Road 96: Mile 0 — Everything We Know

Heads up, hikers — DigixArt is gearing up to develop an entirely new prequel for 2021's award-winning story-driven game Road 96. And it's coming a lot sooner than we would've thought, too, as the studio made clear in its announcement trailer back in January. To this end, fans of the IP can expect to see the new addition, aptly titled Road 96: Mile 0, as early as April 4, 2023.

So, what more do you need to know about the proposed prequel? Well, courtesy of Steam and DigixArt, a substantial amount, as it goes. Therefore, if you are curious to learn more about the world of Petria and its government-related propaganda, then be sure to read on. Here's everything you need to know about it.

What Is Road 96: Mile 0?

Road 96: Mile 0 is an upcoming story-driven adventure game, as well as the prequel to Road 96. In the preliminary episode, players will take on two separate roles: Zoe, and Kaito, two wayward teens who long to be friends, but are ultimately divided by class, culture, and beliefs. According to the team behind it, “their journey in Road 96: Mile 0 will challenge their friendship and everything they believe in. They say money doesn’t buy happiness, nor friendship. These teens are dreamers and they are going to learn where they belong.”

In a similar fashion to Road 96, the story of Mile 0 will tie in with a lot of its key characters as seen in the sequel. And while it will very much center its world around Zoe and Kaito—particularly Zoe's gradual transformation from a silver spoon-fed daughter to a teenage runaway—it will also touch base on the gradual downfall of Petria and its surge in oppression.

Story

In case you missed the first chapter, Road 96 takes place during the height of a government-led feud between two campaigners bidding for control over Petria. Its teens, desperate to escape the propaganda and cross the northern border in search of a better life, are given the ultimate task of fleeing to the fabled Road 96, a one-way street that promises a silver lining for every tribulation.

Mile 0 will transport you to the timeline leading up to Road 96, and will cast you as Zoe, the trumpet-wielding rebel who longs to escape the clutches of Petria and its morally bankrupt officials. In this creative prelude, players will embark on an epic quest to learn more about Petria and its underlying problems, all the while trying to maintain a friendship alive in an increasingly troublesome time.

“Understand the previous event of Road 96 and what made Zoe flee from her home,” the description adds. “Play as Zoe and Kaito to shape the evolution of their fate. Besides this, you will run into many of the colorful characters from Road 96. Get to experience another side of the troubled country of Petria.”

Gameplay

Road 96 is a funny ol' thing, as it doesn't particularly belong to any one box. On the contrary, it actually does a pretty phenomenal job at ticking every single one of them, effectively making it the real jack-of-all-trades of indie games. And Mile 0, of course, won't be any different. If anything, it will bring all of the same gameplay elements from the first game and essentially add a few additional layers — a rhythm-based mini-game, might we add.

On one hand, Road 96 is a walking simulator with a subtle focus on lofi vibes and hearty cinematics with powerful character progression. But on the other, it's an RPG—an interactive tale that uses player choice and key dialogue sequences to mold its narrative and further develop its world.

Development

DigixArt first announced the prequel back in January, stating that the game would be heading to both consoles and PC on April 4, 2023. Since then, the game has received two trailers, both outlining the two protagonists and the world of Petria before the events of Road 96.

“In Road 96: Mile 0 we wanted to show where Zoe is coming from and why she left her comfortable life,” said DigixArt CEO Yoan Fanise in a press release. “But we didn’t create Mile 0 in the conventional way. We went the crazy route, using metaphorical music sequences where you ride along on the beliefs and doubts of Zoe and Kaito. The funny part is that YOU choose how you want them to evolve.”

Trailer

Piqued your interest? If so, then you'll be pleased to know that DigixArt did, in fact, release an announcement trailer back in January showcasing a lot of Petria and its core characters. And not just that, but a rather lengthy gameplay trailer to boot (thanks, IGN). You can go ahead and catch the initial sneak preview in the embed above.

Release Date, Platforms & Editions

Road 96: Mile 0 will be coming to Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Switch and PC via Steam on April 4, 2023. Will it be coming to Game Pass or PlayStation Plus as a day-one exclusive? It's hard to say, though it is worth pointing out that the first game, Road 96, did make an appearance on Xbox Game Pass following its 2021 launch. With that, there's certainly a high possibility that it'll arrive on the platform at some stage in the future.

At the time of writing, neither DigixArt nor Ravenscourt have mentioned anything about releasing any special editions outside of its standard version. If anything of the sort does come to light ahead of its release, we'll give you a heads up.

For more information on the Road 96: Mile 0 release, you can follow the official social feed here. If anything changes before its April launch, we'll be sure to let you know all of the details right here on gaming.net.

So, what's your take? Will you be picking up a copy of Road 96: Mile 0 when it drops later this year? Let us know over on our socials here or down in the comments below.