MILAN S/S 2025 RUNWAY SECRETS DEMYSTFIED – University of Fashion Blog

Zayn Malik Postpones Tour After The Death Of Liam Payne

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October 19, 2024

This week, he announced that he is postponing his “Stairway to the Sky” tour in light of this “heartbreaking loss.” In a brief message on his Instagram story, the singer-songwriter informed fans that he needs to delay the U.S. leg of his tour, which he plans to reschedule for January.

The U.S. leg of Zayn Malik’s tour was originally set to begin next week in San Francisco, with additional stops planned in Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Washington D.C., and New York City.

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Zayn Malik Is Still Grappling With The Death Of Liam Payne

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After Payne’s former bandmates of One D released a joint statement, each member took to social media to pay individual tributes to the late singer–Zayn Malik included.

In 2022, Payne attracted attention for his remarks about his complicated relationship with Malik during an appearance on Logan Paul’s “Impaulsive” podcast, where he cited “many reasons” for his dislike of Malik. He later took to X to apologize for his comments.

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Zayn Malik Postpones Tour Following The Death Of Liam Payne

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Although it appears that the two never managed to reconcile, this loss is understandably weighing heavily on Malik, leading him to postpone his tour.

“Given the heartbreaking loss experienced this week, I’ve made the decision to postpone the US leg of the STAIRWAY TO THE SKY Tour,” he wrote on Instagram Stories. “The dates are being rescheduled for January and I’ll post them as soon as it’s all set in the next few days.”

“Your tickets will remain valid for the new dates,” he added. “Love you and thank you for understanding.”

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Zayn Malik Pays Tribute To Liam Payne

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“Liam, I have found myself talking out loud to you, hoping you can hear me, I can’t help but think selfishly that there are so many more conversations for us to have in our lives. I never got to thank you for supporting me through some of the most difficult times in my life,” Malik began via Instagram on Thursday, October 17. “When I was missing home as a 17-year-old kid, you would always be there with a positive outlook and reassuring smile and let me know that you were my friend and that I loved.”

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Malik continued, “Even though you were younger than me you were always more sensible than me, you were headstrong, opinionated, and gave no f-ck about telling people when they were wrong. Even though we butted heads because of this a few times, I always secretly respected you for it.”

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Harry Styles Breaks Silence Following Liam Payne’s Death

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Harry Styles, whose solo career soared after the band’s breakup, remembered Payne as someone who “lived wide open, with his heart on his sleeve,” describing him as “warm, supportive, and incredibly loving.”

“His greatest joy was making other people happy, and it was an honor to be alongside him as he did it,” Styles said of Payne. “Liam lived wide open, with his heart on his sleeve, he had an energy for life that was infectious. He was warm, supportive, and incredibly loving.”

“The years we spent together will forever remain among the most cherished years of my life. I will miss him always, my lovely friend,” he continued.

Liam Payne Was Reportedly On Drugs At Time Of Death

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The One Direction alum tragically passed away earlier this week in Argentina after reportedly falling from a third-floor balcony. As the investigation into his death continues, reports indicate that Payne was under the influence of drugs, exhibiting erratic behavior at the hotel and causing damage before being escorted back to his room.

In a 911 call, a hotel receptionist named Esteban described Payne as “off his head in drugs” and requested that an ambulance be urgently dispatched. It was later reported that hotel staff made two calls to emergency services, emphasizing the need for “urgent” assistance for him.

Liam Payne’s family has since released a statement revealing they are “utterly devastated” by his loss.

Strictly tonight: Fans concerned for star’s place in the competition: “I don’t like where this is going”

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October 19, 2024

Strictly tonight (Saturday, October 19) saw Dr Punam and Gorka Marquez perform a Viennese waltz together.

However, with their placing in tonight’s show, as well as their scoring, many a fan is fearing for their place in the competition…

Dr Punam and Gorka went second tonight (Credit: BBC)

Strictly tonight: Dr Punam performs a Viennese waltz

Tonight’s edition of Strictly saw Dr Punam and Gorka perform second.

