If you loved The Long Drive and similar survival games, then you’ll appreciate the soothing, but still exciting atmosphere of this one. However, it’s not hard to notice that it’s far more complex than your average auto clicker. To help you get on the road ASAP and turn you into a lean, mean road ragin’ machine, I prepared this Dusty Trip beginner’s guide with some tips sprinkled on top.
Table of contents
Dusty Trip Beginner’s Guide: What You Need to Do FirstÂ
Although the game’s mechanics seem complex, you’ll learn them quickly. For instance, you’ll find it fascinating that doors are opened by clicking on them and dragging the mouse front and back to move them.
You can always see the controls in the left part of your screen, which I love. The devs even went above and beyond and made this feature contextual, which means you won’t see a ton of stuff, only the ones you need to interact wit the item in front of you.
Once you get the basics down, you’ll want to learn:
How to Build a Car in Dusty Trip
Okay, you’re in the game. Let’s get to work. You’ll be ported to the lobby first, which contains multiple game entrances. Go to an empty one, select 1 player (although it’s much easier with friends) and select Desert.
You’ll now spawn in a house, with the task of building a car and getting the hell out of there. Now, you’ll notice there are two options—a car in front and a van in the back. Pick the van for more space.
After getting the side doors and trunk set up, drag the engine and oil out. To set the engine, just sit in the van and press E to place it under the black cover separating the front seats.
Next, you want to get the radiator into the area right behind the headlights. Make sure it’s right in the middle and you’re good to go.
Press R to start the engine and you’ll be able to get to the road sign. You’ll have to drive a while before you reach the first building you can loot but expect a desert storm, too. There is no set path and it’s up to you to explore the way you want.
How to Survive in Dusty Trip
As Snoop Dogg said a long time ago, there’s six million ways to die. Jokes aside, there are plenty of perils in the game, so I want to devote this penultimate part of the Dusty Trip beginner’s guide on the main ones:
Hunger. Pick up any food you find. There are several items in the house you spawn in, so be sure to go through every nook and cranny. Don’t be wasteful, as it’s okay to keep the hunger meter at 40-60% and just snack to keep it full.
Desert storm. You’ll run into it around 1km, so decide whether you’re going to wait in the car or go pedal to the metal and get to safety so you can explore. Whatever you do, just don’t get out.
Enemies. Bandits, terrorists, mutants and other mobs will attack you when aggroed, but there’s no point in getting near, really. Ammo is scarce and you’ll have a hard time engaging more than 1-2 mobs. You can buy an AK in the beginner house, but it’s not a necessity.
How to Find a Better Radiator in Dusty Trip
Since most of the game is procedurally generated, no one can say for sure. However, in over 100 playthroughs, I’ve noticed that it always appears between 1km and 3km in a garage or building. To switch it out, just dump it in the front section and take the old one out.
How to Get a New Engine in Dusty Trip
As you encounter sandstorms and thunderstorms, as well as more intense heat, you’ll need a faster, more reliable engine. Now, there are two ways to do this—look up buildings to loot, as I’ve been able to find them in Houses, Garages and Warehouses. The other way involves buying it at the first shop you run into.
How to Survive in Dusty Trip Between 5000m and 10000m
Once you reach the 5000m mark, you’ll run across a patchy bridge. It’s a standard appearance around that mark, so you’ll have to weave around the patches and holes. The good news is that there’s no more ramp to traverse, which means less money is needed for TNT.
Next, you’ll want to strategically spend your Bottle Caps at shops, especially when it comes to food. There will be a lot of terrorists and bandits shooting at you, especially after the 7000m mark, so you’ll want to stay safe.
Inevitably, you’ll run into a thunderstorm-terrorist combo, which you can surpass by driving in a slight zig-zag pattern in the sand, avoiding the slippery road.
Last, but not least, you’ll run into car trouble mini-events of varying difficulties. Don’t stop, no matter what, as either the victim or the hidden terrorists will start shooting at you.
Dusty Trip Tips for Beginners
Things can get a bit, well, dusty, so I’ve decided to spice up this Dusty Trip beginner’s guide with several tips to help you get through the growing pains. Apply them wisely and you’re golden:
If you want to save on fuel, step on it until you reach maximum speed, let the car go on its own and repeat until you have to stop. You’ll be vulnerable to bandits and terrorists, so just be careful.
I repeat, go with the van. As a beginner, you’re going to make mistakes and pick up irrelevant stuff, so give yourself the space to do it. Better yet, if your friends join you, you won’t have to switch vehicles.
Speaking of vans, you need to attack a wheel onto the roof of your van. Why? Because it’ll keep you from flipping over, as the surface isn’t flat now.
Don’t forget to CLOSE THE GAS DOOR, otherwise, fuel will seep out of your vehicle and you’ll be out of gas quickly. Don’t ask how I found out…
Attach metal sheets and boards to your car for protection against bullets. You’ll inevitably be shot at, and unless you’re heavily armed, there’s no point in taking the bait. Thus, I’d say this is a key part of my Dusty Trip beginner’s guide—get some homemade protection and just send it until you’re in the clear.
Combine wheels for a faster van. I know it sounds like I’m trolling, but if you put two big wheels in the back and two small ones in the form, you’ll be able to exceed 120 mph.
There’s garlic in the basement, bread on the table and a burger in the attic. You’ll need it to not starve in the first couple of minutes.
For speedrunning, you can get going with just the tires, radiator and engine. It might be tricky to evade bullets, but it’s significantly faster.
And with that being said, you’re all set to conquer the roads and put our ultimate Dusty Trip beginner’s guide to good use. If you’re up for some fun and you’re looking to get as many tokens as possible, check out our full rundown of The Hunt games and join in on the fun.
Published: Mar 13, 2025 09:07 am