Nintendo has released a live-action music video for the upcoming and highly anticipated Super Mario Odyssey on Switch.
Super Mario Odyssey. Ya see?
The new music video features our favourite plumber joyfully bopping around in New Donk City to “Jump Up, Super Star!”, Odyssey’s catchy main theme.
He’s accompanied by other athletic dancers busting their moves in the middle of the street… (as you do). Former damsel-in-distress, and Mario’s old flame Pauline makes an appearance as well.
Nintendo is clearly ramping up their marketing in one final push before the game’s release on the 27th October.
And it looks like they have a lot to feel good about too, with the first review from UK video game magazine Edge bestowing [amazon_textlink asin=’B01MUA0D2A’ text=’Super Mario Odyssey’ template=’ProductLink’ store=’geali01-21′ marketplace=’UK’ link_id=’39ddec4a-b0f9-11e7-9ec5-b1d8c9b8033d’] a rare, perfect score.
If you pay attention to the sporting world, you probably noticed the shocking news that the USMNT (United States Men’s National Team) has FAILED to qualify for the world cup for the first time since 1986. As a hardcore follower of the sport living in the United States (yes, believe it or not, we exist) this was absolutely heartbreaking. But, we aren’t here to discuss that, we are here to discuss how this event will affect the series of FIFA: World Cup video games that are released every four years.
Facts are facts, the United States is the third biggest country in the world (population), and the average person has more than enough money to purchase a single video game. And living in America, I almost never hear anyone talk about soccer (Football UK readers!) unless it’s time for the World Cup. This is a time where the country becomes united and watches a sport that they usually couldn’t care less about. With this summer sensation of soccer, FIFA releases a World Cup spin-off game along with each event. EA does this to try to capitalize on the worldwide interest in the sport, in order to gain some extra revenue, of course.
Well, with the US not qualifying for the upcoming World Cup, it would not surprise me to see the sales of FIFA: World Cup edition drop off in the US pretty substantially. Like I said above, when the World Cup comes around and the US is playing, almost everyone in the country is paying attention. This upcoming World Cup will be much different, honestly, it wouldn’t surprise me if the 2018 World Cup isn’t covered nearly as much as the 2014 World Cup in the US. Less publicity is never a good thing and with a spin-off title, you only have a tight window of time to make your money.
I know this is all conjecture but what do you guys think? Will the sales of this upcoming FIFA: World Cup edition drop off? Or am I overestimating the effect of the USMNT failing to qualify will have on the game? Let me know in the comments below!
It’s hard to believe now, but there was a time when Call of Duty didn’t rule the FPS roost. Before the first game of the aforementioned FPS franchise was released in 2003, it was the Medal of Honor series that was most gamers’ experience of virtual World War II. MoH kicked off with its first game, released in 1999 on the PS1 by DreamWorks Interactive (now known as DICE) and is notable for having legendary filmmaker Steven Spielberg’s involvement in the game’s design. If that wasn’t enough, the game also boasted music from popular Hollywood film composer, Michael Giacchino. What resulted was a then-immersive war FPS that was released to critical acclaim and set the standard for WWII video games at the time. It also meant the beginning of a video game franchise, with several sequels and spin-offs to follow in the following years. Yet, we will focus on one of those follow-ups here – Medal of Honor: Frontline.
Released for the then-current-gen consoles, the PlayStation 2, Xbox and Nintendo GameCube, the game featured a similar quality in its action setpieces as previous games in the series. Only this time, it was powered by greater technology than the primitive PS1, bringing such historical moments as D-Day and the Battle of Arnhem gloriously to life in ways that had never been done before. I can already hear those who grew up with the Medal of Honor: Allied Assault PC game argue that it was that title that did the cinematic experience better, but Frontline was many players’ introduction to the series as a whole. The opening D-Day level, while not as graphically compelling as today’s games, is still playable, with excellent sound design and voice acting creating an intense atmosphere. The battle reeks of Spielberg’s Saving Private Ryan opening in terms of tone, but since the series’ origins lie with the aforementioned director, it shouldn’t be that surprising.