They danced to a Viennese waltz to the tune of Billy Joel’s She’s Always a Woman.

In the VT, Dr Punam welcomed her son into the rehearsal studio, where he got to watch her practice alongside Gorka.

Their performance drew a great reaction from the crowd, who were on their feet applauding.

“You are exquisite,” Tess exclaimed as the couple joined her to talk to the judges.

Dr Punam seemed happy with how the dance went, describing it as “beautiful”.

Craig Revel Horwood on Strictly — Craig said the performance lacked energy (Credit: BBC)

Judges score Dr Punam and Gorka

Whilst Motsi was largely complimentary, she did call for “more energy” from Dr Punam.

Shirley Ballas gave similar comments, urging Dr Punam for more energy too.

Anton was of the opinion that Dr Punam keeps her dancing “to herself”. “You’ve got to share [it with the audience],” he said. He then went on to criticise her technique, saying she dances as if she’s “hesitant”.

“I just felt like it was a little too social, as though you were just going for a stroll in the park,” Craig then said. “It lacked musicality, it lacked energy in the body.”

When it came to scoring, Craig gave Dr Punam and Gorka a four. Motsi gave them a six, Shirley gave a five, and Anton gave a six. This gave the couple a score of 21, leaving them second from bottom on the night, only ahead of Paul Merson and Karen Hauer.

Gorka Marquez and Dr Punam in the auditorium — Fans are worried for the couple (Credit: BBC)

Strictly tonight: Fans worried for Dr Punam

Fans of the show were not happy with Dr Punam’s treatment tonight. Many were unhappy with the fact that she perfomed second, in the so-called “death slot”. Others were convinced that the judges’ scoring was “harsh” and could lead to her performing in the dance-off tomorrow (Sunday, October 20).

“No ngl I don’t like where is going with Punam like what do you mean 4 ??? her dance was literally underscored,” one fan complained.

“I don’t understand why Punam got such low scores tbh, it was a good dance,” another tweeted.

“Gorka and Punam aren’t even standing beside each other, I fear they’re going this week,” a third fan wrote.

“The score for Punam was so harsh omg they want her OUT,’ another said.

“Punam in the death slot again? oh they want her gone so bad,” a fifth worried fan tweeted.

“Punam in the death slot… they want her gone,” another theorised.

Read more: Strictly tonight: Viewers in tears over Chris McCausland and Dianne Buswell’s ‘beautiful’ routine

Strictly continues tomorrow night (Sunday, October 20) at 7.20pm on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.

Dr Punam Krishan and Gorka Marquez Jive to 2 Be Loved by Lizzo ✨ BBC Strictly 2024

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Pharaoh’s Riches Switch Review

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October 19, 2024

Remember those coin pusher games for mobile and… physical version? Well now you have one for Switch in the form of Pharaoh’s Riches. You shoot coins to knock coins into the basket to get more coins. There’s a bit more to it. Ten coins in the basket get a slot sphere. A slot sphere in the basket will cause the slot machine to spin. If the symbols match you get an item. Four of the same item in the basket starts fever mode. There are main modes, Score Attack and Endless. Score attack gives you fifteen minutes to rack up a high score. Endless mode is just that, endless and really no point to it. There is also multiplayer in Pharaoh’s Riches, where you and your friends work to get as many coins as possible.

Now what to give Pharaoh’s Riches. It’s a coin pusher game. It is completely mindless. Just shoot coins at the right time, and that’s about it. You can aim up and down too, if you want, or not. The audience for this is ultra casual audience. But why pay $7.77 for this when you have countless free versions on mobile? It makes utterly no sense. You play one round of score attack, you’ve seen all this game has to offer. Maybe with multiple boards, things would be different, but there is only one. Pharaoh’s Riches gets a Not Recommended with a five back-end score. There is absolutely no reason to play this.

