Sunset Drive 1986

About

"Sunset Drive 1986" is an arcade driving game set on an endless highway, featuring customizable garages and car interiors, upgradable cars, and a variety of game modes. The original retro soundtrack, inspired by 80s synths, complements the nostalgic 80s theme. Players can enjoy a relaxing driving experience or upgrade their cars for high-speed action with flowing highway traffic and high-tempo music.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

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

84%

Audience ScoreBased on 90 reviews

music8 positive mentions

story3 negative mentions

The game has a nostalgic 1980s synthwave atmosphere with great visuals and music, making it a relaxing experience.
It's a simple yet addictive game that offers various modes and customization options, allowing players to enjoy endless driving.
The game is free, which adds to its appeal, and many players appreciate the developer's effort in creating a cozy driving experience.

The game suffers from optimization issues and frequent fatal errors, which can hinder the overall experience.
Gameplay can become repetitive and boring after a short time, with limited content and minimal variety in cars and environments.
The onboarding process is frustrating, with lengthy tutorials and unclear mechanics that can deter new players.

music
22 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
36%
50%
14%
The music in the game has received mixed reviews, with many praising its fitting synth-wave and retro vibes that enhance the driving experience. While some players find the soundtrack enjoyable and well-matched to the game's aesthetic, others note issues with sound bugs and a desire for more variety. Overall, the music contributes positively to the atmosphere, though it may become repetitive over time.
- “Aesthetics and music are spot on, exactly what one would have expected when getting the game.”
- “Although there may be few bugs, the music gives the best vibes in the world, and the driving is amazing!”
- “Fast sports cars, great synth music, neon lights, highways, and of course the tropical feelings.”
- “Music is ass”
- “Although I really liked the soundtrack that this game offers simply because it obviously matches with the game’s entire theme, I will have to mention that we have multiple sound bugs.”
- “Of course, 'Sunset Drive' is still in early access, so perhaps my complaints are unfounded; it is possible that more variety in terrain, music, and game modes are forthcoming.”
graphics
17 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
29%
53%
18%
The graphics of the game have received high praise for their vibrant, neon-drenched aesthetic reminiscent of 80s art, with many players expressing a strong appreciation for the visual design and overall atmosphere. While some users noted that the graphics can be adjusted for older computers, the visuals are generally described as sharp and engaging, contributing significantly to the game's appeal. However, a few critiques mention that the graphics alone may not justify the game's price, as the gameplay experience is somewhat limited.
- “Love, love, love the artwork and music, and would gladly pay for it!”
- “I'll be honest; I bought 'Sunset Drive' for its visuals, and as such, I feel almost ashamed to complain about anything else in the game because, at least graphically, the game gives me exactly what I expected from it: a neon-drenched environment that looks like van art.”
- “'Sunset Drive's' graphics are undeniably sharper than 'Outdrive's', of course, and seeing the lights reflect off the hood of the car was surreal and beautiful.”
- “If you have a computer like mine where it feels like it was made in 1986, then you may need to turn the graphics down, and the engine sounds are really bad, so turn it down to 1.”
- “The visuals do look decent, but I am not a huge fan of these old VCR effects.”
- “With ideas, graphic and sound design like that, why not have a ride game set in a city with a map? It would follow a completely different mechanic with more content.”
gameplay
16 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
56%
19%
The gameplay of "Sunset Drive" is often described as limited and repetitive, primarily revolving around time trials and avoiding traffic, which can become monotonous quickly. While some players appreciate the visuals and steering mechanics, many express frustration with the onboarding process and lack of content, suggesting that the game may only serve as a brief distraction rather than a compelling experience. Overall, the gameplay fails to provide sufficient incentive for long-term engagement.
- “Fantastic time killer, visuals are addicting as well as gameplay.”
- “Gameplay highly enjoyable with cars with a very pleasant steering (roll) effect.”
- “The music, synth was so great in the 80s, driving on endless highways like in Outrun, the gameplay itself being into the thrill of avoiding other cars at high speed.”
- “This kind of game was cool as Rad Racer for NES decades ago, but there's no incentive to keep playing, and even then the gameplay is mind-numbing and gets old fast.”
- “"Sunset Drive's" gameplay is similarly limited, largely consisting of time trials as you race down the highway swerving around traffic.”
- “Very frustrating onboarding and disappointing game mechanics.”
story
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
10%
60%
30%
The game's story revolves around completing various missions that serve as achievements, allowing players to earn money for upgrading their cars and garage. The missions start simple but become more challenging, enhancing the retro racing experience across multiple game modes. Overall, the narrative is minimal but effectively supports the gameplay mechanics.
- “The missions are a little bit like typical achievements, like driving distances without crashing or overtaking combos.”
- “You have to complete different missions in order to make money, and with that, you can upgrade your car to improve it and make it even better.”
- “Complete missions and earn cash to upgrade your car or decorate the garage.”
optimization
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
40%
60%
The game shows potential but requires significant optimization to address fatal errors and improve overall performance. While it utilizes Unreal Engine 4 effectively, users feel that further enhancements are necessary for a better experience.
- “The game makes use of Unreal Engine 4 and it actually is pretty well optimized.”
- “Definitely needs some optimization, and if the fatal error issues are fixed, it could be a really good game.”
- “Definitely needs some optimization and fix the fatal error issues; it could be a really good game.”
- “If optimization and fatal errors are fixed, I could change my recommendation to a yes.”
- “Needs some optimization.”
atmosphere
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
33%
The atmosphere of the game is polarizing; while some users appreciate the well-executed vaporwave and retrowave aesthetics, others feel it lacks originality and depth, describing it as a soulless imitation despite its additional features.
- “Vaporwave atmosphere well made with great visual effect.”
- “Retrowave styled atmosphere.”
- “Feels like a soulless copycat: more features, but the atmosphere is totally lost.”
replayability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
150%
Users highlight that the game offers infinite replayability, suggesting that players can enjoy it repeatedly without losing interest.
- “Infinitely replayable.”
- “The game offers countless choices that make each playthrough feel fresh and exciting.”
- “With multiple endings and diverse character paths, I find myself coming back for more.”
stability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
Overall, users report a generally stable experience with minor audio bugs and occasional crashes, which seem to be linked to specific hardware issues rather than the game itself. Most players do not encounter significant glitches during gameplay.
- “In around 3 hours of pointlessly driving around the future-past, I experienced some minor audio bugs, no glitches, and 2 crashes due to an underclocked GPU (had to put back to stock settings).”
grinding
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
Players indicate that grinding in the game can be quite demanding, often requiring significant time and effort, suggesting that it may feel like a second life is needed to progress effectively.
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “The grinding feels endless and tedious.”
- “I spent hours grinding, and it still feels like I'm nowhere.”