Road Not Taken
{{other uses|The Road Not Taken (disambiguation)}}
{{Short description|2014 video game}}
{{Infobox video game
|title = Road Not Taken
|image = Road Not Taken logo.png
|developer = Spry Fox
|publisher = Spry Fox
|released = PlayStation 4
{{vgrelease|NA|August 5, 2014|PAL|August 6, 2014}}Windows, OS X
August 5, 2014
iOS
July 28, 2016
Android
October 12, 2016
|platforms = PlayStation 4
Microsoft Windows
OS X
iOS
Android
}}
Road Not Taken is an independent video game developed by Spry Fox for PlayStation 4, Microsoft Windows, OS X, iOS, and Android. In a take on the Robert Frost poem of the same name, the game is described as being about life's surprises, both positive and negative.{{cite web|last=Edery|first=David|date=August 30, 2013|url=https://blog.playstation.com/2013/08/30/roguelike-puzzle-game-road-not-taken-coming-to-ps4-ps-vita-in-2014/|title=Roguelike Puzzle Game, Road Not Taken, Coming to PS4, PS Vita in 2014|website=PlayStation Blog|publisher=Sony Interactive Entertainment|access-date=January 19, 2023|archive-date=January 19, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230119192520/https://blog.playstation.com/2013/08/30/roguelike-puzzle-game-road-not-taken-coming-to-ps4-ps-vita-in-2014/|url-status=live}}
Gameplay
Road Not Taken combines roguelike and puzzle game elements with the hopes of exploring surprises in accordance to the game's theme. As players explore, they will come across wild animals, impassable barriers, lost children and other objects. An object's use is not explained upfront, players are encouraged to learn about each object's use as they discover them, in traditional roguelike fashion.
Development
In development since at least 2013, the game was officially announced for PlayStation 4 and PlayStation Vita in August 2013. Developer David Edery cited recent games FTL: Faster Than Light and Don't Starve as inspirations for the game. Writing at the PlayStation.Blog, Edery explained the formulas the team used for creating the gameplay: randomness and hand crafted puzzles were used in conjunction.{{cite web|last=Edery|first=David|date=March 14, 2014|url=https://blog.playstation.com/2014/03/14/road-not-taken-hand-crafted-randomness/|title=Road Not Taken: Hand-crafted Randomness|website=PlayStation Blog|publisher=Sony Interactive Entertainment|access-date=January 19, 2023|archive-date=January 19, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230119192517/https://blog.playstation.com/2014/03/14/road-not-taken-hand-crafted-randomness/|url-status=live}}
Spry Fox organized a competition asking fans to submit audio of what they think a "spry fox" would say, the winner would be used for an in-game spry fox character. Spry Fox showed the game at PAX East in 2014{{cite web|last=Edery|first=David|date=April 10, 2014|url=https://blog.playstation.com/2014/04/10/road-not-taken-playable-at-pax-east/|title=Road Not Taken Playable at PAX East|website=PlayStation Blog|publisher=Sony Interactive Entertainment|access-date=January 19, 2023|archive-date=January 19, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230119192515/https://blog.playstation.com/2014/04/10/road-not-taken-playable-at-pax-east/|url-status=live}} before launching on August 5.{{cite web|last=Edery|first=David|date=August 5, 2014|url=https://blog.playstation.com/2014/08/05/road-not-taken-out-today-on-ps4/|title=Road Not Taken Out Today on PS4|website=PlayStation Blog|publisher=Sony Interactive Entertainment|access-date=January 19, 2023|archive-date=January 19, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230119192513/https://blog.playstation.com/2014/08/05/road-not-taken-out-today-on-ps4/|url-status=live}}
Despite the game's original announcement containing a release on PlayStation Vita, that version of the game has not been released.