Overall: Pharaoh’s Riches is a coin pusher game with absolutely no reason to exist at all. Better playing a free version on mobile.

Verdict: Not Recommended

eShop Page

Release Date9/17/24Cost$7.77PublisherSAT-BOXESRB RatingE

P.S. You’ve made it this far into the review, why not donate a few dollars to support my work at the Game Slush Pile? I’ve recently stopped ads on the site, so all support is now strictly through donations.

Here Is Today’s ‘Tomarket’ Telegram Game Daily Combo – Decrypt

Web3

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October 19, 2024

Here Is Today’s ‘Tomarket’ Telegram Game Daily Combo – Decrypt

Rising Telegram crypto game Tomarket is approaching its TOMA token launch and airdrop on October 31 via The Open Network, which means there’s only a couple weeks left for players to rack up tomatoes that will lead to a share of the token drop.

Tomarket offers various ways to earn tomatoes, including by farming them over a three-hour span, playing a game where you’ll swipe over falling tomatoes, and completing tasks that point you towards YouTube videos and other Telegram games and communities.

But now Tomarket has launched another way to juice your earnings, adding a daily combo feature. Unlike the daily combos seen in games like Hamster Kombat and Captain Tsubasa: Rivals, this one gives you a grid of little pixel characters and tasks you with tapping the three faces in question—and in the right order.

Tomarket offers teases of the solution via YouTube videos, but Decrypt’s GG will make it easy on you: We’ll be updating this guide daily for the foreseeable future with the latest solution, as seen below. Enjoy the free digital tomatoes.

Tomarket daily combo

Tomarket’s daily combo is found by tapping the Tasks button at the bottom of the screen. You’ll need to watch the YouTube video listed under “Time-limited tasks” and successfully claim the reward before entering the combo, so be sure to do that first.

Here is the daily combo solution updated on Saturday, October 19:

Image: Decrypt

The daily reward is 15,000 TOMATO, 2 stars, and 3 tickets.

Editor’s note: This story was originally published on October 16, 2024 and will be updated daily with the latest combo.

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Black Myth Wukong Xbox Version Rated by ESRB, Announcement Incoming?

Gaming

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October 19, 2024

Black Myth Wukong Xbox Version Rated by ESRB, Announcement Incoming?

While Game Science’s Black Myth Wukong has been out for more than two months on PS5 and PC, the game’s in-development Xbox version is still in limbo, with rumors of an exclusivity deal with Sony pointed to as the main reason why Microsoft’s console still hasn’t gotten its version of the action game based on Journey to the West mythology.

There is some bit of good news for Xbox Series X|S owners today, as the game’s Entertainment Software Ratings Board (ESRB) rating has been uploaded on their website today.

This is an action role-playing game in which players assume the role of a monkey on a quest to retrieve various relics. From a third-person perspective, players explore a fantasy world and engage in melee-style combat against enemies (e.g., enemy monks, mythical monsters). Players use a staff and magic spells to defeat enemies; players can also transform into different creatures, using additional attacks (e.g., whip lashes, lightning blade, fire slashes). Enemies emit blood when hit, and some explode into chunks of flesh when defeated. Battles are often frenetic, highlighted by impact sounds, cries of pain, and slow-motion effects. A handful of environments depict large bloodstains and animal carcasses; one sequence depicts a headless character with an exposed neck stump. In one stylized stop-motion scene, a female character is depicted with partially exposed breasts. The word “sh*t” is heard in the game.

Will the Black Myth Wukong Xbox Series X|S Release Date Be Announced Soon?

While there’s no definite timeframe on when the game will be announced, the fact that its ESRB rating has surfaced is very good news. Usually, when a game gets an ESRB rating, it means an announcement is on the way. Don’t be surprised ot see Game Science and Microsoft announce it before the month is over.

Be careful of these bosses, Destined One.

