Road 96: Mile 0 is actually a pretty fun expansion on the first game. We got plenty of backstory that wasn't in the original game, and I think it definitely enhances the Road 96 experience with a nice tale. However, there are some pretty glaring flaws, both to do with the story and otherwise.
The runner minigames are very silly, but it's clear they had a vision for them so I'm willing to discount their silliness despite everything, and it is short break from the constant exposition. However, some of the hitboxes in the runner sections are pretty inaccurate so you have to give everything a wide berth and that's not always possible. Sometimes you have to keep going until you figure out where the hitbox really is through trial and error. Frustrating.
And while I mentioned how much I did enjoy the plot, I had to overlook some things. For starters, the moral choice system undermined the story. What's the point on including one if the character you're controlling will contradict your actions during the cutscenes? I would've preferred it if they just railroaded me a bit more, so they could tell the story they wanted to tell instead of giving me the freedom to contradict the plot. My other real gripe is that the climax is very goofy and sucked all of the emotional tension out of the moment.
Otherwise, I enjoyed this. You may miss the road trip vibes of the original if you were a fan, but I think the fun exposition will make up for it. And Colton. I actually ended up liking that little ratbag in the end and I hate myself for it.
The runner minigames are very silly, but it's clear they had a vision for them so I'm willing to discount their silliness despite everything, and it is short break from the constant exposition. However, some of the hitboxes in the runner sections are pretty inaccurate so you have to give everything a wide berth and that's not always possible. Sometimes you have to keep going until you figure out where the hitbox really is through trial and error. Frustrating.
And while I mentioned how much I did enjoy the plot, I had to overlook some things. For starters, the moral choice system undermined the story. What's the point on including one if the character you're controlling will contradict your actions during the cutscenes? I would've preferred it if they just railroaded me a bit more, so they could tell the story they wanted to tell instead of giving me the freedom to contradict the plot. My other real gripe is that the climax is very goofy and sucked all of the emotional tension out of the moment.
Otherwise, I enjoyed this. You may miss the road trip vibes of the original if you were a fan, but I think the fun exposition will make up for it. And Colton. I actually ended up liking that little ratbag in the end and I hate myself for it.