The upcoming Pacific Drive game has me so tense already

I've been a gamer since 1982 (yeah, I know, old). I've been involved in gaming for so long that I remember streaming on WinAMP and posting directions on how to watch the stream on both my MySpace page and on IRC chat. I would put up my Away Message in AIM before broadcasting. So I want y'all to understand that I've been gaming my whole life.

That being said, at 43 years of age, I am tired. Like the general tiredness that comes with being in your 40s but also just tired of things. I'm at the point where I'm seeing a cycle of everything that I loved as a child resurfacing over and over again. I've seen the rebirth of Final Fantasy 7, Karate Kid, Total Recall, and more. I've witnessed the reboot of Reboot. I've seen so many variations of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles that it feels like I monitored their multiverse like the Watcher.

So when I see something new and unique I latch onto it like my white dog's hair to my favorite black sweatpants.

Sometimes that works out in my favor. It introduced me to great experiences like the Arcade Paradise game and movies like Be Kind Rewind (shush, I love it). And sometimes it bites me in the ass with movies like Branded (I still can't believe that movie) and No Man's Sky (how it launched, not how it is now).

So when I saw Pacific Drive and the unique world I was exciting and terrified. It checks off almost every box I have for things I want in gaming. Isolated character with audio-based story telling like Firewatch? Check. Simulation-style gameplay like Powerwash Simulator? Check. Driving through the woods at night? Check. And the newest trailer that came out last month shows off how gorgeous it's looking combined with more hints to the story? *chef's kiss*

I haven't been able to stop thinking about it. At first, I just started daydreaming about playing it. Then I started daydreaming about the potential for future add-ons and what I would do if I worked on this game. A Journey-like multi-player where now and then you encounter another player in the wild you can either interact with or ignore? Potential add-ons and vehicle types like a dirt bike? Further customization options for not only the car but for the garage itself? I've thought about this game so much and watched the trailers so many times that I'm willing to bet a paycheck that I can tell you exactly what the big reveal of the story is with 100% certainty.

It reminds me of going on a blind date in my 20s. So much potential and excitement based on the information they chose to give me without any of the bad info. The moment of truth of seeing it in person for the first time. Finding out whether or not you're compatible. And finding out exactly how long that relationship was going to last. I haven't had jitters like this in a long time.

I know I'm not the only person who experiences pre-game release jitters but man, I've been feeling this way since the game was first announced and I can't wait to play this. I cannot wait to see what Ironhorse Studios brings to this blind date on Feb 22nd.