But, as veterans of the game are no doubt aware, the majority of Frontline doesn’t have you fighting huge battles alongside fellow comrades-in-arms but has you as an agent infiltrating Nazi Germany. Frontline pits you in the shoes of soldier-turned-OSS (nowadays known as the CIA) agent, Jimmy Patterson who must go through nineteen deadly missions, from investigating secret German weapons facilities to sabotaging U-boats to obtaining classified Nazi documents. Patterson can safely be described as a mute, WWII-era Rambo, as an overwhelming percentage of these missions involve him having to eradicate entire facilities-worth of Nazi soldiers alone as he goes about his business. The good thing though, is that it is damn well fun, thanks to the combination of an impressive presentation and enjoyable gameplay with a whole host of different weapons at your disposal. From the M1 Garand to the Thompson to the German MP40, gunning down hordes of relentless Nazis is as fun today as it was back in 2002 when the game was released. Yeah, sure, the AI isn’t as up to scratch as that of more modern games, but going through corridors, single-handedly mowing down Nazis with a machine gun or picking them off with a sniper rifle from afar is still as deliciously fun as ever.
Perhaps a glowing difference to the CoDs of today is the game’s lack of a rest-and-recover health system. Instead, the more Jimmy gets shot, the more his health will deteriorate. Medical packs dotted around the levels will refill it. If that weren’t humorous enough a walk down memory lane, then the fact that the game allows you to have multiple weapons in your possession at one time will. Apparently, Jimmy – like many of other of his contemporary World War II FPS protagonists – has superhuman strength and can hold a multitude of heavy weaponry at once, including a machine gun, rifle and bazooka!
Questionable weapon-carrying aside though, what makes Frontline arguably better in the presentation department than many WWII games that have come before and after it is the music. Like with the first game in the series, Frontline employs the masterwork of composer genius, Michael Giacchino (whose recent film credits include Spider-Man: Homecoming and War of the Planet of the Apes). The brilliance of the music is that it captures the villainy and tyranny of Nazi Germany as well as the humanity and loss in war. In the levels ‘Rough Landing’ and ‘Arnhem Knights’, for example, Giacchino employs a child’s voice which sings sombrely throughout these levels as a dramatic accompaniment to the horrors of war. Then there are the urgent, momentous violins of the manor house mission, which perfectly captures the feeling of being discovered by Nazi soldiers. It was here you had to fight your way through the manor house to rescue your informant. The music is such a character of the game, one wonders whether Frontline would be the same game without it. Regardless, it helps give the game a more heightened sense of cinematic emotion that many more modern WWII games intrinsically lack.
But whatever more recent WWII games may lack, they have much to thank Medal of Honor: Frontline for since it paved the way for their existence. The game scored $95 million in the United States alone and gaming publication Next Generation ranked it as the eighth-highest selling game launched for the GameCube, Xbox and PlayStation 2 between January 2000 and 2006. The game also found great success in the United Kingdom, selling at least 600,000 copies and attaining Platinum status on PlayStation 2.
A year after the game’s release, the first Call of Duty would be released and war-based FPS’s would continue to flourish in the game industry. They continue to do so – and with the big CoD’s return to a World War II-era setting next month (November 2017), it sits as a pleasant reminder of what led to games of its kind. And with the game having a remaster available for the PlayStation Network, there is simply no excuse not to check this one out.
This has been an absolutely outstanding year for video games. I already have dozens of games that I don’t have time to play and yet it seems like every day there’s a new trailer for something that needs to be played that I probably won’t get around to.
One of those games is Frostpunk. From the people who made This War of Mine, it’s a total shift from the gritty and grim ‘civilians caught in a warzone simulator’. I kid. Frostpunk is something of a combination between Civilization and Snowpiercer and it’s just as miserable as their last game. Miserable in tone, you understand. This War of Mine was a really rather good game, which is why hopes are high for Frostpunk.
