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The indie CRPG, Broken Roads, has been delayed due to the extensive nature of its content, which includes over 30 hours of gameplay and 400,000 words of dialogue.
Set in the Wheatbelt region of Western Australia, the game's development involved a close collaboration with the local government and Aboriginal Australian communities to ensure an authentic experience.
What sets Broken Roads apart is its innovative Moral Compass Mechanic. This unique feature presents players with a range of moral values, enabling characters to express diverse ethical stances that shape their worldview and unlock specific options.
Regrettably, the release of the isometric indie CRPG, Broken Roads, was postponed just before its scheduled launch. The game, which draws inspiration from Fallout, was originally planned for November 13, 2023. However, due to an unexpected delay, it is now projected to be released in early 2024.
The post-apocalyptic setting has gained popularity among CRPGs, with games like Fallout, Wasteland, and Atom RPG immersing players in the brutal trials of a desolate and shattered world devastated by catastrophic events. With this in mind, Drop Bear Bytes, the developer of Broken Roads, is taking a fascinating new approach by basing their game world in an actual location. Broken Roads is set in the Wheatbelt, a region in Western Australia known for its agricultural significance. It appears that the game developers have shown great attention to detail and a strong commitment to authenticity. Drop Bear Bytes partnered with the government of Victoria, the Australian state where the Wheatbelt is located, and even reached out to Aboriginal Australian communities to ensure the accurate and respectful incorporation of their stories and challenges into the game's narrative.
The creators of Broken Roads recently announced on Twitter that despite the game's full development, there will be a delay in its release until the following year. This is due to the unexpectedly extensive nature of the game, which features over 30 hours of gameplay and a staggering 400,000 words of dialogue. To ensure a polished and bug-free experience, the game's quality assurance team will be given more time and resources to thoroughly test this substantial content. Drop Bear Bytes, the developers, are working diligently to release Broken Roads simultaneously on PC and consoles, causing the delay on all platforms.
One fascinating aspect of Broken Roads is its intricate Moral Compass Mechanic that surpasses the typical binary choices of good or evil seen in other games of its genre. The unique Moral Compass introduces a spectrum of moral values, allowing characters to express various ethical stances based on their personal beliefs and experiences. By incorporating four real-world moral philosophies (Utilitarian, Humanist, Machiavellian, and Nihilist), the playable character's worldview is shaped, granting access to specific dialogue options or even traits that can alter gameplay.
We have decided to postpone the release of Broken Roads in order to allocate more time and resources for polishing and quality assurance. This will ensure a higher level of quality for the countless possibilities that can arise within the game.
Originally conceived as a road trip simulator in 2019, the concept of Broken Roads has transformed into a traditional CRPG as the developers continued to incorporate new features. With four unique story origins, an innovative Moral Compass system, and an authentic portrayal of the Australian region, Broken Roads has the potential to be a captivating addition to the post-apocalyptic CRPG genre.
Broken Roads is slated to be released in early 2024 for PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S.
Editor's P/S
As a Gen Z netizen, I am both excited and disappointed by the delay of Broken Roads. On the one hand, I am eager to play this highly anticipated game and explore the unique setting of the Wheatbelt region of Western Australia. The game's innovative Moral Compass Mechanic also has me intrigued, as it offers a more nuanced approach to morality than the typical good/evil dichotomy seen in other CRPGs. On the other hand, I am disappointed that I will have to wait longer to experience all that Broken Roads has to offer. However, I understand that the developers are making this decision in order to ensure that the game is as polished and bug-free as possible, and I appreciate their commitment to quality.
Overall, I believe that Broken Roads has the potential to be a great addition to the post-apocalyptic CRPG genre, and I am excited to see it released in early 2024. In the meantime, I will be keeping an eye on the game's development and looking forward to learning more about it.