Forget Your Motorcycle: The Retro Coupe Is the Real MVP of Once Human

Let\u2019s be honest \u2013 that dinky little motorcycle you get at the start of Once Human is basically a lawnmower with a headlight. Sure, it gets you from A to B\u2026 until B is more than five minutes away and you\u2019re now a walking buffet for Deviants because your fuel evaporated. Enter the Retro Coupe. This bad boy is the third vehicle you\u2019ll unlock, and the moment you slide behind its pixelated steering wheel, you\u2019ll wonder why you ever settled for two wheels. It\u2019s faster, tougher, sips fuel like a gentleman, and even has a passenger seat. That\u2019s right \u2013 no more abandoning your friend to the horrors of the wilderness while you speed off on your solo hog. If you\u2019ve been eyeing those distant points of interest like East Blackfell Junction or High Bank and dreading the cross-country slog, this is the chariot you\u2019ve been waiting for.

So how do you get your hands on this crimson beauty? It\u2019s not going to magically appear in your garage after you\u2019ve stared longingly at one in a parking lot. You have to earn it. First, you\u2019ll need to dive into the Memetics screen and unlock the Four-Wheeler node tucked away in the Building section. Think of it as getting your engineering degree in post-apocalyptic automotive design. Once that\u2019s done, build a Garage at your base if you haven\u2019t already (and really, who hasn\u2019t?), interact with it, and look for the Vehicle List button hiding shyly at the bottom of the screen. There she is \u2013 the Retro Coupe blueprint. Select it, and the real fun begins: the scavenger hunt for parts.

Crafting a car in Once Human is very much like that time you tried to assemble IKEA furniture with half the screws missing. Except here the screws are rusty, contaminated, and probably dropped by a level 30 Elite. To construct the Retro Coupe, you need to build four Basic Parts, each demanding its own pile of junk. Study this table, weep a little, and then get back out there:

Where on this irradiated earth do you find all that? Simple: go where the grease monkeys and melted goo monsters live. Refined Parts, Rubber, and Electronic Parts are practically raining from the sky if you\u2019re brave enough to raid industrial zones like Refinery Pollution Point or Greywater Industrial Zone. Garages, warehouses, and any building that still has a flickering light are your best friends. Fireproof Plastic? Now that\u2019s a treasure. Head to the Iron River region and hunt enemies that drop Gel \u2013 yes, you\u2019re literally farming slime for car parts. It\u2019s as glamorous as it sounds. If you\u2019re short on Metal Scraps or Adhesive, just keep looting everything that isn\u2019t nailed down. Seriously, if it glows, grab it. Your future self will thank you.

Now let\u2019s talk numbers, because I know you spreadsheet warriors out there need the cold, hard facts before committing to a four-wheeled lifestyle. Here\u2019s how the Retro Coupe stacks up against the basic motorcycle (and your fading patience):

Is the Retro Coupe faster than the motorcycle? Noticeably so, but don\u2019t expect to break any land speed records until you\u2019ve fully upgraded the engine. That 4.1 speed rating is more than adequate for everything except maybe outrunning your own curiosity when you\u2019ve wandered into a level 50 zone with a rusty machete. Handling, however, is where you\u2019ll feel the difference. The Coupe steers like a refrigerated truck full of bricks compared to the nimble bike. You will fishtail. You will do accidental 180-degree spins. But is the All-Terrain Vehicle worse? Absolutely. Compared to that rolling tub, the Retro Coupe handles like a Formula 1 car. Embrace the drift, and you\u2019ll be fine.

Why should you actually build this gas-guzzling classic? Let me paint a picture: it\u2019s 2026, and you and your squad mate are deep in Chalk Peak, trunks loaded with spare sniper rifles and way too much acid from farming. On the motorcycle, one of you is walking and the other is already mentally composing the eulogy. In the Retro Coupe, you\u2019re both cruising in style, extra storage space keeping all your precious loot safe. It can also take a serious beating \u2013 4200 durability means you can barrel through a couple of ambushes without immediately turning into a flaming wreck. If you\u2019re on a PvP-enabled server, that\u2019s not just convenience; it\u2019s survival. And admit it: tearing down a shattered highway in a muscle car while your character\u2019s scarf flutters in the wind simply feels right. It\u2019s the apocalypse. You deserve a little cool factor.

So, what are you waiting for? Go unlock that Four-Wheeler node, fill your backpack with Fireproof Plastic, and craft your ticket to the open road. Just remember to park responsibly \u2013 Deviancies have no respect for nice paint jobs.