In Frostpunk you’re in charge of a town that needs to survive in harsh conditions and as a result, you have to make harsh decisions. Decisions like “Are we cool with eating dead bodies?” and “How about we enforce child labour?”
Takeaways:
Frostpunk is being developed by 11 Bit Studios – the team that made This War of Mine.
It’s billed as a City Building Survival Game’ on their Steam page.
The tone looks to be as desperate as ever. Surviving the tough landscape will mean making tough decisions.
No release date has been announced. We’re still hoping for sometime in 2017 and it’s looking like a PC-only launch.
I’m a big fan of the Civilization series, which Frostpunk gives me the impression of. I also loved This War of Mine’s aesthetic and mood-setting, so I’m hoping these two things combine to make a truly great experience. More to come!
Playing Destiny 2 on a PS4 or a PS4 Pro since launch? Experienced more than a few crashes when loading up the tower? Well fear not PlayStation guardians, Bungie has supposedly taken care of the problem. Let’s get you guys caught up!
Takeaways:
Since the launch of Destiny 2, PS4 players (especially PS4 Pro users) have been experiencing crashes when flying to the tower.
Last month Bungie acknowledged the crashing issues for PlayStation users.
This issue ONLY affects PlayStation users, there have been no reported crashing issues on Xbox so far.
Today, Bungie released Hotfix 1.0.3.2, this update will supposedly resolve the tower loading issues. You can see the official patch notes right here.
So, fellow guardians, has this patch solved your crashing issues? Let us know in the comments below!
Jurassic World Evolution is an up and coming game where Theme Park meets Turok. Until now we haven’t seen what the game will actually look like, with only a pre-rendered trailer to whet our appetites. Today saw the release of an ‘in-engine’ trailer that showed off some of the extinct exhibits we can expect to fill our tourist traps with.
Frontier Developments released the trailer during their Frontier Expo event. The developers of Elite Dangerous and Planet Coaster look to continue their high pedigree of games judging by the looks of what we’ve seen so far. The animations, in particular, have me quite impressed with the lumbering lizards looking like they have a real weight to their movements. I also love the fact that the T-Rex looks almost cute as he curls up for a nap. D’awww.
Takeaways:
The new trailer didn’t show gameplay as such but we’re told it’s all ‘in-engine’. So fingers crossed it looks this good when it launches.
Jurassic World Evolution is slated to launch in summer 2018 for the PS4, Xbox One and PC.
As well as the trailer, Frontier Developments held a talk at Frontier Expo (the talk is embedded below).
T-Rex is the best dinosaur.
I’ll happily admit that I’m looking forward to this one. I wasn’t a massive fan of the Jurassic World film and previous attempts at cross-breeding Jurassic Park with Theme Park haven’t gone too well. However, with Frontier’s game development track record and judging by the quality of the trailers we’ve seen so far, I think it’s only fair that I allow my expectations and optimism get wildly out of control.
The 2D platformer has become something so popular, so uniformed that keeping track of all the forthcoming releases seems to be more of a chore than it’s worth. Thankfully, there are developers out there keeping the quick-paced genre from losing its edge, tenacity and flavour. Super Lumi Live sticks it to the die-hards of modern platformers and leaves an addicting, lip-biting good time in the depths of a super-sleek neon world filled with deadly hurdles and platforming innovations.
Levels Loaded with Challenges
Running through the neon ripped levels, your little blue blob runs, leaps and double jumps their way from one thumb-bruising level to the next. Dodging a slew of obstacles ranging from bobbing spike-beds to shifting platforms, Super Lumi Live does an excellent job of giving the player control. With the absence of the frustrating “slide” annoyance found in many platformers, your blob almost satisfyingly sticks to the ground upon landing from every jump. This is an immensely helpful asset, found in an otherwise tedious and challenging platformer.
Various platforming mechanics are littered across the entirety of Super Lumi Live.
