Keep Driving

Great characters, challenging resource management, and impeccable road trip vibes.

Often in Keep Driving, I would pour what resources I had into fueling my next leg of the trip before taking off again, hoping for good luck on the road. Keeping everything running smoothly could be a stressful pursuit, but the unpredictable events, hazardous challenges, and stimulating connections kept my hands firmly on the steering wheel.

It brings together all of its systems to create narratives that unfold organically and that are easy to get lost in. You may encounter the same hitchhikers or the same quests across two different runs, but the stories won't be the same. It's about the journey, not the destination.

Keep Driving thrives in both its simplicity and eccentricity. It’s a road trip game where your car takes center stage, yet there’s no actual driving gameplay, while also, it features a JRPG-lite turn-based combat system for overcoming various obstacles. It certainly works, successfully capturing the essence of a legendary road trip where the journey is worth so much more than the destination.

While Keep Driving has its flaws, I can’t deny how addicted I was to the game overall. With short playthroughs that clock anywhere between an hour or two, I became obsessed with obtaining all of the endings, trying different hitchhiker skills, and just enjoying the ride through pixilated backgrounds with my Swedish indie pop in the CD player. While the game’s story is minimal, it’s a point in its favour as it allows the player to create their own road trip adventure. Even though elements struggle — the writing needs another editing pass and the awkward UI made for some sticky situations — there is a lot to love that kept me coming back for more.