Heading Out

73%
Game Brain Score Based on 321 reviews
  • story
  • gameplay
  • music
Heading Out Game Cover
Heading Out is one of the most inventive games I've played all year, with plenty of replayability, great ideas, and an engaging story.
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"Heading Out" is an immersive driving game and visual novel that takes you on a journey of self-discovery down American highways. The game features a unique road trip each time based on your driver's motivations, decisions, and choices. With an eclectic soundtrack and varying systems, players must manage fuel consumption, car condition, and wanted level while meeting colorful characters along the way. The game emphasizes that it's not about the destination, but the journey.

  • Nintendo Switch
  • PC
  • Play​station 4
  • Play​station 5
  • Windows
  • Xbox One
  • Xbox Series X|S
  • Play​Station
  • Xbox
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

73%
Audience ScoreBased on 321 reviews
story64 positive mentions
grinding3 negative mentions
  • The game features a unique blend of narrative-driven gameplay and driving mechanics, providing an engaging experience that keeps players invested.
  • The art style is visually striking, reminiscent of comic book aesthetics, which enhances the overall atmosphere of the game.
  • The soundtrack is well-crafted, with original music that complements the driving and narrative elements, creating an immersive experience.
  • The driving mechanics can feel unresponsive and lack depth, leading to a less satisfying racing experience than expected.
  • The game is often criticized for its political commentary, which some players find intrusive and detracting from the overall enjoyment.
  • The gameplay can become repetitive, with limited driving segments and a reliance on resource management that may not appeal to all players.
  • story231 mentions

    The story in "Heading Out" is a central aspect that blends visual novel elements with a driving experience, offering players a chance to shape their character's backstory and navigate a narrative filled with unique encounters and mature themes. While many players appreciate the intriguing and stylized storytelling, some criticize its predictability and the lack of meaningful choices that impact the overall narrative. Overall, the game is seen as more of an interactive story than a traditional racing game, appealing primarily to those who prioritize narrative over gameplay mechanics.

    • “Great graphics, unique encounters on the road, mature themes from interesting radio DJs, and choice matters dilemmas make this a compelling story game.”
    • “I felt a wide variety of emotions playing this game and listening to its story about the people the Interstate Jackalope interacts with.”
    • “The story is captivating, and you can really familiarize yourself with the main character, which just makes it so much more pleasurable.”
    • “Long loading times, a nonexistent story, and very little in the complexity of racing or rogue-lite gameplay; it's not fun to play.”
    • “The story is meaningless.”
    • “Narratively, this game has nothing unique to say because its fill-in-the-blank style of creating your character's backstory makes you a bland self-insert, and it fails to make any story choices that truly impact the result, killing the visual novel perspective.”
  • gameplay114 mentions

    The gameplay of the game has received mixed reviews, with some players appreciating its unique blend of driving, narrative choices, and resource management, while others criticize it for being repetitive and lacking depth. Many noted that the driving mechanics can be frustrating, with poor controls and a simplistic gameplay loop that often feels more like a visual novel than a racing game. Overall, while the game offers an engaging story and aesthetic, its gameplay may not satisfy those looking for a more traditional or challenging driving experience.

    • “Road trip genre, combined with its nostalgic charm and engaging gameplay, makes it a standout title.”
    • “The gameplay loop has the player travel between cities on the overworld map, encountering cops, races, etc. along the way in the form of markers on the road.”
    • “A fun twist on the genre with a mix of different gameplay so it feels really refreshing switching between the map and then into the driver's seat.”
    • “Unfortunately, no amount of substories and various choices will save you from boring and repetitive gameplay.”
    • “Everything about this game was a dud; I couldn't handle how unfathomably uninspired (and boring) this gameplay/story was.”
    • “Advertised as a racing roguelike, but it's actually a visual novel with much less driving gameplay than expected.”
  • music108 mentions

    The music in the game has received widespread acclaim, with many reviewers praising its ability to enhance the gameplay experience and set the tone for races and narrative segments. While some players found the radio announcers annoying and noted a lack of diversity in the soundtrack, the overall consensus is that the original tracks are enjoyable and contribute significantly to the game's atmosphere. The combination of a strong soundtrack and engaging driving mechanics creates a memorable experience that resonates with players.

