No Straight Roads (PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PC)
by John Ferrari, Contributing Editor
As far as dystopias in the year 2020 go, a city living under the iron fist of corporate-prescribed EDM (Electronic Dance Music) is a fairly low-stakes proposition. But a gritty narrative of a society in distress was clearly not the aim of this freshman release by Malaysian developer Metronomik. The world of No Straight Roads revolves around the machinations of the corporate antagonist, and the game’s namesake, “NSR.” With their ability to convert music (and fan enthusiasm) into electricity, corporate overlord NSR possesses an unchallenged stranglehold on the musical tastes and civic infrastructure of Vinyl City. Acting as both a music label and essential utility, NSR exercises their power by installing their most successful chart-topping artists in the role of city district administrators. However, not everyone is content with the status quo and the rock duo “Bunk Bed Junction” seek to upend NSR’s control of the city and bring rock back into the cultural zeitgeist. Switching between the guitarist “Mayday” and drummer “Zuke,” the player climbs the music charts by systematically deposing the label-backed artists, liberating their districts, and gaining fan support along the way.
From a mechanical standpoint this creates a three-part gameplay loop. Players first explore a limited overworld section of Vinyl City until they arrive at a concert venue. After arriving at the venue, the player is instructed to “Hijack the concert,” which means a short linear mob battle and a more elaborate multi-stage boss fight with the NSR artist. Defeating the artist provides the player with the resources necessary to unlock combat skills back at their sewer base and the key to the next explorable district of the overworld.
No Straight Roads bills itself as a rhythm game, but in actuality, gameplay is much closer to that of a 3D brawler. Even though music is central to both the plot and the overall aesthetic of NSR, the musicality is not always cleanly translated to gameplay mechanics. For the majority of the experience, player agency is usually limited to hack/slash combat and dodging incoming attacks. While combat encounters do have a predictable pace and rhythm, for me the overall playstyle was closer to Devil May Cry than to PaRappa the Rapper.
While mechanically the gameplay may not entirely coincide with player expectations, No Straight Roads does provide the player with a host of memorable boss encounters. There’s a unique charm to smacking the planet Saturn with a guitar and facing off against a gargantuan digital mermaid pop idol. No Straight Roads is a stylish game, and the designers bet it all on the idea that the overabundance of style would hook players and keep them returning.
Musically, the game alternates between Rock and EDM, with those genres serving more as plot devices than examinations of real world trends. To that end, the representation of both genres within the game world and soundtrack is left intentionally broad. While I’m certain that fans of these respective genres will have plenty to dig into, the game doesn’t demand anything more than a surface understanding of the styles in question. With music taking such a central role, the developers had to create a soundtrack that was both evocative and enjoyable without straying into the territory of annoying after repeated boss runs. Metronomik is largely successful with a mid-game rap battle being a particular musical (and gameplay) highlight.
Longtime gamers will definitely see hints of Jet Set Radio, Psychonauts, and The World Ends with You as the game progresses. With the bold color palette, exaggerated character designs, and emphasis on one of a kind gameplay sequences No Straight Roads pays homage without feeling derivative of those aforementioned titles. The world of Vinyl City feels fresh and is populated by enjoyably distinct characters with sufficient depth to make them memorable. Gameplay is straightforward enough that a casual gamer can easily jump in on a co-op session with only minor explanation and become competent within 15 minutes. Overall time investment from start to finish is low, but players looking for “S” ratings for each boss encounter could easily spend a nice chunk of time in pursuit of that goal. Much like Jet Set Radio or alt rock darlings The Pixies, No Straight Road’s charm is in the lack of polish and the headstrong way it insists on doing its own thing. If you like shorter gaming experiences or are looking for a break from the big Triple A releases, No Straight Roads is worth your time.
GwG Badge: Worth a Play