Levels are divided into themed Seasons, with every season containing a handful of numbered levels increasing in difficulty the further you progress. Levels are required to be completed in order to move on to the next. Some also require a specific amount of points to collect throughout the levels in order to unlock. Returning to previous levels and reaching for a higher total of points will provide the player with enough credit to continue forward. The last stage in each season serves as a Boss stage. With a heightened number of difficult obstacles, a lengthier run through and specific techniques to complete the end of the season.
Excellent & Precise Handling
As mentioned above, Super Lumi Live handles with excellent, precise maneuvers, leaving little frustrations with the controls themselves. Those frustrations are found in the level designs to purposely throw players off with unexpected obstacles and dangerous encounters. Whether it’s block dissolving upon touching them, assaulting cannons relentlessly firing upon your helpless blob, deadly ground saws or shifting platforms taking you to an untimely demise if not paying close enough attention, the game is plenty full of quick-acting annoyances to keep the player humble.
Levels are unlocked by either completing levels or acquiring the appropriate amount of points in each stage.
Throughout the levels are dozens of white points – placed in similar fashion to coins/rings in other popular platformers. The rare golden points are often found in hard to reach areas, making for a tedious playthrough for the gaming completionists. Your total number of points of both white and gold are tallied and kept in a score-style fashion at the stage select screen. Newer levels appear as you make your way through the game, and many are designed to be unlocked after the player has accumulated a total number of each color of point. The common numbered stages are unlocked with accordance to the white, while the gold points unlock tricky bonus style stages, not required to complete to move forward in the game.
Conclusion
Super Lumi Live is presented in a unique retro, neon stylized fashion with a modern platforming approach to gameplay. Providing a quality platforming experience, the challenge will turn many casual players off. The levels never feel unfair in any way, but many stages will leave you wondering if you have the knack to stick with it. Not to flush out the satisfying controls and mechanics of the platformer, the game truly shines in this aspect.
Many challenges stand in the way of grabbing that hard-to-reach golden point.
For a quick platforming experience to help bring the hard-core gamer back down to Earth and further question your abilities, Super Lumi Live is that type of hard-hitting title. Falling in line with the “quick to learn, a lifetime to master” areas of gaming, Super Lumi Live precisely maneuvers like a dream, but seems happily stranded in a hellish world of frustrating obstacles and platforming hindrances.
Find the quick-action platforming title, Super Lumi Live, available on Steam for the PC.
Once upon a time, movie and TV studios simply hired F-grade developers to produce licensed video game adaptations of their latest IPs in the cheapest, swiftest manner possible. The end result? Nine times out of ten came a mediocre platformer bearing little-to-no resemblance to its source material and retaining virtually none of its merits.
But that era mercifully appears to have neared its end, both thanks to TT Games cornering the market on quality film tie-ins via its LEGO entries and the emergence of viral, often adorably retro companion games like the tense sewer-bound side-scroller released alongside horror flick IT last month.
Since TT are too hard at work on LEGO Marvel Superheroes 2 right now to contemplate other projects, a certain beloved Netflix show has received the latter treatment…
Takeaways:
Enter Stranger Things: The Game, an unexpected mobile tie-in to the hit pulp sci-fi show which arrived on the iOs and Google app stores this week, costing only the time necessary to hit download.
Should they spare that precious installation time to download this quirky 2D puzzler, players can look forward to travelling through familiar locales like Hawkins, Mirkwood Forest and the ever-deadly Upside-Down in the roles of the show’s core heroes.
What’s more, like its source material, The Game pays homage to the 1980s via its quaint 16-bit-esque style, its Normal and tough-as-nails Classic difficulty modes and its abundance of retro collectibles such as VHS tapes, Eggos and Gnomes.
There’s ample incentive to hunt down those hidden artefacts of a bygone age too, since doing so will unlock exclusive footage from the TV show’s soon-to-debut second season and “secret characters” to boot.
