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{{Acts}}
{{Infobox
|title = ''Kentucky Route Zero''<br />[[File:GameIcon.png|75px|frameless]]
|image = KrzGameIconTvEdition TopTitle.png
|developer = [[Cardboard Computer]]
|publisher = Cardboard Computer (PC) <br> [[Annapurna Interactive]] (Console; Mobile)
|designer = [[Jake Elliott]] <br> [[Tamas Kemenczy]]
|composer = [[Ben Babbitt]]
|engine = [[wikipedia:Unity (game engine)|Unity]]
|platform = PC <small>(Windows, macOS, Linux)</small> <br> Console <small>(Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S)</small> <br> Mobile <small>(Android, iOS)</small>
|rating = <small><sup>NA </sup></small>[[wikipedia:Entertainment Software Rating Board|ESRB]]: <abbr title="Teen">T</abbr> <br> <small><sup>EU </sup></small>[[wikipedia:Pan European Game Information|PEGI]]: 12 <br> <small><sup>AU </sup></small>[[wikipedia:Australian Classification Board|ACB]]: <abbr title="Parental Guidance">PG</abbr>
|release = 2013–2020 ({{anchor|Release history|info}})
'''''Kentucky Route Zero''''' is a magical realist adventure game about a secret highway in the caves beneath Kentucky and the mysterious folks who travel it. The game is developed and published by [[Cardboard Computer]], an independent studio consisting of [[Jake Elliott]], [[Tamas Kemenczy]], and [[Ben Babbitt]]. It follows an episodic format, mirroring the dramatic structure of a five-act play.
The game's five acts follow the narrative of a truck driver named [[Conway]] and the mysterious often-enigmatic people he meets as he tries to travel the fictional [[Route Zero|Route {{Zero}}]] to make his final delivery for an antique company. The [[Act I|first act]] was released on in January 7, 2013. The [[Act II|second]], [[Act III|third]], [[Act IV|fourth]], and [[Act V|fifth acts]] were released over the following seven years, along with shorter, supplemental, free-to-play "interlude" games, [[WEVP-TV|video art]], tie-in [[phone numbers]], and [[Here And There Along The Echo#Weird Telephones|custom electronics]]. The game's final act and console ports were released on in January 282020. In cooperation with [[wikipedia:Netflix|Netflix]], 2020Android and iOS ports were released in December 2022.
The "PC Edition" of the game is available via [https://store.steampowered.com/app/231200/Kentucky_Route_Zero/ Steam], [https://cardboardcomputer.itch.io/kentucky-route-zero itch.io], [https://www.gog.com/en/game/kentucky_route_zero_season_pass kentucky_route_zero GOG.com], and the [https://www.humblebundle.com/store/p/kentuckyroutezero_storefront Humble Store], while the identical "TV Edition" is available on [https://www.nintendo.com/games/detail/kentucky-route-zero-tv-edition-switch/ Nintendo Switch], [https://www.playstation.com/en-us/games/kentucky-route-zero-tv-edition-ps4/ PlayStation 4and 5], [https://www.xbox.com/en-US/games/store/kentucky-route-zero-tv-edition/9P6FTM76L1S7 Xbox One], and [https://www.microsoftxbox.com/en-usUS/games/pstore/kentucky-route-zero-tv-edition/9p6ftm76l1s7 9P6FTM76L1S7 Xbox OneSeries X/S]. The mobile version is available on [https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.netflix.NGP.KentuckyRouteZero Google Play] and the [https://apps.apple.com/us/app/kentucky-route-zero/id1608096851 App Store].
== Gameplay ==
[[File:Apologies.png|thumb|right|Players choose between different dialogue options.]]
''Kentucky Route Zero'' is a point-and-click adventure game. Players are able to control [[Conway]] (and other characters) by clicking on the screen, either to guide them to a location or interact with characters and objects. Players navigate between locations using maps and travel by driving, sailing, and flying. The game focuses on storytelling, atmosphere, and developing characters' internal thoughts and feelings, favoring these literary aspects over more traditional puzzle-solving challenges common to the genre.
