Keep Driving

There’s something to be said about going on a road trip. There’s nothing before you but the wide open road, nothing to keep you company but your thoughts and the radio. Keep Driving captures the feeling of a road trip in a realistic but also incredibly fun manner. The game features a pixelated style meant to look like an early video game. The game opens with different road trip options, chosen by what you choose to pack for your drive.

Unique Combat System

Although no one is going to be fighting with katanas or guns in a road trip simulator, the developers manage to keep things interesting with combat of sorts. Sometimes, you’ll end up with “threats” to your road trip during road event. This might be something that consumes excess gas, money, time or frustration. The player has certain skills they can use to deal with the problems. Players must choose carefully which skills they use because the skill can only be used once until the character has had a chance to rest. Adversaries may be the tractor driving at 10 miles per hour on the road, or a rainbow that distracts you. All the things you find are realistic for a road trip, but the game mechanics make dealing with them both entertaining and challenging.

Prepare for the Road

Both before you set out and during your travels, you will need to prepare for the journey. Unfortunately, there’s a limited amount of space in your car. You’ll have to arrange your items strategically to make sure you bring everything you need.

Multiple Endings

Once you’ve reached a destination in the game, you can always go back to the beginning and choose a new path. There are multiple endings for the game, with each unique pathway taking 1-4 hours to complete. With procedurally generated artwork as you travel, each road trip is unique. Even playing the same route over again may not give you the same hitchhikers, the same events, the same experiences. The result is a fresh feeling game every play through.

Don’t Rush

Unlike many games, this is not one that can be speedrun. The game actively punishes players for minmaxing. The slogan at the beginning, “Remember to enjoy the ride. You're young and don't have much to lose,” applies to the character as much as the player. The game is very relaxing, similar to Stardew Valley in terms of both the pixel art and the idea behind a no pressure game.

Positive Reception

Thousands of people have reviewed this game on Steam, and yet almost none of those reviews are negative. The game is well loved for its simplicity, relaxing gameplay, and chill music.

Pros:

• Relaxing gameplay
• Plenty of replay value

Cons:

• None