Released on August 20 on PS5 and PC, Black Myth Wukong rocketed its way up the Steam charts and broke records along the way earning millions for Game Science’s debut AAA console title. If you haven’t played it yet, the reviews point it being Game of the Year material. Speakingo of which, you can read TheGamer’s review of it here, where it states, “Black Myth: Wukong impressively stands as one of the most polished, beautiful, and entertaining soulslikes in recent years.”

Frasier Star Kelsey Grammer Reveals How David Hyde Pierce’s Niles Could Return – SlashFilm

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October 19, 2024

Frasier Star Kelsey Grammer Reveals How David Hyde Pierce’s Niles Could Return – SlashFilm

Paramount

There are lots of good things you can say about the “Frasier” revival series. The show, which acts the TV equivalent of a legacy sequel to the original sitcom, is comforting in many ways, providing a dose of non-threatening, wholesome TV that with its anachronistic sitcom setup feels at once familiar and oddly out of place in the streaming age. The revival has also had some solid episodes that recall the magic of the original, with the season 1 finale stacking up quite well against previous “Frasier” Christmas episodes. Season 2 has also made Frasier’s former producer, Roz Doyle, a recurring character, elevating the show beyond where it sat with the existing supporting cast.

Elsewhere, star Kelsey Grammer never lost a step as the titular psychiatrist, and is as good at playing lovably pompous as ever. Grammer also has ambitious plans for “Frasier,” envisioning more than 100 episodes of the revival should Paramount give the green light for future seasons.

But while streaming-age “Frasier” has all these positives working in its favor, and Grammer’s vision of abundant future seasons is heartening, the revival still has a lot of kinks yet to work out. By far the biggest of these is the aforementioned supporting cast who, while pretty okay, are absolutely nothing compared to the original ensemble. Now that Gilpin is back in a recurring capacity, the show is starting to fix that glaring issue, but there’s one cast member who has stuck out as the biggest missing piece since the revival debuted: David Hyde Pierce.

The actor played Frasier’s equally stuffy brother on the original sitcom and has thus far not returned for the revival — which, when it debuted, seemingly did so with no hope of Pierce ever agreeing to return. In recent months, however, the general tone of this discussion about Niles’ return has become much more positive, and now Grammer himself has spoken on the topic.

If Niles comes back to Frasier, it would be quick

Paramount

When the “Frasier” revival was first announced, it seemed there was no hope for a Niles return. In fact, Kelsey Grammer was the only actor who agreed to appear, making this a “Frasier” revival without one of the original show’s most important features: the ensemble cast. But had David Hyde Pierce agreed to return as Niles, I think it’s fair to say fans would have been happy with a series led by just Frasier and his brother, whose dynamic very much defined the ’90s show. That’s not to say fans would have been excited that other cast members weren’t involved, but they’d have been a lot happier with the brothers Crane than what we got.

Unfortunately, Pierce was making all the wrong noises at the time, telling Vulture in 2022, “I don’t have a strong feeling that there’s anything more that I can think of that I need to say about [Niles].” He added, “I love those characters, but I don’t miss them.”

Then, after the first season of the revival wrapped up and a second season of “Frasier” was greenlit, the actor suddenly seemed to be more open to the prospect of playing Niles again. In an interview with the UK’s METRO, the actor spoke in terms that suggested he’d be open to reprising the role of Niles, albeit briefly. “If the idea of had we been going to do, like, a one-off special episode, or something, that would have been very easy to commit to,” Pierce said. That’s a heck of a lot better than “I love those characters, but I don’t miss them.”

Now, in even better news, it seems Kelsey Grammer is willing to meet his former co-star in the middle.

Kelsey Grammer wants Niles back for an episode

Paramount

Before the “Frasier” revival debuted, Kelsey Grammer was asked about David Hyde Pierce’s involvement, telling People, “For a while we were going to try to bring back the whole cast, the whole legacy cast … David basically decided he wasn’t really interested in repeating the performance of Niles.” Much like Pierce himself, Grammer has since shifted tone slightly and seems slightly more sanguine about bringing the Niles actor back to the world of Dr. Crane.

