This is a great technique, but you run into some problems. Then you create an archer sub-class that has all the properties of the monster, but also adds the abilities to shoot arrows. You might have a monster class that defines general movement, hit points, etc. To see why this is useful, it helps to understand that many games rely on object-oriented programming methods. This lets us as game developers combine behaviors in incredibly flexible ways. Other objects seem totally useless until you discover the context that makes them helpful (What’s up with that goat, and why is he pooping all over the place?).īehind the scenes, the objects in Road Not Taken use what’s called a component based architecture. Some objects magically combine into new objects that restore your stamina or serve as powerful tools for you. Sometimes I think of Road Not Taken as this giant treasure box of secrets. But spirits can also help you… if you learn to unlock their secrets.Īnd speaking of secrets: they’re everywhere. Forest spirits hurt you if you walk into them, then they vanish. That doesn’t seem very useful until you figure out that this lets you shift otherwise-immoveable stones around. In Road Not Taken, you improve mainly by learning how things work and learning to play more strategically. And on top of that, you have to deal with all the unique creatures and objects in your way, each of which has its own unexpected ways of moving, combining, and/or draining your stamina. You could simply lug trees into position, but you’d end up draining your energy and eventually succumb to the winter storm. Organizing the chaos is trickier than it looks. Being incredibly smart, you start moving things around and eventually collect the trees together into a single, connected set. You look over the map and spot a bunch of trees blocked behind various rocks and creatures. Say, for example, that you’ve got an exit blocked by rocks, and you notice that it requires five trees to open. You unlock the exits to a section of the forest by organizing the chaos with your powers. It’s a chaotic and dangerous mess, and you’ll feel the intensity ratchet upwards as your stamina decreases step-by-carefully-planned step. There isn’t a clear way into or out of the heart of the forest, and to make matters worse, the exit to every area is blocked. There are wild creatures running about, spiky plants that hurt you if you pick them up, and blizzards that sap your strength. You’ll be intrigued by strange objects that you haven’t encountered before, and whose characteristics are never fully explained. In Road Not Taken, both the challenge and the exciting moments come from the setting itself. If you run out of stamina, you collapse face-first into the snow. But you need to be careful whenever you carry things, it costs you stamina. Trees, boulders, bears - they all float at your command.

You can pick up any adjacent objects, you can carry them around, and you can throw them. You start with a few easy-to-learn abilities. You play a ranger in a frigid, enchanted forest, trying to save lost children. How might a roguelike look like if it featured a thinker and explorer, instead of a traditional warrior? If being clever was more important than being strong? That’s a design challenge we’ve attempted to tackle with Road Not Taken.

Roadblocks game ps4