HIGH Excellent handling and a lot of customization. 

LOW Lack of modes and unbalanced items.

WTF Sega needs to renew an agreement with Ferrari so we can get a new OutRun game.

Despite running faster than any car, Sonic the Hedgehog has quite a background in racing games. From his humble origins in the Sonic Drift titles to the much-beloved Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed, Sega’s Blue Blur knows his way around a set of wheels. Now, six years after his last racing experience (Team Sonic Racing) Sonic returns to the starting grid with Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds. 

As an arcade racing lover and Sonic superfan, the idea of playing a brand new Sonic racer had me excited. What also piqued my interest was the fact that it was being developed by the internal Team Sonic studio (English studio Sumo Digital developed past racers) and would that it would receive contributions from developers of Sega’s Initial D arcade cabinets. 

The presentation grabbed me right away. Par for the course for any great Sonic title, players are presented with an awesome opening cutscene set to some bombastic pop-rock. The bright aesthetic permeates throughout the menus and gameplay, with characters modeled exceptionally well, and even fully-voiced. I loved how talkative everyone is, with bits of dialogue in the character select screen and the beginning and end of each race. There’s also a jukebox full of great songs, including tracks from Sonic Riders and Sonic Frontiers. 

In motion, CrossWorlds is a visual marvel, and the main gimmick comes from its titular mechanic. Basically, on the second lap of a race, the character in first place sees two portals in front of them and they choose the path they want, transporting them to a new track for that lap, and returning to the main track in time for the third and final lap. This results in a random new world appearing in every race. 

No matter what’s chosen, each course has something awesome to look at, whether it’s a herd of dinosaurs running, a mysterious pirate ship shrouded in darkness, or wide-open fields of green grass in the distance. Sure, it’s almost expected that Sonic games feature a vibrant aesthetic and kickass music, but I’m happy to see Sonic Team didn’t slack off with this racing spinoff. 

However, aesthetics aside, the driving is what’s key in in racing titles.  

Played from a third-person perspective, Sonic Racing: Crossworlds is a kart-style racer that sees players control one of 18 characters taken from across the larger Sonic series before competing in a variety of events and courses. Right off the bat the driving is exceptional, with a great sense of speed and weight in all the vehicles. 

Cars and drivers are separated by different types: Speed, Acceleration, Handling, Power, and Boost. Each offers various strengths and weaknesses and the variety in both default and unlockable of cars is solid. There are also plenty of options to customize vehicles with different parts.  

Rather than feeling bouncy or floaty like most kart racers, I’d say this falls in line with something like a pure arcade experience, like Cruis’n Blast (owing to the devs’ arcade roots) thanks to the cars feeling heavier than I would have expected. Drifting is responsive, with a meter building up if players can hold their drifts as long as possible. Tricks can also be done while jumping in the air, resulting in a boost when landing. 

While I enjoyed the driving overall and trying to outmaneuver my opponents on the track, one thing I couldn’t enjoy was its use of items. Like Mario Kart or other mascot kart racers, different items can be collected and used offensively or defensively. They’re mostly standard stuff like speed boots or items that can be thrown at players. 

Sadly, most of these feel horribly balanced and seem to break the flow of most races. I get that rubberbanding is the name of arcade titles like this, but I played through some ridiculous instances of the AI catching up at the very last second thanks to a poorly-timed item hitting me. 

A major surprise of CrossWorlds has been the overwhelming amount of options players have, even before setting foot on a track. Things like the customizable car parts and various combinations of items for use in a race (like offensive weapons or speed boosting gadgets) strategy to what could have been a standard kart racer. For example, my main racer was Tails, who falls under the “acceleration” subclass. I centered my build around improved speed, boosting, and drifting.

Another cool thing is the inclusion of rivals. Throughout each of the grand prix modes, a random character will be made the players’ rival. At the start of the cup, there’s a cool bit of dialogue between the two, which makes for some humorous interactions for fans of the series. Things like hearing Dr. Eggman complain about being forced to settle for battling Tails instead of Sonic is a nice treat. 

Speaking of fans, I think absolute best part of Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds has to be the sheer amount of love for Sonic and Sega as a whole. Courses like Radical Highway are ripped straight from Sonic Adventure 2, complete with the music from the original, and I could have sworn one track is one ginat reference to After Burner. The ‘stage complete’ music from the mainline Sonic series plays after every race, and the guest characters from other related franchises are cool, with faces appearing from Yakuza, Persona, SpongeBob SquarePants, and Pac-Man coming soon via DLC.

With all of that said, at this point in the review I have to say that I do wish there were more to CrossWorlds than just racing. The main grand prix is enjoyable and the Race Park adds a lot of variety by offering things like events that reward bumping into others for a speed boost or trying to collect the most rings. However, a few more events or some supporting content like minigames or perhaps things taken from Sonic’s long history would go a good way towards making the experience feel richer.

Don’t get me wrong, though — while Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds might not dethrone Mario’s racing adventures, it’s a solid racing title in its own right thanks to great handling and an overwhelming amount of options. I would have liked to see a little more supporting the package as a whole, but what’s here must surely rank among the finest arcade-style racers from the last few years. 

For those who absolutely gotta go fast, this one is an easy recommendation.  

Rating: 8.5  out of 10

Buy Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds – PC – PS – XB – SW

Disclosures: This game is published by Sega and developed by Sonic Team. It is available on PC, XBO, XBX/S, Switch/2, PS4/5. This copy was obtained via the publisher and was reviewed on PS5. Approximately 10 hours were spent in single-player, and the game was not completed. No time was spent in multiplayer.

