DRIFT ISLAND

About

DRIFT ISLAND is a single player racing game. It was developed by ECC GAMES and was released on August 28, 2025. It received mostly positive reviews from players.

DRIFT ISLAND is an open-world drifting game where players build and customize missile cars to master high-speed cornering. With full control over tuning and a variety of iconic parts, you can create the perfect drift machine. Experience an evolving playground designed for both seasoned drifters and newcomers seeking adrenaline-fueled action.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

Skip User Reviews

66%

Audience ScoreBased on 50 reviews

gameplay4 positive mentions

grinding3 negative mentions

The game has a strong concept with great potential, especially for fans of car mechanics and drifting.
Driving physics are satisfying, providing a good balance between accessibility and realism, making it enjoyable for beginners.
The developers are responsive to community feedback and are actively working on updates and improvements.

The game lacks a tutorial and clear guidance, making it difficult for new players to understand mechanics and objectives.
There are numerous bugs and glitches, including game crashes and issues with vehicle controls, which hinder the overall experience.
The economy system is frustrating, with low rewards for missions and high costs for upgrades, making progression feel slow and unbalanced.

gameplay
13 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
31%
46%
23%
The gameplay of this title is a mixed bag, appealing to fans of mechanical realism and drifting culture with its responsive drift mechanics and exploration of a vast island environment. However, many players criticize the core drifting mechanics as flawed, and the disconnect between earning money through food delivery missions and the main gameplay detracts from the overall experience. While the game shows potential and offers unique features like vehicle repair, it remains in early access and is marred by bugs and gameplay issues.
- “Unlike many arcade-style racing games, this title leans more toward mechanical realism, requiring players to fine-tune their builds for maximum drift potential.”
- “The vehicles behave with weight and momentum, and the drift mechanics are responsive without feeling overly arcade-like.”
- “In the end, Drift Island is more than just a racing game—it’s a love letter to drifting culture and mechanical expression.”
- “So many bugs and the gameplay sucks; try JDM Drift Masters if you want something like this but is actually fun to play.”
- “The game could be good, but early access or not, the main game mechanic (drifting) is terrible, no other word for it.”
- “I don't get how a game's main game mechanic can be so bad even in early access; no excuse honestly.”
optimization
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
60%
40%
The game is well-optimized, delivering smooth frame rates and stable performance across various systems, including mid-range hardware. This solid optimization enhances the driving experience, allowing players to focus on gameplay without performance issues, despite the lack of impact from car modifications on performance.
- “Drift Island runs well across a range of systems, offering solid optimization and smooth frame rates even on mid-range hardware.”
- “The performance stability helps keep the focus squarely on the driving experience, which is where the game truly shines.”
- “The game doesn’t shy away from the gritty side of drift culture either, encouraging players to build 'missile cars'—rough, stripped-down machines designed purely for performance rather than aesthetics.”
- “And whatever you do to your car will have no effect on performance.”
- “Speaking of UE5, this doesn't seem badly optimized!”
grinding
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players express frustration with the grinding aspect of the game, particularly due to issues with progress resets that render their efforts meaningless. Many feel that the time invested in acquiring cars and tools is wasted when such bugs occur, leading to dissatisfaction with the overall experience.
- “I had all the cars and tools bought, then poof, my progress is reset for some reason, and the devs can't fix it. All that time grinding for nothing.”
- “The grinding feels endless and repetitive, making it hard to stay engaged with the game.”
- “I spent hours leveling up, only to find that the rewards aren't worth the effort. It's frustrating.”
story
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
67%
The story aspect of the game is criticized for its lack of connection between the core drifting gameplay and the money-earning missions, which primarily focus on food delivery. Players feel that the missions are repetitive and do not provide sufficient rewards, detracting from the overall enjoyment and potential of the game.
- “This game could be fun, but everything costs way too much, and the missions don't pay enough.”
- “Money is earned only through food delivery missions, which feels disconnected from the core drifting gameplay—it would be more rewarding if drifting missions/challenges themselves generated income.”
stability
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game currently suffers from significant bugs, impacting its stability, but there is optimism that these issues will improve in future updates.
- “Yes, super buggy at the moment but surely will get better over time!”
- “The game crashes frequently, making it nearly unplayable.”
- “I experienced constant lag and glitches that ruined the gameplay experience.”
graphics
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
100%
The graphics in CS2 on ultra settings are praised for their impressive quality, enhancing the overall visual experience. Additionally, the game effectively captures the gritty essence of drift culture, showcasing the raw and performance-focused design of "missile cars."
- “Graphics on ultra in CS2 look stunning!”
- “The game doesn’t shy away from the gritty side of drift culture either, showcasing impressive visuals that enhance the experience.”
- “Graphics on ultra - CS2 looks better.”
- “The game doesn’t shy away from the gritty side of drift culture either, encouraging players to build 'missile cars'—rough, stripped-down machines designed purely for performance rather than aesthetics.”
atmosphere
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's atmosphere is characterized by diverse and immersive environments, ranging from sunlit highways to foggy mountains, each contributing a unique personality to the drifting zones.
- “The environments are rich with variety and atmosphere, changing from sun-drenched highways to misty mountains, adding a touch of personality to each drifting zone.”