My Garage

Developer: Viking Game Studio
Release: Aug 10th 2021
Platforms:
Indie
Racing
Simulation
Early Access
Realistic
Immersive
Detailed
Buggy
Unintuitive
My Garage Poster

My Garage Review

My Garage is a detailed sandbox simulation game focusing on mechanical realism and open-world exploration. Players assume the role of a lone car enthusiast on a remote island, repairing and customizing vehicles with meticulous attention to detail. The gameplay involves diagnosing issues, sourcing parts, and restoring vehicles part-by-part, with physics affecting performance. Unlike typical car games, it emphasizes slow-paced, immersive mechanics rather than speed or flashy visuals.

The open-world setting allows players to drive across diverse terrains, earn money through various jobs, and manage survival elements like eating and sleeping, adding depth and atmosphere. Graphically, the game uses a low-poly style that supports gameplay clarity rather than visual spectacle. However, as an Early Access title, it suffers from bugs, UI issues, and a steep learning curve without formal tutorials. Frequent updates and an active modding community promise ongoing improvements, making it a rewarding experience especially for car enthusiasts and tinkerers willing to invest time.

Highlights

Players praise the game's mechanical authenticity and detailed car repair mechanics, which provide a unique and immersive experience. The open-world exploration combined with survival elements adds a meditative rhythm to gameplay. The physics-based system and ability to disassemble every car part are standout features. Multiplayer support and modding options enhance replayability. The low-poly graphics, while simple, effectively serve gameplay clarity. Fans appreciate the game's blend of realism and freedom, finding it superior to other mechanic simulators for its hands-on approach and depth.

The game's atmosphere, tactile interactions, and regular developer updates contribute to a promising future.

Criticisms

Common criticisms include the game's buggy state and UI issues, especially with unintuitive menus and small text that hinder readability. Saving/loading can be unreliable, and inventory management feels clunky. The lack of formal tutorials makes the steep learning curve frustrating for new players. Some players report multiplayer instability, vehicle clipping issues, and occasional crashes. The open world is considered sparse with limited AI traffic and NPCs, which reduces immersion. Controls can be finicky due to the physics-based interactions. Performance problems on lower-end PCs and infrequent updates have also been noted as drawbacks.

Pros

  • Highly detailed and realistic car repair mechanics with physics-based disassembly and assembly.
  • Open-world exploration adds freedom beyond the garage environment.
  • Immersive survival elements like eating and sleeping enhance gameplay depth.
  • Regular developer updates and an active modding community expand content.
  • Multiplayer mode allows cooperative play with friends.
  • Low-poly graphics maintain clarity and low system requirements.
  • Variety of vehicles and customization options including welding and bodywork.

Cons

  • Frequent bugs including clipping, crashes, and erratic vehicle behavior.
  • UI is unintuitive with small text and poor scaling on high resolutions.
  • Saving and loading mechanics remain unreliable and finicky.
  • Steep learning curve without formal tutorials frustrates new players.
  • Sparse open world with limited AI traffic and few NPCs.
  • Multiplayer is unstable and often problematic.
  • Inventory management is clunky and inconvenient.

Rating Criteria

Story
Difficulty
Graphics
Duration
Stability
Worth the Price
Capsule image

MY GARAGE is a car simulation game with main focus being simulating real car repair, maintenance and physics.

Release Date Aug 10th 2021
Publisher Viking Game Studio
Developer Viking Game Studio
Platforms

User Reviews

Very Positive (1,507)
91% Positive 9% Negative