During a panel discussion with Deadline, Kelsey Grammer spoke about Pierce’s potential return saying, “If he would come back, we would probably find a way to do that. But, it probably wouldn’t be for more than an episode.” That might not seem like much for fans eager to see Niles on-screen again. But again, it’s a lot better than essentially saying “Pierce declined, so the prospect is off the table.”

If things keep moving slowly in the direction they have been, perhaps we will see the brothers Crane reunited in the near future. For now, we’ll just have to be glad Peri Gilpin did agree to come back on a recurring basis, and gave the “Frasier” revival its best episode yet as a result.

Strictly star Pete Wicks on “unfair” reason he’s never had children

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October 19, 2024

Strictly star Pete Wicks on “unfair” reason he’s never had children

Strictly star Pete Wicks previously shared the reason he’s never welcomed any children.

The reality TV star is making waves on the new series of Strictly – which is back on screens today (October 19). Over the years though, it’s fair to say Pete’s love life has got plenty of people talking, with Pete famous for his bachelor ways.

But in a past interview, Pete candidly spoke out about the issues he has faced that have hindered his ability to settle down.

Pete has been linked to several women over the years (Credit: ITV)

Strictly star Pete Wicks on settling down

During his time in the spotlight, Pete has been linked to a slew of famous faces. From TOWIE stars to EastEnders legends, Pete has not been short of female attention.

In the past, Pete opened up about eventually settling down – and shared the heartbreaking reason he hasn’t had kids yet.

As BirminghamMail reports, Pete said: “I never thought I wanted to get married or have kids, and again over the last few years [I’ve realised that] I would love to get married.”

However, Strictly star Pete doesn’t think having children is on the cards any time soon. He shared: “I would love to have kids. But I’m not in a position to be able to do that yet. Because there is so much weird stuff in my head, that that would be so unfair for me to go and do that,” he added.

Pete Wicks on Loose Women — The Strictly star has revealed why he hasn’t had kids yet (Credit: ITV)

‘Self-sabotaging’

Meanwhile, Pete has previously spoken about the reason for his bachelor lifestyle.

“As soon as that kind of closeness develops, I’m like: ‘Right I’m off then,’ it’s a case of leaving before someone leaves you,” he said on the High Performance podcast.

Reflecting further, he went on: “Again [abandonment issues], that’s a really common thing. But you’re basically self-sabotaging and this is the control freak part. At least I’m in control of that.”

Watch Pete on Strictly Come Dancing on Saturday (October 19) at 6:25pm on BBC One.

For all the latest Strictly Come Dancing news head to our dedicated Facebook page here.

Read more: Strictly couple Pete Wicks and Jowita Przystal spotted ‘kissing’ in rehearsals as he speaks out

So what do you think of this story? You can leave us a comment on our Facebook page @EntertainmentDailyFix and let us know.

A Complete Guide to CryptoPunks in 2024

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October 19, 2024

What started as an experiment in art, scarcity and demand is now the most expensive NFT collection in the world – with a collective value of over $770,000,000 USD.

These NFTs are called CryptoPunks.

This group of 10,000 on-chain pixel avatars have transcended their artistic value to become cultural icons, status symbols, and a landmark piece of internet history – but what exactly are they, what should you know about them, and why exactly are they so expensive?

Here’s our complete 2024 guide to CryptoPunks.

What are CryptoPunks?

CryptoPunks is one of the earliest and most influential NFT projects on the Ethereum blockchain.

Created by Canadian developers Matt Hall and John Watkinson of Larva Labs in June 2017, the collection contains 10,000 unique pixel art avatars known as “Punks.” Each Punk is algorithmically-generated, possessing its own distinct set of attributes, making each of them one-of-a-kind.

