Official Review Pacific Drive Review

Imagine cruising down an empty highway, basking in the glow of the setting sun, with your favorite tunes blaring from the speakers. Now, replace that idyllic scene with anomaly-infested roads, ominous radio interference, and a series of pocket hurricanes. Welcome to Ironwood Studios' Pacific Drive, a unique and unnerving survival game that combines the frustration of car maintenance with a surreal sci-fi setting. In this article, we will delve into the captivating world of Pacific Drive, exploring its gameplay mechanics, immersive atmosphere, and overall gaming experience.




Pacific Drive takes place in the Pacific Northwest, specifically in an area known as the Olympic Exclusion Zone. Following mysterious interference by the scientific corpo-body ARDA, the region has been cut off from the outside world and overrun by enigmatic and often pulsating anomalies. As the player, you assume the role of the Driver, a mute entity navigating this treacherous landscape behind the wheel of a large automobile. Your mission is to unravel the secrets of the woodlands while contending with the horrors that lurk within.


At the heart of Pacific Drive is the symbiotic relationship between the Driver and their trusty station wagon. Your car becomes more than just a means of transportation; it becomes your lifeline. Linked to the Driver via unknown supernatural forces, the car's well-being is as crucial as your own. Every collision with a tree or obstacle results in phantom pain, and you must manually repair your vehicle back at your base of operations – the Garage. Owned by Oppy, your nagging radio guide and ex-ARDA scientist, the Garage serves as a sanctuary where you can maintain and fortify your four-wheeled companion using resources collected during your expeditions.



Pacific Drive is a game rich in systems and metrics, creating a complex web of challenges for the player. In addition to keeping the Driver alive, you must also monitor your car's fuel gauge, battery life, and tire wear. Cracked windows, busted panels, and torn-off doors are just some of the damages you'll need to repair using specific tools and materials found in the open world. Each expedition requires careful planning and resource management, as you must ensure you have everything necessary to survive and return safely to the Garage. However, at times, the game struggles to strike the right balance between engagement and complexity, overwhelming players with too many tasks to juggle simultaneously.


One of the standout features of Pacific Drive is the unique personality of your car. Over time, your vehicle develops quirks that can both aid and hinder your progress. For example, your car may pop the hood to obstruct your vision or switch off the engine in response to certain conditions. To rectify these quirks, you must return to the Garage and utilize the Tinker Station, a system of puzzle prompts that allows you to exorcise your car's demons. This concept injects welcome silliness and unpredictability into your runs, but it can also lead to frustration when you encounter a quirk that you can't decipher.



While being stuck at the Garage may seem like a setback, it provides an opportunity to reassess and prepare for your next expedition. As you progress in the game, you can craft car parts that offer better protection and performance. The Garage also serves as a hub for customization, allowing you to decorate your wagon with decals, bobbleheads, antennas, and stickers. These personal touches bring a sense of ownership and character to your vehicle, even if it means accepting that your freshly painted door might be ripped off during a perilous adventure.


Pacific Drive is populated by a variety of menacing anomalies, each with its own bizarre and captivating design. One such anomaly is the hovering Abductor, comprised of traffic lights and oozing substances, which lures you in with its pale blue glow. However, getting too close triggers a shift to deep red, as the Abductor chases and ensnares you or your car, subjecting you to a range of dangers. The game also features explosive test dummies that follow you when you're not looking and energy patches that disrupt your steering. This rogues' gallery of anomalies adds depth and variety to the gameplay experience, constantly keeping you on edge.



Pacific Drive draws inspiration from the eerie and otherworldly essence of the Pacific Northwest, capturing its uncanny atmosphere to chilling effect. As you traverse the landscape, you'll encounter heavy fog, neon flora, and towering tree shadows, all contributing to a sense of unease and anticipation. Abandoned ARDA trailers coated in undulating goo provide intriguing lore and lost transmissions, emphasizing the desolation and loneliness of the Olympic Exclusion Zone. The attention to detail and atmospheric elements enhance the overall mood of the game, immersing players in a haunting and unsettling world.


While Pacific Drive excels in creating an immersive and unnerving atmosphere, the lack of human interaction eventually takes its toll. Despite the intermittent and well-acted radio chatter, the grind for resources and repetitive gameplay loops can become monotonous. Players may find themselves yearning for something or someone to break the cycle of resource-gathering, upgrading, and repeating. The game's survival genre roots sometimes overshadow the potential for deeper emotional connections and storytelling, leaving players wanting more from the narrative.



Navigating the treacherous world of Pacific Drive requires resilience and determination. The scarcity of resources adds an additional layer of challenge, making each successful escape from the brink of death a cause for celebration. However, the rinse-and-repeat nature of the midgame can impact the pacing of the story and the overall gaming experience. Vague mission objectives and hard-to-find materials can lead to unpredictable and frustrating situations, where progress feels out of your control. While these challenges can be rewarding in their own right, they occasionally detract from the otherwise well-realized and intentionally difficult systems of Pacific Drive.



As you progress through Pacific Drive's gripping story, you encounter a trio of scientists struggling to balance work and life in this hallucinatory hellscape. The survival game genre intertwines with ambitious storytelling, aiming to deliver emotional beats and thought-provoking concepts. While the game does provide answers to some of the questions it poses, it falls short of addressing the most intriguing concepts that swirl in the player's mind. The climactic finale, while satisfying in its own right, feels somewhat constrained by the trappings of the genre, leaving players with lingering questions and a desire for a deeper exploration of the game's world.



Pacific Drive is an intriguing and haunting survival game that immerses players in a unique and unsettling world. The meticulous management of your car and resources, combined with intense excursions into the unknown, create a riveting experience. However, the game's complexity and occasional frustrations may deter some players who prefer a more streamlined gameplay experience. Despite its flaws, Pacific Drive's atmospheric setting, challenging mechanics, and hard-fought victories make it a worthwhile journey for those seeking a distinct survival game set in the Pacific Northwest.





Pacific Drive offers a truly unique and unnerving gaming experience, combining the challenges of survival with a surreal sci-fi setting. Despite its occasional frustrations and complex systems, the game's atmospheric worldbuilding, intense gameplay, and gripping storyline make it a captivating journey through the Pacific Northwest. Whether you're a fan of survival games or simply drawn to the haunting allure of the region, Pacific Drive is worth exploring for its innovative mechanics and immersive atmosphere. Buckle up, prepare for the unknown, and embark on a journey that will test your mettle as a survivor in a world gone awry.