As with IT: The Sewer‘s limited replay value, we can’t guarantee that this latest endeavour to subvert the scorned norms of licensed film-video game adaptations will ease the wait until Stranger Things returnson October 27th, yet it’d be downright churlish to malign Netflix putting in the extra effort to tide fans over, especially if it’s a sure sign that we’ll never have to play another Thor: God of Thunder-rivalling atrocity again.
Be sure to let us know your thoughts on Stranger Things: The Game and the evolving state of film- / TV-inspired AAA productions in the comments section below.
As if this month wasn’t already fraught enough with AAA gaming experiences between Star Wars: BattlefrontII‘smultiplayer beta, South Park: The Fractured but Whole, Forza Motorsport 7, Middle-Earth: Shadow of War and Super Mario Odyssey, Ubisoft has kindly reminded us that another mammoth title lies in wait: Assassin’s Creed: Origins.
The half-helpful, half-infuriating heads-up comes in the form of a new cinematic trailer, “Birth of the Brotherhood”, which both recaps the core tenants of the action RPG franchise’s first Ancient Egyptian outing and teases major set-pieces ahead for players preparing to sink their teeth into its epoch-spanning main campaign…
Takeaways:
While just about anyone who’s followed Origins‘ marketing campaign to date will doubtless know as much, we open with steeled protagonist Bayek re-affirming his role as a Medjay, bound to protect Egypt and its supposed “true pharoah” against oncoming threats.
Said threats look set to hit the dying Ancient nation with fierce rapidity too, as we’re soon privy to shots of fiery chaos besieging its otherwise gorgeous sand-soaked landscape. Worse still are the hints of all-out war for Bayek to brave, the final scenes seemingly depicting entire legions of Egyptian soldiers marching into battle (for reasons as yet unknown).
As if this harrowing vision of a country “on the brink of collapse” wasn’t enough to give the first ever Assassin cause for concern, glimpses of cloaked figures discussing surely unlawful machinations in a shady cavern could well indicate the debut of the Templar Order here to boot.
Luckily, though, at least we now know for certain Bayek won’t end up alone on his perilous odyssey to save the world of pharaohs and pyramids, since he’ll apparently conceive the Order as a means to fulfil the Medjays’ untapped potential if his spirited voiceover is any indication.
It’s a truth universally acknowledged by this point that Ubisoft’s marketing team have honed the art of Creed-promoting cinematic trailers to near-perfection, especially after a decade in the business, but whether the final product proves as well-rounded isn’t quite such a known quantity.
For every Game of the Year-nominated masterpiece like Brotherhood or Black Flag which the franchise has produced since its 2007 inception, there’s been a stopgap cash-in like Revelations or Unity forcing fans to question their love for the globe-trotting, time-travelling saga anew, only for the following year’s edition to often restore the faith.
Origins‘ fate lies with the gods – otherwise known as critics – and their worshippers – otherwise known as Creed fans – at this stage, but whatever happens, keep it D-pad Joy for all the news and views on Bayek’s whirlwind adventure in the run-up to its October 27th debut on Xbox One, PlayStation 4 and PC.
Cuphead takes a classic tale of moral propaganda and turns it into a romp through 1930s era animation that will both delight and challenge in equal turns. The tale follows the titular Cuphead and his unfortunate brother, Mugman, who are enjoying a good time at the Devil’s Casino until one misguided roll of the dice ends with a contract on their souls. But, the Devil tells the now damned duo they might be able to get out of their contracts if they can collect on other souls before their time is up. You can choose to play alone as Cuphead, or bring along a friend to aid you as Mugman during your treacherous journey.
A World Brimming with Bosses
The layout of worlds in Cuphead is fairly simple. You can select from a few run-and-gun levels, or pick form a plethora of battles with devious baddies whose soul contracts you now need to collect. Defeating bosses opens up new sections of each world and eventually allows you to move on to the next. Sounds simple enough, but this dance with the Devil is anything but slow and steady.