Parents: According to the ESRB, this game is rated E for Mild Fantasy Violence. According to the site: Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds is rated E for Everyone by the ESRB with Mild Fantasy Violence. Also includes In-Game Purchases. This is a kart-racing game in which players compete in whimsical racing events with characters from the Sonic universe. As players race against other drivers, they can use cartoony power-ups (e.g., spike balls, boxing-glove missiles, saw blades) to slow opponents’ progress and knock them off balance. Being hit by a power-up causes characters’ karts to blink red and slow down. Characters emit small cries when hitting or being hit by an obstacle (e.g., t-rexes, trucks).

Colorblind Modes: Colorblind modes are not present in the options menu.

Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Gamers: There are plenty of visual cues during races. All of these can be adjusted in the menu. Subtitles are present and can be resized. As no audio cues are needed for gameplay, I’d say this is fully accessible.

Remappable Controls: The controls cannot be remapped and there is no diagram. On PS5, X is used to accelerate, R2 is used to drift, L1 is used to activate items, and Square is used to look behind.

The post Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds Review appeared first on Gamecritics.com.

The subject of this installment: Tokyo Xtreme Racer available on PC in early access, developed and published by Genki.

Tokyo Xtreme Racer is an arcade series all about burning through the streets of Tokyo, drawing heavily from real-life underground street racing and popular racing manga. Dozens of titles were released throughout the ’90s and ’00s under different names and in various regions, with the last one seeing release in Japan under the title Wangan Midnight in 2007. 

Now, 18 years later, original developers Genki are back with a new installment titled Tokyo Xtreme Racer. As an arcade racing fan myself (especially games centered around illegal street racing) I was eager to see what the hype was all about, especially since it’s rare to see a older driving franchises come back these days. 

(Author’s note: Tokyo Xtreme Racer is currently only on PC due to its status as an early-access title. I rarely play on PC thanks to a weak laptop, so my experiences here were based on the lowest possible graphics settings needed to maintain a stable framerate.) 

The time spent in the early portions of TXR was enjoyable. Gameplay is an exciting loop consisting of driving around a semi-open fictionalized Tokyo where the highways are full of NPCs driving. Players are tasked with challenging these NPCs to races, done by flashing headlights when behind them. Races are then a simple straightforward sprint, but the way to win is different than most other racers. 

Rather than simply getting ahead of opponents, players must contend with a gauge full of SP, or “Spirit Points.” Every opponent’s gauge depletes the further they fall behind, rewarding players for not only going fast but also outmaneuvering the open world’s ambient traffic. 

Driving is smooth and arcade-like, meaning turns and drifts are easy to achieve. Cars are a little lighter than most racers, but they control well. I also appreciated the wide variety of vehicles from real manufacturers — especially cool to see Toyota represented well, as they rarely appear in street racing titles.

Even with the graphics set at their lowest, I loved the look of the car models and the environments. There is a strong visual style here, and the night sky of Tokyo is stunning. Racing aside, simply driving around on the highway is enjoyable thanks to the sights, sounds and smooth handling.  

Seeing a series like Tokyo Xtreme Racer come back is awesome and I enjoyed my time with this Early Access version. Despite my preference for console gaming, cruising through Tokyo in a sporty Toyota Supra and soaking in the retro-style vibes was outstanding. Those who love ’90s rides and highway racing might want to give this Early Access title a test drive.

The post This Is Not A Review: Tokyo Xtreme Racer (EA) appeared first on Gamecritics.com.

HIGH A solid mix of racing game ideas. 

LOW Unnecessarily difficult in some places.

WTF We need more homages to Gran Turismo! 

I seek out different kinds of racing games, especially when I review here at GameCritis. It’s an important and beloved genre for me, and there’s no shortage of exciting stuff coming out — offerings range from simulators to over-the-top arcade stuff, and anything in between. Of course, most of the titles I play tend to show off cutting-edge graphics, real-world cars and massive worlds to drive around in. Super Woden GP II is decidedly not that, but it did lure me in with some welcome ideas. 

Played from an isometric angle, SWGP is an arcade racer with several modes. On the surface, it seems like a deceptively simple experience with visuals and gameplay reminiscent of older arcade titles (think Over Top or Super Drift Out) but the depth becomes apparent thanks to the sheer amount of content. 

The most prominent offering is Career mode, which sees players competing in championships on closed circuits. Each of these competitions revolves around a series of races that net players credits to buy cars that can then be upgraded for more events. Pulling from the likes of the original Gran Turismo (down to the main menu’s design) there’s a great loop of racing, upgrading, and car collecting here that I appreciated.

There are over 100+ cars here, each from different countries and manufacturers. While all fictional, it’s not hard to spot clear homages to the Ford GT or Toyota AE86, and every vehicle has a distinct handling model, with stats that can be upgraded. Similar to the original GT, there’s a special kind of joy in buying a cheap car early on and building it up to compete against the best of the best.

While I appreciated the gameplay loop, I do have to admit the lack of a lot of accessibility options soured the experience overall. Part of this is that I found SWGP quite difficult at first, thanks to my inexperience with isometric racers. Turning corners and keeping up with AI-controlled opponents was rough initially, and the lack of a controller map was odd, not to mention the confusion caused by a lack of any tutorials.

Despite those initial frustrations, I did find myself enjoying it, and play was more manageable once I bumped the difficulty down to easy and practiced on tight corners. I did appreciate the onscreen indicators that told me when to turn or to watch for hazards, but I did wish there were more optional concessions made for newcomers. 