Players are able to choose characters' dialogue during in-game, text-based conversations, mirroring the style of a theatrical script or stage directions. These decisions do not impact the storyline or serve to direct a branching narrative; rather, they influence the poetic dialogue of characters later on, affect aspects of stories that are told to the player, or change which characters may be encountered.
! Title !! Medium !! Release date
|-
| [[Act I]] || rowspan=3 | Videogame || January 7, 2013
|-
| ''[[Limits & Demonstrations]]'' || Videogame || February 8, 2013
|-
| [[Act II]] || Videogame || May 31, 2013
|-
| ''[[The Entertainment]]'' || Videogame, Play || November 22, 2013
| {{DOTHM}}
|-
| TV Edition (console release) || rowspan=3 {{n/a}}|-| Mobile release || December 13, 2022|-| Postmodern Update ([https://www.patreon.com/posts/87845941 info]) || August 17, 2023
|-
|}
Shannon frees Conway and helps him onto an old mine cart. While exploring, Shannon reveals that the mine flooded at one point, killing the miners trapped inside. The two discover a turntable and explore the mine and its history; turning off the lamplight reveals ghostly visions of the miners. Conway exits the mine alone while Shannon goes back to check on something, and when she returns, reveals her parents were killed in the flood.
The two head to [[Shannon's workshop]], located at the back of a small [[bait shop]] to search for Weaver, but she is nowhere to be found. On the way back to the farmhouse, Conway can choose to return to Equus Oils where he and Shannon meet Joseph's friend [[Carrington]] who is looking for a venue for his upcoming play, and asks the two to keep an eye out for a location.
Back at the farmhouse, Shannon reveals Weaver fled after learning of their family's debt, and tonight was the first time she had seen her since then. Shannon attempts to repair the TV by cleaning moss off the vacuum tubes, and Conway looks in again; this time, however, both the picture on the screen and the barn behind the house begin to warp and separate, forming an image of the opening to the {{Zero}} and the truck driving into it.
=== Act V ===
[[File:Destroyed WEVP studio.png|thumb|right|''[Curious meow.]'']]{{En-WP attribution notice|Kentucky Route Zero|section}}The final act begins after [[Shannon]] and the group have hauled the contents of [[Conway]]'s truck to the top of the [[Silo of Late Reflections]], which turns out to be a well at the center of an effigy mound in a small [[town]], in which is located [[5 Dogwood Drive]]. The house at the address stands new and pristine (albeit without two walls), though the remaining town has been washed away by a flash flood that occurred the night prior during the cast's underground travels on the {{ZeroLink}} and the [[Echo River]]. The travelers meet and converse with the residents of the town, and learn about its history and landmarks, including a graveyard, a library, a waffle restaurant, a hangar and airstrip, and a [[WEVP-TV|public-access television station]]. Both the travelers and the residents weigh whether they will try to stay and rebuild the community, or leave in hopes of better lives. One of the residents, [[Ron]], digs a grave to bury "The Neighbors," two horses that were fixtures of town life and who died in the flood. An impromptu ceremony is held in honor of the horses; town resident [[Nikki]] reads a poem, and [[Emily]] sings a song, "[[I'm Going That Way]]." The [[5 Dogwood Drive#Appearance|final view]] is of Shannon and the group having moved the items from Conway's truck into 5 Dogwood Drive, completing his delivery, and gathering in the house.
{{expand}}
[[File:KRZ OST album art.jpg|thumb|250px|right|Cover art of the ''Kentucky Route Zero Original Soundtrack'' album.]]
== Soundtrack ==
{{main|Music}}
The game's ambient soundtrack features music by [[Ben Babbitt]] with bluegrass tracks performed by [[The Bedquilt Ramblers]]. A real-life album featuring songs by in-game musicians [[Junebug and Johnny]], titled ''[[Too Late to Love You]]'', was also released following the game's final act and epilogue.
