2024 has been a hell of a year for survival game fans, but many are following the same steps. That means creating a character, walking around and harvesting resources, securing food, warmth and water, and building a base. One game that dared to be different is Pacific Drive. In this game, a beat-up station wagon becomes the star of a bizarre paranormal adventure. It certainly had some issues to fix at launch, but a series of free updates have improved it throughout the year. Now, the latest patch adds mysterious new threats to the Olympic Exclusion Zone, puzzling new mechanics, and the ability to customize your garage along with your cars.
It may not have all the multiplayer additions and shared worlds you’ll find in this year’s best survival games, but nothing feels quite like Pacific Drive. Refuel your vehicle, replace broken parts, and return it to the safety of your garage at the end of your expedition as the Pacific Northwest transforms into a harsh land filled with strange, unsettling anomalies. is up to you. Until now, garages have lacked the same level of personalization and attachment that you feel with your car, but Pacific Drive’s Trips and Treasures update finally puts an end to that.
As you explore the Olympic Exclusion Zone, you’ll be able to find 23 new cosmetic items exclusive to your garage. Thirty different mounting points have been added to your home base so you can place these new items, from neon signs to electric guitars. The range of station wagon decoration options has also been expanded, with new gearshift items and stickers added for free. A winter-themed customization pack is also available as a paid add-on.
But Trips and Treasures is more than just the surface. Gold shells that look like giant paranormal cocoa beans can now be found around the map, and they contain several valuable items, including new cars and garage cosmetics. However, you must solve puzzles to open each one.
Developer Ironwood Studios also teases a strange new anomaly that awaits you in the zone. For now, all information about it has been redacted, so it’s up to the community to venture out and find it. Pacific Drive excels at providing addictive exploration and a constant sense of supernatural mystery, so adding new secrets like this is just what’s needed.
The update also includes an engine upgrade to Unreal 4.27, which Ironwood says will improve performance and prevent rare but frustrating crashes.
Pacific Drive’s Trips and Treasures update is currently available for free download. If you’d like to learn more about the game, or want to pick it up for yourself, visit its Steam page here.
Also check out our lists of the best single-player games and the best horror games to find similarly creepy titles.
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