging a flooded city to create a natural paradise. It's a replayable game, too, particularly with new environments to choose from after beating the game the first time and the drive to reach 100% ecosystem repair on each level, although it's likely something that gets put down after the second run is completed.
Of course, it wouldn't be a Capcom collection without at least one iteration of the Street Fighter series, and thankfully there are some decent options here. The primary one that will keep fighting fans engaged is Hyper Street Fighter II: The Anniversary Edition, which is an expanded version of Super Street Fighter 2 Turbo that was originally released back in 2003. It's a very solid version of one of the greatest fighting games of all time, and essentially acts as a best-of for Street Fighter II in its own right.
It's these non-playable characters that really help cement Road 96's world. There is a cast of figures who will reappear throughout the game on different journeys, and help the player explore the reality of the totalitarian state they live in, those who help to prop it up, and those who are fighting against it. There's some great variety to be found here too, from the satirical angle of state TV reporter Sonya and the slapstick comedy of criminal duo Stan and Mitch, through to the heartfelt, kind-hearted revolutionary John and the journey of fellow teen Zoe.