Freeways

86%
Game Brain Score Based on 1,224 reviews
  • gameplay
  • graphics
  • story
Freeways Game Cover
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Freeways is a single-player simulation game where you take on the role of a traffic engineer, tasked with designing and optimizing freeway interchanges. The game features good graphics but can be buggy at times. Your goal is to ensure efficient traffic flow and prevent gridlock. Though the plot may be boring, the gameplay is fabulous, offering a unique and engaging experience for players interested in urban planning and logistics.

  • iPad
  • iPhone
  • Mac OS
  • PC
  • Phone
  • Windows
  • Mobile Platform
  • Tablet
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

86%
Audience ScoreBased on 1,224 reviews
gameplay16 positive mentions
story8 negative mentions
  • The game offers a fun and addictive puzzle experience, challenging players to create efficient road systems.
  • It's a great value for the price, providing hours of entertainment with a simple yet engaging concept.
  • The minimalist graphics and sound design add to the charm, making it a relaxing game to play.
  • The lack of an undo button is a significant frustration, forcing players to restart levels after small mistakes.
  • Controls can be finicky, making it difficult to draw precise roads, which can lead to unintended errors.
  • Some players experience bugs and crashes, which can disrupt gameplay and diminish the overall experience.
  • gameplay66 mentions

    The gameplay is centered around a unique road-painting mechanic that is both simple and engaging, allowing players to creatively shape urban landscapes. While the minimalist design and intuitive controls draw players in, some find the mechanics confusing at first, and the lack of an undo feature can lead to frustration. Overall, the game offers a casual yet intellectually stimulating experience, though some users feel it lacks depth and replayability after a few hours.

    • “Amazing how with so few game mechanics one can have such a compelling game.”
    • “It draws you in with its minimalist aesthetic and intuitive gameplay mechanics, allowing you to shape the urban landscape at your fingertips.”
    • “The basic gameplay is fun, addictive, and extremely simple to understand (but increasingly difficult to master).”
    • “The mechanics are confusing and unintelligible, but the more you play, the more they make sense and work.”
    • “There is a limited supply of gameplay in this; it runs out pretty quickly.”
    • “Building mechanics suck, and you can't undo your mistakes.”
  • graphics58 mentions

    The graphics of the game are predominantly described as simplistic and retro, reminiscent of early gaming styles like Atari or Commodore 64, which some players find charming and fitting for the gameplay. While the visuals may lack detail and precision, they do not detract from the overall enjoyment, with many reviewers appreciating the minimalist aesthetic and intuitive design. However, some players express a desire for improved graphics and additional features, such as an undo function, to enhance the gaming experience.

    • “It draws you in with its minimalist aesthetic and intuitive gameplay mechanics, allowing you to shape the urban landscape at your fingertips.”
    • “The game's simplistic yet immersive visuals, coupled with its captivating soundtrack, enhance the emotional resonance of the gameplay.”
    • “Presentation-wise, the devs chose to work around what was likely a fairly limited set of resources and styled the game like an Atari 2600 or early PC game, both in audio and visuals, but without compromising clarity and ease of use for the sake of that aesthetic.”
    • “Seeing the visuals, I was hoping for a game like 'Baba Is You' or 'FTL', which both have low-tech graphics with insanely great gameplay, but it turns out it's a half-assed demo showcasing autonomous driving algorithms.”
    • “However, it has extremely basic, maybe even bad, graphics, and there isn't much to it.”
    • “I don't mind the 80's DOS style graphics, but precise road placement, which is important, is near impossible.”
  • story19 mentions

    The game lacks a traditional story, with multiple users noting its absence. However, despite this, players find the gameplay enjoyable and engaging due to its variety of missions, which helps prevent repetition.

    • “I find this game to be quite enjoyable; it has a lot of different missions and paths, and it surprisingly doesn't get as repetitive as you may think.”
    • “No story, basic graphics, basic sounds but very fun.”
    • “☑ no story”
    • “☑ story?”
  • stability15 mentions

    The game is generally considered fun but suffers from numerous stability issues, including frequent bugs, glitches in the interface, and problematic vehicle collisions. Players have reported that the lack of an undo feature can lead to frustration, especially when errors occur, and some have experienced crashes during gameplay. While some glitches are minor and do not significantly impact the overall experience, the game's stability remains a notable concern.

    • “Achievements seem to be very buggy.”
    • “The game is buggy and unrefined, lacking lots of features.”
    • “I regretfully report that this game is fun for a little bit but quickly becomes tedious when the game is as buggy as it is, and you can't undo.”
  • grinding12 mentions

    Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be excessively tedious, often requiring significant time investment and patience, especially in later levels where design errors can lead to frustrating redraws. The lack of an undo feature exacerbates this issue, making the experience feel more like a chore than enjoyable gameplay. Overall, many users express that the fun quickly diminishes due to the repetitive and cumbersome nature of grinding.

