My Summer Car

About

My Summer Car is a single player open world racing game with a drama theme. It was developed by _Effie_ and was released on January 8, 2025. It received very positive reviews from players.

In My Summer Car, you assemble and maintain a 1990's Finnish countryside car, while managing your character's physical needs. Once your car is operational, participate in various activities, upgrade it with ordered parts, or tune it for races. With multiple vehicles available, the game offers a rich and detailed car customization and care experience.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

+30

Skip User Reviews

93%

Audience ScoreBased on 54,748 reviews

gameplay695 positive mentions

stability751 negative mentions

gameplay
2,841 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
24%
71%
5%
The gameplay of *My Summer Car* is characterized by its intricate and detailed car-building mechanics, which require players to have or acquire a solid understanding of automotive principles. While the game offers a unique blend of survival elements and humor, it is often criticized for its steep learning curve, lack of tutorials, and frustrating mechanics that can lead to significant player setbacks. Despite these challenges, many players find the experience rewarding and engaging, particularly if they enjoy a mix of simulation and open-world exploration.
- “The game can be confusing, frustrating and genuinely will make you punch your monitor but after you learn the mechanics and physics it is so fun.”
- “Very fun and enticing gameplay! The mechanics are quite detailed and fun even on multiple playthroughs and the story is very flexible depending on the way you play.”
- “Every nut, bolt, and gasket matters, making you feel like a true mechanic. It perfectly balances the challenging gameplay with light-hearted, often hilarious moments that keep you entertained.”
- “Just absolutely terrible gameplay design and/or bugs that have not been addressed.”
- “Game play is horrendous, plenty of bugs and the car building mechanics are incorrect, forget anything you know about building an engine in real life as the engine is put together in wrong order in this game.”
- “Controls are just awful, the lack of guidance is unforgivable, and gameplay is full of weird quirks/bugs.”
humor
1,563 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
99%
1%
The humor in "My Summer Car" is a standout feature, characterized by its quirky, dark, and often absurd comedic elements that resonate particularly well with those familiar with Finnish culture. Players frequently mention the game's ability to blend challenging gameplay with hilarious moments, from unexpected glitches to outrageous character interactions, creating a uniquely entertaining experience. However, some critiques point out that the humor can be crude or juvenile, which may not appeal to everyone, and the game's frustrating mechanics can sometimes overshadow its comedic charm.
- “Moreover, the humor in My Summer Car is on point.”
- “It perfectly balances the challenging gameplay with light-hearted, often hilarious moments that keep you entertained.”
- “The game's tongue-in-cheek humor adds to its charm, making even the most mundane tasks feel entertaining and engaging.”
- “Checking the guides online are all just filled with unfunny memes and in-jokes.”
- “However, it is unfunny when the AI decides to pop around a corner and smash into you head-on at 80 km/h.”
- “Glitched game physics is not funny.”
graphics
1,073 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
23%
58%
19%
The graphics of "My Summer Car" are widely regarded as outdated and simplistic, often compared to those of early console games like the PS1 or PS2. While many players find the visuals charming and fitting for the game's nostalgic 1990s Finnish setting, others criticize them as poor and in need of improvement. Overall, the consensus is that while the graphics may not be impressive, they do not detract significantly from the engaging gameplay and detailed car-building mechanics that define the experience.
- “The graphics in my summer car are deliberately simple and slightly rough around the edges, which adds to its charm.”
- “The game embraces a retro aesthetic, with low-poly models and a muted color palette that perfectly captures the rural 1990s setting.”
- “While the graphics may not be cutting-edge, the attention to detail in the surroundings and the realistic day-night cycle create an immersive atmosphere.”
- “Terrible graphics, poor controls and no help to get started.”
- “The graphics are horrible, no one speaks English, most text isn't translated, the radio doesn't have English subtitles, I can't get the 200 kph achievement to save my life, the car will not stop pulling to the left, and the wasps are driving me insane.”
- “The graphics look a bit PS2-ish and old at first glance, but playing the game that is quickly forgotten, as even visually it makes up for that with a good attention to detail, as well as the way it kind of fits the faux-retro vibe and 90s theme.”
story
823 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
16%
77%
7%
The story aspect of "My Summer Car" is largely described as minimal or non-linear, with many players noting that it lacks a traditional narrative structure. Instead, the game offers a sandbox experience where players create their own stories through various tasks and interactions in a rural Finnish setting, often focusing on car building and survival mechanics. While some players appreciate the humor and quirky character interactions, others find the lack of a cohesive storyline disappointing, leading to mixed feelings about the overall narrative experience.
- “The story is amazing and the game itself is outstanding, especially because it was made by one developer, and I am really impressed on how the progress of the game development has been going.”
