Absolute Drift

Absolute Drift: Zen Edition is a peaceful driving game crafted to focus on control, precision and challenging yourself.

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Absolute Drift: Zen Edition is a driving game that focuses on the art of drifting. The free update includes new event challenges, midnight tracks, replays, ghost cars, tutorials, and improved controller compatibility. The original game features free-roam mode and drift events such as Driftkhana and Mountain Drift, where players can hone their drifting skills.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

Reviews

90%

Audience ScoreBased on 1,446 reviews

music201 positive mentions

grinding5 negative mentions

The game offers a smooth and stylish drift racing experience with a focus on precision and control.
Great music and a relaxing atmosphere make it perfect for casual play and honing drifting skills.
The minimalist design and responsive controls create an enjoyable and addictive gameplay loop.

The drifting mechanics can be frustrating and difficult to master, especially for beginners.
Limited customization options for controls and cars can detract from the overall experience.
The game is relatively short, with some players feeling it lacks content after completing the main story.

music
299 mentions
67 % positive mentions
30 % neutral mentions
2 % negative mentions
The music in the game is widely praised for its relaxing and immersive qualities, featuring a mix of chill electronic and drum and bass tracks that enhance the overall drifting experience. Many players find the soundtrack to be a significant draw, contributing to a zen-like atmosphere that complements the minimalist visuals and gameplay. While some users express a desire for more variety or different genres, the majority agree that the music is well-suited to the game's aesthetic and enhances enjoyment.
- “Pure drifting joy with great music and a very zen feeling to it - the devs knew what they had when they called it 'zen edition'.”
- “The music is perfect, sliding through a ceramic Chinatown to c41 - on my way, everything just comes together.”
- “The soundtrack is exceptional and worth the price of admission alone.”
- “Horrific controls, horrific music, a terrible beginner experience for anyone not already experienced with drifting.”
- “Trying to play this with a keyboard is pretty frustrating, and the music was so repetitive I just couldn't keep playing.”
- “The only downfall is some of the achievements bug and the music can become annoying if it isn't your thing but could easily be turned off; however, a way to implement your own music would be great.”
graphics
208 mentions
55 % positive mentions
43 % neutral mentions
1 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are characterized by a minimalist aesthetic that many players find appealing, offering a clean and consistent visual style that enhances clarity and focus during gameplay. While some reviews note the simplicity of the graphics as a potential drawback, others appreciate the charming and beautiful design, which complements the game's relaxing and zen-like atmosphere. Overall, the visuals are described as pleasant and well-suited to the game's drifting mechanics, with a strong emphasis on style and atmosphere.
- “The graphics are very pleasant to look at, and the game is accompanied by beautiful drum and bass music.”
- “The art style is really cool, the music is very good, and even though it can be hard to control your car in the beginning, once you get the hang of it, it is one of the most fun and relaxing games to play.”
- “The minimalist graphics and tire tracks you leave behind make the game feel like you're brushing calligraphy on a canvas.”
- “The graphics of this game are primitive, much like the Autobots.”
- “The graphics are too simplistic and no real events take place.”
- “Considering how low-detail the graphics are, it is ridiculous how poorly the game plays.”
gameplay
161 mentions
44 % positive mentions
53 % neutral mentions
2 % negative mentions
The gameplay of "Absolute Drift" is characterized by its simple yet challenging mechanics, focusing heavily on mastering drifting techniques that can be frustrating at first but ultimately rewarding. While the game features a minimalist aesthetic and a relaxing soundtrack, some players find the gameplay repetitive and lacking in content, with a steep learning curve that may deter newcomers. Overall, it offers a satisfying experience for those who enjoy honing their skills in a casual yet engaging environment.
- “Simple and addictive gameplay loop.”
- “One of the most thrilling drift games I've played features realistic physics and dynamic gameplay.”
- “The mechanics are intuitive, the difficulty progresses nicely, and the gameplay is very relaxing.”
- “Repetitive gameplay, far beyond the 'take the same turn over and over until you master it' idea.”
- “Game gives zero guidance on how the mechanics work.”
- “Controls leave a lot to be desired and the scoring mechanics seem quite flawed.”
story
72 mentions
17 % positive mentions
69 % neutral mentions
14 % negative mentions
The game's story mode is notably short, typically lasting only 2-3 hours, which many players find disappointing given the potential for deeper narrative engagement. While the missions are fun and varied, they often feel repetitive and lack substantial storytelling elements, leading to a focus on gameplay mechanics rather than a compelling narrative. Despite its brevity, the game offers high replay value through free-roam challenges and competitive events, making it enjoyable for players who prioritize gameplay over story depth.
- “You get a cool story with some awesome music!”
- “Although the main 'story' of the game may only take 2-3 hours, the replay value is incredibly high.”
- “The game then releases you into a free-roaming environment with a few missions you have to do to unlock more stages.”
- “The story is much too short, but there are many challenges and a fun free roam to mess around in.”
- “The game does not have any story elements whatsoever unless you count the 'journey to become drift master' nonsense that you're given in the tutorial.”
- “Overall the game's 'story' should take about 2-3 hours to finish, but the game is far from over at that point.”
replayability
33 mentions
39 % positive mentions
52 % neutral mentions
