Road 96 - game review - xbox

🚗 Road 96 – A Road Trip With… Politics? 🎮

Here at T-Shirt Stylings, we love a good game—whether it’s whipping through tombs in Indiana Jones, wrangling dinosaurs in Ark, or yelling “Fus Ro Dah” in Elder Scrolls Online. But sometimes, we just want a game we can actually finish.

Enter Road 96—a game I thought would be a laid-back road trip adventure. Turns out, it’s less about sightseeing and more about survival. You play as a teenager trying to escape across the border, making tough choices along the way. Steal a car? Hitchhike? Get arrested? Every decision shapes the story, and if you don’t make it? The world moves on without you, and you start as another runaway teen.

🎭 What’s the Deal?

Each playthrough follows a different teen, but the world continues progressing toward Election Day, the game’s finale. The choices you make across multiple playthroughs affect how the world and characters react.

I played quite a few individual teen’s stories before reaching the end of the timeline. While you control a different teen each time, the world keeps progressing. Once Election Day arrives, the game resets—but even though some events repeat, your choices can still change the outcome.

This means that even though the game has some replayability, after a while, events might start feeling familiar—unless you mix up your choices.

🎮 Gameplay: What to Expect

✅ Bite-sized gameplay – Great for short sessions without needing to commit 100+ hours.
✅ Choices matter – Your decisions shape the world and story.
✅ Some light minigames & collectibles – A fun bonus along the way.
❌ No combat – If you’re looking for action, this isn’t it.
❌ Linear in parts – Some sections offer choice, but others feel scripted.
❌ Heavy political themes – If you prefer your games without political messaging, this might not be for you.

🤔 Who’s It For?

Honestly? It’s hard to say. The game tackles some pretty dark themes, with mature topics and language, but then some parts feel tailored for a younger audience. If you enjoy choice-based narratives and don’t mind some political themes, this game might be for you.

🚀 Final Verdict

Worth playing? ✅ Yes, if you love interactive storytelling.
Would I replay it? 🤔 Maybe not—it was fun, but my backlog is calling.
Best road trip companion? Our tote bags, obviously. 😉

🎒 Heading out on your own adventure? Grab a tote bag for the road! Check them out here → Tote Bags

🔹 #Road96 #IndieGame #ChoiceBasedGames #StoryDrivenGames #RoadTripReady