Other modes outside of Career include Time Trials where players can compete for the best times on global leaderboards and the best mode, if you ask me — is rally mode, where players race on various terrain under extreme conditions. Being forced to race a clock that’s winding down and trying hard to hit every checkpoint is not for the faint of heart, but I know with some practice I can get there. 

Overall, Super Woden GP II’s marriage of old-school arcade racing and a modern focus on car collecting is a fairly successful one, as I certainly enjoyed buying cool-looking cars and building them up for the big leagues. While the lack of options and accessibility features can use some fine-tuning, I’m certain those with a love of racing games (and a lot of patience) will get some good mileage out of this one. 

Rating: 7.5 out of 10

Disclosures: This game is published by Eastasiasoft and developed by Vijuda. It is available on PC, PS5, PS4, XBO/S/X and Switch. This copy was obtained via publisher and was reviewed on PS5. Approximately 5 hours were spent in single-player and the game was not completed. There is multiplayer.

Parents: According to the ESRB, this game is rated E10 for Mild Violence and Alcohol Reference. Nothing objectionable here, as it’s just racing. Players can crash but the damage model can be turned off in the main menu.

Colorblind Modes: Colorblind modes are not present in the options menu.

Deaf and Hard of Hearing Gamers: There are plenty of visual cues in gameplay, but there are no options to resize any of the text or menus. Even so, I’d say it’s fully accessible.

Remappable Controls: The controls cannot be remapped and there are no diagrams. On PS5, R2 is to accelerate and L2 is brake/reverse. The Left Stick is used to steer.

The post Super Woden GP II Review appeared first on Gamecritics.com.

HIGH Solid racing and a gorgeous retro aesthetic. 

LOW Slight rubber-banding.

WTF Sega needs to get back into the racing market. 

Back in 2018, Brazilian developers Aquiris Game Studio released Horizon Chase Turbo — a solid arcade racer with a retro style. Taking inspiration from classics like Sega’s OutRun or the original Top Gear on the Super Nintendo Entertainment System, this title tasked players with competing in different races around the world, from the sunny vistas of Los Angeles to vibrant Dubai. Now, after a little over five years and some exciting DLC releases (including one based around the late Formula 1 legend Ayrton Senna), Aquiris returns with Horizon Chase 2. 

Initially released on iOS in 2022 and the Switch in ’23, this retro-themed arcade racer finally makes its way to Xbox and Playstation consoles. Following the first entry’s well-polished formula closely, players race through several events spanning the world. the races are either standard runs, or a few laps against eleven computer-controlled racers. 

The cars handle like a dream, with snappy braking allowing for some over-the-top drifts around corners and a solid boost mechanic that’s limited to three uses. Every race sees the player competing to place in the top three, but other challenges are present, such as collecting tokens scattered across the course, beating certain times or attempting to complete races without using boosts. 

Vehicles range from supercars, pick-up trucks, SUVs and even coupes, modeled after real-life brands and models. Players might also recognize cars that look eerily similar to a brand new Ferrari or a pick-up that parallels Toyota’s Tacoma line.

Every car has its own set of stats that can be upgraded by earning XP from completing races. Other rewards include coins that let players change cosmetics, like car liveries or new rims. The varied garage and mix of car attributes meant that I didn’t stick to just one car during my playthrough, but instead I experimented with different ones. For example, the size of a pickup passing through other racers much easier, while the small form factor of a coupe made it easier to drift in tight corners. 

There are a few gameplay quirks here, of course, like some inconsistent AI during the main World Tour mode. There were more than a few instances where I came close to taking first place, only for a nearby opponent to suddenly gain an almost impossible burst of speed. It feels… odd… but it wasn’t an issue that took too much away from my enjoyment.

Horizon Chase 2‘s presentation is as refined as the gameplay, and the colorful aesthetics of each track coming alive. Palms trees and sunshine dress the beaches of the Florida Keys with impeccable summer vibes, while Death Valley features shortcuts along its desert roads and barren vistas. This strong palette recalls some of the best racing from the 16-bit years, only now rendered in 3D. The music is just as good, and those who enjoy retro-style synth are in for a treat. 

As this version is a port of a Switch title, Xbox and PlayStation players can look forward to performance improvements. I played the original Switch version at launch and loved what I played, but framerate drops on the handheld were abhorrent, and soured the experience. Thankfully, those issues are remedied in this release, and a solid 60 FPS running speed finally delivers on this great game’s potential by making it as smooth as silk.

While it doesn’t revolutionize the groundwork set by its predecessor, Horizon Chase Turbo 2 remains a great racer that gets plenty right. With a solid career mode, a varied,, colorful garage and some of the best retro aesthetics ever, Horizon Chase Turbo 2 is an easy winner for arcade racing fans. 

Rating: 8.5 out of 10

Disclosures: This game is published by Epic Games and developed by Aquiris Game Studio. It is available on Switch, PC, XBO/X/S, PS4/5 and iOS. This copy was obtained via publisher and was reviewed on PS5. Approximately 8 hours were spent in single-player and the game was not completed but the game was previously played and completed on Nintendo Switch. There are multiplayer options but no time was spent on them.

Parents: According to the ESRB, this game is rated E. No rating information is online but the game is quite harmless. Parents should note that there is nothing in this game other than racing. No car wrecks and no violence here. 

Colorblind Modes: Colorblind modes are not present in the options menu.

