Pacific Drive is more than just your run-of-mill driving sim; it’s a survival game that puts players into a world full of supernatural dangers with their car as their only companion.
It will be you and your barely running station wagon against the world – literally, and a significant part of the game is trying to upgrade and reinforce your car faster than the game can break it down.
Players will have to constantly monitor all parts of their (hopefully) four-wheeled companion, making choices on the fly and savaging and crafting as they go if they have any hopes of driving out of danger in one piece.
Thankfully, the game has many upgrades and blueprints to make the road trip through hell a little less harrowing, but that also means it can seem a little overwhelming to get your bearings at first – which is where this guide comes in.
We’ve compiled a list of five essential blueprints that should carry you through your first couple of hours until you and your wheeled trash heap have developed a close enough bond that you know what it needs without our help.
So, without further ado, here are the five best upgrades to unlock first in Pacific Drive.
Matter Deconstructor – Because Constructing Things Is Fun But Deconstructing Things Is Fun-ner
The first blueprint you should craft in Pacific Drive is, without a doubt, the Matter Deconstructor, one of the most valuable blueprints in the game.
Crafting a Matter Deconstructor will install a new device inside your garage and allow you to recycle car parts.
While at the start of the game, resources will be pleasantly, and you might not find yourself eyeballing that bum tyre, wondering what you can salvage from it, that moment will come, and that’s where the Matter Deconstructor will be a godsend.
Feed the Matter Deconstructor any of your car parts that are beyond the point of return, and it will spit out some of the original materials for you to collect and reuse.
Expanded Locker – Because Sometimes Pockets Just Aren’t Enough
Much like other survival games, you’ll have to channel your inner packrat and hoarder to make it out alive.
While at first, you’re going to think that between the trunk of your car and the pockets of your pants and backpack, you have plenty of room to store everything you’re going to be collecting, trust me when I tell you you’re going to need more, and fast.
The best upgrade you can get for your garage early on is to craft an extra locker, which should be enough to carry you into the middle of the game easily. Crafting it will also unlock further lockers, so you never have to leave even the smallest piece of junk behind.
Insulated Panels – Because Who Wants To Be Electrocuted By Their Car?
At the start of the game, electricity is a huge issue you will encounter.
Whether this comes from Minutemen, Spark Towers, or other bizarre anomalies, electricity is a constant and genuine threat.
So, if you want to avoid sparks from flying while safely tucked away in your haven on wheels, you will want to unlock the Insulated Panel as soon as possible.
The Insulated Panels will considerably increase your car’s armour level while keeping the electricity outside your car – where it belongs.
Offroad Tires – Because German Roads These Are Not
Much like many of our local roads, the roads in Pacific Drive… aren’t great – to put it mildly.
There is nothing quite like the panic you will feel trying to outdrive and outmanoeuvre a murderous supernatural storm with your car tyres fighting you every leg of the way.
Thankfully, if you have some energy saved up and have unlocked the Offroad Tires blueprint, you can make your life less stressful with some Offroad Tires.
These bad boys will not only provide some much-needed extra health to your tyres but also let you manoeuvre through woods and water like you would on a good paved road.
However, there is a drawback. When on roads, the Offroad Tires don’t exactly shine, so you’ll need to decide what’s more important: driving well on the few good roads you can find or having the ability to forgo roads altogether.
Steel Sheet – Because When It Comes To Cars, Thread Count Isn’t Everything
The Steel Sheet is one of the best things you can prioritise in Pacific Drive. You’ll also do good not to forget about it after unlocking.
The Steel Sheet is a crucial blueprint because it serves as the base for all the other new car parts you can craft later.
While at first, you’ll accept your rust bucket and even start to grow attached to it, after a while, you’ll want something a little more protective and reliable – which is where the Steel Sheet comes in.
Just by using some Scrap Metal and the Steel Sheet blueprint, you’ll be on your way to fixing up your skadonk and making something new, shiny and, most importantly of all, protective for your supernatural road trip.
But now I want to hear from you. Have you been putting your peddle to the metal in Pacific Drive, and if so, what do you think about the game?
Let me know in the comments, and stay tuned for more guides and our full game review coming soon.