How stressfull is this game later on?

[Feuerbach]

I played the demo and I reaaaally enjoyed it. I was about to preorder but first read some tests, and they all criticize that the game later on becomes really stressfull and you're basically always on a timer to extract because of storms, etc.
For me thats a bummer: I really like to take it slow, explore, craft, take my time. The pace in the demo was perfect for me. Question is: Can you still take it slow later on? I read that you can disable storms in the menu. Is it true? Are storms the only thing pushing you to extract or is there more?

[Lexor]

The game get's stressfull very early - at the second or third map already. But this is only true for default settings. The devs have made various options to tune down the stress level for cozy players.

Perpetual Stability is Now Available as an Option

Your favorite tune is on the radio, you’re in need of a new set of panels, and the Zone is calling to you - and now you have all the time in the world! We’ve heard your calls for Perpetual Stability as an option for accessibility and we’re happy to say that it’s been implemented in time for launch.

We’re putting what we as the developers think is our best foot forward in how the game plays but we also believe that the doors are open when it comes to letting players change how things work. There’s even a few options to modify your experience with the Zone Storms so that you can have your own experience based on your playstyle.

Are you looking for a cozy drive through the Pacific Northwest? Just hunting around for parts and vibing to the radio? The “Disable Instability Storms” setting removes storms that manifest due to growing instability, e.g. arrive after a certain time on a map, allowing you to take your time exploring every nook and cranny.

Would you like to open a gateway and outrun the storm, while avoiding any surprise Zone Storms? The “Disable Gateway Storms” setting removes storms summoned by opening gateways back to the garage.

If you’re not interested in trying to outrun the Zone Storms at all you can enable both settings. You’ll never be chased out of a map by instability storms, but you will still have to contend with the zone’s anomalies and random anomalous weather patterns that drift through occasionally.

We’ve also changed the way that we approach how Achievements behave in relation to the other Accessibility options - they are now only disabled when you disable player damage, player death, and car damage in the gameplay options. All other gameplay settings (like Quirks, Storms, etc) allow you to configure your play experience better without blocking earning achievements.

https://steamcommunity.com/app/1458140/discussions/0/4348858679321126538/

[Illusia]

You can more or less turn off all time pressures and remove even player death if you so want, the game is actually very generous in that sense and I think the devs made a very good call. I personally left everything on how it starts but I can imagine sometime eventually turning on at least the free repair at returning to the garage just for some worry free runs.

[Feuerbach]

Thank you!

[Raptor85]

when you scan a zone even on normal settings you can see what to expect there, some zones there's essentially no timer. So while it gets stressful you do get some chill zones from time to time where you can just go around and loot.

[Cesar]

They took away the biggest problem I had with the game.

[Alex Chosen]

i was messing around on the e6 sector and noticed the yellow storm coming in. not sure if it is related to disabling instability cause i would like to explore morew without time pressures

[♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥]

Originally posted by Alex Chosen:

i was messing around on the e6 sector and noticed the yellow storm coming in. not sure if it is related to disabling instability cause i would like to explore morew without time pressures

Afaik, if a junction has the "perpetual stability" modifier (on the big map), the only way that storms will trigger is if you collect enough anchor nodes. If it doesn't, the storm will eventually show up by itself, but in most outer zone junctions it will take its sweet time. Unless it has the rapid storm modifier..
This changes every time you return to the garage, so don't assume a junction will behave the same as when you last visited it.

[♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥]

Once you get a few upgrades going, the early junctions will feel like a walk in the park. And I found it's useful to go back to them every now and then for some of the resources. It's a nice break from the more hectic experiences you get deeper in the zone.

This game is very flexible in how challenging you want to make it, both through the accessibility options and the choices you make during play.

[LtKillPuppy]

Since the zones are randomly generated, I've had mid-zone excursions go like clockwork, and other times I barely make it out with just one bar left on my car's health meter.

Touch And Go and Shocking Speed together is one HELL of a combo to have.

[Memento Vivere]

It's stressful at the beginning of the exploring a new type of zone. You see a new anomaly, you don't know what to do with it and your car isn't ready for it. But after 1-4 runs in a new biome, it's pretty easy. It's stressful only in the small storms that appear from time to time because they can have meteorites or acid rain. In the endgame it's easy to explore 5-7 zones in one run and avoid almost all damage.

About time - there's a lot of time to explore, and the game will give you a warning and enough time to leave the zone. Even in the dangerous zones with minimum time, there's enough time to loot energy, some loot and leave without any rush. You need to rush only before the teleportation, but you can prepare yourself before that and be as close as possible. It's still possible to do even if you move slow, you'll just get some damage from radiation