Pacific Drive is a fantastic show of how Gameplay and Story mix.
In terms of Story, The Car is a Remnant. Remnants cause people to be obsessed with them and eventually drag them deep into the Exclusion Zone.
In gameplay, We always, Always come back to the car. It protects us from the Anomalies. It's our guardian, our taxi, our savior, and the only companion we constantly have access to.
Just as the Player Character likely grows accustomed and likely obsessed with the Car, so do we the Player.
We go out of our way to make the car better - Better Panels, doors, wheels, Stronger Engines, more fuel, more battery, ETC.
We, the players, grow attached to the car. It's our only real friend out here in the Exclusion Zone. Everyone else is just voices over Radio. It looks sad as it limps along on damaged or missing wheels. We care about it.
And still, the game tells us "Go Deeper."
And the Car, as a Remnant, Urges Us Deeper.
Make it better. Stronger. It's all you need to survive out there.
It's the most important thing in the world.
If you can, go play Pacific Drive. See what the Olympic Peninsula has to offer.
I was born in a car,
I have died in a car,
I got into the zone, that ripped my car apart,
then it gave me a new, shittier car.
I can't stop thinking about it.