Drive 4 Survival

About

Drive 4 Survival is a single player survival simulation game. It was developed by M3M Games and was released on October 15, 2020. It received mostly positive reviews from players.

Drive 4 Survival is a survival game set in a frozen wilderness, where players must rely on their car for survival. The car requires fuel and Medicare, which players must find by scavenging the world. The game features a garage where players can store and repair their vehicles. The garage can be expanded and even includes a small car workshop for producing new vehicles. The game is currently in Early Access and the developers are actively seeking community feedback to improve the game.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

+23

Skip User Reviews

63%

Audience ScoreBased on 180 reviews

gameplay7 positive mentions

stability6 negative mentions

The game has a fun low poly survival concept with a lot of potential.
Players enjoy the driving mechanics and the ability to explore a large map filled with various activities.
The developers are responsive to community feedback and have shown commitment to improving the game.

The game appears largely unfinished and has not received updates in over two years, leading many to believe it is abandoned.
There are significant bugs, such as issues with saving/loading, disappearing items, and poor combat mechanics.
The inventory system is clunky and limits player experience, making it frustrating to manage resources.

gameplay
30 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
23%
67%
10%
The gameplay is noted for its potential and entertaining mechanics, including survival elements like food, water, and temperature management, as well as base building and exploration. However, many players feel it still resembles an early access title, with bugs and convoluted instructions detracting from the experience. While the core gameplay loop is engaging, improvements are needed in driving mechanics and overall polish to fully realize its promise.
- “The game is full of potential; the core gameplay loop of looting, exploring, upgrading/building the base, and setting up outposts is a fun concept, reminiscent of 'The Long Dark' or '7 Days to Die', with its own unique world setting and plot.”
- “The driving mechanics are good, loot is plentiful, and there are lots of things to do.”
- “Solid survival mechanics and it's fun.”
- “It's got a lot of potential but still feels like an alpha where pretty much every aspect of the gameplay still needs to be tightened up.”
- “Takes a gameplay concept that has been done countless times already and then makes everything needlessly convoluted.”
- “Basic mechanics are still buggy and underdeveloped.”
graphics
29 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
24%
66%
10%
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with some players appreciating the charm and consistency of the simplistic, cartoonish style, while others criticize the optimization and performance issues, including frequent FPS drops even on lower settings. Many users note that the visuals resemble those of other games, such as "Walking Zombie 2," and express hope for future updates to enhance the graphical quality. Overall, while some find the graphics appealing, others feel they lack depth and polish, indicating a need for improvement as the game evolves.
- “The graphical style is not for everyone but it manages to not look 'cutesy' while still being charming in its simplicity, which I appreciate. The world ranges from vibrant to bleak depending on location.”
- “While the graphics are blocky, they're very consistent and pretty good.”
- “Graphics - superb (if you like 'The Long Dark').”
- “The game still needs work, especially for performance: there are a lot of FPS drops, even with all graphics settings at 'low' on a PC that can easily run heavier games at maximum settings.”
- “The graphics are the equivalent of something your grandchild draws in grade school.”
- “Another negative is the really bare-bones graphics.”
story
20 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
15%
70%
15%
The game's story aspect is currently lacking, with many players expressing a desire for a more engaging narrative and structured quests beyond basic survival mechanics. While recent updates have improved gameplay, the absence of a compelling storyline and meaningful interactions with NPCs leaves players wanting more depth and purpose in their missions. Overall, the game shows potential for future development, but it needs a stronger narrative framework to enhance the player experience.
- “The game has had some major updates recently and is a totally different game from the start and quest line to follow.”
- “Hopefully, they will keep updating and expand the game's mechanics, lore, and story.”
- “If you are a fan of survival games with a back story, this is the game for you.”
- “If you go in and expect a game with any handholding or anywhere near finished, you will probably be disappointed. I read there is a quest board somewhere but spent 14 hours in the game and never actually found it.”
- “Unfortunately, most of the mainstream survival genre games try to be realistic in terms of graphics and the grindy aspect of surviving - gathering/building, drinking, eating, etc., leaving the story and setting, including endgame (why do I bother at all?), in a place a lot to be wished for.”
- “There is currently no story; it's just survive as long as you can, and if you die, you just lose most of what you physically had on you.”
stability
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
43%
86%
