Pacific Drive

72%
Game Brain Score Based on 5,195 reviews
  • story
  • gameplay
  • atmosphere
Pacific Drive Game Cover
Pacific Drive is a punishing roguelike at times, but the thrill of each run provides plenty of variety and excitement in how you approach it.
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Buy Pacific Drive on PlayStation Store. Your car is your only companion as you navigate a surreal and anomaly-filled reimagining of the Pacific Northwest.

  • PC
  • Play​station 5
  • Windows
  • Cloud
  • NVIDIA GeForce NOW
  • Play​Station
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

72%
Audience ScoreBased on 5,195 reviews
story526 positive mentions
optimization68 negative mentions
  • Innovative and unique gameplay that combines driving, survival, and resource gathering.
  • Great atmosphere and visuals, capturing the essence of the Pacific Northwest.
  • Engaging story with well-acted voice performances that keep players invested.
  • Repetitive gameplay loop that can become tedious over time.
  • Lack of mid-run saving, which can lead to frustration if players need to leave unexpectedly.
  • Some players find the quirk system and resource management to be overly complicated and annoying.
  • story1,765 mentions

    The story of *Pacific Drive* has received mixed reviews, with many players praising its intriguing premise and engaging atmosphere, while others criticize its execution and brevity. The narrative unfolds primarily through radio dialogue and environmental storytelling, creating a sense of mystery and immersion, but some players feel it lacks depth and resolution, particularly towards the end. Additionally, the inability to save during missions has been a common point of frustration, as it can lead to significant time loss and disrupt the overall experience.

    • “The storyline is pretty good, characters are endearing, and more fleshed out than you'd expect.”
    • “Pacific Drive is a delight to play, with enjoyable characters and a complex, story-rich world.”
    • “The story is interesting, and the gameplay is almost zen.”
    • “The story is garbage, and the political stuff is super out of place.”
    • “Weakest aspect is the game's overall narrative/story which has the clear failings of a roguelike.”
    • “The story is where it all falls apart.”
  • gameplay1,237 mentions

    The gameplay of "Pacific Drive" is characterized by a unique blend of driving mechanics, scavenging, and crafting, set against a haunting atmosphere. Players engage in a repetitive yet satisfying loop of venturing into hazardous zones to collect resources, upgrading their vehicle, and managing various survival elements, which can become tedious over time. While the game offers extensive customization options and a compelling narrative, some players find the lack of save mechanics and the grindy nature of the gameplay detracts from the overall experience.

    • “Great atmosphere, great gameplay, great story; it really is the whole package.”
    • “The gameplay loop is really satisfying, with grinding resources (which I personally like) to upgrade your car and get further into the zone.”
    • “The gameplay loop consists of driving around, dodging phenomena while grabbing resources, then returning to your garage to equip your car and yourself with better gear, to do it all over again.”
    • “The main gameplay loop is repetitive: you prepare for a run in your garage, start the run and collect as much loot as possible so that you can return to your garage to craft upgrades and prepare for the next run.”
    • “Gameplay is shallow and repetitive.”
    • “The gameplay loop can get repetitive too.”
  • atmosphere565 mentions

    The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its immersive and captivating qualities, effectively blending eerie and cozy elements that enhance the overall experience. Players appreciate the stunning visuals, sound design, and the unique setting reminiscent of the Pacific Northwest, which contribute to a sense of tension and exploration. While the atmosphere is often described as one of the game's strongest aspects, some reviewers note that repetitive gameplay can detract from the initial immersion.

    • “The atmosphere is incredible, and I personally like the story, not too intrusive while still giving you an objective.”
    • “The atmosphere, the music (ohhhhhh that music), and the driving are absolutely breathtakingly beautiful and can suck you in immediately.”
    • “The atmosphere is as haunting as it is beautiful, the music is phenomenal, and the gameplay is truly so good.”
    • “The atmosphere feels pointless and wasted at a certain point.”
    • “This is a game where they have nailed the atmosphere yet the gameplay cannot support it.”
    • “The creepy atmosphere is almost immediately vaporized once you realize you are against the same enemies and atmospheric anomalies over and over.”
  • music511 mentions

    The music in the game has received widespread acclaim for its atmospheric and engaging qualities, with many players praising the radio soundtrack as a highlight that enhances the overall experience. However, some users noted that the selection is limited, leading to repetition over time, and expressed a desire for more variety or the ability to add personal music. Overall, while the soundtrack is generally well-received, its limited range may detract from long-term enjoyment for some players.

