How Pacific Drive uses a diegetic UI to help players fall in love (with a car)
Pacific Drive is what you might get if Nicolas Winding Refn stepped in to direct an episode of Stranger Things. The atmospheric run-based survival adventure hinges on the bond between players and their car, except instead of outrunning their past, they'll be dodging supernatural anomalies as they launch expeditions into the Olympic Exclusion Zone in a bid to understand and escape the surreal calamity reshaping the world.
Between excursions, which see players scavenging for resources and learning more about the experimental leftovers scattered by the mysterious ARDA organization, you'll likely find them tinkering with their trusty station wagon in the safety of an oil-stained garage. It's here that our recent Gamescom 2023 demo began, and I immediately set about remodeling my four-wheeled companion, manually prying off paneling and swapping out tires to prepare for that next death-defying crusade.
What struck me about this portion of the demo was how developer Ironwood Studios has fully committed to the bit. To save resources, some studios might've had players upgrade and customize their ride in-menu, but not here. Working on your car is a tactile, intentional experience that's surprisingly therapeutic, providing a welcome contrast to the crackling tension that underlines each run.
During our demo, game director Seth Rosen said that when they joined the project, upgrading the car and restocking was a menu-driven experience, but the team quickly set about changing that in order to foster a relationship between players and their vehicle.
"The car is kind of like a shield. It's very much a symbiotic relationship. You take care of the car, and it's going to take care of you," said Rosen, who added that he wanted the upgrade
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