Codemasters wowed us all when they simultaneously announced and released DiRT Rally through Steam Early Access back in 2014. This wasn’t just the latest title in the long-running DiRT series but a standalone thoroughbred rally simulation aimed to test the limits of player skill. After the somewhat underwhelming DiRT 4 in 2017, Codemasters is back […]
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Monster Truck games have always been a bit of a mixed bag. In many ways they share a lot in common with the biking genre. A type of vehicle that requires a certain perspective to fully translate into a video game form, and whatever the direction, the outcome will never please everyone. Despite this, there […]
ReviewsUnique game design and inspiring visuals are rare to find in today’s games industry. However, seeing a video pop up on my X feed by indie developer Walaber, I was instantly impressed. The playful visual approach captured me, the use of colour and Saturn style visuals fused together perfectly. So often I see retro inspired […]
ReviewsMX Vs ATV is one of those brands that fans consistently support. It garnered a loyal following based on past iterations and at its core there is always a fun racing game to enjoy. Often there is a similar trait of somewhat dated graphics combined with arcade elements. Moving onto MX Vs ATV Legends and […]
ReviewsF1 2021 has swiftly come round again for another lap and finally it is time to dive into this years title, what will Codemasters have in store and can we see the first influences of the impact from EA? Let’s explore the potential improvements and general cohesion of the package, is F1 2021 a step […]
ReviewsAbsolute Drift gained a cult following a few years back, the simple yet intuitive nature to the gameplay worked well in capturing a scene, generating a fun atmosphere to drive around and explore the limits of your car while developing your skills. Moving on a couple of years and wee see a very early version […]
ReviewsThe Nintendo Switch continues to expand with an impressive roster of racing titles. The system proving that great gameplay does not always require the finest hardware if the games are developed to suit the system specs appropriately. In many ways the Switch is perfectly positioned as a home for remasters of classic titles from previous […]
ReviewsFor the first time in gaming history the official Formula 1 game will be released to coincide with just the second race of the real season – of course we are in unusual times and the game which we play this year will bear zero resemblance to the actual calendar. But rather than replicate a […]
ReviewsMilestone has a monopoly on officially licensed bike racers thanks to the ownership of three licenses. If that wasn’t enough, the Italien-based studio even has its very own two-wheeled IP Ride to boot. We’ve seen countless titles from the MotoGP and MXGP series this generation, however, it’s the newest franchise that has excited us the […]
ReviewsIt’s fair to say that the Need for Speed titles this generation have been largely underwhelming. We got a little excited when we learned the series was taking a year off in 2014 (for the first time in years) with the promise of a reboot. Sadly Need for Speed 2015 was a mostly soulless game […]
ReviewsYou can trace the origins of GRID back to the TOCA: Race Driver series which first hit the shelves back in 2002. TOCA: Race Driver started the tradition of giving players a range of different racing disciplines that they can dip in and out of. Race Driver: GRID continued this ethos in 2008 and went […]
ReviewsAfter several entries from Evolution Studios and Milestone, the officially licensed World Rally Championship game reins were taken over by Kylotonn in 2015 with its debut title WRC 5. Kylotonn improved the series dramatically with its follow up games WRC 6 and WRC 7 releasing in 2016 and 2017 respectively. The series then took a […]
ReviewsIt was the Christmas of 1992 when I was introduced to the first two titles in the Sonic the Hedgehog series courtesy of a shiny new Sega Megadrive (or Genesis if you prefer). I’ve always held the Sonic series close to my heart despite its much publicised checkered past. However, there has been one Sonic-themed […]
ReviewsCodemasters wowed us all when they simultaneously announced and released DiRT Rally through Steam Early Access back in 2014. This wasn’t just the latest title in the long-running DiRT series but a standalone thoroughbred rally simulation aimed to test the limits of player skill. After the somewhat underwhelming DiRT 4 in 2017, Codemasters is back […]
