News DriveClub raw race gameplay videos are visually dazzling

Back in November, Evolution Studios started to release some teasingly short snippets of raw DriveClub gameplay footage, with the promise of showing a full race gameplay video soon after. Unfortunately, numerous delays and other setbacks meant this never happened. 

Fast forward six months later, and DriveClub's marketing campaign is getting back up to speed with the release of not one, not two but three new extended, raw gameplay videos offering a first look at some full race action in a variety of lush locations.

First up is a race with the zany Zonda R on the Indian circuit with a 30x time lapse that effectively showcases DriveClub's dynamic lighting system and dazzling day and night transitions:

//www.youtube.com/embed/BPZ4oG4UxVs  

Next we have a 12 car race featuring the Maserati GranTurismo on a twisty track set in Chili, once again with the time lapse set to 30x:

//www.youtube.com/embed/JgYzMyWnL0o

Finally, the Pagani Hyura gets taken for a scenic spin in the forests of Canada. DriveClub was designed to be played primarily with the cockpit camera, and it shows – the detail on the dashboard is strikingly accurate. This video also confirms that DriveClub will in fact feature two cockpit cameras à la Grid Autosport, with a traditional camera behind the wheel and another camera closer to the dash acting as a driver's eye view.

//www.youtube.com/embed/RVDshqIY_RI

A special note goes out to the spectacular scenery shown off in the Candian track. The draw distance is jaw-dropping, and Evolution Studios hasn't cut any corners when modelling the environment, as detail can still be seen far out into the distance. In fact, according to the developer there are over one million trees featured in the footage alone.

You have to admire their obsessive attention to detail, even if it comes at the cost of achieving 60 fps. Indeed, the recent revelation that DriveClub will be locked to 30 fps still stings – while the sense of speed is spellbinding, the slower frame rate is apparent at high speed. However, don't forget that YouTube's compression doesn't exactly do the video any justice, either. For a more accurate representation, you can watch an uncompressed 1080p version of the video over on the official PlayStation website.

Still, at least the decision hasn't been without merit: you can't argue that the visuals have benefited, judging from these gorgeous gameplay samples. Evolution is clearly on a mission to pack in as much detail into DriveClub as possible, although we do question their decision to prioritise visual detail over a smoother framerate.

WIth this in mind, which would you rather have in DriveClub: 60 fps or one million trees? Sound off in the comments below, on our FaceBook page or on our forum. 

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