Top 15 advanced Pacific Drive tips & tricks

Drive further than ever with the following advanced Pacific Drive tips & tricks, courtesy of A Tribe Called Cars.

Now that I have finished the game and basically unlocked every upgrade, I thought I would expand on my original 15 tips & tricks video with my top 15 advanced Pacific Drive tips & tricks. Because this great game is no gentle Sunday spin.

Some tips and tricks might be obvious to you, some may blow your mind. Possibly. That is why reading to the end is advisable and not just a shameless ploy to get you to spend more time on the web page.

1) Throw Bunnies

Tip one is that you can use Bunnies in their various forms to clear away other obstacles such as explosive tourists (flares can do the same). Simply pick them up and then throw them at whatever is in your way. Hold down the throw button to launch them further.

The alternative is you use the Scrapper or Plasma Scrapper to either move Bunnies off your wagon or to break them into useful crafting components.

2) Abductors prioritise Bunnies

There is another option for dealing with pesky Bunnies. While it is usually a good idea to avoid Abductors (those big floating things with a blue light), if you have Bunnies attached to your car those usually annoying Abductors will abduct them instead.

This saves you the need to get out the car. For even better results, use the LIMpulse Emitter although the LIM Shield is more useful.

3) If in doubt, scan

Another useful tip is to scan everything. Not just because you get to read about the lore of the game and learn what things are, it is also that some upgrades require you to scan certain objects. One example being the Remnant Ghost needed to unlock the Lazarus Device.

4) The Blowtorch does not blow

Tired of crafting inefficient Repair Putty? Then it is time to work towards the Blowtorch and maybe even the harder-to-unlock-and-craft Olympium Torch variant. Both repair panels in rapid fashion and last much longer than that gloopy, gross-sounding putty.

Yes, they are harder to craft. However, later in the game that will be less of a problem. Just remember to take a Hand-Vac or Thermal Vacuum to harvest the necessary Marsh Eggs as it will save you time and hassle.

5) Use Transmuters

My next tip is about Transmuter machines. These can be found in junctions and can change one item type to another. For example, explosives to gas cylinders or another crafting component to gold paint.

Look at the text or the control panel at the front to see what type of transmutation to expect and look for other Transmuters as the item you put in and get out varies. They can usually be found inside Radio Towers and ARDA buildings.

6) Mix car parts

Another useful tip, equip your car with parts in a particular way. As things stand, it is most efficient to have physical resistance on panels and elemental resistance on doors.

This leaves the hood (bonnet) and trunk (boot), which you can fit with whatever resistance bonus you like. Save the rear bumper for the LIMpulse Emitter or LIM Shield.

As for what resistance to focus on, I find a mix of electric and radiation works well. Acid can be worth using too, especially in areas with Acid Squall. That can be a run-ending hazard.

7) Scrap and rebuild can be best

Repairing parts can be essential, especially when mid-run, but what about at the garage? Should I always craft Repair Putty and use a Blowtorch or Olympium Torch? Ideally, if a part keeps getting issues then it is time to pop it in the Matter Deconstructor.

Wagon parts only get worse beyond a certain age, so you may as well claw back components. For upgrades on the rear seats, side racks and roof racks, the Blowtorch is best.

8) The Lazarus Device is epic

Seriously, unless this is bugged you can complete the final run with ease. The reason is that it makes you invincible to complete a run, with your health staying at 36 per cent. This extra time lets you either drive to an exit or collect energy anchors to open a gateway and get home with your loot.

9) Liberate multiple parts

You probably know by now the Liberator can remove car parts intact. But did you know that careful aim between components lets you remove more than one part with just one shot?

Yes, in doing so you can make the Liberator last much longer and it may also limit the damage done to each part though maybe this is a random damage modifier thing. Feel free to test yourself.

10) Scrap unwanted paint

Tip number ten is that you can scrap paint and decals for Chemicals using the Matter Deconstructor. Useful because you will get a lot of repeat customisation items you may never want to use.

The downside, however, is that you do not get chemicals often so I would not rely on it too much.

11) Sealing Kits are your friend

More often than not, Sealing Kits are what you will need more than anything else. Not just for popped tires, the main use, but also doors, bumpers, windscreens and various upgrades. It is, therefore, not a bad idea to bring a few with you or the materials to craft them along the way.

12) Find rarer anchor energy faster

Though it can be wise to avoid areas of ‘High Instability’, as indicated on the Route Mapper in the garage, it is possible to find different energy types. Unstable Energy Anchors can appear in the Outer Zone, for example, but only in high instability junctions.

Likewise, Corrupted Energy can appear in the Mid-Zone. Use the Route Mapper to check what energy types can be found.

To find, look for yellow circles on the map as you do with Stable Energy. Only when you physically approach will you see whether the anchor energy is yellow (stable), red (unstable) or purple (corrupted). Insert all types into your ARC Device in the passenger seat.

13) Use LIM Magnetizers to make LIM Magnets

Unlucky for some, tip number 13 is use LIM Magnetizers to craft LIM Magnets. Scrap Metal and Steel Sheets are fed into these machines and LIM Magnets come out.

The roof-mounted Resource Scanner is essential for finding LIM Magnetizers, which appear in the Deep Zone. Even better, look for them in story junctions with Perpertual Instability so you have all the time in the world.

14) Invest in clothing

Now, cloth is a bit tedious to get in meaningful quantities, but the bonuses from clothing are absolutely worth getting. Well, piercing and fall damage less so.

To unlock the second or third clothing item, you need to purchase the subsequent upgrade. There is no need to equip clothing.

15) Wish upon a star

Last but by no means least, make use of shooting stars. Those yellow sky trails indicate something called a Payload is about to crash-land. Look on the car map for a magenta circle. This is where you need to go.

Radiation has probably started to circle as Payloads tend to show up late in a junction. The area around the Payload can be radioactive too so bear that in mind when equipping your car.

Once you get to a Payload, look for two openings on each side. This is where you can access the lovely loot inside. Then put pedal to metal to escape before 10k radiation melts you. Bon voyage!