Jalopy (PC) Preview

 

November 1989 marked the beginning of the end for the Berlin Wall, which meant that Germans of each side could finally travel freely. It wasn’t until the summer of 1990 that the destruction of the Berlin Wall officially started, and that is where Jalopy starts its story.

Journey Awaits

The start of the game has your uncle explaining to you what makes Laika tick and what parts you should especially be spending attention on, which quickly ends with you behind the wheels and going off on a journey.

Your uncle and you will take a trip to a country he hasn’t been able to see for over eleven years.
Normally this would already be an adventure of its own, but your means of transportation is the Laika 601 Deluxe, a car that will take a lot of finesse and care to survive the trip.

As little as the press demo offers, it is very clear that this game is something special. Games have the opportunity to not only show a part of history that you are unfamiliar with, but also to experience it. Jalopy is a literal journey of how it was like for East Germans after the Berlin Wall.

The part that the press demo lets you play, has glimpses of what the entire game offers. You will have to manage your money well, so that you aren’t broke with a just as broken down car. At the end of the demo, you find yourself in a town with a supermarket, a car dealership and a motel.

The supermarket sells all kinds of products that could sell for a pretty penny in places that you will travel through to get to your destination. The radio in the motel played a broadcast about an increasing price of bullets in the next country you would go to, so you won’t have to guess that product will be valuable.

Your Laika needs a lot of upkeep, but it also has a lot of upgrades available. The car dealership has all the parts you need to turn your Laika Deluxe into a Laika Deluxe Turbo, luckily with the ease of the 21st century’s same-day delivery.

Where Minskworks could’ve made a walking simulator, they actually managed to think of a way to make it an interactive experience.

Final thoughts

I wouldn’t be surprised if Jalopy turns into a hit, especially on Twitch. The game has so many interactive features that you can make it into a Choose Your Own Adventure game with your viewers.

As much fun the many ways you can choose to get to your final destination, Jalopy offers an historic experience dressed up as a driving simulator, which will make the game doubly as rewarding if you are into that.

Jalopy is currently in Early Access on steam and will be available for purchase on April the 14th. It will cost $12.99, with a possible discount during the first week.