Open Roads: Everything We Know

Fullbright, the creator behind the likes of Gone Home and Tacoma, has a new story-driven adventure in the pipeline — Open Roads. And if all goes according to plan, then technically it should arrive on consoles and PC later this year. That said, both Fullbright and publisher Annapurna Interactive have been relatively quiet as of late, and not to mention rather coy about anything even remotely inquisitive. Nevertheless, it's happening, and it's sure to bring joy to anyone with a heart for wholesome conversations and unsolved mysteries.

As it currently stands, we can't say whether or not Open Roads will grace the systems in 2023. Whatever the case, though, rest assured that it's en route, and that it'll be gearing up for an Xbox, PlayStation, and Steam release the moment the t's have been crossed and the i's have been dotted. Until then, here's everything else you need to take into account before adding it to your wishlist.

What Is Open Roads?

Open Roads is an upcoming adventure game by Fullbright, creators of the globally renowned walking simulator, Gone Home. In a similar style to the aforementioned title, Open Roads will feature a story-driven tale; a heart-to-heart, of sorts, that will see a mother and daughter travel the length of a country in search of old secrets and family heirlooms. And not just material things, but a connection; an unbreakable bond that may very well come to flourish while out on the road.

According to Fullbright, Open Roads will let you “bask in classic road trip vibes as you chill in the car en route to your next destination, fiddling with the radio and chatting with your mom.” As for where you'll be heading is still unclear, though going by the blurb, locations will include “long-abandoned family properties.” So, expect more than a few endless roads and a lofi cassette on repeat.

Story

Open Roads will follow Tess Devine, a sixteen-year-old teenager who's put on a journey of self discovery—a road trip, of sorts—that will not only help her unravel the mysteries left behind by her ancestors, but further tighten the bond with her mother, Opal. Apparently, though, Tess' ancestors stowed away far more than heirlooms and harmless trinkets in their memories. The question is, what dark secrets are you likely to find on the other end of the open road?

In Fullbright's own words: “One fine fall day, Tess Devine and her mother, Opal, discover a cache of old notes and letters carefully stashed away in the attic of their house. Hints of deep-rooted family secrets, decades-old burglaries, a lost treasure somewhere near the Canadian border… What they uncover suggests a much darker mystery, best left well enough alone. But that’s not going to happen.”

“In Open Roads, Tess and Opal embark on a road trip adventure to explore a series of long-abandoned family properties, unearthing the past. They’ll search the ruins of these places that hold buried memories, things Opal has tried for years to forget. And in this search, they’ll discover not just the truth they’ve been seeking, but each other.”

Gameplay

Going by the footage both Fullbright and Open Roads Team have shown, Open Roads will center the bulk of its gameplay around having you explore vacant properties and indulging in various family secrets, either through written passages, or long-lost trinkets left behind by Tess' relatives.

It's fair to say that Open Roads will incorporate a great deal of player choice, too, particularly in the conversation department. Besides exploring abandoned homes and important locations, you will also spend a portion of your time just talking, and essentially re-establishing a bond with Tess' mother, Opal. So, if you found Gone Home, Firewatch, or What Remains of Edith Finch to your liking, then you're sure to find some level of comfort here.

Development

Figuratively speaking, it's been a bit of a long road for Open Roads, what with its first announcement coming out back at The Game Awards in December 2020. And since we first caught wind of the project, neither its developer nor its associated publisher have made its release window any clearer, which means we're taking jabs in the dark these days. But that doesn't technically mean it won't arrive this year, though.

What we do know is that Fullbright's co-founder and creative lead Steve Gaynor did step down from his role back in June of 2021, effectively leaving the team to finish Open Roads by themselves. Sadly enough, this decision came as a result of several cases of harassment in the workplace being raised, which in turn led the remaining staff at Fullbright to take Open Roads into their own hands, effectively removing Gaynor from the fold altogether.

“When that last information came out, we were still kind of figuring out what role Steve [Gaynor] was going to play in Open Roads as he still is the company’s owner, so it’s kind of an unusual situation,” says art director Noël Clark. “But as of June of 2021, he hasn’t really had any involvement in Open Roads. We’ve taken it and made it our own.”

Trailer

Caught your eye? If so, then you'll certainly want to take a peek at the trailer Fullbright brought to The Game Awards back in 2020. Granted, it doesn't give a whole lot away as far as gameplay features go, but it does showcase its smooth blend of 2D and 3D artsy backdrops surprisingly well. You can see it for yourself in the video embedded above.

Release Date, Platforms & Editions

Open Roads will be coming to Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, and PC via Steam. It hasn't been said yet whether or not it'll launch on Xbox One, though the lack of interest in the subject on Fullbright's part does lead us to believe that it won't. But don't quote us on that, though.

At the time of writing, there are no special editions or notable pre-order bonuses to get your hands on. If Fullbright has any intention of bringing such items to the table, then it'll likely come as part of a loftier announcement closer to the time of its eventual release. Until then, the best you can currently do is add it to your wishlist over on Steam.

Should you be wanting to stay in the loop and up to date with Open Roads' development, then you can check in with the official social feed for more information here. If anything noteworthy creeps up ahead of its release, we'll be sure to let you know all the key details right here on gaming.net.

So, what's your take? Will you be picking up a copy of Open Roads when it releases? Let us know your thoughts over on our socials here.