Van game is basically an Oregon Trail type of game where you travel across the US, starting with 5 people, and try to maintain your crew's happiness with food, rest, and various events playing out, all while trying to not have your van breaking down due to a technical issue that needs a tool box, simply losing a tire, or the engine breaking down. Various events occur that will put your crew in a more sour mood, including getting sick which you will need a med kit for, which is probably most important as that's what you use to convince a family member to stay when they are out of happiness (least on normal difficulty). Trying to maintain all of this is probably the hardest part of the game and when you have no upgrades to hold on and the game giving you 5 characters to watch, who will each need food every hour, oh yeah you also gotta maintain food.
A silly part of Van Game are the mini games, while most of them do look like they would fit more on a mobile phone, this isn't a phone app game (which actually surprised me I admit, I thought this was an app turned PC game, but it started as a PC game), but that works for this medium so that the minigames are quick, if you are doing good you get prizes quick, if you are doing bad then the pain will be over soon. The mini games range for kinda fun to feeling like a chore, I'd put the dodging obstacles at the top and the magnet one at the bottom. I do love how weird they are in comparison to a game that is trying to stick to real life, you got one where you gotta make hill shape wheels and one where you send other vans (and trucks for some reason) to their death in a last man standing bumper match. I kinda wish there was more of this weirdness, but it looks like there was only a few. Oh yeah you do these to get money, supplies, and sometimes decorate your van. I don't know if it's possible, but I kinda wish there was a way to just play the minigames if we wanted to outside the main game.
There is also the more nature stops that have you learn more about the location and do a quiz, also make a social media post which kinda adds more charm to the game as it's unique to each location, but if you don't know anything about this real life location then you gotta read the travelers guide in the game to prep for this quiz and get the rewards.. I do think its an alright education course and it does actually reward you, but its nothing I hope for nor find fun. Least I can say I learned something playing the game.
I want to throw some criticism on what there could be added or lost, I feel like the game could make cities more fun with having more location based interactions, the nature areas at least get a social button, but the city get none, wouldn't it be nice to go get funny or interesting dialog there, like: 'Casey want gambling in los vegas, but kept losing' or 'Chad checked out the museum and was fascinated by a soup can'. I wouldn't mind if there was a way to limit how many peeps or give a benefit to people you got on your crew. I lost one guy on my ride and for having no food may of helped me, may be a good adjustment for difficulty. Would be good if there was more of a reason to have a good number of people in your crew, may be use them for an RPG mini game where you go against various things throughout the journey, ending with the final boss at the center of the US: VANZILLA!... Meh may be for the Enhanced, Ultra EX HD port.
Overall its a decent game if you want to play something like Oregon Trail style, with a decent price especially on sale. Could be better, but not bad at all.
