“Open Roads” Immerses You in a Different Type of Nostalgia

Tess (left) and Opal ride in a car in “Open Roads.” The road trip adventure game features the voices of Kaitlyn Dever as Tess and Kerry Rusell as Opal. (Annapurna Interactive)

When gamers talk about nostalgia, sprite graphics, chiptune music and big boxy TVs often come to mind, but for the developers of Open Roads, that means creating a world from their collective past. They recreate their memories and put them into a video game.

The project is a mother-daughter adventure starring Keri Russell as mother Opal and Kaitlyn Dever as daughter Tess. The action takes place two decades ago, in 2003. This era becomes apparent as players explore the world from the girl’s first-person perspective. They see a cream-colored iMac on the table. There is a huge CRT TV on the chest of drawers. People still read the newspaper.

In a manual demo, the developers showed off the first parts of the campaign, which takes place in a house that is about to be sold. It’s full of family drama after Opal and her daughter are forced to leave the place after it’s sold. The introduction offers players the chance to explore the environment and its intricate setting.

The house looks lived-in with furniture from different eras and children’s scribbles hidden in the closets. One of the developers said that one of their children did it. While wandering around the area, players will notice that even the music is appropriate.

When you play as Tess, they learn more about the situation. Opal doesn’t get along with her sister, and Grandma Helen has a hidden past that looks like it will have some significance later on. He creates plot twists and mysteries that will be revealed later.

Open Roads has a different atmosphere and a slower pace than other adventure games. It feels like an experience that rewards players for exploring and getting into the details of the narrative. One of the most notable elements is that although the campaign takes place in first person, there are moments where the camera switches to a third person view and players see Tess and Opal.

They look like they’re from a Don Bluth project. This deepens the feeling of nostalgia. Don’t expect this level of animation, but players will be able to appreciate the character designs.

Thanks to the all-star cast, the voice acting is good and will make players want to interact with everything. When Tess (Kaitlyn Dever) picks up something, her mother (Keri Russell), who follows her around, offers commentary or insight into the subject. This sounds intriguing at first, but a game where the mother is constantly looking over her shoulder can become a problem.

Russell’s performance, charm and the rapport between the two characters will carry the campaign to its conclusion. Part of this comes through in the dialogue options that players have. Just remember to select any answer related to ska.

With its solid atmosphere, “Open Roads” can offer gamers a whole new type of story and experience. Few titles explore mother-daughter relationships, and even fewer explore nostalgia on a personal level.

Open Roads is scheduled to release on February 22nd on PC, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X and Series S, and Nintendo Switch.