REVIEW – The Road Ahead isn’t just another horror game; it’s a masterclass in how silence itself can be your deadliest weapon—or your worst enemy. Here, it’s not just about staying quiet; it’s about relying on that silence as your only shot at survival in a world packed with monsters. This game nails the atmosphere of the movies, recreating the tension and paranoia to perfection. However, the endless, suspense-driven quiet eventually becomes exhausting. Even so, some original ideas in the gameplay make it a solid addition to the horror genre.

Silence. One wrong sound, and you’re done. This simple idea launched A Quiet Place as one of the biggest horror franchises in recent years. The concept of trying to evade nearly indestructible, ultra-hearing monsters? It’s intense. And The Road Ahead totally nails that vibe—you might even find yourself holding your breath so you don’t alert the creatures. Ironically, though, this precision is also the game’s biggest drawback: constantly managing your sound slows down the action to the point where what’s thrilling at first eventually feels a bit, well, frustrating. Still, there are elements here worth experiencing.

The gameplay takes inspiration from Alien: Isolation but with one big difference: you have nothing to defend yourself. Silence is literally your only ally, and believe me, there are moments when taking even a single step forward will get your heart racing. I’m not saying The Road Ahead is nightmare-inducing, but it’s an absolute master of tension. There’s no respite—ever. And when you make even the tiniest noise, you freeze, praying the monster didn’t hear. So what’s the catch? While the game does try to introduce new elements, the core mechanics don’t change much. After a few encounters, it all starts feeling a bit repetitive… and, honestly, painfully slow.

Just a Whisper: Moving Stealthy Means Survival…

Breaking free from the film trilogy, The Road Ahead stars a new character, Alex, a young woman trying to escape the monsters months after the invasion. And just to up the stakes, she has asthma. That means every bit of stress and exertion risks a coughing fit that can alert every creature in a mile radius. Sounds tense, right? If you push her too far, a quick-time event kicks in, where you have to nail the right button presses or face instant death. And as if that weren’t enough, while you can find meds and use an inhaler here and there, even these come at a noisy price. Everything makes noise. So… what’s the plan here?

One of the game’s big innovations is a sound meter that monitors both your environment and your own noise levels, letting you adjust your speed accordingly. But don’t get too comfortable—even with the meter, there’ll be moments where just opening a door feels like a horror movie moment. And who the heck left that can of beer right there? For extra challenge, the game won’t let you use the sound meter and flashlight at the same time, paying homage to the old-school DOOM 3 where you had to choose between seeing or shooting. The world of The Road Ahead is like a minefield of noise, with shattered glass, crates, and barrels waiting to betray you at every step.

New Tricks for the Silent Escape – When Quiet Saves Lives

As I mentioned, The Road Ahead tries to spice up its slow-paced action with new mechanics. At one point, you’ll be hauling sandbags to soften your steps on loud terrain—a throwback to the movies’ quieter scenes. There’s even a collectible inspired by John Krasinski’s first film. The storyline, while not groundbreaking, still packs a few tense, exciting moments. You’ll explore diverse locations, each with its own unique vibe, and get a peek at flashbacks to life before and just after the invasion. All this makes for an immersive experience, but at times, you can’t shake the feeling that something just doesn’t click; it’s not quite as fun as you might hope.

The problem is, as the game progresses and you find yourself facing multiple monsters at once, it still doesn’t mix things up enough. Whether you’re twisting valves in an abandoned factory, masking the sound of broken glass with ambient noise, or trying to dodge traps set by other survivors, it starts feeling the same. And having to tiptoe at a snail’s pace, while logical, isn’t always thrilling. You can usually fool the creatures by throwing an object to distract them, though sometimes the AI falters, spotting you out of nowhere or getting stuck behind an obstacle.

There are other details that show The Road Ahead cares about the source material. You can even turn on your mic, letting your home’s background noise affect the game. A sudden sneeze or WhatsApp alert? That could mean game over. And without the mic, you’ll still catch yourself holding your breath when these creatures are near, especially when they use their “special skill” to detect even the tiniest sounds.

A New Breed of Terror

This is a roughly seven-hour (or longer if you’re hunting down every collectible) experience with high points. The game really nails the movies’ tension, and the visuals are solid. But despite its best efforts, the concept and pacing don’t vary enough, and the action—necessarily—is painfully slow. Improvisation is limited too; running and hiding only works when the game allows it. And while the unkillable monsters make this series unique (yes, they can smash through walls), it feels like there could’ve been a bit more variety to keep things fresh. Flaws aside, if you’re a fan of the movies, you’re still going to love it.

-Gergely Herpai “BadSector”-

Publisher: Saber Interactive

Developer: Stormind Games

Style: Survival horror

Release: October 17, 2024.