ReviewsWe were surprised when we first learned Milestone were taking on another licensed bike videogame with the announcement of Monster Energy Supercross – The Official Videogame in late 2017. The newly born Supercross series saw its first release the very next year alongside the latest entries in the veteran MotoGP and the younger MXGP series […]
ReviewsMilestone returns with the third outing of their original IP Ride which aims to be essentially the “Gran Turismo of bike games” thanks to its comprehensive range of motorcycles and plethora of options. The original Ride, though rough around the edges, got Milestone’s new racing series off to a good start. The sequel improved upon […]
ReviewsBigmoon Entertainment, the Portuguese developer better known as an art studio for hit games franchises such as MotoGP and WRC, recently acquired the Dakar licence. An open-world annual rallying event known for endurance and reliability would surely be a great foundation for turning it into a computer game, especially with other open-world racing titles out […]
ReviewsRecently Kylotonn has been swiftly expanding their foothold in the racing genre by bringing several titles back from the dead. We’ve had the already released, and somewhat average, Flatout 4 (the first main title since 2011). Also, an announcement in late 2016 suggests (although not yet confirmed) that the French development team is working on […]
ReviewsF1 2018 is the fourth iteration of F1 in the current console generation. F1 2017 was an excellent title and deservedly received a 9/10 from us. The foundation was set and I was keen to see how various elements would move on, besides the challenge of integrating the halo, so how did it do? On […]
ReviewsManagement simulations have been a staple of the games industry for as long as I can remember. Fond memories of Grand Prix World from Microprose on PC using mods that brought it up to date captured motorsport management perfectly. Then came a drought for about 15 years where nothing substantial came about, until PlaySport Games […]
ReviewsReleased back in 2014, The Crew was an admirably ambitious open-world racer by French developer Ivory Tower, a newly-formed studio comprising of former Eden Games developers responsible for the fabled Test Drive Unlimited series. Set in a sprawling open world representing the entire United States of America, it was a commendable first effort that fell […]
ReviewsThe omission of the number four in favour of the word Pro in the fourth officially licensed MXGP title by Italian developer Milestone is certainly an unexpected development that raises an eyebrow or two. The developer is letting consumers know in no uncertain terms that MXGP Pro is geared towards the simulation end of the […]
ReviewsFor six consecutive years, Milestone has churned out solid, if unspectacular MotoGP games. MotoGP 17 was a step in the right direction thanks to its more intuitive physics, smoother frame rate, and more visceral audio effects, but it still felt like a stopgap game when Milestone’s other bike racing series had been upgraded to Unreal […]
ReviewsDeveloped by the ex-Evolution Studios team (the same team that brought us Motorstorm and DriveClub) now working at Codemasters, Onrush is an arcade racer looking to stand out from a growing number of racing titles in recent years by completely removing the finish line. That’s right, Codemasters is doing away with positions and podiums in […]
ReviewsFor a long time, the selection of racing games available on the Nintendo Switch was limited to just two titles: the fantastic, F-Zero-inspired futuristic racer Fast RMX, and the near-perfect Mario Kart 8: Deluxe. Since then, the Switch’s racing game roster has expanded considerably with ports of Mantis Burn Racing, Rocket League, and MXGP 3, […]
ReviewsMXGP 3 won our award for the best bike game released in 2017, but the Nintendo Switch version, Milestone’s first release on Nintendo’s hybrid console, was a shockingly bad port. The blurry visuals made it look like the textures weren’t loading properly, the frame rate was unstable, and core features found in other versions were […]
ReviewsDeveloped by indie studio Supergonk, Trailblazers is a retro-futuristic cel-shaded racer that adds a unique “track painting” mechanic to the genre. Here’s how it works. Players paint their team colours onto the racing track. Driving over the freshly laid paint will then initiate a speed boost for the relevant coloured team. You could say it’s […]
