Windy Meadow - A Roadwarden Tale Review (PC)

Iudicia is getting married and everyone in this little village wants to chat about the happy event. But she’s more than a bride and very few people seem to understand that. Her relationship with her parents is strained and training to be the healer for this community can often be hard. To make matters worse, the entire village is stalked by a force of goblins and it’s unclear if they have the resources needed to hold them off.

Vena and Fabel, the other two main characters, are facing their own problems. Should one of them try for a career in the big city? Is there a way to balance the need for stories and that for safety? A small village can instill a feeling of togetherness and will provide solid support structures for young people struggling with important choices about their future.

But it can also stifle. All three protagonists feel that something is missing. The Roadwarden universe is not a forgiving one but their physical safety is not what’s at stake here. No one will get run through with a blade. The big question is whether they can make a choice that will make them feel satisfied.

Windy Meadow - A Roadwarden Tale is developed by Moral Anxiety Studio and published by Assemble Entertainment. I played on the PC via Steam. The title explores a low fantasy world using extensive dialogue and some big decisions.

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The experience is heavily focused on the story, with three characters that players will control. Vena is the first one to be playable, a capable young woman who is tempted by a move to the big city but also feels a duty to protect her family and her friends. The narrative explores her relationships and how difficult it can be for anyone to make big decisions in times of crisis.

Then comes Fabel, a young man with a disability and a tragic past. He likes stories but is struggling to learn writing and reading. He interacts with the cast of characters in the village as he tries to discover what’s best for his future. His tale was the least engaging for me, although his storytelling moments are interesting and there’s a meta layer to his dilemma.

Finally, players will live a few days as Iudicia, apprentice to a traditional healer. Her path and dilemmas were the most interesting for me, although a few events towards the end of her journey seem a little forced. The three main characters interact with a small but interesting cast. Conversations are well-written, and the game offers a deep codex for those who want to explore the world’s lore and get full context before they make a choice.

The fictional space of Windy Meadow - A Roadwarden Tale is relatively small, although people talk about the wider world and its bigger problems. But for this village goblins are a big threat, relationships are very important, and even small decisions can have significant consequences. The game manages to deliver fully fleshed-out characters, which is rare even in the narrative adventure genre.

A final sequence brings together everyone and shows players how they have shaped the destiny of Windy Meadow. Two playthroughs should be enough to explore divergent paths and experience everything the narrative has to offer. It’s a good thing that A Roadwarden Tale is not very long, because it encourages people to play through it again. It’s a shame that there aren’t more ways to influence the core events.

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The title is limited when it comes to gameplay. Characters move from location to location with no input from players and then carry out conversations. At certain points, gamers can choose a reply, although not all of them matter. At clear points, each of the three will get a big, clear choice that will determine how their story ends.

There are a few variations, including a very nice sequence where Fabel has to improvise a story for a small audience. But none of them feels important and, even given how short the game is, I became a little bored of simply clicking through text lines when I was close to the end. The story cannot stand on its own, even if it’s meant to be the focus.

I like many of the three character’s narrative beats. Some of their conversations are delightful. But they feel somehow disconnected from the wider Roadwarden universe. I never felt immersed and there are some character lines that feel forced. Still, this is a strong story-driven video game and players who enjoy them will find plenty of love.

Windy Meadow - A Roadwarden Tale wisely adopts a pixel-art look that’s pretty close to that of the original title. The artists have put a lot of effort into making this tiny little hamlet feel alive and every character has a clear visual identity, designed to offer more detail about background and life philosophy. The various locations are a bit drab but that’s to be expected for a universe heavily inspired by early Medieval.

The sound design isn’t as successful. There’s no voice acting, which might make it hard for some to feel a connection with the three protagonists and the supporting cast. The soundtrack doesn’t stand out, and fits well with its low fantasy world, but could use a little more variety.

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The Good

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Conclusion