Reviews
‘Pacific Drive’ Review: Unique Survival Horror Driving Sim Takes You On a Road Trip from Hell
Since time immemorial, storytellers have been fascinated by the near-supernatural connection between people and their trusty vehicles. At first, it was just with horses and their wheeled extensions, but the rise of the automobile and the freedom that it appeared to represent soon led us to bond with inanimate objects – and our stories adjusted accordingly. And yet, with the exception of certain racing simulators, few video games dare to focus on the more esoteric side of owning and maintaining a beloved vehicle.
This is what initially attracted me to Ironwood Studios’ Pacific Drive, a survival-horror driving sim that puts players behind the wheel of a quirky station wagon stranded in a supernaturally-afflicted version of 1990s Cascadia. And while traversing a wasteland from the inside of a customizable vehicle isn’t exactly a novel idea (we’ve seen commendable attempts in the past, such as 2015’s Mad Max and even Bend Studios’ Days Gone), it’s never been the central game mechanic quite like this before.
Taking place in an alternate history where a huge chunk of the Pacific Northwest has been sectioned off after a high-tech accident disturbed the fabric of reality, Pacific Drive is a strange roguelite that sees players dealing with radioactive storms, sentient dumpsters and other dangerous anomalies as the unnamed protagonist becomes supernaturally bonded to a mysterious vehicle and attempts to escape what is now called “The Olympic Exclusion Zone.”
In gameplay terms, this means gearing up at your garage and stocking up on tools in order to set out on unpredictable expeditions into the unknown. Once out in the open, players will then have to navigate hostile terrain while conducting missions for unseen scientists that keep in touch via one-way radio – all while making sure that their car is in good enough shape to survive the trip home.
On the road again…
Taking cues from games like Subnautica and Death Stranding, Ironwood’s title combines in-depth crafting with traversal mechanics that make the landscape itself your greatest enemy. Of course, the real star of the show here is your charming (if somewhat cursed) station wagon. It may start out as a barely functional heap of junk, but with enough care and resources, players will soon see it transform into a death-proof cruiser that would make the Ecto-1 jealous.
It takes a while for everything to click into place, as the wagon initially can’t even handle a simple off-road stroll and you’re limited to basic upgrades, but by collecting enough scrap and everyday items, you slowly accumulate resources and blueprints that can improve your vehicle and garage. Once you’re finally protected enough to start exploring at your own leisure, you’ll soon find that hours have gone by as you’ve become lost in an incredibly addicting gameplay loop where you set out on expeditions to gather more parts so you can set out on longer expeditions to gather even better parts.
It’s not just the mechanics that suck you in, however. From the heavily stylized recreation of the Pacific Northwest wilderness to the moody radio that keeps you company as you travel on lonely roads, it’s really easy to engage with this interactive master-class in atmosphere despite the general lack of traditional action. With indie rock blasting on the radio as raindrops wash over the cracked windshield on an eerily dark night, players will soon imagine themselves as a sleep-deprived delivery driver at the edge of the world, which is a lot more fun than it sounds on paper.
Unfortunately, this near-perfect balance of mechanics and immersion isn’t exactly a consistent experience. Small issues like the lack of interactive elements in the environment (you can only ever search the same handful of recurring containers) and the occasional unfair RNG add up over time – especially after hours of repetitive missions and same-y locations. That’s not even mentioning the bugs, which range from cute to game-breaking depending on your luck.
While most of the overall jank can be traced back to the game’s less-than-AAA origins – and some amount of repetition is to be expected in a crafting-driven roguelite – the lack of combat and a satisfying narrative means that your enjoyment of the experience will mostly depend on how willing you are to give yourself over to the title’s excellent ambience.
I don’t think the insurance will cover this.
This also extends to the game’s horror elements. While there are some legitimately spooky moments as you drive down supernaturally darkened roads littered with unexplainable phenomena, the lack of proper monsters or any other kind of tangible enemy means that, despite the masterful build-up, there are no real scares to be had here.
In fact, the story elements in general mostly exist to justify gameplay contrivances or serve as a cool backdrop while you explore. That’s not to say that I didn’t enjoy the banter between Oppy and the other isolated scientists as they attempt to help the player (or the SCP-styled anomalies that populate this world), but it’s pretty clear that this aspect of the game didn’t receive the same amount of love and attention as the rest of the adventure.
Personally, I thoroughly enjoyed my time roaming the back roads of the Olympic Exclusion Zone and grew extremely attached to my pimped out ride. That being said, I often had the feeling that the experience was more of a polished proof of concept rather than a complete package, which is something to think about if you’re planning on purchasing the game for its launch price.
Of course, it’s often said that the greatest thing a work of art can do is leave you wanting more, and that is certainly the case with Pacific Drive. While I’d love to see these mechanics expanded on in the future, and more action-oriented players are likely to become bored with the down-to-earth gameplay, I still think that Ironwood’s debut effort is a journey worth taking despite a handful of potholes along the way.
Reviews
‘Clue: A New Comedy’ Stage Play Is a Slapstick Slasher That Lovingly Adapts Hasbro’s Board Game
The national tour of ‘Clue: A New Comedy’ remixes the classic murder mystery with farcical physical comedy and impassioned old-fashioned sensibilities.
“It’s all part of the game.”
