My Summer Car is set in the
open world fictional area of Alivieska,
Finland, during the summer of 1995. The main character is an 18/19-year-old (depending on what date the player starts their game) who has the family home to himself while his parents are on
holiday in
Tenerife. The player attempts to assemble, restore, and upgrade a car, the Satsuma AMP (modeled after the
Datsun 100A). To do this, the player must use the car parts that are inside the garage or obtain crucial parts in different areas, as well as occasionally order accessories from a catalog. At the start of the game, the car is entirely disassembled, and the player must place each part in its correct location, screwing in the bolts with the correct sized
spanners. The player is not given any direction by the game as to how to build the car. While most parts only fit together correctly, it is possible to assemble the car incorrectly by leaving out or improperly placing parts such as an engine
gasket or a bolt. Failing to assemble the car properly can lead to vehicle failure if the car is driven. In addition to assembly, the player must provide the car with gasoline,
motor oil, radiator coolant, and brake fluid. These fluids must also be topped up periodically and the engine oil replaced after a certain amount of time for the car to function correctly. In addition to building the vehicle, the player must address the various
survival aspects of the game, such as balancing hunger, thirst, fatigue, urine, stress, and dirtiness. To take care of his needs, the player can buy food, beverages, and other supplies from an in-game store. The player may also use the facilities at his house, such as the sink, shower,
sauna, toilet, and bed. The player's needs can also be addressed through swimming in the lake, drinking alcohol, smoking, or successfully performing tasks related to the completion of the car. For entertainment, the player may watch television or play minigames on a purchasable computer. To earn money for car parts, fuel, and shopping at the store, the player can perform various side-tasks for people living around the area. The tasks are performed either using materials from the player's property, or with the various pre-assembled vehicles that the player can access and use. The tasks include taking junk cars to the mechanic, delivering firewood on a
tractor-pulled trailer, using a
vacuum truck to empty the septic tanks of neighbors, making and selling , picking strawberries in a field, and picking up an intoxicated neighbor from the town pub early in the morning. File:CheapFermentationVesselwithFermentationLock.JPG| homemade alcoholic beverage ==Development==