Despite Broken Roads tapping into some classical role-playing game ideas like in its turn-based combat system and character morality system, the way the game uses these ideas reveal a much more modern take on the genre than one would expect. I will talk about exactly how the game modernizes these classical RPG concepts throughout the review, but it is important to note that the studio clearly loves the genre. Even the game’s Steam page cites the games from the opening sentence of this review as clear inspirations.

One of the most central features of Broken Roads is how it handles the player character’s morality. Rather than offering up simple choices between “good” and “evil”, where your options don’t really vary much between “save someone” and “kill that someone”, the game instead opts to use a more complex system that can be likened more to a compass. A circle divided into multiple quadrants represents your character’s choices.

"It is important to note that the studio clearly loves the genre."

It’s rare that you’ll ever find yourself going down a single path in this compass, and even the game makes it clear that your character’s viewpoint of the world will embody multiple quadrants of the moral compass. It certainly helps that dialogue choices that are going to influence your moral compass are clearly labeled, removing any ambiguity that might come about, and you’ll always have a handle on just how your character looks at the world.

After going through character creation and answering a few questions that set your character’s stats, abilities, and moral compass, nothing is really written in stone, and your character will definitely evolve as the game goes on. Broken Roads doesn’t really use a class system like other RPGs might, and instead things are left more freeform so that you can adapt to situations as they come up. While it might be helpful, for example, to start out as a hired gunman that is a highly-skilled marksman, you might also find yourself investing skill points into some of the more social skills, raising your charisma or even your situational awareness in the process. Similarly, even your moral compass is likely to change depending on the hard choices you’ll often find yourself making; this is the post-apocalypse after all. Resources are scarce and you’ll often be the one deciding who gets food and water, and who gets a bullet in their head for their trouble.

Even the combat in Broken Roads feels like a more modern take on the classic turn-based systems we’ve seen from RPGs with guns, like in Wasteland and other classic titles. While still hanging on to the action points system that you’d find in the genre, the game ditches the use of any hex or grid, instead allowing you to more freely decide where you’re going to go and who you’re going to attack. Just about every action you can take in a fight costs action points, from moving and shooting to throwing grenades, punching someone, or even reloading your gun.

"Even your moral compass is likely to change depending on the hard choices you’ll often find yourself making."

As a whole, however, the combat certainly feels rather simplistic when compared to heavyweights in the genre, and you’re not going to be able to mix and match elemental effects, for example. Most of the fighting is going to revolve around just moving, taking cover, shooting, and tossing the occasional grenade. Thankfully, the combat is incredibly fast-paced, and tends to get wrapped up incredibly quickly.

Aside from the moral compass, the other biggest feature of the game is undoubtedly its setting. A post-apocalyptic Australia is a rare setting to find in video games, after all, and Broken Roads definitely feels like it was made by people who not only live there but are also steeped in its culture. A simple but obvious example is in how slang is handled and how it features tips to learn them.

The story in Broken Roads isn’t too central to its core structure, and the game allows you quite a bit more freedom than you would expect in what order you might want to tackle your objectives. The story is pretty grand, and involves quite a few elements, ranging from political intrigue amongst the various factions and settlements you’ll meet, to more simplistic tasks like keeping settlements safe from some of the more unsavory elements of the post-apocalyptic world, like bandits. Things start off simple enough, with you being tasked with protecting an NPC as they travel between settlements.

"Aside from the moral compass, the other biggest feature of the game is undoubtedly its setting."

Interacting with various characters along the way, however, uncovers a much larger plot that Broken Roads doesn’t really feel like it’s equipped to handle well enough. The game’s central focus is always on what your character is doing, and as such, you don’t really get any other perspective on the narrative as it happens. Because of this, while the story is largely happening in the background, the strength of Broken Roads lies in some of the smaller vignettes it presents. For example, one of the first things you’ll come across is a child in shock, along with a woman looking over a seemingly fresh corpse of a man. The clearly traumatized child also has a gun, and it’s going to be up to you and your companions to figure out how you’ll handle this situation.

If I had to offer up a comparison, Broken Roads feels incredibly close in structure to Wasteland 2. While you do certainly have a clear goal in mind, you’re given quite a bit of freedom, and are in fact outright encouraged to explore the world around you and take on as many different side-quests and smaller tasks as you can as you get to learn more about the post-apocalyptic world. All of this is helped by the fact that the writing is quite good, and aside from a couple of characters, the voice acting is able to hold its own as well in presenting the game’s grim but beautiful world.

All in all, Broken Roads is a fantastic way for Drop Bear Bytes to make its debut. The game taps into classical RPGs for its vibes, but when it comes to gameplay mechanics, offers up a more modern take on various aspects like its morality system. Even the combat system, while feeling overly simplistic at times, still feels like it was streamlined in a good way; animations are quick and fights don’t take too long to get through. Instead, Broken Roads puts its best aspects, the choice mechanics and its beautifully realized setting, front and center.

This game was reviewed on PC.

Quantum Error

Early access for TeamKill Media’s upcoming horror title begins on October 31st for pre-orders on PS5. However, Quantum Error is available worldwide for everyone on November 3rd, with the story set in the Monad Quantum Research Facility.

Following an unknown attack, firefighter Capt. Jacob Thomas is sent in to rescue any survivors. Things quickly dive into cosmic horror territory, and it’s all players can do to survive. Developed on Unreal Engine 5 and utilizing the DualSense’s adaptive triggers and haptic feedback for immersion, Quantum Error could be a dark horse in a year of standout horror titles.

