Pacific Drive

About

"Pacific Drive" is a survival-adventure game set in a surreal, anomaly-filled Pacific Northwest. Players must navigate this dangerous world using only their car as a companion. The game is a reimagining of the region, filled with mysterious events and challenges to overcome. Your goal is to explore, discover, and ultimately survive in this strange and beautiful world.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

86%

Audience ScoreBased on 11,863 reviews

story1.3k positive mentions

optimization208 negative mentions

The atmospheric music and sound design significantly enhance the game's eerie setting, creating an immersive experience.
The gameplay loop of scavenging and upgrading vehicles is engaging and addictive, providing a satisfying sense of progression.
The game's unique art style and visuals effectively capture the post-apocalyptic landscape, contributing to a captivating atmosphere.

The gameplay can become repetitive and grindy, particularly in the mid to late game, leading to a lack of motivation to continue.
The game suffers from significant performance issues and bugs, impacting the overall experience and enjoyment.
The character development is inconsistent, with players feeling less invested in the characters as the game progresses.

story
4,274 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
31%
65%
4%
The story of *Pacific Drive* is a blend of atmospheric storytelling and survival mechanics, primarily conveyed through radio dialogues and environmental lore. While many players find the narrative engaging and emotionally resonant, particularly in its early stages, some criticize the pacing and abruptness of the ending, feeling it lacks depth and closure. Overall, the game offers a unique experience that intertwines driving, resource management, and a mysterious plot, though it may not satisfy those seeking a deeply intricate storyline.
- “The story, the soundtrack, the ambience, atmosphere.”
- “The storyline is absolutely fabulous, although it can sometimes be a bit tedious to gather enough materials.”
- “The story is engaging and certainly had me hooked until I rage quit and uninstalled.”
- “As far as story goes, it was honestly not the best.”
- “I feel unsatisfied when I finish the shockingly short story, and don't feel very motivated to play after.”
- “The story just stops.”
gameplay
2,949 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
35%
58%
7%
The gameplay of *Pacific Drive* is characterized by a unique blend of driving mechanics, survival elements, and resource management, where players must navigate a hazardous environment while maintaining and upgrading their vehicle. While the core gameplay loop of scavenging for materials and upgrading the car is engaging and addictive, many players note that it can become repetitive over time, particularly in the mid to late game. The game offers extensive customization options for gameplay settings, allowing players to tailor their experience, but some mechanics are poorly explained, leading to confusion and frustration. Overall, the game is praised for its atmosphere, visuals, and innovative mechanics, though it may not appeal to everyone due to its grindy nature and lack of mid-mission saving.
- “The gameplay loop is incredibly satisfying, making you eager to gather upgrade resources.”
- “The core gameplay loop is fun and you get a good bang for your buck in terms of playtime.”
- “The gameplay loop of venturing out into an unknown, hostile world and coming home to tinker in the garage just works.”
- “The gameplay is grindingly boring.”
- “The gameplay loop is so repetitive that it becomes boring after just a few hours and on top of that you can't save mid-game.”
- “The gameplay loop of going on a mission->loot stuff->come back->upgrade your gear->go out again got me hooked for 50+ hours until i finished the story.”
music
1,309 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
49%
49%
3%
The music in "Pacific Drive" has received widespread acclaim for its atmospheric and immersive qualities, effectively enhancing the game's eerie setting. Players appreciate the ability to add their own music to the in-game radio, although many express a desire for a larger selection of built-in tracks, as the existing songs can become repetitive over time. Overall, the soundtrack is considered a standout feature, contributing significantly to the game's unique vibe and emotional depth.
- “The music quality was automatically and fittingly adjusted to account for the in-game equipment it was being played back on, and I just love the way it was muffled in your vehicle when you were outside of it.”
- “The soundtrack is amazing, and includes a lot of indie artists from the Pacific Northwest, which really adds to the experience.”
- “The eerie atmosphere, complemented by hauntingly beautiful radio music, immerses you in its post-apocalyptic world.”
- “The music selection on the radio is very limited, with each channel on the radio not actually being a channel, but just a way of changing the currently-playing song.”
- “The radio soundtrack hasn't been released yet, which is sad because it is a bop.”
- “The music is so incredibly well suited to the atmosphere of the game, but unfortunately, the soundtrack is incredibly short in run time, and you'll find yourself listening to the same radio tracks multiple times in a run.”
atmosphere
1,303 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
68%
31%
1%
The atmosphere in "Pacific Drive" is widely praised for its immersive and captivating qualities, blending eerie and beautiful elements that evoke a sense of tension and wonder. Players appreciate the game's haunting soundtrack, atmospheric sound design, and the unique setting of the Pacific Northwest, which together create a rich, engaging experience that keeps them on edge while exploring the mysterious exclusion zone. Despite some critiques regarding gameplay repetitiveness, the overall consensus highlights the game's exceptional ability to draw players into its atmospheric world.
- “The atmosphere in this game is absolutely wonderfully calm, even with the hazards.”
- “The atmosphere is unlike any other game I've played; it's haunting and eerie at first, but as you learn about the anomalies and the region alongside making additions to your car, it turns into something a lot more beautiful.”