ReviewsThe Isle of Man TT Mountain Course is renowned for being the longest and most dangerous road circuit in the world. Unquestionably, it’s one of the most daunting challenges a competitive rider will ever face. Since the annual Tourist Trophy championship began in 1907, the course has tragically claimed the lives of over 200 riders. […]
Reviews2017 was a ground-breaking year the racing genre thanks to the high-profile releases of Gran Turismo Sport, Forza Motorsport 7, and Project CARS 2. Throw in the likes of F1 2017, WRC 7, and MotoGP 17, and you have a distinct bias towards simulation-focused titles, leaving arcade racing fans out in the cold. If 2017 […]
ReviewsMonster Energy Supercross – The Official Videogame continues Milestone’s monopoly of licensed bike games in addition to the annual MXGP and MotoGP series. Significant for being the first officially licensed Supercross game in many years, a sport that’s hugely popular in America, on the surface, you’d be forgiven for thinking Monser Energy Supercross is a […]
ReviewsMXGP 3 was one of the best surprises of last year. The motocross simulation offered significant improvements over its disappointing predecessor from an upgraded graphics engine and new weather effects powered by Unreal Engine 4, to an advanced terrain deformation system that completely transformed the experience. Like many developers, Milestone has capitalised on the phenomenal success […]
ReviewsAfter many years of patient waiting, Gran Turismo has finally made its PlayStation 4 debut. The latest edition of the world-famous series sees a massive shift of focus, and the clue is in the title: Sport. Gone are the 60-hp Japanese Kei cars and traditional upgrade system, and in their place is a focus on […]
ReviewsNo one could have ever predicted the surprise success of Rocket League this generation. Its predecessor, the awkwardly titled (deep breath) Supersonic Acrobatic Rocket-Powered Battle-Cars released on PS3 a decade ago was criminally overlooked, and yet Rocket League’s popularity continues to grow at a rapid rate. At the time of writing, Rocket League is enjoyed […]
ReviewsForza Motorsport 7 is potentially the most important Forza titles released for quite some time. On top of being a prime system seller for the new Xbox One X console, Forza Motorsport 7 also launches right in the midst of an exceptionally busy year for the racing gaming genre. So, with such pressure to deliver, […]
ReviewsThere’s never been a better time to be a racing game fanatic. Competition in the genre has rarely been so fierce as it is on consoles right now, in what has been an unusually hectic year for racing games. Released within just a few weeks of each other, Project CARS 2 has been the underdog […]
ReviewsDevelopers for officially licensed racing titles often have the arduous task of releasing a product with as little as 12 months development time. Needless to say, this is an extremely short time frame and with the ever-high expectations from fans: to say development teams are under pressure is an understatement. After many years belonging to […]
ReviewsThis years Formula One World Championship has genuinely been one of the most exciting for years, with the resurgence of Ferrari and Vettel bringing a real challenge to Mercedes who have dominated the V6 hybrid era. What better time then for Codemasters to come on-form and deliver a product that is simply better in every […]
ReviewsShort development times often mean that annual licensed racing games offer incremental improvements rather than revolutionary updates. To Italian developer Milestone’s credit, last year’s MotoGP game was a valiant attempt to reinvent the series. The imaginatively named Valentino Rossi: The Game was a tribute to the legendary rider that introduced new disciplines you don’t normally […]
ReviewsThe release of DiRT Rally in 2015 captured the sheer intensity of the sport with its uncompromising handling, rough terrain and steep learning curve which would put off all but the most hardened of petrolheads. Three years on and Codemasters’ latest offering sees a return to the numbered titles with DiRT 4. Rather than a […]
ReviewsThe original Motorsport Manager Mobile game released back in 2014 was a fun and enjoyable experience, albeit simple and quite easy to complete. Playsport Games released a desktop version at the end of last year to much success but have returned to their roots with Motorsport Manager 2 on iOS (an Android version is due […]