RoboCop: Rogue City

Terminator Resistance developer Teyon is adapting the other robotic action icon into shooter form with RoboCop: Rogue City. It takes place between the second and third films and sees RoboCop tackling the gangs of futuristic Detroit. There’s also Project Afterlife, a mysterious plan that could involve the ever-shady OCP.

Along with the classic Auto 9, players wield 20 different weapons, uphold the law, help citizens, and complete various missions for XP to unlock powerful upgrades. You can even investigate and gather evidence when you’re not punching perps in the gob. RoboCop: Rogue City launches on November 2nd for PS5, Xbox Series X/S and PC.

EA Sports WRC

The WRC series is back, albeit under the EA Sports moniker and developed by Codemasters, who are no strangers to rally racing games. While it offers WRC, WRC2 and Junior WRC cars and teams from the 2023 season, you can also control about 68 classic vehicles.

There are over 200 stages to play through, spread across 17 locations, including Portugal, Kenya, Japan and Monte Carlo, with new features like Builder Mode for designing a car, Moments Mode (which focuses on racing through recent events), Career, and cross-platform multiplayer. It even has Clubs with leaderboards. EA Sports WRC launches for PC, Xbox Series X/S and PS5 on November 3rd.

The Invincible

Some sci-fi stories are full of hope and the anticipation of exploring beyond the reaches of human understanding. Based on Stanisław Lem’s sci-fi novel, Starward Industries’ The Invincible embodies the latter but reinforces one inescapable fact – not everywhere is meant for us. As astrobiologist Yasna, players venture to Regis 3 on the spaceship Invincible.

It’s not long before she’s caught up in searching for her crewmates with the help of astrogator Novik, slowly uncovering their fate and learning about the overwhelming threat on the planet. With gorgeous visuals and branching decisions, The Invincible promises a slow-burn thriller experience when it launches on November 6th for Xbox Series X/S, PS5 and PC.

Broken Roads

If you’ve been aching for a Disco Elysium-style computer role-playing game, Drop Bear Byte’s Broken Roads may be worth checking out. Releasing on November 14th for Xbox Series X/S, PC and Nintendo Switch, it’s set in post-apocalyptic Western Australia, specifically the Wheatbelt region, as players explore the Outback and make alliances to survive. All decisions fall under four quadrants in the Moral Compass, which can provide different traits to cater to future choices. With multiple outcomes, extensive lore and turn-based combat, it’s an intriguing take on the genre which we’re keen to try.

Football Manager 2024

Would it be a November without a Football Manager title (not counting titles released before 2014)? Football Manager 2024 is out on November 6th with four versions – PC, Console (for Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS5 and also PC), Mobile and Touch for Nintendo Switch. Along with upgraded ball physics and lighting, new features like the Inverted Full Back role, a Match Preparation tab in Training, new Youth System Rankings and more are included.

This is in addition to quality-of-life improvements for the Fantasy Draft and pre-match briefing feedback panel, offering out players on loan, and more. Perhaps the best part is the ability to import your career from last year’s game and continue playing.

Flashback 2

As one of the more unorthodox side-scrolling action platformers of the early 90s, Flashback is finally getting a sequel, helmed by creator Paul Cuisset. It sees Galactic Bureau of Investigation agent Conrad B. Hart searching for his friend Ian while dealing with the Morph Invasion. With vibrant 2.5D visuals that capture the original’s cyberpunk vision, new locations, new mechanics and the same pulse-pounding action, Flashback 2 looks like a modern blast from the past. It’s out on November 16th for Xbox One, PS4, PS5, PC, Nintendo Switch and Xbox Series X/S.

Super Mario RPG

For many, their first introduction to turn-based role-playing games happened not with Final Fantasy but with Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars. On November 17th, it finally returns as a remake for Nintendo Switch, featuring gorgeous overhauled visuals and orchestral arrangements for the soundtrack (with the original tracks still available).

There are also several new features and mechanics, from the new Easy Mode and fighting souped-up versions of existing bosses to the new Triple Move, a super move where all three party members attack. Even if you never played the original, Super Mario RPG is an experience that can’t be missed.

Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name

From a legendary dragon to a Joryu, an agent of the Daidoji, Kazuma Kiryu returns in Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name. Taking place after the events of Yakuza 6: The Song of Life, it sees Kiryu partaking in various missions in Osaka and Yokohama, interacting with new characters like Akame and dealing with new threats like Homare Nishitani III, the patriarch of the Kijin Clan.

In addition to serious story missions, Kiryu also indulges in combat with the Yakuza and Agent Styles and engages in various side activities like Karaoke, Pocket Circuit, the Coliseum, and even playing classic Sega games like Fighting Vipers 2, Daytona USA 2, Galaxy Force and Flicky. Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name launches on November 9th for Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PS4, PS5 and PC.

Risk of Rain Returns

While Hopoo Games eventually wants to explore other ideas outside the Risk for Rain franchise, it’s back for one last hurrah with Risk of Rain Returns. As a remaster of the first game, the side-scrolling rogue-lite shooter sports sharper visuals and 15 Survivors (two new to the roster) with unique play styles feeding into the sheer chaos possible with item pick-ups and power-ups.

Upon exploring Petrichor V, things increase in difficulty, but you can also add Artifacts for even more mayhem, like Imp Invasions every ten minutes. The best part is that along with couch co-op, the improved online multiplayer makes it much easier to team up with others. Risk of Rain Returns launches on November 8th for PC and Nintendo Switch.