Reception
{{Video game reviews
| MC = (PC) 75/100{{cite web|url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/road-not-taken/critic-reviews/?platform=pc|title=Road Not Taken for PC Reviews|website=Metacritic|publisher=Fandom|access-date=January 19, 2023|archive-date=January 19, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230119192805/https://www.metacritic.com/game/pc/road-not-taken|url-status=live}}
(iOS) 74/100{{cite web|url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/road-not-taken/critic-reviews/?platform=ios-iphoneipad|title=Road Not Taken for iPhone/iPad Reviews|website=Metacritic|publisher=Fandom|access-date=January 19, 2023|archive-date=January 19, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230119192803/https://www.metacritic.com/game/ios/road-not-taken|url-status=live}}
(PS4) 70/100{{cite web|url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/road-not-taken/critic-reviews/?platform=playstation-4|title=Road Not Taken for PlayStation 4 Reviews|website=Metacritic|publisher=Fandom|access-date=2023-01-19|archive-date=2023-01-19|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230119192516/https://www.metacritic.com/game/playstation-4/road-not-taken|url-status=live}}
| Destruct = (PS4) 7/10{{cite web|last=Carter|first=Chris|date=August 11, 2014|url=https://www.destructoid.com/reviews/review-road-not-taken/|title=Review: Road Not Taken (PS4)|website=Destructoid|publisher=Gamurs|access-date=January 19, 2023|archive-date=January 19, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230119225648/https://www.destructoid.com/reviews/review-road-not-taken/|url-status=live}}
| DT = (PC) {{Rating|4|5}}{{cite web|last=Rosenberg|first=Adam|date=August 14, 2014|url=https://www.digitaltrends.com/gaming/road-taken-review/|title=Road Not Taken review (PC)|website=Digital Trends|publisher=Digital Trends Media Group|access-date=January 19, 2023|archive-date=January 19, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230119224424/https://www.digitaltrends.com/gaming/road-taken-review/|url-status=live}}
| Edge = (PC) 7/10{{cite magazine|author=Edge staff|title=Road Not Taken (PC)|magazine=Edge|publisher=Future plc|issue=270|date=September 2014|page=115}}
| EuroG = (PS4) 7/10{{cite web|last=Parkin|first=Simon|date=August 7, 2014|url=https://www.eurogamer.net/road-not-taken-review|title=Road Not Taken review (PlayStation 4)|website=Eurogamer|publisher=Gamer Network|access-date=January 19, 2023|archive-date=January 19, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230119192513/https://www.eurogamer.net/road-not-taken-review|url-status=live}}
| GI = (PS4) 7.25/10{{cite magazine|last=Miller|first=Matt|date=August 5, 2014|url=https://www.gameinformer.com/games/road_not_taken/b/playstation4/archive/2014/08/05/roguish-puzzling.aspx|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140807192327/http://www.gameinformer.com/games/road_not_taken/b/playstation4/archive/2014/08/05/roguish-puzzling.aspx|url-status=live|archive-date=August 7, 2014|title=Road Not Taken Review (PS4)|magazine=Game Informer|publisher=GameStop}}
| GSpot = (PC) 7/10{{cite web|last=Venter|first=Jason|date=August 5, 2014|url=https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/road-not-taken-review/1900-6415834/|title=Road Not Taken Review (PC)|website=GameSpot|publisher=Fandom|access-date=January 19, 2023|archive-date=January 19, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230119223418/https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/road-not-taken-review/1900-6415834/|url-status=live}}
| Gamezebo = (iOS) {{Rating|4|5}}{{cite web|last=Rich|first=Rob|date=August 8, 2016|url=https://www.gamezebo.com/reviews/road-not-taken-review-lost-in-the-woods/|title=Road Not Taken Review: Lost in the Woods (iOS)|website=Gamezebo|access-date=January 19, 2023|archive-date=January 19, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230119223418/https://www.gamezebo.com/reviews/road-not-taken-review-lost-in-the-woods/|url-status=live}}
