Pacific Drive

Pacific Drive thoughtfully translates simple yet overlooked human aspects through an experience that is truly unique and unforgettable.

Repair, improve, and pilot a quirky station wagon in survival game Pacific Drive.

A punishing, exhasperating slog, or an off-beat love story between driver and car, human and the Zone? Pacific Drive is both and then some.

Pacific Drive will end up as a highlight of 2024 for anyone seeking a fresh experience. Unfortunately, some quirks and genre trappings make it a little less wondrous than the Zone itself.

While some of its looting mechanics feel a little stale in comparison to how it evolves other areas of the genre this likely won’t deter most players from seeing this intriguing story through to the end.

Forza What-The-Heck-Is-That-On-The-Horizon

Pacific Drive is an experience that survives on story, sights, and sounds, as well as adventure. Even with some interesting gameplay problems, this atom-powered adventure is worth playing.

There’s much to admire in Ironwood’s car-based survival sim, not least the detail that’s gone into the old banger you pilot and the weird lands you have to explore, which force you to learn their quirks and keep your wits about you. As a crafting game, however, it’s rather unforgiving and laborious, requiring a lot of thankless graft if you want to stay on the road and unlock more inventive equipment.

Pacific Drive can be broken down easily into other genres, but it's unlike anything available in terms of tone, atmosphere and execution.

Ironwood Studio's debut is a challenging roguelite caRPG rich in atmosphere, complexity, and fascinating lore.

Cars are inanimate objects, but if you drive one, you've undoubtedly formed a relationship with it. Perhaps you've named your vehicle after the way it looks; maybe you'd be more concerned if it didn't have that indiscernible rattle; it could be falling to pieces, but you've never known a more dependable companion. Cars feel as though they have a soul, and Pacific Drive knows it. This survival game's special sauce is in perfectly capturing the bond between car and driver.

You’re asked to solve issues and improve possessions with cleverly intentional mechanics, but even these become frustrating to find joy in as exploration failings bleed into them. If not for the spikes and awkward pacing shift, Pacific Drive would have knocked it out of the park until the end.