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Windows Central

Technology

Cole Martin

A big PS5 / PC horror sensation is shadow dropping on Xbox today with Play Anywhere, complete with a huge expansion

Xbox Kepler Interactive Pacific Drive Ironwood Studios Steam

Looking for a creepy horror game to play before October ends? Kepler Interactive and Ironwood Studios might have the solution for that with the terrifying horror survival game Pacific Drive — available for the first time on Xbox with Xbox Play Anywhere support and a fresh new expansion dubbed Whispers in the Woods.

If the launch of a former console exclusive and a rich new expansion pack isn't enough of a surprise for you, publisher Kepler Interactive has one more trick up its sleeve: Pacific Drive is coming to Xbox Game Pass Ultimate today.

Pacific Drive is a survival horror adventure set in the Pacific Northwest, where you're all alone in the supernatural-saturated Olympic Exclusion Zone. All alone, except for your trusty station wagon, anyway.

Your car is your only friend, and you'll need to scavenge resources and craft equipment to upgrade and maintain your nostalgic wagon if you want to survive. Modding and upgrading your car personalizes your Pacific Drive experience while also helping you to navigate the terrifying anomalies lurking in the woods.

Just you and your station wagon, careening through the air. (Image credit: Kepler Interactive)

Pacific Drive launched on Steam, Epic Games Store, and PlayStation 5 in 2024, but skipped Xbox due to timed console exclusivity. The game has developed a devout following and has a Very Positive rating on Steam with over 12,000 reviews. One poster on Reddit even shared they had purchased a station wagon because of their love for Pacific Drive.

Pacific Drive is set in the Olympic Exclusion Zone in the pacific northwest. (Image credit: Kepler Interactive)

Players drive through the area and must maintain their vehicle while encountering supernatural terrors. (Image credit: Kepler Interactive)

Danger lurks in the trees. (Image credit: Kepler Interactive)

Nothing is what it seems in Pacific Drive. (Image credit: Kepler Interactive)

Maintaining your wagon and upgrading with special mods is key to surviving your run. (Image credit: Kepler Interactive)

A screenshot from the Pacific Drive Whispers in the Woods trailer. (Image credit: Kepler Interactive)

The trailer is from the point of view of somebody lurking in the shadows, watching the player's previous adventures. (Image credit: Kepler Interactive)

Pacific Drive's latest trailer draws on classic horror tropes like found footage. (Image credit: Kepler Interactive)

Anomlies add tension and chaos to Pacific Drive. (Image credit: Kepler Interactive)

Players who thought they were alone in the OEZ may be in for a surprise in Whispers in the Woods. (Image credit: Kepler Interactive)

There are plenty of secrets to uncover in the new expansion for Pacific Drive. (Image credit: Kepler Interactive)

Pacific Drive is a dark and harrowing journey for survival. (Image credit: Kepler Interactive)

Somebody may be watching as you work on your wagon. (Image credit: Kepler Interactive)

The new Whispers in the Woods expansion adds to Pacific Drive's road trip from hell by going even further into the Olympic Exclusion Zone to the Whispering Woods, where there are plenty of new anomalies to meet. Venturing into this creepy new locale will require special upgrades for your wagon to keep the ever-present Whispering Tide at bay.

New gameplay mechanics are also coming to the game with its Xbox launch, including Artifacts from Alters that will alter your experience with the environment, anomalies, and maybe even yourself.

In addition to content, gameplay systems, and terrifying secrets, Whispers in the Woods will bring a fully voiced cast of characters to Pacific Drive. That's right — you're no longer alone in the Olympic Exclusion Zone. There's a whole group of creepy, strange, and potentially dangerous fanatics lurking about the OEZ who are obsessed with the strange anomalies. Their presence is influencing the zone itself, and that can't possibly go wrong.

Where will this road trip lead you? (Image credit: Kepler Interactive)

Whispers in the Woods is expected to be an additional 8-12 hour story added on to the Pacific Drive base game and will feature a side narrative for players to discover, as well.

New garage stations, route modifiers, cosmetics, and more will change the way players explore and survive the OEZ, while a brand-new original score from composer Wilbert Roget II adds emotion and tension to the striking horror experience.

FAQ

What is Pacific Drive?

Pacific Drive is a survival horror adventure with roguelike gameplay elements where players plan and traverse a remote section of the pacific northwest that has become haunted by strange anomalies. To survive, players must upgrade and maintain their trusty station wagon and uncover the secrets of the Olympic Exclusion Zone.

Is Pacific Drive on Xbox?

Surprise! It is now.

Pacific Drive was originally a timed console exclusive for PlayStation 5, but developers Ironwood Studios and publishers Kepler Interactive have announced it is now available on Xbox with a surprise launch.

Does Pacific Drive support Xbox Play Anywhere?

Yes, Pacific Drive is part of the Xbox Play Anywhere program, meaning you only need to purchase the game on either Xbox or PC. The game is then playable wherever you can access Xbox titles, including console, PC, and handheld.

Does Pacific Drive play on handhelds?

Yes! Pacific Drive is playable on the Steam Deck, as well as Xbox-branded handhelds like the Lenovo Legion Go 2 and the recently released Xbox Ally X, thanks to its inclusion in the Xbox Play Anywhere program.