A Refreshing Change in Gaming
In a gaming landscape dominated by bloated AAA titles and live-service models, Keep Driving is a breath of fresh air. This turn-based management RPG strips away unnecessary filler, offering a focused, engaging experience that blends exploration, strategy, and storytelling. Set in an open world, the game takes players on a road trip to a festival, featuring random events, unexpected encounters, and meaningful choices that make each playthrough unique.
A Unique Blend of Classic Game Mechanics
For those looking for a comparison, Keep Driving feels like a mix between Oregon Trail and FTL, but without overwhelming difficulty spikes. The game’s procedurally generated world ensures fresh encounters while maintaining a sense of cohesion. With a main story that can be completed in under four hours, its price tag of less than $20 makes it an enticing package for 2025 gaming standards.
While the core experience is short, the replay value is immense. With multiple storylines, different character builds, and a range of random encounters, players can easily sink 20+ hours into the game, making each road trip a new adventure. However, for a procedurally generated sandbox game, progression feels surprisingly fast. I reached one of the endings in less than four hours, and I didn’t even realize I was in the endgame until it was over. While this doesn’t ruin the experience, it does make the game feel like it runs out of surprises too soon.
Gameplay: More Than Just Driving
At its heart, Keep Driving is a road trip simulator mixed with RPG mechanics. Players start by selecting a car and customizing their character with different traits. From there, navigation is handled via a map, allowing for strategic route planning to avoid hazards or seek out key locations.
The game offers a variety of settings, including big cities, small towns, and desolate outposts. While there’s no artificial difficulty to punish players randomly, every decision matters. Factors like road types, weather conditions, and fuel management all impact gameplay, forcing players to carefully plan their journey.
Towns: The RPG Element
Stopping in towns allows players to:
- Restock supplies and fuel
- Hotels, Restaurants
- Places to explore (Like a little minigame)
- Upgrade their car for better performance
- Take on side quests and odd jobs for extra cash
Upgrading your car isn’t just cosmetic—it directly impacts gameplay, from improving fuel efficiency to unlocking new ways to deal with encounters on the road.
Combat Feels Like a Nuisance
One of the weaker aspects of Keep Driving is its combat system. While I understand the need for challenges along the road, the turn-based combat feels like an unnecessary interruption rather than an engaging feature. Instead of adding tension or excitement, it slows down the pacing of the game, pulling me away from what I enjoy most—exploring the world and staying on the road.
Combat is structured as a turn-based puzzle, where players must use skills to counter enemy actions rather than simply depleting health bars. While this concept is unique, I found it tedious rather than strategic. Each turn shows what the opponent (or environment) is about to do, and the goal is to prevent negative effects like losing fuel, taking damage, or losing money.
I don’t mind a challenge, but the combat mechanics feel more like a chore than an exciting roadblock. I would have preferred a system that blends seamlessly with the rest of the journey instead of pulling me into slow, repetitive encounters that break immersion.
Dynamic Storytelling & Road Trip Vibes
As a road trip game, Keep Driving leans heavily into its atmosphere. The soundtrack is filled with indie road trip music, and the pixel art is designed to evoke nostalgia. The UI is another standout, with an analog-inspired design—interacting with the glove box, for example, requires physically opening it rather than just clicking a menu option.
The game successfully creates a sense of pseudo-nostalgia, making players yearn for road trips they may have never even taken. Much like how modern media romanticizes the ‘80s, Keep Driving captures the essence of a journey in a way that feels both nostalgic and fresh.
Room for Improvement
While Keep Driving is a fantastic experience, it has a few areas that could be refined:
- Combat Feels Disruptive: The turn-based system interrupts the flow of exploration and feels more like an annoyance than a challenge. The slow pace and repetitive nature of battles detract from the game’s immersive road trip experience. A more seamless system, such as real-time environmental hazards or skill-based challenges, could improve engagement without breaking the flow.
- Repetitive Encounters: While procedural generation ensures variety, some events start feeling too familiar after a few playthroughs. The game could benefit from a larger pool of unique encounters or branching scenarios that change depending on prior choices. This would enhance the sense of unpredictability and discovery.
- Minimal Character Interactions: The world feels alive, but character interactions are often shallow. Hitchhikers and NPCs could have more dynamic dialogues, backstories, or even side quests that extend beyond simple fetch missions. A more in-depth conversation system would help flesh out the game’s lore and provide greater emotional investment.
- Animation Issues: Some animations feel slightly stiff or choppy, which can be jarring in an otherwise atmospheric game. While this may be an intentional artistic choice, a bit more fluidity in movement and interactions could make the game feel more polished and immersive.
- Pacing Issues: While the game is designed for replayability, reaching an ending so quickly can make the experience feel too brief for a sandbox game. The progression system could be tweaked to allow for a more gradual build-up to the endgame. Introducing more mid-game objectives or expanding the road trip journey could give players a greater sense of accomplishment before reaching a conclusion.
Final Verdict: A Must-Play Indie Gem
Despite a few minor flaws, Keep Driving is an absolute gem. It offers a unique blend of strategy, storytelling, and open-world exploration in a compact and affordable package. The combination of turn-based encounters, meaningful choices, and immersive atmosphere makes it a standout indie title.
⭐ Rating: 3.5/5 Stars ⭐
With a bit more polish on its combat mechanics and pacing, Keep Driving could be an instant classic. But even as it stands, it’s one of the most refreshing and engaging games you’ll play this year.
Should You Buy It?
✅ Yes, if you love RPGs, road trip adventures, and turn-based combat.
❌ No, if you prefer fast-paced action, immersive exploration without interruptions, or a longer campaign.
Bottom Line: If you’re looking for a fresh indie experience that values the journey as much as the destination, Keep Driving is well worth the ride—just be prepared for some occasional roadblocks along the way.