    • “The music is great, the game loop is engaging and fun, the lore inspired me to make bad decisions to learn more, the art is engaging, and overall, I enjoyed the heck out of it and don't regret buying it full price.”
    • “The atmosphere, the music (ohhhhhh that music), and the driving are absolutely breathtakingly beautiful and can suck you in immediately.”
    • “The soundtrack is amazing! It perfectly complements the on-screen action, enhancing the overall gaming experience.”
    • “The musical selection provided via the in-game radio is pretty limited, with each channel having like 5 songs, and many of the channels being pretty darn similar, genre-wise.”
    • “While the soundtrack has some banging road trip tunes, the selection is so small you'll hear all the songs individually at least 3-4 times over in each playthrough.”
    • “The game brims with atmosphere and the car is definitely endearing, even nostalgic... but be prepared to create your own soundtrack as the radio station music is rather vapid.”
  • graphics414 mentions

    The graphics of "Pacific Drive" have received a mixed reception, with many praising its unique art style and atmospheric visuals reminiscent of titles like "Firewatch." While the game features beautiful and immersive environments that enhance the overall experience, some players have reported performance issues and optimization challenges, particularly on lower-end hardware. Overall, the aesthetic appeal is strong, but technical execution may hinder the experience for some users.

    • “I have to say, the unique blend of a stalker-like world filled with anomalies, mixed with the beautiful aesthetic of a late 80's Pacific Northwest, all packed into a $30 package, massively outperforms most AAA games within the last few years.”
    • “With its immersive gameplay, compelling narrative, and stunning visuals, it's a must-play for anyone seeking a true test of survival in the unknown depths of the Pacific Northwest.”
    • “The graphics are incredible and immersive!”
    • “The graphics are terrible, like something out of the 90's.”
    • “The graphics settings are set to the maximum, and yet it feels like a 2010 game.”
    • “The game seems super cool and I'd love to pour my heart and soul into playing it, but the performance is really keeping me from fully enjoying it. Rarely do I get 60 frames or above anywhere else, but the garage when I'm on an expedition my average is 30-40.”
  • optimization287 mentions

    The game's optimization has received significant criticism, with many players experiencing performance issues such as stuttering, frame drops, and inconsistent frame rates, even on high-end hardware. While some users report being able to achieve stable performance by adjusting settings, particularly shadows, the overall consensus is that the game requires further optimization and patches to improve its performance. Many reviewers recommend waiting for updates before purchasing, as the current state of optimization is deemed unsatisfactory.

    • “Performance-wise, I went into this knowing it was an Unreal Engine game, and my experience with Unreal games comes mostly from Jedi Fallen Order and Jedi Survivor, where the performance is terrible. This game isn't as bad as they are, but it still has the same problems. I encountered a lot of freezing/stuttering, most consistently when putting the anchors in the passenger's seat.”
    • “The game runs pretty well for how good it looks, but cranking shadows up (which is the most important setting for making the game look good) takes my performance down by half going from medium to ultra.”
    • “Even though the game arguably has some minor performance issues, its good sides vastly outnumber the bad ones.”
    • “Terrible optimization, spent hours trying to adjust the settings thinking the problem was on my part, but it doesn't matter whether the graphics are on ultra or on the lowest possible settings; the changes in FPS are irrelevant, and therefore the game is in an unplayable state.”
    • “The game is poorly optimized and it's just not fun to play.”
    • “Despite it being on the clunky side performance-wise, it is quite an uncanny bit of storytelling.”
  • grinding203 mentions

    The grinding aspect of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players finding it tedious and repetitive, especially in the late game where resource collection and upgrades become a slog. While some appreciate the immersive atmosphere and engaging gameplay loop, others feel that the constant scavenging and crafting detracts from the overall experience, leading to frustration and a lack of motivation to continue. Overall, the game offers a blend of enjoyable mechanics and frustrating grind, making it a polarizing experience for players.

    • “Crafting isn't too tedious, and looting resources isn't very involved - mostly just scrapping something or searching a chest for materials.”
    • “It's not grindy, according to my standards at least.”
    • “Gameplay loop is solid and not too grindy.”
    • “As others have said, the gameplay loop gets too tedious too fast, and by the end, it just feels like an empty grind that is capped off by a lackluster ending.”
    • “Driving through a cryptic, mysterious zone of anomalies, slowly making your way, and then having to burst escape in a mad frenzy is a lot of fun, but what isn't fun is the endless crafting and looting you have to do to do that. If you make a mistake and die, then you start over from scratch and have to tediously loot and craft your way back to the point where you can make the run again.”
    • “The gameplay wasn't really challenging and was more just sort of tedious; you drive for 30 seconds just to get out of your car and loot for about 30 seconds, and you repeat that for hours.”
  • stability90 mentions

    The game's stability has received mixed feedback, with many players reporting a range of bugs and glitches that can impact gameplay, including crashes, visual issues, and progress hindrances. While some users have experienced minimal problems and praised the game's overall performance, others have found it frustratingly buggy, particularly in critical areas like mission checkpoints and save mechanics. Overall, the game shows promise but requires further patches to address its stability issues.

