If you ever want to show your kids why you should never go out driving when it’s icy, let them play this game.
If you ever want to know why people still go out driving when it’s icy, you should play this game.
The game is essentially a variation of the Crazy Taxi format, but made in the graphics style of early non/low-textured 3D games. If this was the idea, which I assume based on the skills in this production, then fully commit to that choice and include the fake shadows and fake lighting from that era to complete the aesthetic, plus it allows you to ramp up the fps even on less powerful systems.
The twist on the Crazy Taxi formula is twofold. Instead of picking up and dropping off people, it’s food. The seat that holds the food package is shown on the second monitor, so you hilariously watch the packages get flung all over the car as you drift from side to side trying to maintain the car in the center. That alone is worth a play.
The second twist is the ice road itself: it causes uncontrollable sliding, and when that’s combined with the flying food, you get an “Euh” score. But as you play, you actually learn how to circumvent the slips and even use them to your advantage. There’s a satisfying moment when you go from just holding down the gas to switching between long presses and quick tap-tap-tap-tap inputs on the four control buttons, maneuvering perfectly around corners and between buildings. That’s when you get your first “Slick” score.
These mechanics work so well, that even in a game that no other goal then going from A to B, you can't even spend your cold hard cash on useless stuff that would appear on the on-board monitor, time really flies by. This shows the power of a good concept.
If you were to continue with this, which you should, remember to always keep the car 'indestructible', this gives the biggest sense of flow and keep the time limit lenient enough to feel different from the usual clones. Let the stress come from other things: maybe the monitors glitch when you bounce or crash, so you can’t see the navigation app because the customer keeps calling and demanding an ETA, getting more and more annoying. Or you have the phone in your hand when the call comes in, creating a brief delay in steering. Or have different food types that affect how you can drive — for example, a temperature bar (“Must be delivered hot”), a flavor bar (“Contains two servings that should not mix”), or a filled bar (“Contains liquids”).