- “The atmosphere is fantastic, and at its core, the game is about exploration, discovery, and planning for disaster.”
- “For a game that focuses so heavily on the visual experience to create an atmosphere, this is a huge failing.”
- “The narration and atmosphere (which was the main reason why I bought the game) is non-existent.”
- “However, after you get used to the atmosphere and quests, this game becomes a grind with little variation.”
graphics
1,016 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
47%
4%
The graphics of "Pacific Drive" have received a mixed reception, with many praising its unique art style and atmospheric visuals that evoke a nostalgic 80s aesthetic. While the game features stunning environments and effective use of lighting, performance issues and optimization challenges have been frequently noted, leading to inconsistent frame rates even on high-end systems. Overall, the visuals are considered beautiful and immersive, but players often find themselves needing to adjust settings to achieve smoother gameplay.
- “One thing I like about this game is that there are moments where you just have to take in the incredibly beautiful view and aesthetic. There are moments where you just chill and have a relaxing drive, and then there are moments where you almost shit your pants because you nearly died in an anomaly of a storm that raged towards you when you least expected it.”
- “The graphics are amazing, making the post-apocalyptic setting feel very real.”
- “The visuals beautifully capture the desolate landscape.”
- “Graphics is like a cheap game on Unity, but requirements like full-featured Unreal Engine.”
- “Holy s**t is this game poorly optimized, there is no way in hell that this game with its PS2-like art style should be running this poorly.”
- “The graphics are terrible, like something out of the 90's.”
optimization
734 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
14%
57%
28%
The game's optimization has received widespread criticism, with many players reporting severe performance issues, including frequent frame rate drops, stuttering, and overall poor performance even on high-end systems. While some users have managed to achieve smoother gameplay by adjusting settings, such as lowering shadow quality, the general consensus is that the game requires significant optimization improvements to be enjoyable, particularly on lower-end hardware and the Steam Deck. Despite its engaging gameplay and visuals, the optimization shortcomings hinder the overall experience, leading many to recommend waiting for patches before purchasing.
- “In terms of performance, the game ran smoothly for me on high settings.”
- “Some people did have some complaints in the beginning about optimization, but I had nothing but a smooth experience on both a 3070 and later a 4070 Super.”
- “Performance is decent for me on 1080p.”
- “The game is riddled with bugs and suffers from terrible performance, struggling to hit 25 fps on the Steam Deck—making its 'Steam Deck Verified' label seem like a blatant falsehood.”
- “Terrible optimization, unplayable.”
- “I can't recommend this game because of its terrible optimization.”
grinding
520 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
1%
4%
95%
The grinding aspect of "Pacific Drive" has received mixed feedback from players. While some find the resource gathering and vehicle maintenance engaging and rewarding, many others describe it as tedious and overly repetitive, particularly in the late game where the grind for upgrades can feel excessive and unfulfilling. Players appreciate the game's atmosphere and mechanics but often express frustration with the time-consuming nature of the gameplay loop, suggesting that it may not appeal to those who dislike grind-heavy experiences.
- “Crafting isn't too tedious, and looting resources isn't very involved - mostly just scrapping something or searching a chest for materials.”
- “Gameplay loop is solid and not too grindy.”
- “Looting is not tedious, but can be repetitive (use the 't' shortcut to take everything, and remaining stacks with space).”
- “The gameplay loop is grindingly boring.”
- “The main gameplay loop of entering zones and collecting resources to improve your vehicle and base is at best tedious.”
- “The constant start/stop with collecting materials became tedious and boring.”
humor
165 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
99%
2%
The humor in the game is widely praised for its quirky and engaging nature, blending well with the gameplay and story elements. Players appreciate the funny character interactions, humorous logbook entries, and the amusing quirks that their cars develop, which add a lighthearted touch to the otherwise tense atmosphere. Overall, the game successfully balances humor with emotional depth, creating memorable and entertaining moments throughout the experience.
- “A story with emotional maturity, fantastic humor, gameplay that tickles my inner loot gremlin with scrap and upgrade tendencies, and an experience with fully customizable parameters to tune the game exactly how you like it. I genuinely cannot think of a negative trait to assign to this game; it is absolutely charming and one of my favorite entries in the 'roadside picnic' inspired games.”
- “Even through all the chaos, there's a good amount of humor built into the design and story of the game that I found myself chuckling at a few times throughout my time driving around frantically.”
- “The humor of the game is hilarious with the logs about anomalies and how the car makes you obsessed with it.”
- “Not a funny game, not funny at all.”
- “The humor fell flat and felt forced throughout.”
- “I expected more laughs, but the jokes just didn't land.”
stability
161 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
11%
89%
The game's stability has been widely criticized, with numerous players reporting a variety of bugs and glitches that can disrupt gameplay, including physics issues, inventory problems, and occasional crashes. While some users have noted that these issues are not always game-breaking, the overall consensus is that the game feels unfinished and requires significant polish to improve the experience. Despite the fun mechanics and engaging gameplay, many reviewers caution potential players about the game's current instability and recommend waiting for further updates.