ReviewsOften imitated but never bettered, Mario has been the undisputed king of the kart racing genre for 25 years since the series debuted on the Super Nintendo. Mario Kart 8, released on the Wii U back in 2014, was a high point that’s regarded by many fans as the best game in the series since […]
ReviewsIt’s been a relatively quiet period for PSVR, despite a wide range of experimental titles on the PC. Sony’s hardware has been somewhat limited on that front. This makes Tiny Trax a welcome addition to the format using a novel overhead slot car viewpoint but is it a useful gameplay mechanic or a gimmick lacking […]
ReviewsMilestone is firmly established as the leading developer of bike racing games catering to a variety of disciplines, from superbike racing in MotoGP, to road bike racing in unique IP Ride. Released back in 2014, MXGP added dirt bike racing to the selection, billed as a more authentic take on the muddy world of motocross […]
ReviewsOriginally released on Wii U before being ported to Xbox One and, more recently, PS4, Rock ‘N Racing Off Road DX is a top-down miniature car racer which takes very obvious inspiration from the racing classic Super Off Road, which I enjoyed immensely as a kid. Many hours were spent racing around the miniature tracks with […]
ReviewsThe Crew is one of the most underrated racing games of this generation. Ubisoft’s ambitious MMO racer got off to a stalled start on its initial release, but it’s evolved into a thriving community of regular players embarking on extended online road trip adventures, while a significant graphical overhaul, reworked handling, and a slew of […]
ReviewsFlatOut has a notoriously chequered history. While the original games in the destruction racing series fell under a lot of people’s radars, fans regarded them as alternatives to the popular Burnout series and a spiritual successor to the classic Destruction Derby series. Original developer Bugbear Entertainment went on to develop Ridge Racer: Unbounded and new […]
ReviewsAs the first standalone racing game available for early adopters of the PlayStation VR headset, DriveClub VR has a lot to live up to – especially with Gran Turismo Sport still out of the race on PlayStation 4. This will also be many people’s introduction to VR racing, so if the experience is subpar at […]
ReviewsForza has traditionally been one of the best-supported racing game franchises for additional content, and Forza Horizon 3 is no exception, having been updated with a raft of regular DLC packs keeping the car selection fresh and up to date. It’s a testament to Microsoft’s close relationship with manufacturers that we’ve seen contemporary cars make […]
ReviewsNintendo’s reluctance to resurrect the F-Zero franchise is bewildering. Widely regarded as one of the most fabled futuristic racing game series of all time, it’s been well over 10 years since we saw the series cause controller casualties on the GameCube with the notoriously hardcore F-Zero GX developed by Sega. A new instalment of the […]
ReviewsIf there’s one Xbox racing series that makes PlayStation owners envious as they wait for the next Gran Turismo to eventually show up, it’s Forza. The first Forza Motorsport was Microsoft’s answer to Gran Turismo and it’s arguably stayed ahead of its main competitor ever since, with superior car selections, more realistic damage modelling and, […]
ReviewsYou’d be easily forgiven for not knowing about the Moto Racer series as titles have been few and far between over the years, to say the least. In fact, you have to cast your mind all the way back to 2001 for the last main offering in a series which dates back to 1997. The […]
ReviewsThe long-running Resident Evil series started life as a foreboding survival horror title which saw you roam around a mansion full of undead zombies and unspeakable creatures. You just never knew what was around the next corner or door; there was a constant level of fear and dread and it was the first game I’ve […]
ReviewsBattlezone for the PlayStation VR is a modern re-imagining of the 1980 classic of the same name. Like the original, you are in control of a powerful and deadly battle-tank fending off enemies from every imaginable angle. However, the modern take on the game trades in its original wire-frame vector graphics in favour of fully […]
