Friday, July 14, 2017

Death Road to Canada Review (Steam)

Written by: Alexander O. Cuaycong and Anthony L. Cuaycong


Title: Death Road to Canada
Developer: Rocketcat Games
Publisher: Rocketcat Games
Genre: Action RPG
Price: $24.99 (Steam)
Also Available On: iOS



On download, the file size of Death Road to Canada seemed shockingly small. Just 78 Megabytes for a modern game priced at P281 seems ridiculous. But don’t let appearances fool you. Despite the use of meager disk space driven by simplistic graphics, Death Road to Canada has a lot on tap.

For any familiar, Death Road to Canada mimics the 1971 video game Oregon Trail, except with more zombies. With the world overrun by undead flesh eaters, it is up to you and your companions to escape to the only safe zone left in the world – Canada! Pack up your little car with supplies and valuables and rush to Canada as fast as you can before the zombies get you. Use a variety of weapons to defend yourself, from a knife, to an electric guitar, to the more staple and run-of-the-mill pistol and shotgun. And don’t get eaten, of course.




A simple concept, really, but done well. Death Road to Canada’s strongest points are in what it does – which it does a lot. Focused around randomly generated events and places, the game eschews similarities in playthroughs. You wander a neighborhood on your first pass, and then a shopping mall or a supermarket. You may encounter bandits that steal your food or meet merchants on the road. You can never really tell what’s going to happen – and that’s part of the fun.




Fortunately, Death Road to Canada’s randomness borders on the humorous rather than the frustrating, and its design is so deliberately tame as to underscore that it doesn’t take itself too seriously. Telling an armed bandit to “Cool it” and having him just wander off, convinced by your words, is but one example of the game’s humorous bent. Add to that the fact that the controls are easy to use, simple to master, and very fluid, and it’s not even a surprise when you fall into an easygoing rhythm playing it.

Death Road to Canada also has class editing and character customizing going for it. The game has unlockable content available as a reward for players who progress through certain points, and has two-player co-op as an option to boot.




Given its lower price tag, Death Road to Canada is one of the better games to get during the Steam sale. Its humor is not for everyone, that’s for sure – but it’s a nice title to play alone or with a friend if you’re not looking for a serious play session.



THE GOOD:
  • Loads of fun
  • Simple, but entertaining
  • Randomized
  • Character creation 
  • Unlockables

THE BAD:
  • Sometimes shallow humor
  • Simplistic graphics
  • No mouse control ( keyboard only without controller )


 RATING: 9/10


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