My Summer Car Isn’t Your Regular Driving Simulation Game

Right, this is a weird one. I’m not even sure whether I should call it a survival title, a car building or walking simulator; My Summer Car is a bit of all and has to be one of the most unique ideas for a driving-related game I’ve seen in a while (aside from Wreckfest).

Here’s the idea: you’ll be put in the shoes of a teenager living in the Finnish countryside during the 1990s, tasked with building a small, rugged car while your parents are away on their summer vacation.

The car is completely disassembled and you are given no instructions as to how you might go about putting the thing together. There are countless components, from the engine block, pistons and exhaust system, all the way to the tiniest nuts and bolts that hold your rusty machine together. Good luck figuring out where they all go!

This game in guaranteed to test your patience and will not hold your hand at any point during the process. Nonetheless, many have praised it for its authenticity and the insanely rewarding gameplay experience.

When you’re finally done assembling it, My Summer Car also enables you to order tuning kits and body parts from a dealership, so that you may turn the car into a supercharged dragster or a ferocious rally animal.

Oh, just make sure you don’t pull off any sketchy moves that might lead to a crash or driving the damn thing off the road, as you will either die or, in the best case scenario, end up having to tow it to the mechanic and get it repaired, which is fairly pricey. Furthermore, the permadeath mechanic means that once you die, it’s ‘game over’ and you’ll have to start from square one, so try not to go too crazy, okay?

Besides building and driving your car, there will be a variety of jobs you may choose to take. Cash is extremely precious in this game, as auto parts or repairs will cost you a considerable amount of money that can be earned by cutting wood, towing wrecked vehicles or delivering newspapers. If you’re feeling more like a villain, you can also earn some quick cash by robbing stores, but watch out for the boys in blue!

While you’re at it, you’ll also have to eat, sleep, hydrate and visit the local shop to buy outrageous amounts of sausages and beer, as well as paying bills or ensuring that you don’t somehow set the house on fire. Basically, a bunch of life simulation elements.

Graphics wise, this probably won’t be your first pick. My Summer Car reminds me of an early 2000s PlayStation title and isn’t even slightly appealing in terms of its looks. But that’s okay, because it isn’t meant to be. This game doesn’t exactly take itself too seriously, and neither should you.

It’s worth pointing out that this oddity was developed by one individual and is constantly being updated with new features and patched to fix any bugs. My Summer Car is currently available for purchase on Steam (PC) at only $14,99.

Personally, I’m not as hyped about it as other gamers, but can still appreciate the amount of originality and work that’s gone into it!