== Development ==
[[File:3_ConwayAndEzra.1365634758.jpg|thumb|250px|right|An early version of the dialogue system.]]
The project was first revealed on January 7, 2011 on Kickstarter. By the end of the campaign, the game had acquired USD $8,583 from 205 backers, exceeding its original goal of $6,500.<ref>[https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/149077132/kentucky-route-zero-a-magic-realist-adventure-game Kentucky Route Zero, a magic realist adventure game – Kickstarter]</ref> A heavily-revised trailer with an updated visual style was released on October 17, 2012.<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uCz9T5NgYJQ Kentucky Route Zero (IGF Trailer) – YouTube]</ref>
A revamped user interface, including [[achievements]] and [[ephemera]], was added with the final release of the game in 2020, along with translations into French, Italian, German, Spanish, Japanese, Korean, and Russian.
The mobile release in December 2022 brought revised and new localizations, including a Simplified Chinese translation by [https://echorivertranslators.wordpress.com/ EchoriverTranslators], a new Japanese localization by Tsuchiya Ayumi, and support for Arabic, Brazilian Portuguese, Polish, Swedish, Thai, Traditional Chinese, and Turkish.
{{expand}}
== Reception ==
''Kentucky Route Zero'' has been well-received by critics. It won the award for Excellence in Visual Art Arts at the [[wikipedia:Independent Games Festival|Independent Games Festival]] in March 2013, with additional nominations for Excellence in Audio, Excellence in Narrative, and the Seumas McNally Grand Prize.<ref>[https://igf.com/2013 2013 Independent Games Festival Winners – IGF]</ref> In the same year, it was named game of the year by ''[[wikipedia:Rock, Paper, Shotgun|Rock Paper Shotgun]]'' and won awards for both Visual Design and Story & Word Design at [[wikipedia:IndieCade|IndieCade]].<ref>[https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2013/12/24/the-amazing-astonishing-rps-advent-calendar-day-24/ The Amazing & Astonishing RPS Advent Calendar: Day 24 – Rock Paper Shotgun]</ref><ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20171028150337/http://www.indiecade.com/2013/award_winners/ IndieCade 2013 Award Winners – International Festival of Independent Games]</ref>
In 2014, ''Kentucky Route Zero'''s Act III was named [[wikipedia:Kill Screen|''Kill Screen'']]'s game of the year.<ref>[https://killscreen.com/previously/articles/high-scores-2014-5-1/ High Scores 2014: 5-1 – Kill Screen]</ref> In March 2015, it won Best Narrative at the [[wikipedia:Game Developers Choice Awards|Game Developers Choice Awards]].<ref>[https://gamechoiceawards.com/archive/gdca_15th.html 15th Annual Game Developers Choice Awards]</ref>
In November 2020, the game was nominated for the Games For Impact award [[wikipedia:The Game Awards|The Game Awards]].<ref>[https://variety.com/2020/digital/news/the-game-awards-winners-list-2020-1234850547/ The Game Awards 2020: Complete Winners List – Variety]</ref> The following March, it won the 2021 [[wikipedia:BAFTA Games Awards|BAFTA Games Award]] for Original Property, and was nominated for the Narrative award.<ref>[https://www.bafta.org/games/awards/2021-nominations-winners 2021 BAFTA Games Awards: The Winners – The British Academy of Film and Television Arts]</ref> It was also nominated for the [[wikipedia:Nebula Award for Best Game Writing|Best Game Writing]] at the 2021 [[wikipedia:Nebula Awards|Nebula Awards]].<ref>[https://nebulas.sfwa.org/sfwa-announces-the-56th-annual-nebula-award-finalists/ SFWA Announces the 56th Annual Nebula Award Finalists – The Nebula Awards]</ref>
== Gallery ==
<gallery>