This is the first time I've bought a video game in what seems like forever, mainly out of intrigue of its driving/exploration mechanics. It's a neat little title with some cool environments and aforementioned mechanics, but goddamn is it a bitch to get through. Basically the loose (insofar) plot of the game is you and your Turkish-German uncle are driving through East Berlin to Istanbul after the fall of the Iron Curtain (circa 1989) in your piece of **** 'Laika', a out-and-out jalopy that has problems and breakdowns what seems like every 5 minutes.
The car itself is the subject of the game, as you micromanage almost every part of it, from different parts of the engine to the tires. It really emphasizes "micro", as for instance you need to make sure you have a good oil mixture when gassing up the Laika, as to decrease wear on the engine. It's all very accurate and interesting at times to manage these numerous different facets of your car...and is also an enormous pain in the ass other times.
Your travels also present different mechanics as well, as you need to maintain a consistent income in order to pay for parts and gas and whatnot. To do this, you can attempt smuggling banned goods such as wine and tobacco through the borders of towns. These goods often earn you quite a bit of cash, but you can also be fined if caught by the
Papers, Please-esque border security. This same security can also fine you for destruction you cause during your trips, obviously by crashing into things (which can be very easy sometimes cause the driving is often slippery).
Overall this is a pretty cool game, if not a bit frustrating. It was cool enough to make me ignore Mord when he was trying to talk to me in Plug, so it's obviously worth something.