ReviewsAs the name suggests, the Stealth 350VR headset from Turtle Beach is specifically designed for use with virtual reality headsets such as the PlayStation VR (which I tested), HTC Vive and Oculus Rift. What makes this headset special for VR, you might be inclined to ask? The answer is not especially obvious at first glance. […]
ReviewsFor the first time in years, bike racing game fans are spoilt for choice. Previously, if you wanted to race bikes instead of cars in a game, your choice was limited to the annualised MotoGP series, or possibly a dirt bike game if you were lucky. And yet this year has been saturated with bike […]
ReviewsThere have been many attempts at motorsport management sims but few have ever been able to capture the true nuances of Formula One in particular. For years we have seen annual updates of football management sims masterfully recreated in the Football Manager and Championship Manager franchises, but it has been 17 years since the last proper take on F1 management gaming […]
ReviewsThe CSL Elite range from Fanatec is very much on the high-end of the racing sim peripheral spectrum that only the real hardcore of sim racers will choose to invest in for that extra level of immersion. For our review video (seen below) we unbox several products from the CSL Elite range and then put […]
ReviewsWith the dust well and truly settled on Project CARS, the delay of Gran Turismo Sport and with no Forza Motorsport sequel until late next year, Assetto Corsa currently has the sim racing spotlight on the consoles all to itself. The title, which is the product of Italian development team Kunos Simulazioni, is well praised […]
ReviewsDeveloped by indie studio Varkian Empire, Obliteracers is a very tricky game to place on the ever-broadening racing games spectrum as it’s not quite like anything I’ve ever played before. It’s probably best to think of Obliteracers as a mix between the likes of RC Pro Am and Micro Machines with the emphasis on party-focused action […]
ReviewsWhen you think of Carmageddon, you automatically associate it with controversy. Indeed, the series regularly appears in ‘top 10 most controversial games of all time’ list features for its graphic depictions of 3D pedestrian-pummelling violence that were genuinely shocking at a time when Grand Theft Auto was a tame-looking 2D game. It’s a shame, because […]
ReviewsAs long as I can remember, futuristic racing has been established as one of the staple video game genres. We’ve seen them on every platform, often pushing technical achievement to new levels. However, in recent times the genre seems to have been forgotten by the major publishers with Sony disbanding its Liverpool studio, while Nintendo […]
ReviewsLet’s get this out of the way: WRC 6 isn’t in the same league as the revered DiRT Rally. Such comparisons are inevitable, unfortunately, since Codemasters’ critically acclaimed passion project set the standard for rally games this year. For an annual series like WRC with tight development times, it’s a tough act to follow. And yet […]
ReviewsThe miniature arcade racing scene has seen a big resurgence in recent times with the likes of BlazeRush, Mantis Burn Racing, Super Toy Cars, and Grand Prix Rock ‘N Racing all vying for your attention with a few more on the horizon. Liverpool-based indie developer Playrise Digital have thrown their own miniature racing offering into […]
ReviewsMantis Burn Racing marks a much-needed and long overdue return to the classic top-down arcade racing genre. Unlike recent miniature racing offerings such as Table Top Racing, Super Toy Cars and BlazeRush, developer VooFoo Studios has done away with power-ups in favour of keeping the focus on the racing action – much like we used […]
ReviewsWhen asked, “what is your favourite F1 game of all time” my immediate answer has been Geoff Crammond’s GP3: 2000 Edition. Whilst not the most graphically superior racing game even at the time, what it did have was pure realism and racing depth which is rare to find in a gaming realm. Well, 15 years […]
ReviewsRiptide GP: Renegade is the sequel to Riptide GP 2 which was released in 2013 and is the third Riptide title in a series which dates back to 2011. Vector Unit developed the original Riptide GP exclusively for mobile platforms but have since brought their brand of fun and over the top arcade water racing […]
ReviewsGrand Prix Rock ‘N Racing on the Xbox One console can be viewed as the sequel to Off Road Rock ‘N Racing DX released last year on the Nintendo Wii U and Xbox One. However, as the name suggests, developer Enjoy Up Games have traded in the messy business of dirt racing for the more […]
