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While entertaining, Pacific Drive can be an unforgiving game for the unprepared, and after many hours of playing, I wish I knew certain things and tips before stepping on the pedal. Since this is a survival title, you can expect the usual staples: few materials, equipment that breaks with use, resource management, and so on. However, this game has a unique twist on many of these features, making preparation vital for any aspiring driver wanting to reach the Olympic Exclusion Zone.
1. The Scanner is Your Best Friend
Early in the game, you’ll get a scanner function. This feature allows you to, as the name implies, scan several things to add to your logbook. You can analyze anomalies to learn how to avoid them and certain objects on the map to learn more from them, but there’s an even better feature to it. If you scan your vehicle’s damaged car parts, you can see the exact fix for each one. For example, a broken window needs a sealing kit, but you can only learn that by pointing your scanner to the part. Besides, it also works with locked doors and containers. So, when in doubt, scan.
2. You Can Use Dust Bunnies to Destroy Other Anomalies
The game features a unique group of enemies. Instead of having supernatural creatures attack you, there are towers that shoot lightning, tornados that drag you in, and even small fissures that can ruin your day. However, some of the worst are Tourists or exploding mannequins, as I call them. These are usually set around a road, and you either dodge them or hit them, but the latter will damage your car. The best way to destroy them is by picking any Dust Bunny that clings to your car and throwing them at the mannequins. That’ll remove them and leave a clear road for you and your vehicle.
3. Scrapping Trunks Can Destroy Loot
The next thing I wish I knew before playing Pacific Drive pertains to trunks and trigger-happy scrappers, such as myself. See, the Scrapper is one of the most useful tools in the game, as it allows you to destroy objects to get materials. However, when destroying car trunks, you risk losing the loot inside or getting less materials. If you want to destroy that car part to get Steel Sheets or something else, try to open the trunk first and loot it, lest you want to go home with less loot.
4. Upgrading the Antenna Allows You To Plan Road Trips Better
Installing an antenna to scan routes is one of your first main missions in the game. Initially, this might not seem like a big deal, but upgrading it is one of the best tips you can get on Pacific Drive once you unlock new roads. By unlocking the required upgrade, you can extend the antenna’s reach and allow you to scan different destinations. By doing so, you can then head to the exit road and pick from all the routes you scanned. This is ideal if you want to choose a safer route or head to a dangerous one with more loot.
5. The Friendly Dumpster is the Greatest Item in the Garage
You can install many upgrades in the garage, but none is as useful as the Friendly Dumpster. When checking the driver’s checklist after every trip, it’ll always recommend you visit the Friendly Dumpster. Initially, it might not seem important, but it is. This little container will spit different things from time to time. During my playthrough, I got things ranging from survival tools like Scrappers to car parts and raw materials to help me craft. Undoubtedly, this is my favorite addition to my safe house.
6. You Can Fill Your Fuel Can Before Leaving the Garage
This is something that never occurred to me during my runs, and it is a shame. You’ll see that certain missions require you to go through many junctions or destinations. This means that you’ll spend a lot of fuel while driving through them. Thankfully, you can grab your fuel can from your vehicle and fill it inside the garage before leaving. Doing so will give you spare fuel for the ride and lessen the danger of running out of gas while escaping the storm.
7. Not All Anomalies are Harmful
Dust Bunnies can be some of the most annoying hazards in the game due to how clingy they are. However, one of the best tips I can give you for your Pacific Drive playthrough is that you don’t get rid of them so quickly. During one of the runs, I realized that a green Dust Bunny got stuck to my vehicle, and instead of causing electrical malfunctions, it gave me more speed and even repaired some car parts. This was a welcome change from the others that made my poor station wagon move on its own. So, if you see one on top of your car, let it do its thing before kicking it.
8. Decals and Painting Don’t Transfer to New Car Parts
Let me explain this one because it caught me off guard, even if it’s realistic. One of the things I wish I knew before playing Pacific Drive is that paints and decals don’t get applied automatically to a new car part. Let’s say you want to swap your pimped-out door for a new one. Sadly, the decorations won’t apply to the new one, and that makes sense because that’s how it works in real life. I think this is important to remember because painting and decals don’t last forever, so if you want to decorate your vehicle, you better take care of its parts unless you want a moving kaleidoscope.
9. The Storm Will Eventually Catch Up to You
In true Fortnite fashion, a storm also closes into your location as time passes. Sometimes, one might get distracted by the radioactive landscape of the zone and lose track of time while scavenging, and it can be a fatal mistake. Depending on the junction you’re at, you might see a faster storm or a slow one. It is important to have your volume up because when the alarms go off all over the map, that means you have minutes before the storm eviscerates you and your station wagon.
10. Grab Anchors Even If You’re Not Opening a Portal
If you’re doing a multi-junction road trip, always grab Anchors. Why? Well, first of all, you’ll start charging the ARC device, which is what you need to open the portal. Second, each Anchor provides you with the energy to unlock new upgrades. So, even if you’re speeding through a destination, stop to grab any Anchor you see that’s close to you and bring it to your car to get more energy for your future upgrades.
With these tips, your Pacific Drive playthrough should be much easier. However, remember that there’s danger at every turn. This can get hectic due to one unexpected anomaly and ruin your peaceful travel. So, before leaving the confines of your garage, scan an area, pack your tools, and hope for a clear road in the Olympic Exclusion Zone.
