No Straight Roads: Encore Edition

A rocking journey against the evil forces of electronic dance music, No Straight Roads: Encore Edition is the definitive way to play one of the best rhythm/action games of the generation. Featuring an outstanding art design and impeccable gameplay, this is a game that can be played by any platforming fan, even if they’re not particularly into rock music.

The mastery of presentation seen here is only comparable to how tight the controls and the general design feel. The nearly-perfect gameplay of NSR has been somewhat improved over the game’s base version, delivering the ultimate way to enjoy this awesome game.

Rock On

The plot of NSR: Encore Edition is very simple: the musical metropolis of Vinyl City has been moving away from rock and succumbing to the entrancing beats of EDM. The protagonists will have to join forces to create the ultimate rock band and restore the supremacy of rock and roll in the minds and hearts of Vinyl City.

Defeating an entire music genre isn’t going to be an easy task, as players will have to face many whimsical characters, each with their unique musical motifs and inspirations. Want to fight a pop boy band, you can do that here; how about fighting against a larger-than-life DJ? That’s also here in No Straight Roads.

Character designs are simply wonderful: every character has a unique color palette and style that complements their personalities. The inclusion of rhythm and beats also go a long way to communicate each character’s personality. The best way to describe this game would be to say that it is like Jet Set Radio got a modern re-release, and also decided to become Psychonauts.

Listen to the Rhythm

Music is vital in the world of No Straight Roads: every boss battle and minor enemy encounter is set to a rhythm. While enemies and bosses have to adhere strictly to the beat, you don’t have to, which means that you can use eclectic moves to gain the upper hand during boss battles.

One of the new enhancements brought by the Encore Edition is some added graphical effects. While they are great to make the battles feel more epic than ever, they sadly introduce a couple of issues that weren’t present in the base game, namely some very minor graphical glitches that can get in the way of some of the more intense battles.

For the Fans

It’d be hard to find a game more dedicated to its fans than No Straight Roads: Encore Edition. This upgraded port includes over 500 pieces of fan art to collect, allowing players to see the love and dedication the player base has for the original game.

New cinematics, remixes, and tons of decorations to celebrate the holidays are also included. The sheer amount of new content makes the Encore Edition the ultimate way to play the game, as it takes an already solid experience and makes it even better, somehow.

This is a must-play for any fan of rhythm games. If you’re looking for a great spiritual successor to games like Jet Set Radio Future, look no further than No Straight Roads.

Pros

• Amazing visual design
• Incredible soundtrack that dictates the flow of the action
• Great selection of goodies and extras

Cons

• Some very minor visual glitches
• Hitboxes can be a bit wonky from time to time