Driving Is Hard Review

Driving Is Hard is a physics-based driving game developed by Elegant Horse Studios. If you can probably tell from the bathtub with wheels, this is a rage game that is made specifically to be as difficult as possible. This is actually the first Foddian (apparently, that’s a term) game I’ve ever played. I usually go for games I can actually, you know, beat. Still, I’ve been trying to get into more driving games, so let’s check it out.

Just straight into it. I like it!

You play as Jeff, allegedly the brother of some guy with a pot and hammer, who has built a bathtub with wheels and is now on a journey of self-discovery and acceptance while dealing with his own doubts and father issues. You can tell from the get-go that the game was heavily inspired by Getting Over It with Bennett Foddy, given the fact that a narrator is talking into your ear as you navigate the levels filled with random assets, talking about some philosophical and introspective mumbo jumbo that is either trying to calm you down after a failure or anger you even more for how condescending it might sound. The sarcasm that comes from both Jeff and his father do alleviate some of the rising anger, and I sort of admit I was a little invested in Jeff’s story. I wanted to know more about his father, his grandpa, and so much more.

However, to experience Jeff’s journey, you will need to drive up to the top of the entire damn game in your bathtub car. It controls fairly well and is quick to learn and understand. All you need to know is how to brake, accelerate, jump, and turn. It has a surprising amount of grip, so it can drive up near-vertical walls easily, and you have some air control, especially when the parachute activates, slowing down your fall and forcing you upright instead of tumbling down back to the start. Since the game is so easy to control, any mistakes you make do feel like your fault and not the game intentionally screwing you over… most of the time. While the physics are well done, you can — and will — find yourself getting stuck in the terrain. Luckily, there’s an unstuck option in the pause menu.

Jumping is hard as well.

Although, speaking of the terrain, let’s talk about the places you will go and see repeatedly with every failure you make. The levels are actually pretty damn awe-inspiring and a sight to behold. Sure, you can definitely see the repeated assets, but they can carry their own beauty. Each biome has its own style and looks, from sandy beaches and tree houses to the mines and snowy landscapes. There aren’t just shortcuts to make speedrunners salivate either, as there are also entire alternate pathways you can take that have their own challenges to conquer. I genuinely got surprised and confused as to why I was facing different obstacles after a fall, thinking I was losing my mind a bit, but I was simply too much on autopilot to realise I had just driven somewhere different.

This actually really detailed.

And, to my surprise, the level design makes it so that the game is quite forgiving of your mistakes. Every difficult part has easy ways to get back to where you were, which makes attempts less aggravating to do; It’s the easy parts you need to watch out for. If you aren’t paying attention, you could lose hours of progress. That’s… actually kind of brilliant. You can throw yourself over and over again at challenging obstacles, but if you’re trying to rush through an easy section, you’re risking losing it all. The only difficult parts that would reset your progress if you screw up royally are those that will allow you to collect soap. There are 21 soaps throughout the game, and they are devious. It’ll make you think thoroughly and discover a new trick. Here’s a tip: take it slow. Don’t rush it and feather the acceleration and brake, and turn in the air to stop your momentum instead of braking.

As for issues, there were very few I encountered other than my wheels clipping through objects, such as saving and quitting don’t exactly work at times, sometimes respawning you in the air, practically forcing a complete restart.

This is me falling back all the way to the start.

Driving Is Hard is surprisingly fun despite its rage-inducing nature. The game isn’t unfair at any point, with many safe spots and pseudo-checkpoints to make you feel that you can do it, but your screw-ups will be punished severely. This is a solid game with a solid price that will test your skills and patience, while also providing a surprisingly heart-warming story.