New Open-World Steam Game Has Serious Stranger Things Vibes

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Currently in development for Steam, Quite a Ride is a first-person survival horror game that strongly resembles an unofficial extension of the Stranger Things universe. If you enjoy the show, it’s worth adding to your Steam wishlist. While Stranger Things has been turned into video games before—like Stranger Things VR—this new game offers a different take.

Most official Stranger Things games have used simple, pixelated or cartoonish graphics and haven’t become very popular. Now that the show has ended and a promising game from Telltale Games was canceled, fans aren’t expecting a great official game to be released anytime soon. However, a new independent game on Steam might offer a similar experience, even though it isn’t officially connected to Stranger Things.

Quite a Ride Features at a Glance

  • EXPLORE an open-world map
  • COLLECT strange resources
  • RIDE a bike to charge your phone
  • RECORD anomalies and study them
  • SOLVE the mysteries of the Blind Spot

Quite a Ride’s Gameplay Explained

  • Wishlist Quite a Ride on Steam

As a huge fan of unique horror experiences, I’m really intrigued by Quite a Ride from Goodwin Games. It’s a survival horror game where you play as a teenager stuck in this strange, messed-up place called the Blind Spot. The cool thing is, you mostly explore by bike! You ride around this open world to find new areas, but you can get off and walk around – it feels a bit like those ‘walking simulator’ games. Just be careful, because staying on foot for too long isn’t a good idea… it can actually kill you!

The main character has a few tools, like a radio and phone, to find, document, and research unusual occurrences. These occurrences manifest as dangerous creatures spread across a mysterious area called the Blind Spot. Players can return to a central base – a safe haven – to study everything they’ve gathered and prepare for their next exploration.

Fans Think Quite a Ride Is the Perfect Spiritual Spin-Off of Stranger Things

Image via Goodwin Games

Many fans of Stranger Things feel like Quite a Ride is a sort of unofficial sequel or spin-off, and there are a few key reasons why. The game’s eerie, foggy world, called the Blind Spot, is very similar to the Upside Down from Stranger Things – that creepy parallel dimension where the monsters live. Plus, the game’s style really embraces the retro-futuristic look that was popular in ’80s and ’90s science fiction. Because of these similarities, some fans have even started calling Quite a Ride the original Stranger Things game. But that’s not all there is to it.

The game features a misty, unsettling area called the Blind Spot, which feels very similar to the alternate dimension in Stranger Things known as the Upside Down.

Creature Design in Quite a Ride Is Reminiscent of the Upside Down

Image via Goodwin Games

Throughout the five seasons of Stranger Things, the teenage characters of Hawkins battle numerous terrifying monsters. Some of the enemies in Quite a Ride, particularly those similar to the well-known Mind Flayer, may have been influenced by the show, as the creatures in the Blind Spot share striking similarities with those from the Upside Down.

Cycling Plays a Key Role in Quite a Ride, Just Like It Did in Stranger Things

Image via Goodwin Games

Viewers of the Netflix series will remember bikes are a big part of the story, particularly when the characters were younger. Mike, Dustin, Will, and Lucas often ride bikes, and in season four, some even cycle through the alternate dimension. The new game, Quite a Ride, takes this a step further, making cycling the central way to play – you’ll use it to get around and even to create power.

Radios in Quite a Ride Can Remind Fans of Stranger Things’ Walkie-Talkies

In the game Quite a Ride, players use a special radio on their bike to find new routes and locations. Each area has unique challenges and hazards, but exploring them is key to understanding the mystery of the Blind Spot. The radio mechanic is similar to how the characters in Stranger Things used walkie-talkies to connect with those lost in the Upside Down.

Image via Goodwin Games

Quite a Ride Development and Release

Developer Alex Goodwin recently shared on X that the game Quite a Ride is being created by a small team of just three people. They’re aiming to release it in the first three months of 2026, though they haven’t set a specific date yet. The team is still figuring out how long the game will be, but they want to make sure it’s something players will want to play again and again. If you’re interested, you can add Quite a Ride to your Steam wishlist to be notified when it launches.

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2026-02-02 14:04