    • “Each character feels unique and each with their own neat stories, the driving is arcade-ish yet fun when the driving segments come up, and the soundtrack is absolutely on point and almost defines segments of the game for me.”
    • “The soundtrack is incredible and goes so well when you're racing strangers or outrunning police!”
    • “There's a brilliant thematic consistency in building on music (for races) and talk radio (for stories) so much, it really throws you into that road trip feeling.”
    • “The soundtrack is bad.”
    • “Main radio personalities are awful, music varies but doesn't have enough to get you through the entire game without listening to the same songs more than a few times.”
    • “It's just the music tracks interspersed with all-too-crisp-and-not-at-all-processed-like-a-radio-sounding audio segments by mostly zoomer DJs with almost nothing interesting or amusing to talk about.”
  • graphics72 mentions

    The graphics of the game are widely praised for their unique comic book art style, which effectively immerses players in a 1970s American road trip setting. While the visuals are striking and enhance the storytelling, some players noted that the lack of color can become monotonous, and there are occasional performance issues that detract from the overall experience. Overall, the aesthetic is considered a strong point, blending well with the game's narrative and soundtrack.

    • “Absolutely love the visuals and storyboard in this game!”
    • “The visuals instantly caught my attention and well, here I am now.”
    • “The art style reminded me of the Sin City movie, and I had a lot of fun with this one.”
    • “While I know the art style is probably important in some respects, I still would have preferred it to have color.”
    • “The aesthetics and soundtrack completely carry the game, because the racing itself is low speed, high drag on dull maps after the tutorial map.”
    • “It does not have hyper-realistic graphics, it does not have overwhelmingly complicated systems, but it reaches 40-45 fps and even those are not stable.”
  • replayability18 mentions

    The game offers a strong sense of replayability, driven by its branching narrative choices, diverse events, and the ability to explore different routes and character interactions. While some players found the generated races to lack depth, many appreciated the engaging story and the potential for varied experiences across multiple playthroughs. Overall, the combination of a compelling soundtrack and addictive gameplay loops contributes to its replay value, making it a worthwhile experience for players seeking variety.

    • “Each song sets the tone of the race or event you’re in well, and the branching narrative choices presented along the way make for great replay value.”
    • “I would recommend this game for the replay value, since each playthrough you can choose whatever route you like, resulting in different experiences along the way.”
    • “The roguelike nature of it, as well as the fact that the narrative changes based on the questions you answer at the beginning of each run, make it very replayable.”
    • “Just don't expect endless replay value.”
    • “Replayability is on hand to stretch out the lifespan, but I expect I’ll get more value out of the updates it gets.”
    • “The result is gripping, and there is an absolute ton of well-written scenarios to make that journey diverse, and add plenty of replayability.”
  • humor14 mentions

    The humor in the game is characterized by charismatic writing and engaging characters, with a mix of comedic moments, social commentary, and emotional depth. While many players appreciate the clever parodies and entertaining radio commentary, some find the humor hit-or-miss, particularly if they disagree with the game's political leanings. Overall, the humor adds a unique charm to the experience, enhancing the enjoyment of the journey through its quirky events and dialogues.

    • “The writing is fantastic, and the characters are charismatic and funny; the Woodstock '69 bit really got a good laugh out of me.”
    • “They provide a nice bit of humor and entertainment as they comment on some of your story choices or try to 'figure you out'.”
    • “The game shines most in the small events on the road and in the towns, from those that actually moved me to others that are funny parodies of famous works.”
  • optimization12 mentions

    The game's optimization has received mixed reviews, with some players noting significant performance issues and a lack of basic configuration options, which limits accessibility for lower-end hardware. While the art style is praised and stable performance is reported on higher settings, there are concerns about eye strain and inconsistent performance on handheld devices like the Steam Deck. Overall, many users feel that optimization fixes are needed to enhance the gameplay experience.

    • “The game could have been optimized for far lower-end hardware just to let modern iGPUs handle it, making the game far more accessible. Even an obvious resolution selection would have been nice.”
    • “Superb looking art style, very well realized, and solid stable performance.”
    • “Graphically interesting, good performance, and solid mechanics.”
    • “What really put me off is the total lack of optimization and basic configuration limitations this game has considering its lackluster gameplay when driving.”
    • “The game could have been optimized for far lower-end hardware just to let modern iGPUs handle it, so the game would have been far more accessible. Even an obvious resolution selection would have been nice.”
    • “However, the game needs some optimization fixes.”
  • atmosphere11 mentions

    The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its immersive qualities, with a unique art style and a solid soundtrack that enhance the overall experience. Many players appreciate the 1970s vibes and the black-and-white aesthetic, although some find it occasionally hinders gameplay clarity. While the atmosphere is compelling, opinions vary on how well it integrates with the gameplay, with some feeling that the focus on story detracts from the driving experience.

