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I guess I can’t really say why I like Kentucky Route Zero. By all accounts, I should probably hate it. It has as little interaction as a visual novel, has a slow walking speed, is about as open to interpretation as anything imaginable, and you’d be forgiven for saying it was pretentious.
Kentucky Route Zero is about delivering some antiques late at night. But it’s also about death, purpose, identity, and rebirth. It’s also more a play where you are an actor (sometimes literally) than a game. I’d need to play it again with a more critical eye to say any more than that and I’m honestly not sure I want to. The reason Kentucky Route Zero works for me is because it evokes a feeling – a place of mind. Much like Before Sunrise, there’s an ethereal dreamlike quality to it.
Kentucky Route Zero is essentially a visual novel. But I think it passes my criticisms of “why isn’t this a movie” for a couple reasons. First, your interactions and perspective are shuffled around more often than a deck at Vegas. You’ll be progressing through a conversation as one character before suddenly shifting to the other side – this happens more frequently as you progress through the story until you’re handling most sides of the conversations. Second, there are times when you just want to soak in the moment – how long you do is up to you and wouldn’t really work if you’re forced along as you would in a movie. It’s a weird game – if it can even be called a game.
The twisting narrative is supported by a fantastic soundtrack by Ben Babbitt. The first time I played through the Act III performance I didn’t want it to end. Though the pacing has some trouble occasionally, it’s still a worthwhile experience. Mechanically (if one can call your interactions mechanics), KR0 can only be called sublime – everything from the mouse cursor movement reacting to the background to the game working on practically any screen working together to provide a transparent window into the game world.
While this is definitely a Tier One game for me, it’s also a game that I think only works for certain people and at certain times. If you do end up playing KR0, you need to do it in a darkened room with only your computer screen for light and your speakers for sound. Not being able to see a clock is also recommended. Knowledge of Americana, Xanadu, Xanadu, Beckett, Frost, Adventure, and vector monitors is optional, but will also enhance the experience. Maybe you should just watch better reviews than mine (which I can finally watch now).
