| A Quiet Place: The Road Ahead | |||
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| Release Date | Gameplay & Story | Pre-Order & DLC | Review |
A Quiet Place: The Road Ahead is an upcoming action horror survival based on the Hollywood blockbuster phenomenon from 2018. Read on to learn about our first impressions of the game, its story, and gameplay.
A Quiet Place: The Road Ahead Gameplay
A Quiet Place: The Road Ahead offers an immersive experience where players must navigate the silent, terrifying world of the A Quiet Place films. Stealth is the core gameplay mechanic, as survival depends on moving quietly, and avoiding any sounds that might attract the alien creatures. Communication is limited to sign language, and players must stealthily explore ruined towns and cities, with every action—like opening doors or moving objects—filled with tension and dread.
Microphone Noise Detection
A Quiet Place: The Road Ahead introduces a unique gameplay mechanic with its Microphone Noise Detection feature. Players must be mindful of their real-life surroundings, as the game reacts to any sounds picked up by your microphone. Whether it's your voice, ambient noise, or accidental movement, making too much sound could alert monsters in the game, ramping up the tension and urgency as you navigate the hostile environment. This immersive feature puts players in the shoes of the characters, where silence is not just an option—it's survival.
Stealth Mechanics
Stealth is the foundation of the gameplay in A Quiet Place: The Road Ahead. Players must crouch, move slowly, and avoid making any noise to evade the hypersensitive monsters that hunt by sound. Environmental hazards such as creaking floorboards, rustling foliage, and clattering objects add to the tension, requiring players to assess each step carefully. Sound indicators provide visual feedback about noise levels and the proximity of nearby threats, ensuring players remain aware of their actions.
Using Objects to Bait and Distract Monsters
Players can utilize objects like glass bottles and small debris to create distractions. Throwing these items generates noise at a specific location, luring the monsters away from the player’s intended path. This mechanic emphasizes strategic decision-making, as players must determine when and where to deploy these limited resources.
Sandbagging for Muffled Movement
Players can scatter sand across noisy surfaces like gravel to dampen their footsteps. This mechanic requires planning, as players must decide where sandbagging will be most effective given the limited availability of resources.
A Quiet Place: The Road Ahead Story
A Quiet Place: The Road Ahead is set in the same post-apocalyptic universe as the 2018 film and its 2020 sequel, where blind alien creatures use smell to hunt, decimating society and forcing survivors into silence. Like the films, the game revolves around the harsh realities of survival in this eerie, quiet world. However, new challenges arise, hinting at more danger to come.
Surviving Loss and Silence
Struggling with asthma, Alex, the protagonist, faces an additional challenge as she must keep her condition under control while evading the sound-sensitive creatures that roam the Earth. The story is one of loss and sacrifice, as Alex witnesses her partner sacrifice himself to protect her from an incoming threat, forcing Alex to continue on alone. Her journey takes another heartbreaking turn when the death of her father shatters her but also fuels her will to survive.
Parallels to the Films
The game introduces a moment where Alex discovers she is pregnant, adding another dimension to the story. This detail parallels themes from the films, such as Evelyn Abbott’s pregnancy in the first movie. Alex’s condition raises the stakes of her journey, emphasizing her need to survive for both herself and her unborn child.
Spoliers Ahead
The Hospital Shelter and the Search for Supplies
The story begins with Alex and Martin, who have been sheltering in a hospital, venturing out to search for food and medical supplies. Their journey leads them to a secluded ranch, where Alex starts feeling unwell. Amid their search, Alex stumbles upon a pregnancy test, which confirms that she is pregnant with Martin's child. The revelation deepens the stakes, but the two decide to spend the night at the ranch before returning to the hospital.
Martin’s Sacrifice
The following morning, as Alex and Martin prepare to leave the ranch, a sudden misstep traps Alex's foot in a log. With time running out and monsters closing in, Martin makes the heartbreaking decision to sacrifice himself, buying Alex enough time to escape. Alex returns to the hospital alone, grief-stricken and determined to protect the life growing within her.
The Fallout with Laura
Upon Alex’s return, her father, Kenneth, learns of her pregnancy, and the two begin making plans to leave the hospital for a safer refuge. However, Martin’s mother, Laura, discovers Alex’s pregnancy and, driven by grief and anger, locks her in a room. With Kenneth's assistance, Alex manages to escape, but the ensuing argument between Kenneth and Laura inadvertently attracts the sound-sensitive aliens. Chaos erupts as the hospital's survivors are forced to evacuate, and Alex finds herself separated from the group.
The Radio Transmission
Reuniting with her father at an abandoned camp, Alex and Kenneth come across a damaged radio. After scavenging for parts, Alex repairs the device and picks up a transmission. The broadcast reveals critical information: the aliens are unable to swim, and there is a nearby island that remains untouched by the invasion. With renewed hope, Alex and Kenneth devise a plan to secure a boat and reach this safe haven.
Kenneth’s Death
Before their plan can be executed, Laura reappears, driven by desperation and suspicion. She captures Kenneth, seeking information about Alex's whereabouts. In the chaos of their confrontation, Laura accidentally shoots and kills Kenneth, leaving Alex devastated and alone. Alex escapes into the wilderness, finding temporary shelter beneath a roaring waterfall, where she processes her grief and steels herself for the journey ahead.
Reaching the Boat
Determined to survive, Alex sets out alone the next day, heading into town to find a boat. She discovers a single boat docked at a fire station, but an electrical mishap during her attempt to access it causes a fire. The smoke incapacitates Alex, but she is unexpectedly saved by Laura, who reappears to assist her one last time. Laura gives Alex her gas mask to protect her from the smoke and leads the aliens away by activating a nearby lighthouse.
New Beginning
With Laura’s sacrifice giving her a chance to escape, Alex finally boards the boat and sets out for the island. As dawn breaks, Alex hears a voice over the radio asking if anyone is still alive. With a sense of resolve and hope, Alex responds, marking the beginning of a potential new chapter in her journey.
