Keep Driving Preview (PC): A Brilliant Nostalgic Gem, Perfect for '80s and '90s Kids

The game takes place in the early 2000s, and this is where the cleverly crafted nostalgia kicks in. You buy your first car right before summer hits to get you to a festival all the way across the country. The kicker is that you choose how you get there. Planning is a key part of the gameplay. Also, you can get temp jobs when your car inevitably breaks down and needs a repair or two.

How Does it Play?

As you surely noticed, the graphics are part of the "pixel art" visual style, which only sweetens the pot for old-school fans like myself. The world is procedurally or randomly generated, which, in theory, means no two playthroughs should feel the same. This is vital because there are multiple endings you can discover.

Your first mission involves driving to your friend in a nearby town. Before you hit the road, you must grab a few things from your home. This is where you first meet the item management system, similar to the one in Dredge. It's really cleverly designed, too.

Each item you own is placed on a grid inside the car. Aside from the trunk area, you can fold the rear seats for extra space. However, people can't sit there anymore, so it's up to you to make the best of things. Do you want more items or more passengers in your car?

During this initial mundane quest, there's only silence and the odd environmental sound effect. But as soon as you exit the town, the 2000s rock music starts hitting your senses with a nostalgic sledgehammer. I got hooked as soon as the radio turned on.

Then, I met my first enemy: a mighty tractor barely moving in front of me in my lane. After way too many written instructions on screen, the turn-based battle was on!

Every skill or item has been ingeniously adapted into an everyday object, expertly blending with the typical driving experience. For example, the slow-moving tractor represents nothing more than a typical road trip nuisance.

Furthermore, your skills are displayed as little polaroids dangling from the rear-view mirror. The enemy uses "Threats," like "damage spells," that will deplete one of your resources, like Energy, Cash, Durability, or Gas.

These threats or enemy attacks are cleverly displayed as dashboard warning lights. Everything blends perfectly with the simple experience of driving on a road trip. I couldn't believe how brilliant the design language and philosophy were.

When you've eradicated every threat, the fight is over, and you will have overtaken your foe. Sometimes, you can press hard on the gas pedal to run from your problems if the situation calls for it. With the XP earned, you upgrade your skills, vehicle, etc.

Your foe can be another vehicle, like the tractor, or even a flock of sheep in the middle of the road. I know I'm repeating myself, but it's just so well thought out. And yes, of course, you can stop at gas stations to resupply with everyday items. Not to mention, you'll get pulled over by the police.

Remember the hitchhikers I mentioned earlier? They're a key part of the story because the "YCJY Games" developers crafted different personalities, stories, and abilities for each one you pick up.

The integration of hitchhikers into the gameplay itself is such a cool feature. Each one has skills you can use in battle. One awarded me an extra hit, which was almost indispensable.

However, you can always use the Kick Out button if things start going south. It's not pretty when they start bickering. You also have to pay close attention to them because, at times, they can be too tired to fight alongside you.

Their stories are short and to the point, which is great for an adventure like this. Learning about each one and their problems is like reading a good book but with sound effects in the background, especially now that October is such a cozy month.

It can take anywhere between one to four hours to finish a playthrough, each with different endings. This way, you can choose the road not taken.

Can You Run It?

For now, it will only be available on the old mouse and keyboard, and here's what you need to play it. The Minimum requirements will have your PC rocking at least an Intel Core i5-3210M processor or equivalent, paired with an Intel HD 4000 onboard graphics chip.

If you want to blast those pixel-art visuals to the max, the Recommended specs demand at least an Intel i7 or equivalent CPU. You can start with an Intel HD Graphics or AMD Radeon HD integrated graphics chip.

If you want even better results, an Nvidia GeForce GTX 760 or AMD Radeon HD 7600 will suffice. Sadly, I didn't find any video settings regarding resolution or visual effects, but hopefully, they'll arrive in the complete version.

Given that the game is still in development, the PC requirements will likely receive a more detailed update near the release date. While playing on a PC at a desk is nice, this game looks equally suited to handheld devices like the Steam Deck.

Conclusion

From what I've played so far, I'd say Keep Driving is a gem of a game just waiting to be discovered. I hope the studio has a marketing team at least half as talented and witty as they are.

It's indie titles like this that stand out in the cluttered crowd of buggy, big-budget AAA releases, bringing a much-needed breath of refreshing creativity.

There is no release date currently, but if you add it to your Steam wishlist, you'll be notified when it arrives. The demo should be out now, so you can try it yourself.