    • “Probably the most complete bug-free new release I've played in years.”
    • “I'm happy to say I have had a really fun, quirky, reasonably bug-free adventure so far.”
    • “Game looks and runs great.”
    • “I played for 58 hours and I lost my maxed car to a bug. I want to play more when all the bugs are gone, but for now I think it's too buggy.”
    • “In its current state, Pacific Drive is a buggy, frustrating experience.”
    • “The overall idea is super fun, but the actual mechanics are a nightmare: buggy, clunky, and the menu system sucks.”
  • humor61 mentions

    The humor in the game is a standout feature, blending quirky interactions, absurd situations, and clever dialogue that keeps players engaged and entertained. Many reviewers highlight the game's ability to balance humor with horror, creating memorable moments that range from hilarious to creepy. While some aspects of the humor may not resonate with everyone, the overall tone is described as fun and engaging, contributing to a unique gaming experience.

    • “The story, puzzles (like dealing with bizarre 'quirks' your car develops over time, which can be dangerous, annoying, or even downright funny), and new anomalies and other ways the world tries to kill you as you go along keep a bit of novelty flowing as you progress through the story, rather than just 'oh, I guess I'm escaping another generic enemy template for the 50th time.'”
    • “Other funny moments are things like accidentally closing the trunk on your head and taking damage, or getting an achievement for trying to drive without disengaging the parking brake one too many times.”
    • “The game has depth, is very well thought through, humorous, and unique.”
    • “Not a funny game, not funny at all.”
    • “The humor falls flat and feels forced.”
    • “I expected more laughs, but it just didn't deliver.”
  • emotional41 mentions

    The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted by its compelling storytelling and strong voice acting, which create deep connections with both the characters and the player's vehicle. Many players found themselves unexpectedly moved, experiencing a range of emotions from joy to heartbreak, particularly through the game's touching narrative and character interactions, despite some feeling that the emotional weight could have been enhanced. While the game excels in crafting an engaging atmosphere and emotional moments, some players noted that the lack of direct interaction with characters limited their emotional investment.

    • “With the mix of the amazing voice acting, it led to genuinely amusing and emotional moments; very few things break me, but some parts of this game seriously did.”
    • “I never imagined I'd find myself becoming emotionally attached to a station wagon and a group of people you only ever talk to on the radio.”
    • “The game's narrative is brought to life through compelling dialogue, stunning cutscenes, and memorable interactions, creating an emotional connection between the players and the world of Pacific Drive.”
  • replayability24 mentions

    Replayability in the game is a mixed bag; while many players appreciate the high replay value due to the variety of challenges, exploration opportunities, and mechanics that encourage multiple playthroughs, others find it lacking, citing a linear structure and limited content after the initial experience. Those who enjoy challenging gameplay or aim for completionist goals may find more to engage with, but some players feel that the game does not offer enough incentive for repeated play. Overall, the game's replayability is seen as strong for certain playstyles, but not universally appealing.

    • “Replay value is high as you finish with a lot left to discover.”
    • “It's honestly a phenomenal game for what it's worth, the replay value is insane.”
    • “I can see a lot of replayability with each location's instance being different with each excursion, and the constant risk of staying for that little bit more loot and possibly losing it all, at times makes it a heart-racing experience.”
    • “There is 0 replayability reason.”
    • “The game has no replayability whatsoever and after 20 hours as a casual player you’re done.”
    • “The game is very linear, there is no replayability to it.”
  • monetization10 mentions

    The monetization strategy of the game is generally viewed as fair, with no microtransactions beyond a reasonably priced deluxe edition. However, players express frustration over the game's time demands and the perception that it prioritizes profit over quality, likening it to a cash grab. Additionally, some users criticize the inclusion of political themes, feeling they detract from the overall experience.

    • “No microtransactions; you can buy a deluxe edition, but it's super fair.”
    • “This game may not have predatory monetization demanding you log in every day, but it will demand an MMO-sized chunk of time and give you less and less in return.”
    • “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.”
  • character development2 mentions

    Reviews indicate that character development is lacking, with players expressing a desire for deeper narratives and side-quests that enhance emotional investment in both the protagonist and supporting characters. Many feel indifferent towards the characters' fates, suggesting that more engaging story elements are needed to foster a connection.

    • “The characters could have benefited from more development; as it stands, you don't feel much attachment to their fates. When something significant occurs, your reaction is often just 'oh, okay.' There should be elements that make you genuinely care about them.”
    • “There could have been more depth and side quests related to character development, both for the player and the radio personalities, which could have added an intriguing twist.”
    • “There could have been more depth and side quests related to character development, both for the player and the radio personalities, which should have had an anomalistic twist.”
    • “The characters could have used more development; as of now, you really don't care much about what happens to them. When something does happen, you're just left thinking, 'Oh, okay.' There should be something that makes you care about them.”
    • “The lack of character development makes it hard to connect with the characters, resulting in a disinterest in their fates.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

78% average critic score

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Play time

9hMedian play time
14hAverage play time
4-24hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 68 analyzed playthroughs

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