Deaf and Hard of Hearing Gamers: There are speech bubbles that randomly pop up throughout gameplay but they cannot be adjusted. No subtitles either (there is no dialogue) but pop-up boxes containing information are present. Other visual cues are on screen as well, making this game fully accessible. 

Remappable Controls: The controls cannot be remapped but there is a control diagram. 

The post Horizon Chase 2 Review appeared first on Gamecritics.com.

HIGH An actual story mode and some solid arcade racing.

LOW Why can’t I just buy a specific car whenever I want?

WTF Checking Amazon for a Hot Wheels model of a Toyota Supra. 

Back in 2021, I reviewed Hot Wheels Unleashed and enjoyed it. I was a bit cold on some minor things — namely the way it dished out car unlocks and a lackluster “story” mode — but even with those flaws, the act of racing as the titular die-cast cars across different toy-inspired courses showed promise. Unleashed set a solid foundation, and as an arcade racing fan, I couldn’t wait to see what its successor would do to iron out the rough spots. 

Fast forward two years and developer Milestone drops Hot Wheels Unleashed 2: Turbocharged. This sequel is an arcade racer played from a third-person perspective, in which players control a wide-range of vehicles from Mattel’s Hot Wheels toy line and compete in different races and events. Options range from standard cars based on real-world manufacturers like Dodge or Chevrolet, all the way to some truly bizarre designs that resemble toasters, dragons and rocket ships. New to the mix are motorcycles and off-road vehicles, like ATVs and rally cars. 

The variety in the garage at launch is impressive and distinct, as vehicles are now broken up into six different categories — Rocket, Balanced, Swift, Drifter, Off-Road, and Heavy Duty. Each has different strengths in various races, such as the “rocket” class being effective in straight lines while the “heavy duty” vehicles can overtake other cars easily and won’t be troubled by roadblocks. 

Like the previous Hot Wheels, the attention to detail in the cars is incredible. Committing to the idea that these are toy cars, every vehicle is modeled exactly like their die-cast counterparts. For example, there are no drivers in the cars, while stickers, smudges and different material types are all rendered with care. Going into the photo mode highlights these touches, and I appreciated how the undercarriage of every car kept the copyright text that’s etched into every one of the real-world toys.

Keeping with the toy theme, players will race in different environments that seem giant, thanks to the fact that these are supposed to be tiny cars. Locations range from an arcade that’s filled to the brim with games like air hockey and a nice bar, to a family’s backyard littered with children’s toys. While much of this is consistent with the last installment, one of the biggest changes is the way cars are acquired.

While the in-game story still offers a rotating selection of cars that can be bought with in-game currency (coins), the loot boxes of the first game are gone completely. This is a great change, as nothing bummed me out more than getting loot crates that awarded duplicates of cars I already had. Although I would’ve preferred a more static and stable store to pick out any car I wanted, I have to admit that there’s a special feeling in browsing the store and stumbling upon a beautifully-rendered 2023 Nissan Z. Also, I’m glad to say that the cars are also affordable and coins are generously dished out after completing races, so grind is nonexistent. 

There are also some great gameplay tweaks and additions that make this a much better package than the last. The main mode is a story called Creature Rampage, now with actual cutscenes and context for why players are racing. It’s a simple tale about young racers and a scientist trying to stop classic Hot Wheels playset monsters from taking over a city, but I appreciated how much it added to the experience. Sure, the cutscenes are just animated stills and some of the dialogue is corny, but I liked how it felt like a Saturday morning cartoon or toy commercial, and it fits the vibe here.  

New race and event types have also been added, like a drift challenge that sees players trying to achieve a set score while drifting around corners. Also new are the elimination races, which required me to move up in position during a race to avoid getting eliminated. The variety here is a nice touch, and it’s all complemented by excellent driving mechanics — every vehicle type feels distinct enough to have its strengths and weaknesses in every event and track. Also included is an upgrade system that allows players to add attributes such as improved handling, better boost and even resistance to track hazards. 

Hot Wheels Unleashed 2: Turbocharged is the right way to follow up on a good idea. Expanding on the great things the first one did, this sequel adds more vehicles, more events and a story to make it one of the most unique arcade racers on the market. For those who haven’t had enough of toy-based racing this year, they should look no further than this one. 

Rating: 8.5 out of 10

Disclosures: This game is published and developed by Milestone. It is available on PS4/5, XBO/S/X, Switch and PC. This copy was obtained via publisher and was reviewed on PS5. Approximately 10 hours were spent in single-player and the game was not completed (still playing). No time was spent in the game’s multiplayer. 

Parents: According to the ESRB, this game is rated E. The official description reads: This is a racing game in which players drive toy vehicles through classic Hot Wheels tracks. Players can drift and boost their way around opponents, looping various tracks and whimsical obstacles. 

Colorblind Modes: Colorblind modes are not present in the options menu.

Deaf and Hard of Hearing Gamers: Cutscene subtitle size cannot be adjusted. During my time with it, I did not find that any audio cues were necessary for successful play. This game is fully accessible.

Remappable Controls: The controls can be remapped and there is a diagram.

The post Hot Wheels Unleashed 2: Turbocharged Review appeared first on Gamecritics.com.

HIGH Drastically improved driving system. A ridiculous amount of new content.

LOW Driver customization is limited.

WTF My toxic trait is thinking I can be a good Formula 1 driver. 

