Some of the best narrative games out there are ones that take players on a journey of their choosing. With Road 96, this couldn't be more true. The game takes place in the fictional country of Petria which is currently ruled by a dictatorship.
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You will not play as just one character, but several. You will take on one individual at a time as they attempt to either escape the regime by crossing the border or sticking around to try to influence the upcoming election. While Road 96 is incredibly unique, there are a handful of games worth checking out that are similar.
Updated by Chris Birsner on January 19, 2023: Road 96 will be turning two years old soon, but it continues to be talked about among the better narrative games out there for its branching narrative that lead you down completely different paths from others who play the same game.
This type of game has also continued to grow in popularity, with some narrative games focusing on giving the player plenty of choice in every action they make. Other narrative games focus on the historical and political aspects similar to games like Road 96, which enhances the story and overall world-building. When it is all said and done, there are so many games similar to Road 96 that you are sure to find one you enjoy as well.
14 The Forgotten City
While Road 96 takes you to different parts of Petria with the potential goal of escape, The Forgotten City is all about being stuck in a much smaller civilization underground. In addition, you are stuck in a time paradox that must be broken to get back to normal life.
Based on the Skyrim mod of the same name, the goal of the game is to learn about the characters that live in this ancient Roman city and to discover to cause of the city's eventual demise: the people turning to gold because one person decided to sin. There are multiple ways to break the loop, for those who like exploring different paths.
13 Firewatch
When thinking about the best narrative games in the last decade, it's hard to not think of Firewatch. While a bit more linear than Road 96's branching storytelling, players are given an open world to explore as they spend many days of summer in the forest.
You are Henry in the story, fleeing the hardships of real-life for the outdoors to take on the job of watching for any forest violations. Meanwhile, he builds a relationship over walkie-talkie with Delilah, a fellow firewatch who both serves as a boss and as someone to confide in.
12 The Stanley Parable Ultra Deluxe
Road 96 takes you down different paths to reach your goal, with different scenarios playing out throughout the journey. One of the best games like Road 96 about taking different paths is The Stanley Parable: Ultra Deluxe, a remake of the original 2013 comedy game that builds on the ideas and bits that made the first game so special.
Stanley is an office worker who discovers one day that his office is completely empty, with no employees but himself to be seen. Stanley attempts to figure out what is going on by listening to a narrator that tells him where to go. However, you can choose to not listen to the narrator as going down different paths lead to wildly different endings to the game.
11 Valiant Hearts: The Great War
Narrative games have always been at the heart of Digixart, the developer of Road 96. The studio was created shortly after the people there left Ubisoft Montpellier. Before leaving, however, they made a game called Valiant Hearts: The Great War.
Similar to how Road 96 tells its story from multiple perspectives, Valiant Hearts told its story from the view of four individuals who cross paths in the middle of the First World War. The game is about exploring 2D environments while solving puzzles with the help of a canine companion.
10 The Longing
It's always nice to see unique takes on telling stories, with Road 96 being unique in how you can play as a handful of characters that all take different routes in the game. The Longing also embraces unique storytelling as the game takes place over the course of 400 real-life days.
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As a shade, you are tasked with waiting patiently for your king to awaken. There are many ways to be patient, such as just sitting in the cave or wandering around. You could choose to leave the cave altogether, going against the king's orders. Even turning off the game will still have time ticking off the clock, so spend your time wisely. It is another experience with many endings.
9 Overland
When thinking about games like Road 96, we have touched on many that are more narrative-focused. But if you had a road trip, choice-driven game that leaned heavier into the gameplay? That is essentially what Overland is trying to provide.
Overland is more of a strategy roguelike game where you control a group of people who are trying to escape the apocalypse by driving across the United States. The goal is to survive by fighting back against creatures and collecting important necessities such as food and fuel for the car. When heading on the road, you will be confronted with what to do next, and it will impact the ending.
8 The Walking Dead
The original Telltale will always be looked back upon fondly for its many games that use popular properties and turned them into unique choice-based stories, and the studio was at its best when it made The Walking Dead. Based on the comic of the same name, the game takes place after the start of the zombie apocalypse.
A new cast of characters that is original to this game, Lee Everett is at the center of Season One as the story is about him trying to survive while taking care of a girl named Clementine as they attempted to find her parents. The Walking Dead Season One is five episodes long, and the events of this game build the foundation of later seasons.
7 The Henry Stickman Collection
Another comedic game all about making choices, The Henry Stickman Collection is a group of games that were mostly made on the classic website Newgrounds, before being made into a purchasable collection that includes a final game that is brand new.
The game encourages you to fail, as every failure provides a solid moment of laughs. This also allows those who like games like Road 96 to try out the different ways that the story can end, as they all provide a certain level of entertainment. The Henry Stickman Collection includes 16 different endings and 164 moments of failure.
6 Life Is Strange 2
Another classic narrative adventure series that is widely beloved in the industry is Life Is Strange, which centers around an individual's discovery of supernatural powers and how they choose to use them. Life Is Strange 2 has some themes similar to Road 96, which is why it may be a game worth trying.
Similar to The Walking Dead, Life Is Strange 2 is an episodic adventure. The game follows brothers Sean and Daniel as they move down the U.S. west coast to try to get away from the police. Along the way, Daniel discovers that he has telekinetic powers that both he and Sean have to learn to deal with.
5 Mass Effect
There has almost always been some level of storytelling in video games, but the way these stories are told changed when Mass Effect launched. Road 96 leans into how choices affect how the story played out, and Mass Effect was one of the first to do this in a way that felt impactful.
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Mass Effect focuses on the story of Commander Shepard as they lead their team to stop the Reapers from destroying life as they know it. While it is an action RPG where combat is a huge aspect, so too are the relationships that Shepard builds with their team.
4 As Dusk Falls
As Dusk Falls is yet another choice-based adventure with a unique art style. While the rest of the world is in normal motion, the characters look like they are out of a comic book. The whole story revolves around two families that first crossed paths during an attempted robbery.
Instead of remaining in that time, you will be confronted with over 20 years of their lives, with decisions being made at every turn. The game is meant to be incredibly replayable, meaning that the story can end in multiple ways and scenes that you miss out on the first time possible in another playthrough.
3 Pentiment
Those of you interested in the political and historical dynamics of games like Road 96 will certainly get a kick out of Pentiment. Developed by Obsidian, the game focuses on Andreas, an artist who is working on commissions for Kiersau Abbey, as he is pulled into a series of events that includes murder and conspiracy.
Throughout the game, you will make choices about your own character that help build what your strengths are in conversation. You will also meet plenty of characters and watch as their story unfolds over three acts. Helping characters with specific choices may impact their fate moving forward.
2 Detroit: Become Human
When talking about games with branching narratives and stories that involve playable characters who permanently die, with the player still progressing, both Road 96 and Quantic Dreams' Detroit: Become Human come to mind.
The world is made up of humans, and androids that serve humans. You take on the role of three androids that have both served a specific purpose, but who are on the verge of breaking free from the humans that own them. The gameplay mainly revolves around exploring and examining environments for clues, and making decisions that affect the story moving forward.
1 Until Dawn
Supermassive Games tends to focus heavily on the players controlling how their horror games turn out. Until Dawn was the developer's first step into this landscape and, despite many more entries that have followed, could still be considered the best Supermassive has made.
It is a game like Road 96 because of how you control the fates of many individuals, not just one. Specifically, eight characters must survive the dangers of Blackwood Mountain. Every choice may determine whether a specific character survives or dies. It also stars many notable celebrities, such as Rami Malek and Hayden Panettiere.
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