We Tried ‘RV There Yet?’ and This Indie Game Is a Trip Worth Taking

Co-op games have always held a special corner in my heart, especially games where I can chill with friends and, if I’m lucky, create some chaos. Good co-op games are a rare find, but we never quit. In my pursuit, I recently stumbled upon RV There Yet?, an indie masterpiece from independent studio Nuggets Entertainment. After spending hours in the game with my friend and colleague, Ajith, our anime specialist, I can confirm that RV There Yet is the perfect hangout spot for chill gamers.

A Road Trip Gone Wrong

Everyone dreams about going on that crazy road trip with friends at least once in their lifetime. It can be a simple camping spot by the riverside in the nearby county or a trip to the high mountains, the feeling of excitement remains the same. It’s not the destination that matters, but the fun we have and the memories we make along the journey.

And when friends go out, crazy things are bound to happen.

RV There Yet? perfectly captures that part of a road trip, and tunes it to the maximum. The game starts with your camping trip ending, and it’s time to head back home. But there’s a slight problem… the road back to the main highway is blocked. So, in true Mad Max fashion, you decide to go off-road.

Going off-road may sound simple, but when you are riding a massive caravan that breaks apart even at the slightest touch, with half of the road missing and wildlife trying to kill you at every moment, it can be a little hectic. But fortunately, you are alone. In RV There Yet?, you have friends that you can trust… hopefully.

That’s how the game begins, with you and your friends leading your fragile caravan through the wilderness back to the main highway.

Almost ‘Lore Accurate’ Experience

One of the best parts about RV There Yet? is that many of its mechanics are grounded in reality. For example, you need actual driving skills to ride the caravan over bridges, mountains, and rough terrain. The game requires players to actually change gears manually while driving. For example, to go in reverse, you have to set the gear to reverse first and then accelerate. Anyone used to normal game driving mechanics would instantly be at a loss.

Next, your friends must always check the map and give directions to the driver, making sure they are heading in the correct direction. This map is also a pickable item, and doesn’t open up magically once you press ‘M’. Similarly, players must cook their own food, refuel, repair, and change the tiers of the caravan. There are specific items for each of these tasks, and they must be properly stored in the storage after use; otherwise, you can say goodbye to them or run back miles to bring them back.

For example, if you come across bear spray or antidotes, you must store them safely; otherwise, your next encounter with Bears or Snakes may be your last. Proper planning is important, which is accurate for real trips as well.

These little details may sound taxing, but when you have a group of friends and the responsibilities get shared, it becomes fun and more of an interesting activity. But that’s only if you have good communication.

Communication Is The Secret Ingredient

The core gameplay and puzzles of ‘RV There Yet?’ can be easily solved with one secret ingredient — Communication. The best way to play the game is jumping on a voice call, possibly using Discord, with your friends for communication. However, the game also features proximity voice chat and Walkie Talkies for distant communication, allowing you to experience the raw road-trip experience instead.

Communicating is important because one player cannot do everything on their own. If you drive the caravan, you won’t be able to check the map, cook food, or scare away the bear when it attacks. Even while driving up hills or downhills, half of your screen would be blocked most of the time, making you rely on your friends to navigate properly.

Don’t Be Afraid to Experiment

One of the things I enjoyed the most in RV There Yet is that it doesn’t have a linear path, although it may feel like that in some scenarios. For example, there is a section where you can use ramps to go around a rocky area by creating a path, or use ramps to simply jump to the end section, like we did.

The moment we saw ramps, my friend and I decided to cut to the chase and use them to jump over a boulder at 3rd gear. Although we did get stuck afterward, using the winch allowed us to climb uphill without much effort.

The game won’t tell you such shortcuts, but would only give you the props to make you think. So, when you have a crazy idea, don’t suppress it. These moments are what you will remember, even though you have to restart from the last checkpoints once in a while.

‘RV There Yet?’ is a fantastic game to experience the chaos of a road trip with friends, while chilling in the comfort of your house with a warm coffee. The game may put strain on your relationships, but your connections will only get stronger after you pull through every challenge. I enjoyed my time in the RV, driving off cliffs, throwing my friends to the bear, or doing other shenanigans, and hopefully you will too.

So, how has your experience been in ‘RV There Yet? ‘, or are you still planning to take the camping trip? Let us know in the comments.