- “Probably the most complete bug-free new release I've played in years.”
- “Im happy to say I have had a really fun, quirky, reasonably bug-free adventure so far.”
- “Game looks and runs great.”
- “The game is very buggy, and often the controls simply do not work.”
- “Buggy, unstable mess of a game.”
- “It's a buggy looting game, where you listen to guys fight and blaspheme, while trying to get an idea of what to do next, while using a car to hold your loot.”
emotional
121 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
99%
2%
The emotional aspect of the game is widely praised, with players expressing deep connections to the narrative and characters, particularly the bond formed with the car. Many reviews highlight the game's ability to evoke a range of feelings, from joy to sadness, often culminating in heartfelt moments that resonate long after gameplay. While some critiques mention a lack of emotional depth in certain areas, the overall sentiment is that the game delivers a touching and memorable experience, making it a standout in its genre.
- “The story has some deeply emotional moments that are built up to well, and executed beautifully.”
- “Pacific Drive made me feel like a kid again, and that is probably the highest praise I can give to a game.”
- “The story is unexpectedly emotional and compelling.”
- “The story felt incredibly boring and failed to evoke any emotional response.”
- “I found the narrative to be dull, lacking the depth needed to connect emotionally.”
- “The emotional impact was nonexistent; the plot was just too tedious.”
replayability
65 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
37%
55%
8%
The game's replayability is a mixed bag among reviewers, with some praising its dynamic environments and customization options that encourage multiple playthroughs, while others criticize its lack of content post-story completion. Many players find enjoyment in exploring different builds and challenges, but several note that once the main objectives are achieved, the incentive to replay diminishes significantly. Overall, the potential for replayability exists, particularly for those who enjoy exploration and challenge, but it may not satisfy all players seeking extensive replay value.
- “It's also full of replayability and customization options so you can ride your way.”
- “The dynamic and unpredictable nature of the zone ensures that no two journeys are the same, providing endless replayability.”
- “This game is awesome if you like driving games and survival games; this is a great buy, very replayable with many cool things to discover and so many ways to make the old junker you start off with truly yours.”
- “I know this game is still very much in development, so I would hope to see some more replayability added to it as I keep finding myself wanting to play, but struggle when finding things to do once I finished the story and upgraded my car fully in less than 30 hours.”
- “There is 0 replayability reason.”
- “The game has no replayability whatsoever and after 20 hours as a casual player you're done.”
monetization
13 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
15%
85%
The monetization aspect of the game has received mixed reviews, with some players appreciating the absence of microtransactions and fair pricing for deluxe editions, while others criticize the inclusion of political themes and unsolicited advertisements that detract from the gaming experience. Many feel that the industry is saturated with cash grabs and that the game's marketing did not accurately represent its content, leading to disappointment. Overall, there is a call for developers to prioritize quality and creativity over quick profits.
- “In an industry that is very oversaturated with shooters, battle passes, and scams of microtransactions, this game is a breath of fresh air I've needed for a long time.”
- “No microtransactions (you can buy a deluxe edition, but it's super fair).”
- “I find that more often than not, games which were once the culmination of the passions and efforts of dedicated artists are now simple cash grabs produced the cheapest and fastest way possible.”
- “Once I unlocked the detailing station, I was bombarded with all sorts of bumper stickers advertising current year nonsense.”
- “My biggest gripe with the game is the developers' decision to inject their gender politics into it; there is absolutely no need for it in a video game. It certainly adds nothing to the gameplay.”
character development
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
30%
40%
30%
Character development in the game receives mixed reviews; while some players appreciate the depth and emotional impact of the characters, likening it to titles like Firewatch, others feel that the development is inconsistent and lacks engagement as the game progresses. Critics argue that the initial connection with characters diminishes over time, leading to a lack of investment in their stories. Overall, there is a consensus that more effort could have been placed on enhancing character arcs and interactions to foster a deeper emotional connection.
- “I'm interested in a story and character development during the long journey.”
- “The game has a pretty interesting story, good character development, and quite a lot of novelty for just being something that doesn't get much attention in other games (and is implemented really well).”
- “The style kinda reminds me of Firewatch; the ending made me want to cry because of their character development.”
- “The character development was really weak; you start to sympathize with/connect with the characters in the beginning, but your interactions with them become much less frequent, and you find yourself not really caring so much.”
- “Frankly, I think if they would have spent as much effort on the story and character development as they did with their 'inclusive' efforts, this would have been a far better game.”
- “The characters could've used more character development; as of now, you really don't care much about what happens to them, and when something does happen, you're just 'oh, ok'. There should be something that makes you care about them.”