[Review] Driveclub
Racing done (decently) well. (PlayStation 4)
There is no shortage of racing games in the video game world. We have Forza, Gran Turismo, Need For Speed, and many more. The video game market has become so saturated with racing games that it’s hard to decide which game to invest your time (and money) into. Driveclub is a PS4 exclusive developed by the same guys who did the MotorStorm games (Evolution Studios). Unfortunately (as of March 22nd) Evolution Studios is defunct. Below is a goodbye tweet from Jamie Bradshaw, an employee from Evolution Studios.
Before you jump to any conclusions, Driveclub isn’t “dead”. Sony, (or more specifically PlayStation) has taken over from Evolution Studios, who will continue updating the game and (hopefully) create more DLC.
And now, the review. (off topic, much?)
Driveclub is (put simply), a decent racing game. It’s a stunner, and despite being almost 2 years old, looks great. The game runs in full 1080p resolution at 30fps locked. Despite what i have heard, I can safely say that the game runs rock steady, and never drops below 30fps.
Gameplay is pretty good. It’s not Forza, but then again this is a PlayStation title. Besides paint jobs, the game offers no vehicle customization. This is a letdown, but the other game aspects more than make up for this shortcoming.
Firstly, the car and track list is pretty substantial. There is around 50 cars and tracks in the game (even more with the dlc). The gameplay is not exactly a deep, engrossing experience but that doesn’t mean that much. However in this case, I will say that it takes a bit away from what would have been one of the best racing games I’ve played. It’s not that lack of content that is an issue, or even the fact there is no so called “career” mode. Where the game lacks is in the vehicles handling, and the AI drivers. Now, I’m not saying its terrible. What I am saying, is that it is “decent”. The handling model is neither sim nor arcade. I’d say its a bit of both (I think the word “simcade” comes to mind). The problem I had with the AI, is that they generally frustrate the hell out of you. They make passing a pain, and will try and ram you every chance.
“TIS BUT A SCRATCH”
Yes, I just quoted Monty Python.
As you progress through the game’s events (there's a lot of them) you level up, and each time you gain a level more vehicles become available to you.
Driveclub also has a bunch of social features. One of my favourite social features is the “face-offs”. Essentially there is designated parts of each race where you compete with your friends for the highest score In things such as drifting, and cornering. The game also features the ability to make “clubs” (hence the name Driveclub, I’d imagine.). For those familiar I would say it is somewhat similar to Grand Theft Auto Online’s “crews”. You get to create a unique emblem too, just like GTA Online.
Where Driveclub continues to wow me to this day is in the visuals department. The attention to detail is this game is simply stellar, and shows off the power of the PS4 system. Its definitely “next-gen”. The cars look great and by far, my favorite part is the weather affects. The weather effects are top notch and are some of the best I have ever seen in a video game. Yes the game is locked to 30fps, but to me this is fine. The game just looks so damn good, it more than makes up for It.
In Conclusion,
So what are you waiting for? If you have a PS4 and like racing games, go for it. You won’t be disappointed. One more thing. Driveclub both comes in a retail and digital download version. The digital version is only available for PlayStation+ subscribers, and is cheaper this way. For a mere 14.99, this game will not disappoint you or your wallet.
