Keep Driving is an atmospheric management RPG about life on the open road. Pick up hitchhikers, work odd jobs, customize and repair your car, and map your route across the country. Use upgrades, skills and items to overcome challenges. And remember to take it easy. You’re young. You have time.
Developed by: Y/CJ/Y Games
Played on: Steam
Length: 6 hours
A review key was provided by Future Friends Games.
I like to think of myself as a road tripping expert, or at least in-game. From the politically-motivated hitchhiking in Road 96, to the tense family car rides in Open Roads, and even the supernatural purgatory that is Pacific Drive, road tripping has become both a narrative theme and a gameplay structure that I’ve come to love. So I hope you know I mean business when I say Keep Driving is better than most road trip games I’ve played. Heck, it’s better than a lot of games I’ve played.
Keep Driving is part management sim, part deck builder, and a tiny bit roguelite. Your goal is to drive across the country to meet your friend at a music festival, except driving thousands of kilometres on a limited budget is easier said than done. Firstly, there’s a long list of resources to manage, from your money, hunger and energy levels, to your car’s durability, fuel and storage. Secondly, time is constantly ticking down so spend it wisely, whether you decide to take a detour or start an odd job.
That being said, your journey is what you make of it. The game largely takes place in two phases: In town, where you rest and stock up on essentials, and on the road, where you survive randomised road events through card-based gameplay. Depending on how many quests you accept, and what routes you take, your experience with the game varies greatly. This is where it appeals to the obsessive planner in me, because there’s nothing more rewarding than a well-planned and efficient route.
But Keep Driving has something for all kinds of drivers, whether you prefer to customise your car with the best upgrades, or party with your carmates until the sun rises. What’s unique is that certain skill trees and character traits unlock based on your playstyle, and I’ve seen this go both ways; from receiving a permanent debuff for eating too much junk food, to receiving a permanent discount at garages after proving my skills as a handyman.
However, this elaborate pros-and-cons balancing game becomes the most fun when you throw hitchhikers into the mix. This eclectic cast is full of the strangest personalities you’ll ever meet, ranging from runaway bride to missing child, mountain climber to escaped convict. Each of them come with their own set of quests, and sometimes even unlock new endings in the game.
While Keep Driving isn’t narrative heavy by any stretch, I love the way the hitchhikers are characterised through their gameplay. You meet a narcoleptic whose most powerful ability can only be used when he’s asleep, then a chronic gambler who gambles away your money when you’re asleep; although my favourite might have to be the party girl who helps you pickpocket items from each new store you visit.
Due to the structure of the game, your playstyle tends to be shaped by the strengths and weaknesses of your hitchhikers, especially considering you need to spend a significant amount of time to unlock all their abilities. Even your choice in vehicles skews towards different playstyles. My old faithful, the Truck, offers more storage and less seats for hitchhikers, while the Muscle Car offers more seats and less storage, and the Sedan is a good balance of both.
Once you master these basics, the highway is yours to command. There are a handful of optional New Game+ features such as new occupations, new starter kits, and the ability to keep your car upgrades from the previous run. But considering the base game isn’t difficult to begin with, these features don’t make much of an impact beyond saving a little time and money at the start of each run.
But where Keep Driving shines the brightest is when you deviate from the route. Each time I think I’ve discovered everything this game has to offer, it throws me a hidden debuff or a new hitchhiker, and it feels like I’m a brand new driver all over again. So, word of advice for prospective drivers? Allow yourself to be side-tracked, take a few risks, and pick up the weird looking stranger off the roadside. You won’t regret it.
Verdict: A Solid GOTY Contender
It is the feeling of driving on the highway with the speakers on blast, of turning roadside strangers into lifelong memories, of ending up nowhere near where you’re meant to go. Y/CJ/Y Games’ latest release captures the wondrous nostalgia of a summer road trip, complete with an eclectic cast of hitchhikers and a highly addictive gameplay loop. Easily one of our favourites of the year so far, and already one of our favourite road trip games of all time.
Wishlist Keep Driving on Steam, and top up your Steam Wallet on Codashop for bonus rewards.
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