The Punks are primarily human characters, divided into 6,039 males and 3,840 females, each with a variety of accessories, such as hats, sunglasses, earrings and more. There are a number of non-human Punks that have become highly coveted:

Zombies: 88 Zombie Punks have green skin and zombie-like featuresApes: 24 Ape Punks have brown fur and ape-like facesAliens: 9 ultra-rare Alien Punks have light-blue skin, and are the most valuable in the collection

The aesthetic draws inspiration from the 1970s punk movement, giving the collection a raw and edgy vibe that resonates with many in the crypto community. With 87 possible attributes, and a single Punk having anywhere from zero to seven traits, the uniqueness and rarity of each Punk has greatly contributed to their mass appeal.

Why are CryptoPunks so expensive?

When CryptoPunks were minted in 2017, NFTs were a long way from mainstream attention.

Matt Hall and John Watkinson wanted to experiment with how blockchain technology could impact the scarcity and demand of digital art. CryptoPunks were free to claim to anyone with an Ethereum-supported wallet.

Initially, interest was modest, with only 800 to 1,000 claims in the first week, but after coverage from Mashable, all 10,000 CryptoPunks were soon claimed – and from then on, interest only grew.

Some early collectors include many names that will be familiar to NFT fans – Pranksy, 6529, and seedphrase – and their involvement helped attract a larger community to the CryptoPunks collection.

When NFTs began to hit the mainstream in late 2020 and early 2021, CryptoPunks were seen as the gold-standard of the medium – and soon, CryptoPunks became the world’s most valuable NFT collection, with individual Punks selling for staggering prices.

CryptoPunks hold 6 of the top 10 most expensive NFT sales of all time, including CryptoPunk #5822 selling for $23.7M USD (8,000 ETH) in February 2022, and CryptoPunk #7523 selling for $11.7M USD (4,700 ETH) in June 2021 at a Sotherby’s auction.

Despite this success, CryptoPunks have faced a number of challenges.

V1 Punks – the original NFT collection for CryptoPunks – contained a bug in its smart contract, leading to the adoption of V2 Punks as the main CryptoPunks collection you know today. V1 Punks lives on, despite Larva Labs distancing themselves from the collection.

There has also been uncertainty regarding the intellectual property rights of holders, leaving many unsure about how they could use their Punks. This was resolved when Yuga Labs acquired the management of the CryptoPunks collection in March 2022, subsequently giving the IP rights to the holders.

What’s next for CryptoPunks?

Since the acquisition of CryptoPunks by Yuga Labs – creators of the popular Bored Ape Yacht Club NFT collection – in March 2022, CryptoPunks have largely remained untouched – with one notable exception.

In February 2023, Yuga Labs announced their “Punks in Residence” program, partnering with mainstream artists to create derivative works based on the CryptoPunks brand – though it all went up in smoke at the first attempt.

Nina Chanel Abney is a celebrated artist, with her work featured in multiple high-profile galleries across the world – but online backlash to her “Super Punk World” collection was so strong that Yuga cancelled the auction, gave all 500 NFTs away via a random airdrop, and hit pause on the Punks in Residence program altogether.

Despite this, CryptoPunks continues to be both the most valuable and the most highly-regarded NFT collection, and Yuga’s largely hands-off approach has helped to bolster the collection’s status, prominence and recognition.

Whilst the NFT market is famously volatile, the historical significance of CryptoPunks makes its future as a top collection secure. Combined with its dedicated community – with motivated creators, influencers, and celebrities alike – CryptoPunks will surely be a leading project for many years to come.

Keep Driving turns a long-haul road trip into a turn-based RPG

Gaming

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October 19, 2024

Keep Driving turns a long-haul road trip into a turn-based RPG

I love driving. I love the physical act of it — controlling this big, sophisticated machine like it’s an extension of me. But I also love the poetry and adventure of long-distance drives — the freedom, the self-reliance, the gradually changing landscape, the sense of limitless possibilities.

