Pacific Drive

Amazing game!!! Also, here’s a tip: The game autosaves when you enter a new zone, so you don’t have to finish the whole run in one go. You can leave when you get to a new zone and then resume from where you left off.

This... This is a horror game.

I like cars and modifying them. I like drives in the wilderness. I like survival games. Yeah, I should play a survival game about modifying and driving a station wagon. There are some "obstacles" to avoid. No problem. I've played Mario Kart.

Flash-forward: It's dark with an eerie glow in the sky. Sounds of bending metal fill the soundscape. I'm in a clearing between some forested hills, I think. It's too dark to see anything unlit. There are electrified mannequins around me, my car, and a glowing energy ball. I had already filled up the car with parts I'll need to repair it. The death storm is actively approaching and I don't have enough energy to make it back without this ball.

I pick up the energy ball. The mannequins rearrange and start arcing electricity toward my car, clipping and electrifying me. I deposit the ball in the passenger seat and run around to the driver seat still getting zapped. My health drops to 1. I stop. I'm not currently being zapped and I don't want to run into another arc. I ate a candy bar. Health goes to 13. I'm out of med kits and I'm running out of time. The edges of my vision remain blurred. I sprint to the door and get in the driver seat . I frantically open the map and open the extraction point. Doing so accelerates the storm. A panel reading "DANGER" lights up and another saying "DRIVE". Multiple alarms sound off and the wind picks up around me.

I turn the car key. The car was already on, so it turns off instead. CRAP! I turn it back on. The starter cranks for what feels like minutes. I shift to drive and floor it! The car gradually accelerates as a station wagon would. GO! GO! GO! There's a pillar of light in the sky over a mile away and behind a hill. That's my exit.

While still in the clearing and driving towards the extraction, I take my eyes off the road to look at the map in the passenger seat. I got maybe a minute before the worst of the storm engulfs me. Behind the map, outside my window, there is a whirlwind of energy and chaos as the world prepares to tear itself apart. I look forward again and manage to dodge a few mannequins at the last second.

I start making my way up the hill. There is no direct path so I have to weave through trees and around rocks, plowing through some of the smaller trees. The car's health lights flash with every bump and hit. The hood is flashing red. The traction light on the dashboard lights up and beeps as the tires loose grip. I have enough momentum to make it over the hill.

I dodge the trees on the way down. I'm getting close. I decide to merge onto a nearby road, hoping to avoid more trees. As soon as I make a hard left to get onto it, my lights reveal boulders blocking the entire road. I break, stopping inches from the boulder. Reversing and turning to the side took forever. I check the map. Most of the map is painted in danger red. I got a few seconds before it reaches me. My 13 health would not last long in it.

I opt to stay offroad and drive toward the beacon of light. It's clearly visible and in front of me. I see no obstacles, but I've been fooled before. Come on! Come on!

I make it through.

A brief loading screen and I'm driving back into the garage. My health is still at 13 and my car is beat up. A voice on the radio says "Alright Driver. Stop showing off before you get yourself killed." I park and take a moment to ground myself.

This... This is a horror game.

Alright, time to get ready for the next trip.

It's dark. You're low on gas. You've made a pretty good haul so far, but you're feeling worse for the journey. Just one more anchor and you can all it quits. And then you hear it; storm sirens. Only this is no ordinary storm - you are now in the shrinking eye of a radioactive storm of unmaking. You have to go. GO NOW.
Your car is a piece of shit. Truly. You've replaced every part a dozen times, the radio turns on whenever you close the trunk, and when you first found it, it couldn't do things like "turn left". And right now it's your only hope of survival.
The gateway opens up - a luminous pillar of yellow light in the distance that is your salvation. The eye is closing and if you stick to the road you won't make it in time. Reluctantly, you veer into the treeline. Your ride jerks uncomfortably as you mow down flora. Suddenly there's a loud THUNK as something hits your car - an anomalous, unthinking entity, affectionately named a Broken Bunny. Suddenly your headlights start blinking on and off. The doors all open at once. The radio turns on again for no reason and through distorted static you hear a preacher yelling at you about Jesus. The wheel jerks out of your grip and you veer into a ditch.
Shit shit shit! Crowbar in hand, you leap out of the car and smack the thing into a million pieces. You car is exorcised, but now you're facing the wrong way in a hole. You get back in and try to drive out, but the angle is too steep.
An angry yellow light covers the sky. You're now past the threshold and the storm is closing in on you. You're taking damage just being out here. This is bad. Getting out at this point is lethal.
You turn your wheel and manage to get some grip on the dirt sideways rather than upwards and after the longest 20 seconds of your life you're finally on level ground again. Through the trees you can see the gate way! You hit the gas with everything you've got. Anything you hit no longer matters as long as you keep moving.
The sky has now become red. The eye has totally collapsed and the radioactive storm is now in full effect. You can see the trees - the ground! - all disappearing. From somewhere there's a sound of screaming that you can't tell is from your car or the air itself.
You're yards away from the gateway now! The light almost filling your vision completely! Something cracks around you. Your radio, headlights, doors, all are going haywire. There's radiation everywhere and you feel yourself dying!
You're here! You're at the gateway! Light envelops you entirely! There's the sound of electricity and a blinding flash-
- And suddenly you're back. Back at the auto shop. Both you and your ride barely survived, but you did. Somehow. You breathe out. You pull in to the familiar comfort of your home in this strange land. The next little while is going to be spent repairing the damage, taking stock of your booty, and upgrading your ride so that you can go ever deeper, into more treacherous waters, and facing deadlier terrors. To find your only hope at escape.

