I tend to shy away from games that involve a lot of strategy, but if one of those games has a distinct aesthetic and implements Rogue-like/Rogue-lite elements, then I’m willing to give it a go. That’s exactly the case for Heading Out, a driving simulator that is equal parts Oregon Trail and Burnout. While the hook for action gamers is present in its many races during playthroughs, the meat and bones of Heading Out lie within its resource management and meticulous cause-and-effect choices that are in droves and could be the difference between a successful run and game over. Does this unique title manage to pull all of this off?

In Heading Out, you take the reigns of an infamous dirt devil that goes by “Interstate Jackalope.” You’re tasked with racing the greatest driver alive, but they’re across the country and you need to make your way to them. In doing so, you’ll have to juggle a lot of resources: your focus, your car’s condition, your wanted level for the current state, existential fear chasing you, and your remaining funds. Running low on any of these risks falling asleep at the wheel, getting chased by the cops, or even an immediate game over if your car gets too banged up, your fear reaches you, or you run out of gas money.

Along your drive in Heading Out, you’ll make crucial decisions to not only keep yourself afloat, but manage how the country perceives you or if they even care about you at all based on the morality of your decisions. All of these events are written with gusto and prose, with a serious sense of mystique and fulfilled wanderlust hitting some endorphins all the while. The best part of the narrative is the option to insert yourself by answering questions about your personality before each run to inject dread and self-reflection in its most climactic moments.

While I found it hard to put Heading Out down, it wasn’t without a few nitpicks. There’s a healthy balance between racing and decision-making, but the way the game is marketed certainly leans towards the former which may catch some players by surprise. Past that, there is nonstop rubber-banding (racers behind you magically catching up) and repeated dialogue that you’ll hear dozens of times in your playthrough. These hindrances didn’t lead me to stop playing, though, as I was so engrossed in my Jackalope’s tale that truly captured “it’s about the journey, not the destination”.

Amidst its quirky encounters, succinct narration, larger-than-life radio stations, and tense low-resource moments, Heading Out is the best thing I’ve played this year. While it is a Rogue-like, a successful playthrough will take 5+ hours, so it sits at an odd junction where I couldn’t see myself coming back to it, whilst positively adoring the time I did have with it as I was glued to my screen. If you’re in the market for a gripping, stylistic driving game with an emphasis on choices matter and budgeting your resources, Heading Out is the game for you.

A PC review copy of Heading Out was provided by Saber Interactive for the purposes of this review.

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Heading Out

$19.99

9

Score

9.0/10

Pros

• Masterful Atmosphere
• Compelling Stories
• Tight, Fun Driving

Cons

• Rubber-banding during races
• Minimal Replayability