Posted on: October 5, 2025
arugulaKhan
Verified ownerGames: Reviews: 59
an actual review
While I'm not usually a fan of roguelikes, this one is as close to an ideal design for the format as is (probably) possible. The game stars a driver trying to get to the bottom of his own death (just go with it); by beating the "best racer around." To get to the racer, you have to complete a road trip across the continental US. Each time you do, you learn a little more about the protagonist and his predicament and unlock the next "act" of his story (which is the main incentive for replaying the game). The game is a mix between resource management and (halfway decent) racing. It's not perfect: all the cars wallow a little, key bindings cannot be reassigned (which is especially a pain if you play with a manual gearshift); and racing opponents are somewhat rubber-bandy (though not to a ridiculous -- or unfair -- extent). On the flipside, the graphics are gorgeous, the car models -- surprisingly intricate (which you can appreciate from something like five drivable camera angles) -- the VO work is consistently good and the writing is solid (not to mention pretty funny as well). Is it "woke"? I dunno: I play games for their entertainment value --- not to reaffirm my outlook on life... But it IS good enough to keep an "I don't like roguelikes" grump like myself invested in finishing the game (I'm on act three as of this review and having a blast). The format may not be to my liking, but Heading Out is a decent little game.
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