Heading Out preview: A caRPG for fans of road trips and story-driven games

With stylish looks, intriguing storytelling, and a satisfying genre blend, Heading Out is definitely one to watch this year

Heading Out / Saber Interactive / Serious Sim

Heading Out is a stylish racing game like no other you’ve played recently, as it combines driving with beautifully crafted narrative and roguelike elements.

Inspired by American road movies, Heading Out has you play as a fugitive driving a muscle car across the US highway system. Unlike other car games, you’re not just running away from cops, but rather trying to outrun your own fears.

Each run in the game begins with a few questions that delve deep into your own vigilante driver’s motivations and fears. Your answers will determine the start of your journey. The game then brings a roguelike route planning mechanic, where your decisions shape your story.

In Heading Out you are racing away from your fears. / Saber Interactive / Serious Sim

No playthrough is the same, as your choices craft the unique combination of races, chases, hazards, and characters that you’ll meet along your journey.

It's a caRPG, so it's not just about races and driving, but there are a number of systems you need to keep in mind and balance when making your decisions, such as your wanted level, car condition, and fuel consumption.

As you keep these in check, you also plan your route strategically to ensure fear never caches you. Actions and choices you make in the game also change what the radio says about your character. 

Careful route planinng is crucial to ensure fear never catches you. / Saber Interactive / Serious Sim

Besides the radio chatter, you also get to listen to great music along your journey, proving once again that video game radio can be better than real radio and reminding us of our hours spent in GTA games, GTA: Vice City in particular, just to listen to the radio.

The game’s four-act story will always feel different and its roguelike nature provides for endless replayability. Even failed runs are rewarding, as you always learn something new along the way.

Heading Out looks very promising, and we expect it to be a must-play for fans of narrative-driven decisions-matter games, and anyone who’s up for a nice chill drive. With a stylish look, intriguing storytelling, and a satisfying genre blend, it’s definitely a game to look forward to this year.

Heading Out is coming to PC via Steam on May 7, 2024.