Pacific Drive is an excellent driving sim with horror vibes, and you can get the full experience cheaper than ever

When a game delivers unique vibes, there’s nothing better. Pacific Drive somehow effortlessly manages to create a Stalker or Chernobylite-style atmosphere, with supernatural happenings and survival mechanics, into a driving simulator. It sounds bizarre, and in some ways, it really is, but the blend is so natural that it’s almost confusing how no developer has done this before. After years of major updates and a first expansion that amps up the horror tension, Pacific Drive is better than ever, and best of all, cheaper than ever.

Pacific Drive is truly a surprise in almost every conceivable way. Set in the Olympic Exclusion Zone, you and your trusty car will brave the supernatural events with each trip into the dangerous map, unraveling the mystery of what’s happening with the OEZ, while surviving unpredictable dangers. Disturbing anomalies and weird phenomena continue to buzz you as you traverse the land, your car’s chassis the only thing protecting you and keeping you alive.

Each excursion into the Exclusion Zone’s wilderness brings the hope of resources, a way to upgrade your car, and to reinforce it for longer trips out of the safety of your garage – and if you’re anything like me, you’ll give it a name. I went with Thunder Rod, for reference. Radiation fills the air, damaging the panels, forcing you to make quick repairs and limping your trusty steed back to safety, only to do it all over again.

The isolation, the unpredictable weather, and the atmosphere blend together to create an uncomfortable experience that, occasionally, delves into comfort. It’s hard to explain, but being alone in this strange world is almost peaceful, even if it is dangerous. The excellent Whispers in the Woods expansion gets rid of any serenity you may have experienced, focusing on occultism and the citizens who lived in the OEZ, as opposed to unseen corporations, and the radar’s markings of the Whispering Tide’s manifestations add a level of intensity more akin to a horror movie chase scene than the panic of losing your hard-earned work.

Don’t just take it from me. In Nat’s 9/10 Pacific Drive review, she says, “Pacific Drive offers a road trip like no other, boasting immaculate sound design and a classic ’90s conspiracy delivered through a compact survival-crafting roguelike loop.” However, we didn’t review the expansion, so you’ll just have to take my word for it on how good it is.

If you’re looking to give Pacific Drive a shot, you can grab it for just $10.94 / £9.12 at Fanatical, a 64% discount on the retail price and cheaper than it’s ever been before. Alternatively, you can save on the bundle that includes the Whispers in the Woods DLC for just £17.99, with the aptly titled ‘Whispers Edition’ of the game.

If you’ve been looking for a supernatural drive through a radiation-covered zone, that’s a little strange, but Pacific Drive is exactly what you’re looking for, and there’s no better time to buy it.