henke on 24/2/2024 at 13:39
This driving survival game came out a couple days ago. I've played the first ~10 hours and I'm gonna tell you wot I think.
[video=youtube;BGk2u9-GRTA]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BGk2u9-GRTA[/video]
First off I should say I'm enjoying the gameplay. Upgrading your car is addicting, in a grindy way. All the interactions are pleasantly hands on. Car handling feels good. My main issue with the game is that it's too dang eager. A ton of story is dumped on you right away and it's hard to follow or care about all of it. I'm also not a fan of the anomalies. There's just too dang many of them. The game is actually quite atmospheric when you're walking alone in the woods at night, or driving down a winding country road. The problem is that there's very few quiet moments because the game throws an anomaly at you every 10 seconds. And the anomalies really aren't that powerful, more like nuisances. I wish they were more sparse but more powerful. I'm actually not sure how the "roguelite" aspect of the game plays out since I haven't died yet. So far it's a bit on the easy side. I've certainly been in trouble a few times due to not understanding all the systems yet, but I've always found my way out of any dangerous situations.
I guess Pacific Drive can be summed up as being the first successful mainstream version of the driving adventures that have been popping up in the indie space over the last decade. Y'know, games like Jalopy, Under The Sand, In Search of Paradise. Those kinda games. GOOD games.
Sulphur on 24/2/2024 at 13:43
See, here's my issue with the game: for something that's about driving in the Pacific Ocean, the only thing that's Pacific about it is the sense of peace I get when I turn off the ignition, set the car into park, open the boot, and pitch my entire computer into the river.
Renault on 25/2/2024 at 04:04
It would have been nice if they had kept the demo up. I meant to try it out, but never got around to it, and now it's gone. If you're using the thing to sell and show off the game two weeks ago, I don't see why that should be any different now.
henke on 25/2/2024 at 12:48
I'm 14 hours in now, have just made my first foray into the Mid-Zone. Turns out there's a pretty good car mechanic game in here, which was not something I really expected or thought I wanted. Initially the garage-interludes consist of menial tasks like filling the gas, repairing broken bits, and unloading all the latest loot. But as the game goes on your ride starts exhibiting strange "quirks" which you'll need to diagnose and fix. This is done by trying to figure out which interactions are causing odd behaviour in the car, then running the hypothesis through a computer, which prescribes a remedy if you correctly identify the issue. My rear left door kept randomly opening, which was annoying. Took forever to realize it did so whenever the windshield wipers went to the left! Some quirks are much less noticable and troublesome. Like my dome light comes on whenever I close the hood, and my wipers wobble when turning the steering wheel left. These I didn't even bother fixing. They just add personality!
EvaUnit02 on 26/2/2024 at 09:25
Quote Posted by Renault
It would have been nice if they had kept the demo up. I meant to try it out, but never got around to it, and now it's gone. If you're using the thing to sell and show off the game two weeks ago, I don't see why that should be any different now.
Yeah, I don't get these Steam Next Fest limited time demos. Surely they'll potentially get more sales if they just left them up in perpetuity?
Oh well, just do a trial by torrent.
Tomi on 26/2/2024 at 16:25
I can definitely see why the demos are available only for a limited time though. The time limit might give you that little push that you need to actually play the demo, and not just think about playing it some other time.
demagogue on 26/2/2024 at 17:16
The trailer makes it look like Stalker set in the US, which reminds me, if you read the original Roadside Picnic, unlike the movie and game, everything in the book is described as if it's set in the US, or a Cold War-era Russian's view of the US. There's a whole commentary built into that. But anyway, if that's right, I guess it's good to see the concept come home.
Yakoob on 27/2/2024 at 08:19
Quote Posted by EvaUnit02
Yeah, I don't get these Steam Next Fest limited time demos. Surely they'll potentially get more sales if they just left them up in perpetuity?
Not necessarily.
The demos for my own games are really bad. Just honestly really awful all around.
Keeping them up for as little time as possible is simply the smartest choice.
henke on 27/2/2024 at 10:58
I just registered my game to be in the next Next Fest. Steam has been asking me to include it in the last few Next Fests but I've always thought "naah, that's months from now, I'll have the game done and released by then!" but then I've had to sadly sit and watch the Next Fests go by without me, my game still unreleased. So yeah, in June there'll be a POGOPPL demo! (tho I'll probably have the game done and released by then)
As for Pacific Drive, I'm like 16-17 hours in and it's threatening to outstay its welcome before its over. Getting a tad repetetive. The next big objective is to craft some doodad that'll let me punch into the innermost area of the zone.
Yakoob on 27/2/2024 at 23:52
Quote Posted by henke
I just registered my game to be in the next Next Fest. Steam has been asking me to include it in the last few Next Fests but I've always thought "naah, that's months from now, I'll have the game done and released by then!" but then I've had to sadly sit and watch the Next Fests go by without me, my game still unreleased. So yeah, in June there'll be a POGOPPL demo! (tho I'll probably have the game done and released by then)
If you can afford it, might not be a bad idea to delay launch until next fest. You'll likely get a whole bunch of wishlists from it, and the more wishlists you have leading up to launch the better.