On a difficulty scale from Mega Man to Dark Souls, Cuphead hits much closer to the former. To succeed, practice and determination are key because death is practically guaranteed, but difficulty lands a little south of rage quitting. That isn’t to say boss battles don’t offer a very real challenge, but I rarely felt that I wasn’t able to make some progress with each run. It was this keen balance of punishment and progress that kept me aching to try again even after multiple failures. If you fail to complete a fight or stage, the game presents you with a meter showing how close you were to your goal. Depending on how you are doing, this can be both an encouragement or an indicator that it might be time to take a short break before another attempt.
Each boss has multiple attack stages, with an additional stage added if the game is played on Regular difficulty. However, the battles in Cuphead are dynamic enough that players cannot win simply through rote memorization. For example, in some cases, a boss can have varied versions of one attack stage. A particular battle involved a stage where the boss transformed into a zodiac character. I died before completing that stage and the next time around she transformed into a different member of the zodiac, catching me off guard with new attacks. Often, though, bosses follow a set of transformations that can be memorized, though getting through them is anything but simple even with some foreknowledge. Attack patterns can change within stages, and you often find yourself needing to battle against numerous peripheral attacks while at the same time avoiding main attacks from the baddie itself.
Boss battles are truly a sight to behold and a challenge even for a seasoned platform/run-and-gun aficionado. This is partly due to the intensity of the fights. During one encounter, I had to avoid a train while also dodging glowing horseshoe attacks from a clown riding on a donkey held up by a string. Sounds crazy, but aside from the spot-on 1930s visual aesthetic, Cuphead also solidly replicates the sheer bizarreness of the cartoons of that bygone era. I fought frogs that turned into a slot machine pitching coins at me, and a woman who became an airplane that became a terrifying version of the moon. And that is only a small, incomplete sampling. Somehow, it works. I never questioned the wacky and often unpredictable directions boss battles would go. The whole world is bright and bouncing, sometimes sharp and sinister, life and movement that I can only describe as what Jazz music must look like if animated.
An Arsenal of Abilities & Upgrades
During the course of your battles you will earn coins that allow you to purchase different types of shots that can be equipped during battle. You can even equip two different shots and toggle between them. Each comes with both a plus as well as a minor downside. For example, one shot gives a wider bullet spread and allows you to aim backward, but offers only average damage unless used while aiming behind you. Another allows greater damage but requires more precision. You can also purchase charms that can be equipped as add-on effects or life extenders. For example, early on I purchased a heart that gave me an additional hit point. It, however, also slightly lowered my attack power. The extra hit point saved me more than once, so the slightly lowered attack was worth the price.
The most important move in Cuphead’s arsenal, though, is the Parry. This allows you to jump off of pink-colored objects that appear throughout a level or boss fight. During battle, this allows for more dynamic movement, but it also charges up your Super Meter which, when full, allows you to discharge a number of powerful attacks.
In the midst of a racing sim releasing frenzy between the biggest names in the genre, Sony’s – Gran Turismo Sport – is closing out the major release trio coming this October 17th (18th EU). Until then, players and fans are urged to check out the upcoming demo release to help sway the players on the long-awaited title.
This new 4-day demo will run from October 9th – 12th with the option to pre-download the demo starting on October 7th. For four days, players will get the chance to earn in-game credits and experience leading up to the arrival of Polyphony Digital’s current gen debut, all transferable to the real game once released.
3 Demo Modes Available
The demo is packed with multiple modes to get a hold of like Arcade, Campaign and the new Sport mode. Also coming with limited look in the demo are the all-new Scapes Photography mode, and the for the first time in GT history, a custom livery editor. Finally, racing fans can feel like they’re actually competing big-name sponsor races like so many of the other racing-sims available.
Get started early on your professional racing career with the Gran Turismo Sport demo headed to the PS Store.
Arcade mode provides racers with their choice of race settings, a huge selection of cars, tracks and race styles. In the demo, only three courses are available, but stretch across the diversity of GT Sport. Jump right into the action and get a solid glimpse of GT Sport’s racing features.
