In 2021, DigixArt released Road 96, a branching narrative game with a procedurally generated story that led players on a transient journey to the border of Petria in an attempt to escape the oppressive hand of the government. Road 96: Mile 0 is DigixArt's newest installment in the Road 96 series, and it presents itself as a prequel that explores the backstory of Zoe, one of the characters from the original game. In Road 96: Mile 0, the developers employ a new approach to narrative and in the process wind up telling a more intimate story that players new and old will enjoy.
Game ZXC spoke with creative director and studio co-founder Yoan Fanise on the subject of narrative design and how DigixArt's deviation from its original branching narrative helped imbue Road 96: Mile Zero's story with a new feeling of intimacy not felt before in the studio's previous installment.
Road 96: Mile Zero's New Approach to Storytelling Allows for a More Intimate Narrative
Road 96 told one of the most engaging gaming stories of 2021—not only because of its content but also because its approach to taking the player on a journey was truly unique. In game, players control an unnamed kid who sets out on a journey to reach the country's border in hopes of escaping an oppressive government. The story unfolds differently each playthrough as the journey is procedurally generated, and the choices made as well as the items collected along the way massively impact the player character's ability to successfully escape Petria. During gameplay players can encounter a teenager named Zoe on five separate occasions, and she would later become one of two main characters in DigixArt's next game installment.
Fanise describes it as a "huit clos" meaning that the story takes place in one centralized location. Players are still given the option to choose which parts of the map they want to visit, but the story still only progresses by arriving at the correct location and speaking with the right people. This new design greatly contrasts with that of Road 96 which featured expansive maps, a branching narrative, and procedural generation. Road 96: Mile 0 seemingly does the opposite, and to some this may sound like a downgrade as games with open worlds and complex narrative trees are often highly regarded for their accomplishments. However, the effect in Road 96: Mile 0 is quite different than one might expect. By tightening up the world around the player, DigixArt sets the stage for a much deeper, intimate story between the two main characters.
"Intimacy is a good term to describe Mile 0. It’s a huit clos, or centralized in one location - the opposite of open roads, and this is what it is all about, the home you’re departing from, the reasons behind it."
This story chooses to focus in on the relationship between Zoe, the daughter of the Minister of Oil, and her friend Kaito, the son of a working class family. Road 96: Mile 0 still features many beloved characters from the first game, but rather than having the player run through a series of brief vignettes with a large cast of characters like in the original, players get to experience an intimate friendship and the charcaters' day-to-day lives while also getting an enriched understanding of the political climate of Petria through mini =ames, dialogue, and more. Fanise said that the team also wanted to avoid repeating themselves and wanted to keep players on their toes. This design choice also has a powerful impact on how information about the world is presented.
"The kind of Arena is less fighting with voyage ellipses and procedural generation. We wanted to not repeat ourselves, to surprise the players. A short and sweet experience that explains a lot of things about Petria."
Road 96: Mile 0 juxtaposes lavish villas for the leaders of Petria with rundown, shoebox apartments for the working class. Occasional loudspeaker announcements remind players that the workers' sole purpose is to provide for the upper echelon, and any objections to this caste system will be met with punishment. In the middle of it are two best friends from seemingly incompatible walks of life who dream of leaving together in search of greener pastures, and DigixArt's new framework for telling its story is sure to resonate with players whether they're new to the games or returning for the next installment.
Road 96: Mile 0 is available to play now on PlaySation 4, PlayStation 5, Switch, Windows, and Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S.