This game's experience (which is already fun) is VASTLY improved by the fact the devs allow you to slap a streamable URL into the car's radio. I was able to put an FM radio station from my country and listen live to the program as I picked up anchors and dodged bunnies
I also STRONGLY recommend using a Dualsense (PS5) controller to play this WITHOUT steam input. The game is very well optimized for this controller, using a lot of the features like the trigger vibration or sensitivity. This makes stuff like slamming the brakes, accelerating, using tools, etc much more immersive and responsive.

At first, I was holding off buying this game, I had seem some screenshots and though it looked interesting. Luckily, I got the game through humble bundle and boy... Pacific Drive is an absolute gem that delivers a unique blend of eerie atmosphere, immersive survival mechanics, and deep vehicle customization. From the moment you step into your beat-up station wagon, you're thrown into a mysterious and unsettling world filled with strange anomalies, unpredictable weather, and an ever present sense of danger.
One of the strongest aspects of the game is its creepy atmosphere. The sound design, lighting, and strange environmental effects work together to create a constant sense of unease. Whether it's dense fog swallowing the road, bizarre electrical storms, or strange entities lurking just out of sight, every trip into the Zone feels unpredictable and tense.
Your gas station base is another fun part of the game that I enjoy. t's a crucial part of your survival. Upgrading it unlocks new tools, crafting options, and ways to improve your car. Managing resources and carefully planning upgrades is incredibly satisfying, making each supply run feel meaningful.
The real star of the game is the car itself. Starting as a barely functional wreck, you can customize and upgrade it into a rugged survival machine. Reinforce the body, install anomaly-powered tech, or tweak the suspension to handle rough terrain. The repair and maintenance mechanics add depth, making every dent and breakdown feel like a real consequence of your journey.
The story unfolds in a way that keeps you hooked, revealing the mysteries of the Zone piece by piece. Environmental storytelling and radio transmissions add to the intrigue, making you want to push further into the unknown.
Pacific Drive is a must-play for anyone who loves survival games with deep customization and a gripping atmosphere. The mix of exploration, tension-filled driving, and steady progression makes for an unforgettable experience.
I have actually been blown away with the experience and I would strongly recommend it!

I loved this game but PLEASE understand you cannot save and quit anytime. Really a shame for singleplayer games to not have a difficulty that lets you do this as life gets in the way sometimes - not everyone is a hardcore gamer that can ALWAYS finish the run.
Even disable achievements if you must if it means better player experience.
EDIT : I had a couple people say on my profile "Dude about your review of pacific drive. the game is saved every time you reach a new fork and you can safely exit the game without losing your progress..."
Yes the entire problem is I have to reach a certain point. I cannot just save and quit whenever I want. Its not the end of the world and clearly devs wanted this to be the case for the experience. I am not saying its a bad game so please understand what I mean here - Its a great game for those who can start and not need to quit on a whim. I am a family man with a baby and at any point during my scheduled gaming session if my wife needs help I have to pause and I cannot save and quit. That can possibly leave my computer running longer than I want it too and/or end up having to leave the game anyway for the night.
This is a problem for my demographic. Not everyone and I recognize that which is why I still up reviewed this game as I LOVED the premise.
EDIT TO THE EDIT : With the new changes on the horizon I will absolutely be giving this game a solid amount of praise and will pick it up once its implemented. SAVES WILL BE ALLOWED WITH A SUSPEND RUN OPTION NOW.
Shout out to the devs for going back on their firm stances despite there wants and listening to its community (Source:
I have now repurchased the game in hopes that they will follow through and do this.

Hands down one of the most memorable and enjoyable experiences I've had (and still having).
The story, presentation, atmosphere is remarkable - this being a debut title for the studio is comparable of Valve's.
Up there in my top 5 no doubt.