Video games are fantastic at capturing the first of these things, in Gran Turismo and countless other racing games. Sometimes, they try to do both things at once. Open-world driving games like Forza Horizon deliver a compressed and heightened dose of the pleasures of the road trip, while the Truck Simulator series offers a more workaday, realistic take on it — and Desert Bus infamously parodied the boredom inherent in the idea of simulating long drives.

Keep Driving, an in-development indie game by Sweden’s YCJY Games (Sea Salt, Post Void), takes a different approach, aiming to capture both the romance and the tedium of long drives while jettisoning the part where you actually control the vehicle. Instead, it borrows from another video game genre that is all about voyage, adventure, and progress: old-school role-playing games that are all about the hero’s journey.

In the game’s demo, which is available now, the aim is to drive across an unnamed, fictional country that looks vaguely like the America of a thousand road-rip movies to your friend’s house for a night of playing video games. The drive will take four days in-game, and somewhere between one and two hours in real life. After packing your trunk (a Resident Evil-style grid inventory), you choose your next stop from a map and hit the road. Then you sit back and watch your car eat up the miles as the world scrolls by from right to left.

On each leg of the journey, events crop up that threaten to impede your progress: a slow tractor, potholes, or rain puddles, for example. These threaten to eat away at your three resources: gas, the durability of your car, and your energy as a driver. There’s an abstract turn-based event system where you use skills and items from the glovebox to eliminate threats (perhaps owing something to Oregon Trail) that appear at the bottom of a screen as a row of color-coded icons. Skills like “relax” and items like duct tape target particular patterns of icons, so there’s a light puzzle-game element to these events.

Environmental conditions affect these events, too, applying buffs and debuffs. Rain increases gas drain, while a beautiful forest inspires you, removing the energy cost of some skills. And you can also pick up hitchhikers, who come with additional skills but bring their own idiosyncrasies — a wandering songwriter gets offended if you don’t use his skills; a cool young woman fills your trunk with useless trash. At rest stops, you can refuel, shop for items that replenish resources or counter debuffs, or sacrifice time to take a job and earn some much-needed gas money.

Image: YCJY Games

A shop screen in Keep Driving, also showing the car’s trunk inventory

Image: YCJY Games

Image: YCJY Games

An event in Keep Driving, where skills represented by Polaroids hanging from the rear view mirror are dragged to the bottom of the screen

Image: YCJY Games

Keep Driving is deeply nostalgic. It’s set in the early 2000s, you’re just past your teen years, and you’ve bought your first car — perhaps a dilapidated 1970s muscle car or a boxy 1980s saloon that looks like a 200 Series Volvo. The car has a CD player spinning garage-band indie rock and you can fill the trunk with bottles of Coke, guitars, and crates of beer. Skills are represented by blurry Polaroids held by bulldog clips. Occasionally, moments of introspection will come upon you as you drive: My back hurts, I should call my parents, what am I doing with my life? Multiple-choice answers to these questions apply status effects — some bad, some good.

It’s a very specific, strong atmosphere that summons that rootless time in life when driving for three days just to play video games with a friend seems not just feasible but a good use of time. It reminds me of when, just after my 21st birthday, I set out in my little red Fiat to tour some far-flung friends’ houses one hazy, aimless summer. The pixel-art cars, moody landscapes, and boho hitchhikers are well observed, channeling the feel of a hip, late-’90s coming-of-age movie.

In the moment, the abstract game mechanics are a little hard to get your head around. Applying patience (a skill) and chewing gum (an item) to navigate a tricky road surface is a bigger mental leap than using spells and swords to defeat a monster, at least for me. But over a couple of hours, Keep Driving perfectly evokes the precarious freedom of a long drive when you have no money and all the time in the world. It’s a game about guzzling coffee to sustain all-night drives, sleeping in the back seat, and holding yourself and your car together with pizza and duct tape. Over the 15-20 hours the developers promise for the finished article, Keep Driving could end up the perfect video game road trip.