ReviewsAnnualised sports games frequently become formulaic. Milestone’s MotoGP series is no exception: for all its improvements, last year’s MotoGP 15 was a typically incremental update that didn’t take the series forward. This year’s entry is different, however. Just as FIFA 17 surprised us this year with its innovative story mode, Milestone’s fourth MotoGP game takes […]
ReviewsFollowing on from the rather successful Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon spin-off, RedLynx’s Trials series is the surprising choice to carry on the Blood Dragon name. Indeed it gets the full treatment complete with tongue-in-cheek takes on the 80’s with pop-culture and cheesy movie references and quotes, over the top action and larger than life […]
ReviewsA famous philosopher once said “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it” – a poignant and thought provoking quote that I can’t help but wonder if developers “From Software” absorbed during the last 10 years. Whether they intended to or not is immaterial through, as the development and release of the […]
ReviewsSince DiRT’s debut on last-gen consoles, Codemasters’ off-road racing series has strayed increasingly further from its Colin McRae Rally roots, becoming increasingly flamboyant and accessible in an attempt to appeal to a wider audience. To the dismay of some of its fanbase, traditional point-to-point rallying took a back seat to make room for more off-road […]
ReviewsSuper Toy Cars tries its best to be a colourful and fun take on the old-school miniature arcade combat racing genre which aims to bring back memories of when you used to construct race tracks from Lego bricks and toys on your bedroom floor (or was that just me?). It takes obvious inspiration from classic […]
ReviewsSpace Pirate Trainer has been one of the most popular HTC Vive demos over recent months. The game placing the player in the thick of the action, while requiring physical dexterity in avoiding enemy fire in its use of room-scale VR. Gameplay is relatively basic, you stand in your available floor area / play zone, […]
ReviewsRacing games have become far too serious this generation for my liking. Hardcore racing simulations have their place for petrolheads, but sometimes you want to throw your brain out the window and pull off some prolonged powerslides in OutRun, terrify some passengers with dangerous driving in Crazy Taxi, or smash your rivals into submission whilst […]
ReviewsMilestone’s mission to cover just about every facet of motorcycle motorsport reached a new height with the release of their officially licensed MXGP game. An alternative to their annual MotoGP series, the gritty dirt bike racing of MXGP offered a refreshing change of pace: finding speed on spine-shaking mud banks requires an altogether different approach […]
ReviewsBack when last year’s Porsche Expansion Pack was officially announced for Forza Horizon 2, the big news wasn’t about Stuttgart’s superb sports cars being featured in the open-world racing game. Instead, the big news was that Porsches were also confirmed for Forza Motorsport 6. As exciting as it was to see Porsches roaming Forza Horizon […]
ReviewsIt was inevitable that Sébastien Loeb would represent a rally game one day. As the most successful rally driver of all time by some margin with nine world titles to his name, the talented Frenchman is an obvious choice for a rally game mascot, following in the footsteps of the late Colin McRae and Richard […]
ReviewsAs one of the longest running racing game series spanning over 20 years, Need for Speed has often had to reinvent itself to stay relevant. It’s no surprise, then, that the series has started to suffer an identity crisis: over the years we’ve seen Need for Speed transform from a realistic road racer, to an […]
ReviewsThere have been plenty of surprises during DriveClub’s exemplary post-release support that have kept us hooked on Evolution Studios’ stunning PS4 debut well over a year after release. Since launching in 2014 the car count has more than doubled with monthly packs adding vehicles you seldom see in racing games, from obscure concept cars and […]
ReviewsBlazeRush is a modern take on the classic isometric arcade action racing genre which harks back to the days of the NES and SNES. BlazeRush was originally released for the PlayStation 3 and PC platforms in October 2014 and has now raced onto the PlayStation 4 console on which this review will be based upon. […]
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