The Crew is an odd player in the arcade racing genre. Ubisoft introduced the IP in 2014, with its main selling point being a continuous open world. Set in a scaled-down recreation of the continental United States, cars would be able to drive from coast to coast in about 45 minutes. 2018’s The Crew 2 introduced planes and boats, but in both iterations the series struggled with the massive map — the areas felt empty, and many events lacked variety.

Fast forward to five years later and a new console generation, The Crew 2 has received plenty of expected updates but the team at Ubisoft’s Ivory Tower clearly wants to shake things up. Thankfully, The Crew Motorfest is an excellent improvement in every regard. 

Taking place in a scaled-down version of the Hawaiian island of OÊ»ahu, Motorfest is an open-world racer centering around the titular festival. Players create a driver and are automatically introduced to the new Playlist feature. These playlists act as a main campaign of sorts, offering a series of events that fall into specific themes (such as off-road racing or drifting), using specific cars, and being hosted by experts in different disciplines. The goal is to complete each set of races in a playlist, with the reward at the end of them being an exclusive vehicle. 

The switch to a smaller open-world is a good one, resulting in environments that are more dense with content and more detailed, visually. The approximation of Hawaii is breathtaking, with plenty of variety in terrain ranging from sunny beaches to trails around volcanoes. All of this is wrapped in gorgeous vistas and top-tier presentation — everything from the way the interior camera mode looks, to the way each car sounds distinct is impressive.  

Early on, players have a choice between three playlists — Made in Japan, Hawaii Scenic Tour and American Muscle. I started with American Muscle, which took me on a series of races involving different types of Ford Mustangs. The events were hosted by a fictional musician who loved American muscle cars, and his voiceover throughout the races sold that passion. I drove different kinds of Mustangs, ranging from modern models equipped with off-road tires to a 1969 Mustang Boss that made me feel like Steve McQueen in Bullitt. My prize at the end of the playlist was a 2020 Ford Mustang Shelby, an absolute behemoth of a ride. 

I love this playlist feature, thanks to the sheer variety introduced throughout my playtime. A little over thirty hours in, and I still have so many playlists to complete, but the ones I’ve already done have been exceptional, from the Off-Roading Addict (rally cars, ATVs and other off-road vehicles) to the Motorsports playlist offering closed-circuit races in a professional setting, such as a fictionalized version of Formula One. Here, players must contend with things like tire damage and rain affecting the way cars move on the track. 

Each playlist not only made me comfortable with driving different types of cars, but they also included interesting facts about specific manufacturers. There’s a real reverence to cars and car culture here, something I appreciate deeply as a fan of all kinds of cars, not just racing games. 

Aside from playlists, there’s also a variety of challenges to complete, like speed traps that challenge players to run through a gate as fast as possible or photo ops that encourage exploration. 

Completing any race or activity nets XP, money and upgrade parts. Reaching certain XP thresholds net rewards like customization upgrades for their drivers (which are fairly limited) and new cars. Returning Crew 2 players can also import their garage, a feature every racing sequel should include from here on out.

As if these options weren’t enough, there are plenty of online modes that I enjoyed. Every half hour in real time, a new online event with new conditions became available. These include things like a 28-player cross-country dash that has players switching between three different vehicle types and a demolition derby-type event that acts as a battle royale. Here, players control destructible cars and are thrown into a combat zone, trying to be the last team standing. 

I’m actually astounded at how feature-complete and jam-packed Motorfest is at launch, and I’m curious to see what it’ll look like a few months from now. Maybe we’ll see stock car racing a la Nascar in the future? Or perhaps more rally-dedicated modes to really take advantage of the wide-open terrain? Maybe an endurance race modeled after the 24 Hours of Le Mans? As it is now, however, I am not starved for anything to do, as I still have plenty to keep me busy.

This variety is complimented by pitch-perfect gameplay, especially in how cars handle. I played a bit of The Crew 2 a few months ago but dropped it quick after I was dissatisfied with the way cars felt. There was a serious lack of weight and impact, and the nitrous boost felt weak. Motorfest revamps all of this completely, with every car handling like a dream. 

Vehicles have notable weight to them, while each one feels distinct — the Ford Bronco feels like the massive SUV that it is, while the Honda Civic glides through the streets. That feeling also extends to how every car interacts with the open world, as different vehicle types obviously work better in different conditions. For example, the Bronco was in the rally raid classification and was useful for maneuvering across mountains while the Honda NSX would wildly spin out of control if I ended up off-road.

This is also reflected in the adaptive triggers of the PS5’s DualSense control scheme including haptic feedback. Each terrain type feels different, and the triggers lock up and add pressure to braking and accelerating. It’s still easy to drift on a dime like any arcade racer, but there’s a balance here thanks to the realistic feel of the cars. 

The Crew Motorfest is exceptional. To simply say that it improves upon its predecessor is a gross understatement, as it took a flawed foundation and turned it into the smoothest of rides. The presentation, the improved handling and the excellent playlist feature all come together to make it a top-tier racer. With this new entry, Ubisoft not only sets a new standard for their own open-worlders, but they’ve crafted an experience that can stand toe-to-toe with the finest racers on the market. Like a souped up 2021 Toyota GR Supra blasting through the finish line on a crowded street, this is truly a sight to behold. 

Rating: 8.5 out of 10

Disclosures: This game is published and developed by Ubisoft. It is available on PS4/5, XBO/X/S and PC. This copy was obtained via publisher and was reviewed on PS5. Approximately 30 hours were spent in single-player and the game was not completed (still playing). 5 hours were spent playing multiplayer. 