    • “Buy it if you want a racing game with a greater focus on story and atmosphere.”
    • “Excellent visual style, atmosphere, and soundtrack.”
    • “A persistent black-and-white filter sets a decent atmosphere that is further supported by a good, but not terribly diverse soundtrack.”
    • “While the black-and-white art style is quite important to the general atmosphere of the game and works well to support its overall presentation, it also occasionally makes it difficult to predict road hazards.”
    • “It was a dark, brooding, slow burn that was driven (no pun intended) by its atmosphere and the situations the protagonist got into.”
    • “This had the potential to be fun, but whatever point the developers were trying to make with the story got in the way of an actual gameplay loop, atmosphere, and concept.”
  • emotional10 mentions

    The game effectively evokes emotional responses through its heartfelt narrative and character interactions, allowing players to connect deeply with the story and their character's journey. While some aspects, like the character customization and questionnaire, may feel forced or misaligned with the game's format, the overall experience resonates with players, prompting personal reflection and emotional attachment. Ultimately, it successfully touches on sensitive topics, making it a memorable and wholesome experience.

    • “I appreciate this game for touching on sensitive topics of mental health and fear.”
    • “One of the scenes I experienced, having low focus and driving over one of the conversation blips, showed my version of Jackie so tired, so stressed, and so emotional behind the wheel.”
    • “It also made me think about some personal stuff, and I honestly got emotional.”
  • grinding4 mentions

    Players find the grinding in the game to be excessively tedious and unenjoyable, often requiring a significant time investment that feels more like a second job than a leisure activity. While some may appreciate the slower pace for relaxation, many feel that the repetitive nature of the gameplay detracts from the overall experience.

    • “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
    • “Every aspect of this game is tedious, unenjoyable, and separated by loading screens.”
    • “I highly suggest this game for people who want to relax a bit, but playing farming sim is just a bit too boring.”
  • stability3 mentions

    Overall, players report that while the game has some minor glitches, such as audio issues and visual pop-ins, it remains stable without any major crashes. Most users have had a positive experience despite these minor stability concerns.

    • “While I did not experience any crashes or major glitches during my just under six-hour playthrough, I did experience some minor issues such as audio crackling and visual oddities such as fairly awful pop-in and distorted shadows.”
    • “As well as some minor glitches like audio cutting out.”
    • “There's a few glitches in the game; however, I had an amazing time with it.”
  • character development2 mentions

    Character development in the game is criticized for feeling forced and disjointed, particularly due to the awkward implementation of a questionnaire that aims to personalize the experience but instead detracts from immersion. While some minor character interactions are well-crafted and engaging, the most compelling development comes from Joy, who grapples with her abusive marriage, highlighting the potential for deeper storytelling that the game often misses. Overall, the approach to character customization and backstory feels misaligned with the game's genre, leading to a less impactful narrative experience.

    • “Joy, on the other hand, is struggling with getting away from an abusive marriage, and listening to her trying to understand her shifting views of everything is the most interesting character development in the game.”
    • “The minor characterizations we get in roadside events, where you have 2-4 options for a given situation, lead to pre-written responses and actions that create a charismatic, well-written character for the small amount of time we spend with them.”
    • “The character design feels weird and largely non-cohesive. While the idea of personalizing the character is interesting, it would have been better executed in a more immersive way, similar to games like Silent Hill 3 or Fallout: New Vegas. The game explicitly asks for personal details at the start of every act, which feels forced and corny, rather than organically developing the character's backstory. This aspect could have been improved by having a more subtle integration of character customization, rather than a questionnaire that feels like a settings menu.”
    • “The customization of the character seems to be misunderstood. In games where character customization exists, it serves a purpose, but here it feels hollow and pointless. The attempt to create emotional connections through personal questions feels like a clear risk that doesn't pay off, leading to confusion about the game's direction. It seems like the development team was trying to reinvent the wheel without fully understanding the mechanics of character development in other successful games.”
    • “While there are minor characterizations in roadside events, the overall character development feels lacking. The pre-written responses and actions, although charismatic, do not compensate for the absence of a deeper, more meaningful character arc. The game could have benefited from a more traditional approach to character development, rather than relying on forced personal questions that detract from the experience.”
  • monetization1 mentions

    The monetization aspect of the game has led to disappointment among users, as many expected a dynamic driving experience but instead encountered a resource management visual novel with minimal driving elements. While the atmosphere is appreciated, the lack of engaging gameplay and upgrades has left players feeling bored and misled.

    • “The monetization in this game feels exploitative, with constant prompts to spend real money for in-game advantages that disrupt the overall experience.”
    • “I was disappointed to find that the game heavily relies on microtransactions, making it difficult to progress without spending extra cash.”
    • “The paywall is frustrating; it feels like the developers prioritized profit over player enjoyment, which really detracts from the fun.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

65% average critic score

Buy Heading Out

Play time

4hMedian play time
3hAverage play time
2-4hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 3 analyzed playthroughs

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