- “The way this game goes from a joke to a heart-wrenching story is insane.”
- “This game really does mix storyline, mechanics, and survival all in one due to the stats that you have to keep track of, the mechanics of building the car, and even up to the end of the story.”
- “I can't say much about the game past the second week and I still haven't experienced much of the story content involving many of the characters. I only just got the Satsuma inspected for the first time about 140 hours in (I spent a lot of time getting my saves wiped on permadeath, dying in such comical ways I couldn't even be mad).”
- “This game sucks, no story behind it, nothing to do, don't buy it.”
- “The missions for getting money are also long, tedious and boring, pumping septic tanks on the other side of the map, delivering wood you manually chopped with a tractor to the other side of the map or picking up a drunk from the other side of the map and delivering him to his house; it's all just that could be spent having fun playing a different game.”
stability
765 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
2%
98%
The stability of the game is widely criticized, with players reporting numerous bugs and glitches that significantly hinder gameplay. Many users express frustration over game-breaking issues, such as parts disappearing, physics malfunctions, and the need to restart due to glitches. While some find the bugs add a humorous charm to the experience, the overall consensus is that the game remains too unstable and unpolished, especially after several years in early access.
- “Remarkably addicting, also relatively bug free when you look at other games of this caliber.”
- “The game runs great on any setting as long as you have an okay PC like I do.”
- “A barebone masterpiece, smooth and generally bug free. The barebone content is a grade, and the slightly outdated graphics and basic AI are easily overlooked due to the enjoyable focus on game mechanics.”
- “Legitimately broken and poorly executed. I don't know why all the reviews are looking past the horrible controls, poor performance, many glitches, and unfair design.”
- “After all these years, this game is still a frustrating, buggy mess and is still in early access.”
- “7 years and counting of early access and the game is still, 'try to build a car before a game-breaking bug occurs' - absolute buggy garbage of a game.”
grinding
527 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
1%
17%
82%
The grinding aspect of the game is widely described as tedious, slow, and often frustrating, requiring players to invest significant time and effort into tasks like building and maintaining a car. While some players find this grind rewarding and immersive, others feel it detracts from the overall enjoyment, leading to a mixed reception where the game's charm is overshadowed by its demanding nature. Overall, players suggest that a high tolerance for tedious gameplay is essential to appreciate the game's unique experience.
- “Just use mods if you are only playing it for the car and not the grinding.”
- “A bit grindy sometimes.”
- “One long, tedious grind.”
- “The game is beyond janky, beyond tedious, and a masochist's wet dream.”
- “This game is tedious misery.”
- “It's not a bad game, but holy shit are all the little tedious steps required to do anything annoying as fuck.”
music
423 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
16%
79%
5%
The music in "My Summer Car" is a mix of original tracks and Finnish songs that enhance the game's immersive experience, capturing the essence of rural Finland in the 1990s. Players appreciate the ability to import their own music, which adds a personal touch to the gameplay, although some find the in-game radio's limited selection repetitive. Overall, the soundtrack is described as catchy and fitting, contributing significantly to the game's atmosphere, despite some criticisms regarding its variety and the annoying nature of certain tracks.
- “Although I found this almost 10 years too late, this is the kind of game that comes as an experience. You can tell that whoever made this had the subject matter so close to his heart and really loved this. The small details are what makes this game, the music, the voice acting, the relationships of the NPCs with the player.”
- “The sound design, however, stands out, from the revving of the car engine you painstakingly assembled to the Finnish rock music blaring from the radio—every detail contributes to a sense of place and time.”
- “The music is also great and the game is overall very immersive and feels real.”
- “ There is no music in this game.”
- “There is no background music and you spend a lot of time driving down the same lengthy routes to carry out chores and shopping runs.”
- “The soundtrack in the background is super repetitive and annoying, zero tutorial on how to do anything.”
optimization
280 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
28%
45%
27%
The game's optimization has received significant criticism, with many players reporting poor performance, frequent frame rate drops, and numerous glitches, even on high-end PCs. While some users have found success using mods like the Modern Optimization Project to improve performance, the overall consensus is that the game is not well-optimized and requires further updates to enhance its stability and playability. Despite these issues, players still enjoy the game's unique mechanics and content, indicating a desire for improvements rather than a complete overhaul.
- “With the modern optimization plugin mod, I can run this on my laptop with a four-core Intel Pentium Silver with integrated graphics and 4 GB of RAM at an average of 14 FPS (still playable if you use the lowest graphics setting).”
- “The game is incredibly good, but it needs improvements such as performance so that you can play with higher FPS.”