There’s a strong relationship between mischievous murder mysteries and the horror genre. Murder mysteries inherently hinge upon death – it’s baked into the name – so it’s not surprising that horror has embraced this secretive subgenre and really emphasized the murder in murder mysteries. Murder mysteries have been popular in pop culture for nearly a century. However, there’s been a recent renaissance on this front with playful films like Knives Out, A Haunting in Venice, Bodies Bodies Bodies, the Scream franchise, and the prominence of the true-crime genre and armchair detectives. That being said, an underrated and evergreen source of murder mystery hijinks that’s entertained audiences for 75 years is Hasbro and Parker Brothers’ Clue.
Clue has experienced many permutations over the years, including Jonathan Lynn’s 1985 cult classic film and several stage adaptations. In a new dawn where board game and toy IP are at an all-time high, a new stage adaptation of Clue has been put together by Sandy Rustin, with additional material by Hunter Foster and Eric Price, and directed by Casey Hushion. Hushion’s Clue: A New Comedy, which is in the middle of a national tour, effortlessly harkens back to vaudevillian silliness and broad laughs, while it simultaneously explores darker genre impulses and intrigue. It’s the perfect way to nostalgically celebrate the ’80s movie, but also remind audiences why Hasbro’s upcoming cinematic remake is long overdue.
Hushion’s Clue is an adaptation of Lynn’s ‘85 film, but it still brings many original ideas and revisions to the table so that this doesn’t just feel like a stripped down version of the movie. Clue: A New Comedy finds immense pleasure in how it translates the game’s rules so that it functions as a faithful adaptation of the game and the feature film, while it also becomes a fun, fresh entity that’s a living hybrid of both. In Clue: A New Comedy, blackmail functions as the story’s central mystery, just as it does in the board game and cinematic adaptation. Each color-coded houseguest has terrible secrets that they don’t want getting out, which becomes the impetus for the growing body count.
Clue is a comedic character study and this stage play presents well-defined individuals who are easy to identify and connect with, despite their one-dimensional nature. Mr. Green (John Shartzer) is the cast’s real standout, but there’s not a single weak link among Clue’s eight central players. Clue’s best moments are the ones when the whole cast gets to bounce off of each other and revel in the group’s chaotic energy. The play’s ‘50s McCarthyism setting also adds an extra layer of mistrust, paranoia, and subterfuge to the equation that still feels timely in its own way. Farcical, broad wordplay – especially from John Treacy Egan’s Colonel Mustard – are a delight and reminiscent of an old-fashioned radio play when it comes to Clue’s jokes, timing, and dialogue.
Beyond Clue’s script lies some exceptional physical comedy, particularly from Shartzer’s Mr. Green. There are broad group reactions that play out in unison for mass comic effect, as well as lighting cues that brilliantly accentuate punchlines and become a solid running gag throughout the 90-minute show. There are playful movement exercises that are expertly choreographed and verge on interpretative dance. Clue adopts a real Scooby-Doo energy to the production, especially when it comes to its scene transitions. Clue even indulges in a “multiple door chase sequence” that taps into the right energy for this degree of slapstick. To this point, there’s an absolutely brilliant slow motion sequence that’s a highlight of the show and adeptly incorporated.
Clue’s characters are its secret weapon, but stellar production elements help elevate the stage play to something truly special. There’s really powerful set design by Lee Savage that evokes a creepy, cozy Haunted Mansion aesthetic that’s the right atmosphere for this murder mystery tale. Clever design decisions result in rotating walls and rooms that economically get the most out of the stage’s environment. Clumsy execution of these elements would quickly sink Clue and ruin its crescendoing quality. They’re seamlessly handled, as are Ryan O’Gara’s evocative lighting design and Michael Holland’s jauntily creepy musical cues. All these elements work together to make sure that Clue is as visually entertaining as it is well-acted and written.
Clue: A New Comedy goes all-in on its laughs. That being said, the play’s death scenes are actually creepy and immaculately orchestrated with all the finesse of peak genre cinema. There are genuine slasher vibes present that pulse through the show’s pervasive slapstick silliness. It’s a testament to the sheer artistry of craft in Clue that both of these extremes work as well as they do. Clue also shrewdly embraces the infamous multiple ending angle that helped give Lynn’s feature film a smart extra meta layer to its storytelling. It’s fun, different, and takes advantage of the medium of theater to great effect. It’s also the satisfying culmination of a story that gets progressively manic, unhinged, and verges on collapsing in on itself by the end – but in the best way possible. Clue pushes boundaries with tone and control like an expert puppet master.
Clue: A New Comedy hits all the right notes and succeeds as a breezy piece of theater that celebrates whodunit hijinks, broad buffoonery, and wicked wit. It’s Agatha Christie meets Frasier. Clue is a show that definitely prioritizes comedy over horror and suspense, but there’s enough style in this production to properly sell the production’s more evil impulses. It’s unlikely that anyone will be genuinely frightened, yet the play will still keep audiences on the edge of their seats and eagerly anticipate who’s responsible for Boddy Mansion’s copious corpses. Clue: A New Comedy is the best way to experience the Hasbro and Parker Brothers classic before its next cinematic adaptation proves that murder and mayhem aren’t just a game anymore.
Go to Broadway.org to see if ‘Clue: A New Comedy’ will be coming to your area.
Photo by Evan Zimmerman for MurphyMade
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