Drive 4 Survival
- October 15, 2020
- M3M Games
- 6h median play time
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.
Reviews
- The game has a lot of potential and offers a unique blend of survival mechanics with vehicle gameplay.
- The developers are responsive to community feedback and have shown commitment to improving the game.
- The driving mechanics and the inclusion of a variety of enemies create an engaging experience.
- The game feels unfinished and has numerous bugs, leading to a frustrating experience.
- There has been a lack of updates and communication from the developers, raising concerns about the game's future.
- The inventory system is clunky and can hinder gameplay, making it difficult to manage resources effectively.
- gameplay27 mentions
- 22 % positive mentions
- 67 % neutral mentions
- 11 % negative mentions
The gameplay is seen as having significant potential but currently feels underdeveloped, with many mechanics still needing refinement and clearer instructions. While the core loop of looting, exploring, and base-building is enjoyable and reminiscent of other survival games, players note issues with buggy mechanics and frustrating driving controls. Overall, the game offers a solid foundation with entertaining elements, but it requires further updates and polish to reach its full potential.
“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.”
- graphics26 mentions
- 19 % positive mentions
- 69 % neutral mentions
- 12 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game have received mixed reviews, with some players appreciating the charming, simplistic style reminiscent of titles like "The Long Dark," while others criticize the lack of optimization and overall visual complexity. Many noted performance issues, including significant FPS drops even on capable hardware, and some likened the graphics to those of lower-quality games, suggesting they may improve in future updates. Overall, the visuals are seen as a polarizing aspect, appealing to some for their consistency and charm, but disappointing others who expect more polish and detail.
“I liked the graphics.”
“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.”
“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.”
- story17 mentions
- 18 % positive mentions
- 65 % neutral mentions
- 18 % negative mentions
The game's story aspect is largely criticized for its lack of depth and engagement, with many players expressing a desire for more structured quests and narrative elements beyond basic survival mechanics. While some appreciate the open-world and sandbox elements, they feel that the absence of a compelling storyline or objectives detracts from the overall experience. Players hope for future updates to enhance the lore and storytelling, making the game more immersive and meaningful.
“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 I 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 the endgame (why do I bother at all?), in a place that leaves a lot to be desired.”
“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.”
- stability8 mentions
- 38 % positive mentions
- -25 % neutral mentions
- 88 % negative mentions
The game's stability is notably poor, with numerous bugs, glitches, and performance issues such as stuttering and freezing during gameplay. While some players find the game runs well overall, many report frustrating mechanics and incomplete features that hinder the experience. Overall, it appears to be an alpha version that requires significant improvements to achieve a stable and polished state.
“The game runs great, and I'm looking forward to what the developers 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 interruptions.”
“Buggy out the wazoo and mildly frustrating to understand at first.”
“Basic mechanics are still buggy and underdeveloped.”
“Bare bones buggy alpha version of a game.”
- optimization7 mentions
- 14 % positive mentions
- 29 % neutral mentions
- 57 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's optimization is a mixed bag; while some users report good performance, many others experience significant issues such as frequent FPS drops, heavy stuttering, and various bugs, indicating a need for substantial polish and improvement.
“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.”
- grinding6 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be excessive and often tedious, particularly in unlocking unique cars and gathering items for NPC factions. The lack of engaging objectives or a compelling story exacerbates the grind, making exploration feel less rewarding. While some appreciate the variety in quests, many feel that the overall experience is hindered by the repetitive nature of grinding for resources and upgrades.
“There is currently no car customization, and unlocking more unique cars in the off-road variant 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 feels secondary to grinding for unlockable cars.”
“Unfortunately, most mainstream survival genre games focus on realistic graphics and a grindy survival aspect—gathering, building, drinking, eating, etc.—which leaves the story and endgame feeling lacking.”
- humor4 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is generally well-received, with players finding the gameplay entertaining and the developers displaying a good sense of humor. Many look forward to future updates, hoping the comedic elements will continue to improve, as evidenced by amusing in-game scenarios like characters falling asleep at the wheel.
“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.”
- music3 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- -33 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The music in the game is noted for its real radio experience, providing a diverse selection of tracks that enhance the gameplay. However, some players have expressed frustration with moments of silence and the absence of music during certain scenarios. Overall, the value for the amount of music included is positively highlighted.
“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.”
“Real radios with proper music!”
“I bought the game myself and I have to admit... for little money, a lot of music :)”
- atmosphere3 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is characterized by a balance of friendly exploration and a sense of loneliness, which some players find enhances the overall experience. Supporters of the game appreciate its immersive qualities, making it a worthwhile purchase.
“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; that could add to the atmosphere, though.”
- emotional1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
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.”
- monetization1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
The monetization strategy of the game has been criticized for resembling that of numerous 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 model feels exploitative and detracts from the overall experience.”
“I feel pressured to spend money to enjoy the game fully, which ruins the fun.”