Bolted is a post-apocalyptic physics-driven racing and simulation game set in the ruins of Scrap City. Players scavenge, assemble, and drive custom junk vehicles across an open world on PC, blending action, adventure, and detailed vehicle mechanics in both solo and small-group sessions.
Gameplay
The core loop centers on building a functional car from scavenged parts and then using it to explore, recover more components, and complete tasks in the open world. Everything begins with a basic chassis. Players bolt on wheels, a seat, an engine, fuel systems, and cooling components. Each addition alters the vehicle's mass, center of gravity, wheelbase, driven wheels, tire type, suspension, and cooling efficiency. These factors directly influence handling, stability, speed, heat buildup, and fuel consumption during drives.
Parts come from abandoned donor machines scattered throughout Scrap City. Recovery requires physical effort: some donors can be pushed with basic equipment, while others need towing rigs, cranes, careful route planning, or coordinated help from others. Once delivered to the garage, the parts unlock for use in new builds. Performance upgrades are never purchased outright; they must be physically retrieved and brought home.
Vehicle-mounted tools expand utility. A winch allows towing cars, dragging scrap, or anchoring to terrain. Crane setups enable lifting and carrying heavy salvage. Fuel, cooling, gearbox choices (automatic or manual), and optional driving aids further shape how each car performs under different conditions. The physics simulation ensures that weight distribution and part placement produce noticeable differences in cornering, acceleration, and recovery from mishaps.
Game Modes
Free Roam serves as the central hub where players access all activities without loading separate instances. Street circuits, drag races, and driving trials take place within this shared open world. Events scale across four performance classes, from Yard to Unlimited. Classification depends on power-to-weight ratios and tire grip, so a massive engine does not guarantee top placement. Finishing in a class unlocks access to higher ones, though winning remains optional for progression.
Salvage jobs integrate directly into Free Roam as well. These tasks involve locating, securing, and transporting donor parts back to the garage using the current vehicle. Races, trials, and successful recoveries reward Scrap, a currency spent on expanding garage bays, unlocking new routes and venues, or acquiring cosmetics. The same car handles both competitive events and practical work without switching builds.
Multiplayer and Progression
Sessions support one to five players. Solo play focuses on personal builds and exploration, while friends-only Free Roam sessions allow up to five drivers to race against each other, explore together, or tackle challenging recoveries as a crew. Physical interactions between vehicles add layers to group play, such as coordinated towing or competitive positioning during events.
Progression emphasizes operational improvements over raw power. Scrap earnings fund garage expansions and new content access, but faster components still require physical recovery from the world. This system encourages repeated trips into Scrap City and experimentation with different part combinations and vehicle configurations.
Is It Worth Playing?
Bolted targets players who enjoy detailed vehicle construction, realistic physics handling, and open-world scavenging combined with racing. The emphasis on physical part recovery and class-based events rewards thoughtful builds rather than simply chasing maximum horsepower. With support for both solo sessions and small cooperative groups, it suits those seeking a mix of solitary tinkering and shared challenges. As an unreleased title, its final reception will depend on how well the physics and recovery systems perform at launch, but the described mechanics offer a distinctive take on junkyard racing and simulation for enthusiasts of the genre.