Parents: According to the ESRB, this game is rated T for Lyrics and Mild Violence. A lot of the game is racing, with most of the objectionable content being relegated to song lyrics, though most of the worst words are censored already. Parents should know that most of the violence involves cars being crashed but nothing excessive. This game is perfectly fine for most children. 

Colorblind Modes: Colorblind modes are present in the options menu.

Deaf and Hard of Hearing Gamers: There are subtitles and visual cues throughout the game, like icons on screen alerting players of different things around the area. These can all be adjusted. There are no audio cues that are needed for successful gameplay. This game is fully accessible.

Remappable Controls: The controls can be remapped and there are diagrams and different presets.

The post The Crew Motorfest Review appeared first on Gamecritics.com.

HIGH Excellent racing and presentation.

LOW Lacking some customization features. 

WTF Laughing too hard at a talking horse. 

Triple-A arcade racers seem to be having their moment in the spotlight again thanks to the return of heavy hitters like Need for Speed and relatively newer faces like GRID. Hell, even the tried and true kart racer has maintained relevance lately. Naturally, I’ve not only taken notice but also enjoyed a lot of these titles and eagerly anticipate the next big racing experience. Thankfully, Visual Concepts and 2K didn’t take too long to deliver on that. 

LEGO 2K Drive is a brick-ified racer set in the world of Bricklandia. Players control an unnamed rookie who must compete in a series of major races across four distinct maps. Along the way, they’ll amass a collection of cars, race rivals and explore fully-open levels.

Right off the bat, the lighthearted tone and humor set it apart from other racers, reminding me a lot of The Lego Movie. Jokes are constantly flying at the player and every character is hilarious, from two newscasters constantly quipping, to a bumbling police officer upset because someone is stealing fried shrimp from a lakeside restaurant. 

Aside from the humor, I appreciated how well L2KD uses the LEGO aesthetic. Characters in cutscenes move realistically despite being blocky, and every car the player drives is made of individual bricks that break apart as they would in real life. Most of the scenery and obstacles can be driven through, and make a satisfying clicking noise as they’re destroyed. It’s the closest a videogame has felt to capturing the feeling of building elaborate LEGO sets, only to smash them seconds later. 

I’m also happy to report that the gameplay is just as satisfying as the visuals.

LEGO 2K Drive is broken up into two distinct play styles — an open-world driving game and a kart racer. The first takes many cues from the likes of Forza Horizon, as players explore four open-ended areas full of side missions and secrets to discover. Doing this nets them experience points and money, which can be used to buy cars, avatars, and to level up before competing in harder races. It’s a satisfying loop and I appreciated the variety, especially with the loadout system.

Basically, players have three types of vehicles — street cars, off-road vehicles, and boats. As they drive around the map and hit a specific type of terrain, their ride automatically changes to that specific vehicle type. For example, I had a small electric car equipped, and when I veered off-road, it transformed into a large, off-road truck I had. It’s an exciting way to keep the momentum going, and it made exploring the map enjoyable. The simple act of moving became endlessly amusing. 

The other type of play is made up of races. Throughout the map, there are rivals the player has to beat in order to advance to a final cup. Each one is a ridiculous character, like a talking horse who was sarcastic for no reason, and would keep saying “A horse is a horse of course” throughout each race.

After meeting with a rival, players then complete a race, which plays out like a kart racer. Some are circuits in which they must complete a certain number of laps, while others are sprints where it’s about reaching the end of the course first. Either way, I loved it as drifting and boosting feel intuitive and more accessible than most arcade racers. A good sense of speed is present, and cars have enough weight to make every successful turn feel satisfying without bringing the physics into sim territory.

Owing to the LEGO branding, players can build their own cars using the extensive creator. After selecting a base, they can place individual bricks — almost mimicking a real playset. It takes a bit of getting used to (especially on a controller) but being able to snap bricks in rules, even if I’m not the most creative person. My only gripe is that there’s no way to share or download community cars yet. Visual Concepts said this feature is coming in a post-launch patch, but its absence at launch is a shame. (Also, a bummer? No minfig customization.)

For those who aren’t feeling that creative, there’s an in-game store with plenty of cars to choose from. While I was able to earn tons of free cars and enough in-game currency to satisfy my buying needs, players should be aware that microtransactions are in the game. It’s a shame that a full-priced title in 2023 still has an in-game store like this, with players tempted to shell out real cash. It largely follows the same microtransaction formula as their NBA and WWE games, but luckily there are safeguards here to make sure kids won’t be able to buy anything without parental approval. Prices range from $5 to $60 for in-game currency. Again, there’s really no need for this as the rewards are plenty, but those who want to bypass the grind have that option.

One last thing to note is that the L2KD‘s online multiplayer is great. My cousin and I played way too much of it together, and while players can’t earn vehicles in online sessions, we still had a blast racing around the open world, trying to best each other in races and constantly discovering things like new NPCs, new quest types and even different challenges — a favorite tasked us with driving as fast as we could into a wall with a tunnel painted on it, just like Wile E. Coyote would do in an old Warner Bros. cartoon.

Lego 2K Drive is one of the finest arcade racers around, setting itself apart from the competition by literally building a new foundation for the genre. Like the very best LEGO sets, each of its pieces adds up to a wonderful product. Racing fans owe it to themselves to check this one out. 

Score: 8.5 out of 10

Disclosures: This game is published by 2K and developed by Visual Concepts. It is available on PS4, PS4, XSX/S, XBO, PC and Switch. This copy was obtained via the publisher and was reviewed on Switch. Approximately 20 hours were spent in single-player and were completed. About 5 hours were spent in multiplayer. 