The game's stability is criticized for being buggy and underdeveloped, with issues such as heavy stuttering, environmental glitches, and malfunctioning mechanics. While some users report that the game runs well overall, the presence of significant bugs and a lack of content hinder the experience, leaving players frustrated.
- “The game runs great, and I'm looking forward to what the devs bring next!”
- “I haven't experienced any crashes or bugs, which makes for a smooth gaming experience.”
- “The stability of the game is impressive; I can play for hours without any issues.”
- “You probably can't complete the achievements 100% because the only 'quest' in the game isn't available in the current version, and the 'legacy' version seems to be buggy.”
- “Buggy out the wazoo and mildly frustrating to understand at first.”
- “Basic mechanics are still buggy and underdeveloped.”
optimization
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
14%
29%
57%
The game's optimization is generally criticized, with users reporting significant performance issues such as frequent FPS drops, heavy stuttering, and minor bugs, even on capable hardware. While some players find the performance acceptable, the consensus is that the game requires substantial polish to enhance the overall experience.
- “Performance is good.”
- “The game still needs work, especially for performance: there are a lot of FPS drops, even with all graphics settings at 'low' on a PC that can easily run heavier games at maximum settings.”
- “It's okay, but the graphics are horribly optimized.”
- “Needs polish; it's very badly optimized.”
grinding
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be excessive and often tedious, primarily focused on unlocking unique cars and gathering items for NPC factions. Many reviewers express a desire for more engaging objectives and a richer narrative to accompany the grinding, as the current survival mechanics feel too simplistic and lack depth. Overall, while the game offers some content, the repetitive nature of grinding detracts from the overall experience.
- “There is currently no car customization; you can unlock more unique cars in an off-road variant, but it requires an annoying amount of grinding since there really isn't much to do.”
- “The game needs some sort of story or objectives beyond the opening tutorial; survival is way too easy and isn't a priority over grinding for the unlockable cars.”
- “Unfortunately, most mainstream survival genre games try to be realistic in terms of graphics and the grindy aspect of surviving—gathering, building, drinking, eating, etc.—leaving the story and setting, including the endgame, in a place that leaves a lot to be desired.”
music
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
40%
60%
The music in the game features a variety of real radio stations, providing an enjoyable and diverse soundtrack for players. While some users noted moments of silence that can be frustrating, many appreciate the value and quantity of music available for the price. Overall, the music enhances the gaming experience, despite occasional drawbacks.
- “Real radios with proper music!”
- “I bought the game myself and I have to admit ... for little money, a lot of music :)”
- “Music goes silent, turn around, car is gone, looking for it for half an hour, give up.”
- “Sound and music are lacking.”
- “I bought the game myself and I have to admit... for little money, there's a lot of music.”
humor
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is generally well-received, with players finding the gameplay entertaining and the developers' sense of humor evident. Many anticipate that the comedic elements will improve as the game develops, with specific instances of humor, such as unexpected character mishaps, adding to the overall enjoyment.
- “So far the gameplay is very funny but still manages to be entertaining.”
- “It looks like the devs have a sense of humor :D I'm excited to see what the development will bring.”
- “I once had it happen while I was driving across a bridge and my character fell asleep at the wheel and drove off the bridge to his death, which I thought was funny.”
atmosphere
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
33%
The atmosphere of the game is characterized by a blend of friendly exploration and a sense of loneliness, which some players find enhances the overall experience. Supporters of the game are likely to appreciate this unique ambiance.
- “The map provides a friendly amount of exploration and atmosphere; do buy if you are an EA supporter like myself!”
- “The game feels lonely, which could enhance the atmosphere.”
- “The game feels lonely, which could add to the atmosphere, though.”
monetization
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The monetization strategy of the game has been criticized for resembling other cash grab titles, suggesting a lack of originality and a focus on profit over player experience.
- “It's too similar to the many cash-grabby titles polluting the store.”
- “The monetization strategy feels exploitative and detracts from the overall experience.”
- “I feel pressured to spend money to enjoy the game fully, which is frustrating.”
emotional
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players express a deep emotional connection to the game, lamenting its likely unfinished state while recognizing it as one of the best zombie/survival experiences they've encountered, despite its flaws.
- “It is heartbreaking that this game is probably never going to be finished, given that it is one of the best overall zombie/survival-type games I have ever played, despite the jank.”