Slow Roads Review (PC)

Slow Roads’ slice-of-asphalt cruising simulator is the breath of fresh air that I frequently crave when noise becomes a common irritant. Without a checkered flag to blitz towards at daringly high speeds, it gives me a chance to simply enjoy the ride—to get behind a wheel and to aimlessly zigzag through winding roads and through scenic trails at a leisurely pace. That isn’t an experience that you can easily pluck out, either. With video games becoming increasingly competitive, it seems that most petrolhead studios vie to establish a platform that can prioritize the thrill of the race rather than focus on the actual journey itself. However, Slow Roads tends to do things a little differently. It doesn’t wish for you to find the destination, but to enjoy the act of journeying around in search of a place that can instill a sense of catharsis.

As its title implies, Slow Roads is a game that opts to trundle around in the slow lane. It isn’t a game where the sole purpose is to claim last-minute victories or to drag, drift and stunt jump in exchange for points or post-event bonuses. Rather, it’s a game that focuses solely on the axis of freedom. It hands you a vehicle, a procedurally generated route, and a golden ticket to an endless ride. There are no checkpoints, no timers, and no opponents to outmaneuver. It’s just you, the road, and the journey. The route stretches as far as the eye can see, and you, behind the wheel of a car or the throttle of a bike, simply navigate the road and follow it till your heart’s content.

Sure enough, Slow Roads proves that you don’t need all of the technical jargon or graphical flair to make a memorable experience. Sometimes, you just need the absolute basics to get you through—a 3D landscape, a selection of vehicles, and the subtle hum of the engine and the fleeting atmosphere to ferry you from one place to another. That’s essentially all Slow Roads is: a love letter to freedom, to serenity, and to the simple pleasures of life. You don’t need a gallon of fuel or an incentive to get behind the wheel; you just need an open road and enough space to stretch your fingers.

Slow Roads is a game that will certainly appeal to a niche crowd. As it is the complete opposite to the likes of Forza Motorsport and other competition-oriented racing franchises, there is a good chance that it will reach the “target” demographic—the folks who simply want an outlet for their emotions and a place to turn to at a moment’s notice. It’s clearly that sort of thing, too. Like an incremental desktop pet, it doesn’t ask much of you, and it doesn’t demand much attention. It also doesn’t hide dozens of features behind wall-to-wall play-to-win schemes, either. Simply, it gives you all of the advantages of an endless tour, and it grants you the opportunity to enjoy the experience.

Of course, you will have various groups of people who will approach Slow Roads with conflicting mindsets. Thankfully, it does make an effort to accommodate all schools of thought, too. While it priorities life in the slow lane, it also provides a clean slate for those who want to embark on high-octane thrill rides, too. See, Slow Roads offers a wide variety of options, including dirt tracks, scenic mountain trails, and open-ended highways, all of which offer an opportunity to explore via bike, bus or car. If, say, you want to slowly zigzag and snake through the world at low speeds, then you can do just that. Alternatively, you can board a bus, load up a noir-like cityscape with some customizable landmarks and color schemes, and daringly carve into the asphalt like a bat out of hell. The point is, there is no right or wrong answer here.

Gracefully, Slow Roads implements buttery smooth driving mechanics that flow with each passing second, with simple-to-navigate controls, steering and a brake control system that activates just at the right moment. Whether you’re pursuing the shoreline, chasing the horizon, or veering through a snowy ravine at dusk, you always have control over your journey. In other words, you cannot simply barrel through the world and dangerously dagger down a vertical slope at breakneck speeds; it isn’t that kind of experience.

With thanks to its wealth of customization options and color choices, settings and vehicles, Slow Roads offers a good deal for you to experiment with. Paired with two different modes—casual or simulation—and a convenient switch on, switch off mechanic that gives you the freedom to alter the scene, weather patterns and vehicle type at the touch of a button, Slow Roads delivers an ideal “zen” driving experience that, while still rather niche, will surely pique the interest of casual travelers and part-time tourists who enjoy the journey rather than the conventional route that veers more towards a traditional finish line.

Verdict

Slow Roads captures the essence of a late-night cruise in a picturesque world of procedurally constructed roads and highways, with a beautifully carved, zen-inducing experience that, while still niche and lacking in the traditional tropes of a Forza-like simulation, is an absolute delight to glide through. With a treasure trove of customizable settings, color schemes, vehicles and weather formations to boot, it gracefully delivers a short-sighted journey that is, in spite of its few basic shortcomings, far more enjoyable than the act of racing to the conventional checkered flag.

Suffice it to say that, if you are on the lookout for a simple and satisfying driving simulation game that offers you the freedom, the low-stakes environment, and the opportunity to cruise through procedurally generated worlds at your own pace, then you should definitely consider slipping into Slow Roads. It might not quench your appetite for a competitive thrill ride, but it will give you a chance to unwind, “zen out” and enjoy the simple pleasures that come along for the ride.