Parents: According to the ESRB, this game is rated E10 for Fantasy Violence. The site reads: This is a racing-adventure game in which players assume the role of a rookie driver learning to race Lego vehicles around Bricklandia. During races, players can pick up and use cartoony power-ups (e.g., homing missiles, rolling bombs, laser cannons) to attack opponents, resulting in large explosions and screen-shaking effects. Some side quests involve helping police officers chase down criminals; rescuing characters from zombies; and disabling robots by running over them before they explode. Some arena mini-games prompt players to disable/destroy the opposing team, gaining points with each disable/destruction.

Colorblind Modes: Colorblind modes are present in the options menu.

Deaf and Hard of Hearing Gamers: There are subtitles present in the game, as well as visuals cues during gameplay. (See examples above.) Subtitles can be adjusted. In my view, this game is fully accessible.

Remappable Controls: The controls cannot be remapped but there are presets.

The post LEGO 2K Drive Review appeared first on Gamecritics.com.

HIGH Solid racing and the addition of voice acting. 

LOW Online is still lacking.

WTF Being able to play as the black-and-white version of Raphael from TMNT.  

In 2020, I reviewed Nickelodeon Kart Racers 2: Grand Prix and in 2021 I covered Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl. Both are crossover party games (the former a racer, the latter a fighter) featuring famous Nickelodeon characters, and both published by GameMill Entertainment. While my reviews ranged from average to mediocre, the main issue I had with both was the lack of personality. Specifically, the lack of voice acting or any meaningful bonuses for fans. So, two years after the release of Grand Prix, I’m given the chance to review the latest crossover from GameMill, Nickelodeon Kart Racers 3: Slime Speedway — a title that my editor billed to me as a “CJ jam.” 

Off the bat, I think that’s an appropriate way to describe this one. It’s a licensed kart racer featuring 40 characters spread across Nickelodeon history, ranging from the likes of SpongeBob SquarePants, Rugrats, Garfield, and the always radical Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. It’s the kind of thing I’m almost expected to write about at this point. 

Fundamentally, the core aspects of the last iteration are still in place. Players can compete in several different events including single races, full Grand Prix modes, and a few battle missions as well. The biggest changes come in the form of different vehicle body types, as well as the addition of bikes. Players can customize these parts to finely tune their vehicles by swapping different car bodies, wheels, and exhaust pipes that adding to each attribute — speed, acceleration, handling, turbo, etc.

The freedom to customize is a solid addition, allowing for some great combinations of parts and letting players tweak different things. I personally took to using motorcycles, as their handling around tight corners felt better. 

Another new addition comes from the transformations that occur in the middle of each race. For example, if the racetrack has a predetermined path that requires the play to go through water, the vehicle will transform into a watercraft and the race will continue. Sure, it’s been done in other games of this type, but the addition only adds to the already-solid driving.

The feel behind the wheel has been drastically improved since last time thanks to a perfect balance between arcade floatiness and sim weight to each car. Drifting is also easier than most racers, allowing players to pick up serious momentum. There are also solid accessibility and control features here, like an auto-steering mode and the ability to use gyro controls. 

Also returning from the last entry is the pit crew. Before each race, players select from a list of over 70 supporting characters, each with active or passive abilities. These range from Mr. Krabs from SpongeBob, who grants players the ability to magnetically attract slime tokens towards them, granting them a significant speed boost throughout. Others, like Shredder’s claws, allow for defense from enemy weapons. It’s standard kart racer stuff for sure, but it adds a variety. Having to unlock most of these items through play also means I have certain goals to work for and good motivation to keep playing — and honestly, I think the incentive to play and do well is my favorite part of Slime Speedway.

During every race in one of the Grand Prix modes, players are given challenges to complete ranging from picking up a certain number of slime tokens or hitting other racers with items. These get factored into a star total at the end of the cup, with higher scores netting racers more slime tokens to purchase more stuff in the garage. There’s a real sense of accomplishment here and it forced me to play outside my comfort zone, such as seeking out shortcuts or risking a lead just to drift a few times more than I normally would. All of that adds immense replay value, which is something I thought was sorely missing in the last entry. 

Also excellent? Slime Speedway’s best new addition — voice acting. Yup, every character now has dialogue and a few lines before, during, and after races. Sure, they repeat a few times but I’m happy we got something. It also helps that they feel like they were tailor-made for the game, rather than shoe-horned in via archived recordings. It’s great to have some of the most iconic (and talkative) cartoon characters finally say something. 

Multiplayer offerings are still barebones, however, as the options are only limited to the same single-player modes — just online. Unfortunately, I haven’t been able to find anyone to play with as of this writing, though split-screen play remedied that. Up to four players can race and it feels right at home with this style of game.

While a lot of Nickelodeon Kart Racers 3: Slime Speedway’s best and most improved aspects may be pulled from other racers, the quality jump between this one and its predecessor cannot be overstated. Slime Speedway is a confident, enjoyable and joyful party experience. The devs have finally hit the mark, delivering a great entry into the pantheon of mid-budget licensed games. Fans who are nostalgic for old cartoons and anyone with younger kids will definitely have a great time here. 

Disclosures: This game is published by GameMill Entertainment and developed by Bamtang Games. It is available on Switch, PS4/PS5, PC, and XBO/X/S.This copy was obtained via the publisher and was reviewed on PS5. Approximately 8 hours were spent in single-player, with a few of the single-player cups completed and a few other modes played. About 1 hour was spent in the game’s split-screen mutliplayer.