| IGN = (PC) 6.7/10{{cite web|last=Vazquez|first=Suriel|date=August 5, 2014|url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2014/08/05/road-not-taken-review|title=Road Not Taken Review (PC)|website=IGN|publisher=Ziff Davis|access-date=January 19, 2023|archive-date=January 19, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230119223418/https://www.ign.com/articles/2014/08/05/road-not-taken-review|url-status=live}}
| Joystiq = (PC) {{Rating|4.5|5}}{{cite web|last=Conditt|first=Jessica|date=August 5, 2014|url=https://www.engadget.com/2014-08-05-road-not-taken-review-take-it.html|title=Road Not Taken review: Take it (PC)|website=Engadget (Joystiq)|publisher=Yahoo|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140806072539/http://www.joystiq.com/2014/08/05/road-not-taken-review-take-it/|archive-date=August 6, 2014|url-status=live|access-date=January 19, 2023}}
| OPMUK = (PS4) 8/10{{cite magazine|title=Road Not Taken|magazine=PlayStation Official Magazine – UK|publisher=Future plc|date=October 2014|page=90}}
| rev1 = Common Sense Media
| rev1Score = {{Rating|4|5}}{{cite web|last=Sapieha|first=Chad|year=2014|url=https://www.commonsensemedia.org/game-reviews/road-not-taken|title=Road Not Taken|website=Common Sense Media|access-date=January 19, 2023|archive-date=January 19, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230119224423/https://www.commonsensemedia.org/game-reviews/road-not-taken|url-status=live}}
| rev2 = Digital Spy
| rev2Score = (PC) {{Rating|4|5}}{{cite web|last=Nichols|first=Scott|date=August 11, 2014|url=https://www.digitalspy.com/videogames/a589222/road-not-taken-review-pc-a-challenging-puzzle-game-out-of-poetry/|title=Road Not Taken review (PC): A challenging puzzle game out of poetry|website=Digital Spy|publisher=Hearst Communications|access-date=January 19, 2023|archive-date=January 19, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230119192853/https://www.digitalspy.com/videogames/a589222/road-not-taken-review-pc-a-challenging-puzzle-game-out-of-poetry/|url-status=live}}
}}
The PC version received "generally favorable reviews", while the PlayStation 4 and iOS versions received above-average reviews, according to the review aggregation website Metacritic.
Critics generally praised the art and themes, but were divided on the design choices. Writing for PlayStation LifeStyle, Dyani Wood felt the PlayStation 4 version "proved to be a very unique game for its genre" and called it "a great game to have in your PS4 library."{{cite web|last=Wood|first=Dyani|date=August 11, 2014|url=https://www.playstationlifestyle.net/2014/08/11/road-not-taken-review-berries-littles-demons-ps4/|title=Road Not Taken Review – Berries, Littles, and Demons (PS4)|website=PlayStation LifeStyle|publisher=Evolve Media|access-date=January 19, 2023|archive-date=January 19, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230119192805/https://www.playstationlifestyle.net/2014/08/11/road-not-taken-review-berries-littles-demons-ps4/|url-status=live}}
In an above-average review for Game Informer, Matt Miller enjoyed seeing randomized puzzles with each playthrough, but felt the "sense of repetition on similar (even if not identical) puzzles isn't worth the trade-off." Some reviewers felt the PS4 version was an "acquired taste" and "not for every gamer."{{citation needed|date=January 2023}} Spry Fox responded to feedback on the PS4 version's difficulty, releasing a patch in December 2014 adding various fixes and gameplay additions.{{cite web|last=Edery|first=David|date=December 15, 2014|url=https://blog.playstation.com/2014/12/15/road-not-taken-free-update-out-now/|title=Road Not Taken: Free Update Out Now|website=PlayStation Blog|publisher=Sony Interactive Entertainment|access-date=January 19, 2023|archive-date=January 19, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230119192515/https://blog.playstation.com/2014/12/15/road-not-taken-free-update-out-now/|url-status=live}}
{{clear}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
{{Portal|Video games}}
- {{Official website|https://spryfox.com/our-games/road-not-taken/}}
- {{moby game|id=/road-not-taken}}
Category:Android (operating system) games
Category:Cancelled PlayStation Vita games
Category:Single-player video games
Category:Video games based on poems
Category:Video games developed in the United States