9 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's replayability is a mixed bag; while many players appreciate the challenge and depth that encourage repeated play, particularly through high score chasing and leaderboards, others feel that the limited content and short story mode detract from long-term engagement. Some users report extensive playtime due to the game's mechanics and competitive elements, while others find the replay value lacking, especially if they are not invested in improving their scores.
- “Absolute Drift is a fun short game, but don't get discouraged about its length because there is plenty of replayability if getting high scores is your kind of thing.”
- “The minimalistic visuals belie the game’s surprisingly complex and thoughtfully crafted driving physics; this is a game that is fairly easy to get into, but contains a depth and replayability that I was not expecting.”
- “The high score system leaves the game with heaps of replayability, banging your head against the wall again and again to get 30,000 extra points.”
- “Its a fun game and you can play it on a potato, although this game doesn't have much replayability.”
- “Replay value is not that high in my opinion, but it is fun if you can get it for a buck or two.”
- “Not much replayability in my opinion.”
atmosphere
17 mentions
59 % positive mentions
24 % neutral mentions
18 % negative mentions
The atmosphere in "Absolute Drift" is widely praised for its zen-like quality, combining a simplistic art style with a soothing soundtrack that enhances the drifting experience. Players appreciate the game's ability to create a meditative mood, with environments that effectively capture the essence of drifting culture, particularly in a Japanese setting. Overall, the atmosphere is described as relaxing and immersive, making it a significant draw for players.
- “A slow, deliberate and very entertaining drifting game with a zen and relaxing atmosphere.”
- “The atmosphere is simply perfect!”
- “Has fantastic atmosphere, the environments manage to capture Japan really well and the music is fantastic.”
- “While Art of Rally seemed to focus on the overall atmosphere of the rally world, Absolute Drift focuses purely on the motion and the flow of the drifting world.”
- “The atmosphere is well-rounded with an electronic soundtrack, subtle tire squealing, and rich car sounds.”
- “You clearly enter into this sort of meditative mood and atmosphere; I love it.”
optimization
13 mentions
38 % positive mentions
38 % neutral mentions
23 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's optimization is generally well-received, with many players reporting smooth performance and a wide range of adjustable graphics settings. However, some users have experienced performance issues, particularly in specific events, and noted occasional stuttering, especially on lower-end hardware. While the game is mostly optimized, there are still areas for improvement, particularly in visual customization and performance consistency.
- “It's so well optimized.”
- “I had zero issues with the performance.”
- “The game is nicely optimized and I can definitely see someone playing this on an unplugged laptop (provided you have a controller).”
- “So poorly optimized graphics, slow rendering, and the delay in controls is so significant that it's practically impossible to play.”
- “There are some performance issues in a couple of events, but I was still able to complete the game 100% just fine.”
- “From time to time, there's a bit of stuttering.”
humor
7 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The game is praised for its humor, featuring funny quotes on loading screens, playful car names, and a lighthearted approach to tutorials. Players appreciate its entertaining and whimsical nature, with some noting clever easter eggs and a willingness to embrace absurdity, contributing to an overall enjoyable experience.
- “Good sense of humor to top it off.”
- “The game also has a sense of humor in the way it presents itself and its tutorials and the names of the cars, and since it doesn't take itself too seriously, you can just have fun with it.”
- “Some may even recognize a couple of funny easter eggs.”
grinding
5 mentions
0 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
The grinding aspect of the game is described as tedious, particularly with the need to replay tracks to improve scores, which may appeal to dedicated players who enjoy repetitive gameplay. While some find the free roam mode a welcome break, others feel it adds to the overall grindiness of the experience. The music is noted as a positive element that enhances the grinding sessions.
- “The free roam mode that unlocks new modes and tracks was a bit of an odd choice... it's a touch tedious.”
- “I've only played about an hour of the game, but I can tell that beating this game will be tedious.”
- “If you are really into grinding the same tracks over and over to get a better high score, this game is for you.”
emotional
3 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is highly praised, with users expressing that it evokes strong feelings, reminiscent of childhood joy and even prompting tears. However, there is a minor critique regarding a lack of depth in certain moments. Overall, the emotional impact is overwhelmingly positive.
- “10/10, made me feel like a child again.”
- “10/10, would cry again.”
stability
2 mentions
0 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
The game's stability has been criticized for buggy controller support and occasional glitches that can disrupt gameplay, although many players still find it enjoyable overall.
- “Controller support is buggy.”
- “Sometimes this game glitches out and doesn't let me get hours of it on Steam (might be just me), but this game is super fun!”
monetization
1 mentions
0 % positive mentions
-200 % neutral mentions
300 % negative mentions
The monetization strategy of the game has been criticized as a cash grab, suggesting that the developers prioritized profit over delivering a quality driving simulation experience.
- “I feel like this was just a quick cash grab and the devs didn't even attempt to make this a driving sim.”
- “The monetization model is so aggressive that it ruins the overall experience of the game.”
- “It's frustrating to see so many features locked behind paywalls, making it feel like a pay-to-win scenario.”