- “As a result, the experience feels streamlined, optimized, and it excludes a lot of the fat and useless mechanics of a plurality of modern games.”
- “This game is poorly optimized and when I say poorly, a pile of dirt gets more FPS in this game. I have a decently good PC; I run GTA 5 online at 80 FPS, and when I walk up to the Satsuma, my FPS drops from 30 to 20. That is trash. Make your game actually playable; it feels like I wasted my money having to play this in 10-20 FPS when my PC's normal FPS range is 80-110. That's just sad; it's not even worth spending a penny on this.”
- “The lack of optimization and the FPS drops are terrible, making it impossible to play properly.”
- “Game is poorly optimized, and the more updates the game gets, the laggier it becomes.”
emotional
101 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect of the game is profoundly impactful, with many players expressing feelings of joy, frustration, and heartbreak throughout their experiences. The satisfaction of building and successfully starting a car is often contrasted with the pain of losing progress or facing unexpected failures, leading to genuine emotional responses, including tears. Overall, players describe the game as an emotional rollercoaster that fosters deep attachment and investment in its narrative and mechanics.
- “This is one of the very few games that actually made me feel real emotion for the events taking place in the game.”
- “I've never been so emotionally invested in a video game.”
- “It is an emotional roller coaster that keeps you moving forward no matter how many times it spits in your eye and kicks you in the ribs.”
atmosphere
99 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
57%
40%
3%
The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its immersive and nostalgic depiction of 1990s Finland, enhanced by realistic day-night cycles, ambient sounds, and attention to detail in the environment. Despite its low-quality graphics, players find the atmosphere to be unique and engaging, evoking a sense of connection and authenticity that resonates particularly with those familiar with the culture. Overall, the atmosphere is described as both beautiful and eerie, creating a compelling backdrop for the gameplay experience.
- “The cyclical nature of time, the shifting weather patterns, and the subtle changes in the ambient soundscape coalesce to create an atmosphere of genuine immersion and connection with the game world.”
- “While the graphics may not be cutting-edge, the attention to detail in the surroundings and the realistic day-night cycle create an immersive atmosphere.”
- “The atmosphere of the game feels like you actually traveled back in time to Finland in the 90s.”
- “While the graphics might not appeal to everyone with their intentionally dated, low-polygon style, they contribute to the game's nostalgic atmosphere.”
- “The jokes are in Finnish but you get the gist, the atmosphere is incredibly comfortable, and no other game allows you to booze cruise in a backwoods rally race while operating both a DIY restored Datsun Cherry and two separate swearing buttons.”
replayability
74 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
38%
58%
4%
The game is widely praised for its high replayability, with many users noting it as "infinitely replayable" due to its engaging gameplay, modding community, and unique challenges. Players appreciate the variety of experiences available, which encourages multiple playthroughs, although some mention a lack of content post-main objectives. Overall, the game's replay value is a significant highlight, making it a worthwhile investment for players.
- “The game’s modding community also adds to its replayability, offering various mods that enhance or radically change the gameplay experience.”
- “The replay value is great; my 140+ hours do not lie, I’ve played through 3-4 times!”
- “I watched this game develop into a masterpiece that deserves awards, and on top of all that, it is really replayable because of the nature of the game.”
- “This game would be a solid 8/10 for me, but the lack of things to do once you complete the main objective and the repetitiveness of the driving, map, and jobs make this game good, but it has no replayability value to it (which I guess is the point, but I'd like something else to do).”
- “Too many games today are pretty, but incredibly hollow when it comes to actual gameplay and replay value.”
- “The side jobs provide a replayable 'story' that helps you slowly turn your once simple pile of parts into a rally machine.”
monetization
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The monetization aspect of the game has drawn mixed reactions, with some players finding the in-game advertisements humorous, while others criticize the game for being in "early access" for over three years, suggesting it may be a cash grab. Players engage in various odd jobs to manage their finances, but the overall execution is seen as lacking, with complaints about the game's bare-bones quality and language issues.
- “That said, it's still in 'early access' for over 3 years, so it seems more and more like a cash grab.”
- “Meanwhile, you are juggling a bunch of odd jobs, delivering wood, making moonshine, even dropping off advertising leaflets, or helping your grandma with groceries so that you can feed yourself and pay your bills to keep everything running.”
- “I understand there is some humor to the game, and I did laugh a couple of times at some of the stuff happening, but I also had to laugh at the fact that this game is so bare bones, sloppy, and not even in English as their advertising video shows.”
character development
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The reviews highlight a strong appreciation for character design, indicating that it significantly enhances the overall gameplay experience. However, there is no specific mention of character development in terms of narrative or growth.