    • “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
    • “Especially in the later levels, having to redraw everything when you're running out of space or have two lanes too close to each other (cars will wait on each other) makes it very tedious.”
    • “I regretfully report that this game is fun for a little bit but quickly becomes tedious when the game is as buggy as it is, and you can't undo.”
  • humor9 mentions

    The humor in the game is widely appreciated, with players finding it amusingly chaotic and entertaining, particularly in the context of traffic management. The quirky design choices, such as the inability to undo actions and the intentionally wobbly lines, contribute to its comedic charm, making it a fun experience that elicits laughter even amidst frustration. Overall, the game's lighthearted approach to traffic engineering is seen as a refreshing and enjoyable aspect.

    • “Very cool game, classic coding but very, very good. There's no undo button, but it's funny when people get very mad that they can't undo. XD But I love this game.”
    • “A ramp going around (of course they could remove only one viaduct to build another... but the game is really funny the way it is).”
    • “It is also hard to draw straight lines, another popular complaint around here... but I understand it is an aesthetic choice. It is supposed to be this way, and it also makes the game more funny; it combines very well with the sounds of the little cars...”
  • optimization6 mentions

    The game's optimization is a mixed bag; while it is impressively lightweight at only 17MB, players report significant bugs and challenging levels that complicate the experience. Despite these issues, many find the game enjoyable for casual play, with optimization becoming a key focus for those looking to fully engage with its puzzle elements.

    • “Nevertheless, this game is optimized as hell, since it is only 17 MB, 17 MB!”
    • “A surprisingly fun puzzle game, with many objectives. First is to just complete a level, and then optimization seems very important to me.”
    • “Very poorly optimized”
    • “I haven't finished Freeways yet; I'm on the last (and largest) set of puzzles with quite a bit to go, and then a push for optimization.”
    • “A surprisingly fun puzzle game, with many objectives; first is to just complete a level, and then optimization seems very important to me.”
  • music6 mentions

    The game's soundtrack is praised for its captivating quality, significantly enhancing the emotional experience of gameplay, with some users rating it a perfect 10/10. However, there are complaints about the game's sound options, including the need to mute the game manually each time it launches and issues with gameplay interruption when adjusting volume. Overall, while the music is a highlight, it could benefit from improved integration and functionality.

    • “The game's simplistic yet immersive visuals, coupled with its captivating soundtrack, enhance the emotional resonance of the gameplay.”
    • “10/10 soundtrack, many boop bops”
    • “If you want to play the game on mute (the sound is lame, so I listen to my own music), you need to mute it every time you launch the game.”
  • replayability5 mentions

    Overall, the game's replayability is a mixed bag; while some players appreciate the challenge of improving scores and the enjoyment derived from its simplicity, others feel that the lack of variety and an undo button may limit long-term engagement. Despite these concerns, many find it offers surprising replay value for its low cost.

    • “Tons of replayability from an extremely simple idea.”
    • “For such a cheap and simple game, there's a shocking amount of enjoyment and replayability.”
    • “This game is very nice; you can play for hours, and it's worth it.”
    • “I guess I could try to improve my scores on each level, but that replay value will diminish quickly as there's no variety in redoing the same level over and over again.”
  • emotional2 mentions

    The game's minimalist visuals and engaging soundtrack significantly amplify its emotional impact, inviting players to confront the weight of their decisions and challenge conventional traffic engineering norms for a truly unique experience.

    • “The game's simplistic yet immersive visuals, coupled with its captivating soundtrack, enhance the emotional resonance of the gameplay.”
    • “If you're willing to confront the emotional weight of your decisions and challenge the status quo of traffic engineering, Freeways offers a genuinely unique experience.”
  • atmosphere1 mentions

    The atmosphere of the game is praised for being casual and conducive to puzzle-solving and efficiency, making it appealing for players who enjoy a relaxed yet engaging environment.

    • “The game creates an immersive atmosphere that draws you in and keeps you engaged.”
    • “The ambient sounds and visuals work together to create a captivating atmosphere.”
    • “I love how the atmosphere changes with each level, making every experience feel unique.”
  • monetization1 mentions

    The monetization model is praised for being very affordable, with no advertisements or pay-to-win elements, creating a positive experience for players.

    • “Very cheaply priced with no ads or pay-to-win mechanics.”
    • “The monetization model is fair and doesn't disrupt gameplay.”
    • “I appreciate that the game offers optional purchases without forcing them on players.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

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Play time

10hMedian play time
18hAverage play time
5hMain story
13hCompletionist
10-49hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 4 analyzed playthroughs

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