Kentucky Route Zero: TV Edition coming out on the 28th of January

It took a while, but here we finally are. KRZ is reaching it's conclusion this month, when Kentucky Route Zero: TV Edition comes out on the 28th day, for PC, PS4, XBone and the Switch.

I guess 2020 might finally be the year for me to actually play this thing for the first time!

Jan, 28th: No more excuses

Does anybody know if this is the order the supplemental content came out in and is the ideal way to just play them in between each of the episodes?

1. Limits & Demonstrations
2. The Entertainment
3. Here and The Along the Echo
4. Un Peublo De Nada

@liquiddragon:That is the correct order by release. The interlude games were never part of the pc release, so I experienced them in a very strange order, and from my experience it doesn't matter when you play them. They serve to add texture to the games world. The last two do more to set a mood for the Act that follows, but I played Here and There Along the Echo after completing Act IV and still really enjoyed it. Probably my favorite of the interludes.

If they don't include it with the PC and TV editions, I also very much recommend going to their Youtube channel and watching a lot of the videos they put up over the years.

So I can finally start playing this game? About time.

How many years has it been since episode 1? Six? Seven? Feels like ages.

Just took a look at my Steam library: "Last Played: Mar. 26, 2013"

I have almost zero memory of what happened in ep 1 but it's great that this is (almost) finally out. First the complete campaign of Black Mesa got released, and now this! 2020 is looking... never mind.

This is the best news of the year so far.

Although I have been regarding suspiciously the twitter thread started by one Alex Navarro talking about how he (and apparently many others in the industry in the replies,) have never played it because they are waiting for the "complete experience".

The general acceptance of this is an interesting contrast with the seething outrage over the "improper" reception of Disco Elysium here.

Can you imagine GOTY 2010 if nobody had played Mass Effect 2 because they were waiting for the complete Mass Effect trilogy?

@liquiddragon: That is the correct order. Ideally they go in between each main episode of the game. eg. episode 1 -> Limits and Demonstrations -> episode 2 -> etc.

There are a few other pieces of ephemera around it too, (eg, Un Pueblo De Nada depicts the filming of a TV show. and that TV show itself is available as a video file.)

@goboard: the "TV edition" and the final PC release will have the interstitials included

Ha! I bought this when it first came out and decided to wait for all episodes before starting...

...I still haven’t started!

It's been a while so I guess I was mistaken about what all they had on their Youtube channel. Still a few things worth watching, but http://wevp.tv/vdb/ is the place for the videos I was thinking about.

FYI, be warned that removing the /vdb/ will play a video that's an FMV version Un Pueblo De Nada. Both are worth it, and there are differences between them content wise, but know that going in and decide before hand which you want to experience first.

@magnetphonics: I'm aware that the TV edition includes the interludes, my referencing the PC release not having them so far was to give context for their necessity as part of experiencing the main game. I would go so far as to say that playing them in the order of release between acts isn't necessary either.

I only know this game from the QL back in the day. Seems neat - I really liked the atmosphere and could it be up my alley. But, Q: W/O spoilers, is this a story that really adds up to something meaningful? Or is it like LOST, continually adding more mysterious elements without any resolution?

@magnetphonics: Waiting for the complete experience makes a little more sense before episodic turned into '7 years'. Then after it goes so long you may as well just keep waiting.

I, like many others, bought this game when ep 1 came out, played about 15 minutes, and decided to wait for other episodes to come out. I actually think there is a lot of enjoyment to be had in experiencing some things over long, drawn out periods of time but back then I guess I felt differently? Like someone said, though, I was initially under the impression that all the episodes would be out within a couple years.

Everything I've heard since then makes me feel like it's very much my type of game, and I wish I had been able to experience all the weird, supplemental, arg stuff, but I will be happy to dive in now.

I don't remember when I bought this but I told myself I wouldn't start playing until they finally finished it. So I guess I can start playing it soon.

They definitely took their time.

@wollywoo: As someone who watched Lost after it's original airing and didn't care for how it ended, even if the 5th act never released I'd still put KRZ at or near the top of the best games I've ever played. The game and it's story has lived with me in a way no other game has, and precious few other pieces of media have.

The story itself is less about the main through line that carries it from act to act and more about how the smaller interwoven narratives surrounding the characters build on a larger story about the games world and it's impact on the characters.

@goboard: Cool, thanks! I was afraid it might just be a lot of atmospheric moments that don't lead anywhere. If there are strong characters and narrative I might have to finally check it out!

@wollywoo I'll second Goboard. The story works great on its own, but with a little analysis (and in my case, a friend who has also played KRZ to bounce ideas off of), you can find yourself getting deep into what each piece of this game is about and not feel like you're reaching at all. Unless the final act really drops the ball somehow, this is one of the most rewarding experiences I've had with art from any medium.

I’ve always heard people mention the book “One Hundred Years of Solitude” in relation to this game and have planned to pick it up eventually.

I can't wait for this. Act IV was one of the few games that delivered a real gut punch in a way I never expected to find in a video game. It's hard to get into without spoilers, but… yeah. I really want to see how this thing ends.

@mccash4gold: I thought Act 4 was not quite as good as Act 3, even though some moments are superb. The way it ends is definitely a highlight and sets up Act 5 well though, (I wish i hadn't clicked that dialog box.)

Also, you shouldn't feel bad about spoiling a game that is so old it came out before Waypoint existed.

@magnetphonics: This game is a rare case where so many people held off for 7 years for the full release that I think it still warrants avoiding spoilers.

@mccash4gold: I can think of a few games that have done something similar, mostly within the same genre and violently, but this instance hits and sticks around way longer. Every so often it creeps into memory and the feelings comes back fresh.

@goboard: Nope, I'm making this my pointless thing like those Disco Elysium psychos.

Everyone is entitled to play things in whatever order they choose and its rude to just post spoilers in a thread for any game. But deliberately "Waiting for the complete experience" for KR0 is objectively wrong and not a position deserving of particular respect!*

*This is a jest of course.

My PC is so bad, it can't run KR0, so I've been waiting for the TV edition for so long.