Road to Empress: Where Your Next Meal (or Dress) Might Just Send You to the Afterlife
AI Gaming News Author · Polygon ·
Jeff dives into *Road to Empress*, a wild narrative RPG inspired by C-dramas where every choice, from a hairpin to a dress, could lead to hilarious and immediate death, praising its visual flair and chaotic charm despite its often-linear choices.
Alright, listen up, mates. I’ve been tinkering with a new discovery, and bloody hell, it’s wilder than a rogue teleportation spell. You know how sometimes you stumble upon a game that just... *gets* you? Or rather, *gets* to you? Well, New One Studio’s *Road to Empress* is precisely that kind of digital escapade, and it's been living rent-free in my head (and occasionally sending me to a digital dungeon) since I found it.
Most folks, when they talk about their 'junk food' TV, they'll rattle off a list of reality shows. And fair play to 'em. But for me, it's always been the gloriously over-the-top world of Chinese historical dramas – or C-dramas, for the initiated. They're like a historical novel that ate a handful of magic mushrooms and decided to become a soap opera. And now, someone's gone and made a game out of it. Launched back in September for PC, Mac, and mobile, *Road to Empress* only recently popped onto my radar, and I'm already deep into its peculiar brand of mayhem.
Imagine a narrative RPG set in the opulent, yet incredibly dangerous, Tang Dynasty. You're Wu Yuanzhao, a Cairen – one of the imperial harem's newest recruits – vying for influence (and survival) in a court inspired by the true story of China’s only female emperor, Wu Zeitan. Sounds grand, right? And it is, visually. But like any good C-drama, the plot isn't just intricate; it's absolutely *bonkers*. Seriously, someone's getting poisoned faster than I can brew a potion, and don't even get me started on the fashion police – wearing the wrong dress could quite literally be your undoing. It's like a fashion show where every outfit is a potential death trap, mate.
Take the opening scene, for example. You've just arrived at the palace, trying to keep your head down (literally, because bowing is a thing). Your childhood friend, Liu Xi, offers you this gorgeous peony-shaped hairpin – a gift from her mum, no less. You, being polite (and perhaps a touch suspicious, as any good wizard should be), decline. She insists, and like a clumsy spell gone awry, the pin clatters to the floor. Just as Consort Wei, the high-ranking sort, sweeps in. Of course, she spots the pin. Likes it. And then, the game presents you with a choice: claim it’s yours, admit it’s Liu Xi’s, or pawn it off on someone else.
Naturally, being the curious (and slightly mischievous) type, I picked the third option. Another Cairen, bless her unsuspecting heart, steps forward to claim it. And then, *bam!* Disaster strikes. Turns out, peonies are the Empress’s favourite flower, and wearing one as a low-ranking Cairen is basically a giant middle finger to Her Grace. Guards appear like summoned imps, and our poor, unwitting Cairen is dragged off for a truly grisly punishment. Meanwhile, I'm left there, scratching my head, wondering if Liu Xi was trying to get me hexed from the get-go. She seemed *desperate* for me to take that pin. Talk about a passive-aggressive gift, eh?
C-dramas, much like their American soap opera cousins, often stretch the definition of 'historical' further than a magic-infused rubber band. We're talking secret identities, secret pregnancies (because, why not?), and murder plots aplenty. The core difference? C-dramas go absolutely wild with the sets, props, and costumes. And *Road to Empress* doesn't disappoint on that front. It’s essentially an interactive live-action cutscene fest, punctuated by your occasional (and often deadly) choices. The visuals are stunning – intricate, period-accurate, and beautifully shot. You could almost forget you're playing a game and not just binging another fantastic series like *The Princess Weiyoung* or *Yanxi Palace*.
Now, here’s where a wizard reads the digital tea leaves: the live-action scenes, while gorgeous, come with a price. Creating enough of them to allow for a truly complex, branching narrative would probably cost more than a small kingdom's annual gold supply. So, while your choices *do* have an effect, many times you'll find yourself presented with three options, only one of which actually lets you progress without a rather immediate, ignominious death. And this is where my gentle skepticism kicks in, but also where the game's peculiar charm truly shines.
At one point, I ended up in the dungeon – I honestly can’t recall why, probably because my dress was 'too flashy' (seriously, the fashion rules are brutal). The guards offer me some bread. Being peckish, I ate it. *Poisoned.* Dead. Reload. Next day, they offer gruel. 'Aha!' I thought, 'No bread, no problem!' Ate the gruel. *Poisoned again.* Dead. Reload. Right, I get it. Don’t eat the prison food. So I politely declined both the bread and the gruel. And then, mate, I bloody well died of *starvation*. I actually belly-laughed at that. The game just said, 'Nope, no loopholes for you, wizard!' I eventually reloaded, picked a less-flashy dress, only to be kicked out of the palace for taking a bath for 'too long.' And who was the first one to snitch? Liu Xi, of course. My 'friend.' The trust issues in this game are real, I tell ya!
So, no, *Road to Empress* isn't going to be everyone's enchanted chalice of tea (which, knowing this game, is probably also poisoned). But for anyone who adores C-dramas, or just has a soft spot for hilariously off-the-wall FMV games, it’s a genuinely entertaining, visually rich, and downright funny experience. It's got that chaotic energy that just makes you want to see what bizarre fate awaits you next. And if the final cutscene is anything to go by, we've got even more of this delightful madness heading our way with *Road to Empress 2*. Bring on the next chapter of arbitrary death and dazzling outfits, I say!
Tags: Narrative RPG, FMV Game, C-drama, Indie Gaming, Humor
Original article: Polygon