Parents: According to the ESRB, this game is rated T for Mild Cartoon Violence. The site reads: This is a kart-racing game in which players compete with characters from several Nickelodeon shows (e.g., SpongeBob SquarePants, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles). Players race around slime-covered tracks and use “cartoony” power-ups (e.g., acorn bombs, baby-bottle rockets) and special attacks (e.g., nunchuck toss, fire-breath attack) to cause opponents to spin out and slow down; some weapons cause mild explosions to occur.

Colorblind Modes: Colorblind modes are not present in the options menu.

Deaf and Hard of Hearing Gamers: Subtitles and visual cues are present, but cannot be adjusted. No sound is needed for successful gameplay. This game is fully accessible.

Remappable Controls: The controls cannot be remapped.

The post Nickelodeon Kart Racers 3: Slime Speedway Review appeared first on Gamecritics.com.

HIGH A solid and accessible arcade racer.

LOW Bizarre unlock system for new cars.  

WTF The look on my partner’s face as I peruse the Hot Wheels section at my local Target. 

Very rarely have I played a licensed game and thought “Wow, this genuinely feels like I’m in the world of the existing property.”

It’s hard to capture that feeling if a game is trying to adapt a TV show or movie, but toys are more reliable when it comes to transporting players to their world. In this way, Hot Wheels Unleashed offers one of the better licensed experiences I’ve had thanks to capturing the spirit of what made its titular die-cast vehicles a hallmark of my family’s Christmases.

This arcade racer is, of course, based on Mattel’s Hot Wheels brand of car toys and sees players driving different vehicles around a variety of tracks in a third-person perspective. What struck me about this was the attention to detail in making things as authentic as possible.

For example, the rendering of the material that makes up the ‘toy’ cars is similar to their real-life counterparts, even down to different types of plastic and metals. There are also no drivers in the seats, further suggesting that the concept is kids racing toy cars. The courses are made of the iconic plastic orange tracks that came in the building kits. The authenticity and presentation here are nostalgically incredible.

The environments are varied, ranging from a college dorm room to a skyscraper under construction, and of course, each level does an incredible job of showing just how small the player cars are supposed to be in relation to the ‘real’ world they’re in — it’s a rarity for a title to successfully instill this sense of scale.

The racing itself is enjoyable thanks to some pleasantly loose handling and a great sense of speed. I also appreciated how accessible it felt due to the ease with which players can perform drifts around tight corners. Every drift also fills a boost meter that gives a burst of acceleration. While it’s nowhere near as complex as a racing sim, it does what it does well. It was fast, and dare I say, a bit furious?

In the single-player mode, City Rumble, players select different events on what looks like the rug of a child’s bedroom. Each one is straightforward — race here, get the best time there, and beat a boss to unlock certain items. Ultimately, each event boils down to a standard race, which is fine because the core gameplay is solid.

Certain events on the map (like boss races) trigger a dialogue box that offers a small bit of story. It’s laughably bad and feels tacked-on, as if the devs really needed to give narrative motivation for a game about racing die-cast cars. From what I gathered, players are trying to save Hot Wheels City from supernatural forces like giant plastic spiders or dinosaurs, though it never feels significant.

Naturally, the story isn’t the reason to play through the singleplayer mode. No, it’s really about the rewards that unlock after each race, like gold coins to buy cars, gears to upgrade them, and the occasional blind box that offers new rides. Unlocking vehicles can be done in one of two ways — buying them via in-game store that offers a rotating mix available for a limited time, or acquiring loot boxes. players getting duplicate cars have the option to sell for upgrade parts or gold.

While this is a fairly common setup, I did find the inability to purchase whatever car I want to be a bit upsetting. A game like Hot Wheels Unleashed should be the ultimate car collection title, considering its origins in real toys. The publishers have promised free (and paid) DLC down the road based on existing properties like DC Comics, Street Fighter, and even Peanuts and I’m excited to see what’s in store, but the fact that the collection aspect incentivizes grinding and/or buying a season pass kind of bums me out.

At least there’s the track creator, which made me feel like I was crafting my own incredible and personalized toy room. Parts can be unlocked through singleplayer, such as giant plastic monsters that act as stage hazards. Tracks can be shared and raced online, as well as locally in split-screen. Players can also add cool designs to each car with elements they either unlock racing or buy with coins. The sense of creativity and community does a great job of recreating the Hot Wheels experience.

Overall, I can look past the grind of obtaining new cars thanks to everything else Hot Wheels Unleashed does. I loved its commitment to the memory of racing around my bedroom floor, and for those looking for an accessible arcade-style racer full of personality and flair, look no further.

Disclosures: This game is published by and developed by Milestone. It is available on PS4/5, XBX/S/O, Switch, and PC. This copy of the game was obtained via publisher and reviewed on the XBS. Approximately 10 hours were spent in the single-player and the game was not completed. No time was spent in the multiplayer.

Parents: According to the ESRB this game is rated E. It’s just racing. Nothing objectionable for young kids here.

Colorblind Modes: There are no colorblind modes available. 

Deaf & Hard of Hearing Gamers: Subtitles and on-screen instructions cannot be adjusted but audio is not needed to enjoy this game, thanks to the abundance of visual cues. This game is fully accessible. 

Remappable Controls: Yes, the controls are remappable.

The post Hot Wheels Unleashed Review appeared first on Gamecritics.com.