Just because a game makes people angry doesn’t mean it has a critical design flaw. Built-up tension can make victory all the sweeter, and there’s always going to be a level of frustration associated with even a completely fair challenge. On the other hand, making players fall asleep might be a categorical disqualification. As much as I hate to admit it, in the fourth act of this game, the pace was so slow and so little was going on that I actually fell asleep in my chair. It’s the first time in my life where that’s happened, so this is where I should normally start tearing into it for not keeping me engaged. However, that’s not the right approach this time. Artsy games with a lot of dialog are usually called book games, ones with a lot of first-person exploration are called walking simulators, and the best way to summarize Kentucky Route Zero’s style would be to call it a road trip game. Not just for the game’s actual driving and highway imagery, but for the sort of adventure you have in a general sense. There are moments that actively engage you like a typical game does, but that’s just the destination, one piece of a full journey. In between, there’s going to be a lot of sleeping. A lot of reading. A lot of looking out the window, passing by the places that define people’s lives in a nameless blur. The moments you’re far away from home, tired, and experiencing something new have a memorable otherworldly quality, and all these little moments are what Kentucky Route Zero simulates. It uses a blend of fantasy and drama to portray the realness of these experiences, both of you as a passenger and of the people whose lives you briefly intersect in the middle of nowhere. The presentation is so magical and the subject matter so unique that I want people to experience it, even in spite of the ways it bored me. Just like any trip, there will be times you're bored or wish you were back home, but you’ll always be thankful for the memories.