In Campaign mode, fans of the series will waste no time jumping head first into their heated career as a professional racer. Increase your experience, currency and vehicle total by winning various challenges, race events and Daily Workout tactics throughout the pro career.
In the brand-new Sport mode, take on tight trial runs in solo qualifying rounds. Then take on the competition in fairly matched vehicles in heated all-out race. Prove you’ve got what it takes to tackle the tough courses at unforgiving speeds to mark the fastest time possible.
Catch a sneak preview of Gran Turismo Sport with the upcoming demo. Arriving for a short 4-day span from October 9th-12th, get your pre-download from the Playstation Store starting October 7th. Get your engines primed for the official release on October 18th (17th NA).
Racing simulation titles take an eager-to-win mindset and meticulously combines the precision and patience of careful maneuvering with high-speeds set on expertly crafted courses. In Slightly Mad’s sequel to their top-notch racing franchise, Project Cars 2 takes these very features and increases the magnitude of competition. Not by adding an increased difficulty on driving and control, but the excellent use of dynamic weather elements and various changes in the course throughout the duration of the race, leaving an attention to detail left out of almost every simulation racer to date.
Up-to-date Racing Mechanics
Firing on all cylinders, Project Cars 2 brings a true racing experience on the current gen systems. The default settings take away any type of racing assists, traction and stability control – leaving a swift, challenging and gorgeously designed racer. With a clear point of official racing rules, regulations and professionalism, cautious navigation plays an important role in the leading to a podium finish.
Every racing event, including the novice go-kart races, provide difficult elements and challenges all across the board.
With a variety of different race modes to explore, you’re offered many different solutions to scratch that racing itch. In the solo mode, you’re able to customize your race in virtually any manner possible. Creating your ideal race, set on the course you desire, blazing through one of the many licensed machines found in the impressive roster of Project Cars 2. Common changes like lap numbers, race limit and number of racers are obvious inclusions, but the weather dynamics is where things really get interesting.
Dynamic Weather & LiveTrack 3.0
Changing the weather throughout the course of a race provides a heart-stopping thrill outside of the heated competition and challenging tracks. Adding severe rainfall, dense fog or heavy snow accumulation demands more attention to your racing. As rain puddles develop, fog blinds the next hairpin turn, or piling snow no longer makes your previous racing line accessible, thinking on the dime and adjusting your strategy to conquer the ever-changing weather becomes the only viable option to staying ahead of the herd.
The dynamic weather and excellent use of the LiveTrack 3.0 system keeps racers from feeling too comfortable during long race sessions.
Racing around sharp corners and switch-back driving behind the wheel of a Formula One style racer, or gliding around S-curves in the off-road rally events show off outstanding physics in this modern-day racer. The lighting from sun-up to sun-down colors the lively courses and decorated racecars superbly. Dirt or snow pulled onto the track from cars sliding off-road throughout a lengthy race. Aggressive drivers smashing the throttle to the floor-board waiting eagerly for the smallest chance to take your position. As tires wear, fuel depletes and the mental awareness begins to drain, every turn on the horizon becomes a an exhausting, yet thrilling ritual. As more enduring races take hold, these increasing instances create exhilarating races.
180+ Racing Machines to Conquer
Of course, the difference in dominating the demanding weather and detailed courses could very well rest in one of the 180+ racing machines available. All with intricate details in aesthetics, handling and proper motor sounds; the roster of high-quality vehicles found in Project Cars 2 is next to a perfect list of proper machines. Though you may notice a few left out of the mix (180 is nowhere close to the total amount of excellent racing machines available throughout the generations of racing), the selection that is available brings many different styles of Motorsports to the table.
A wide selection of powerful racing machines are available right from the beginning, ranging from dirt wrestling rally cars to street gripping Indy cars.
Across the board of the Career mode, you’ll find yourself entering tons of championships and invitationals. From novice style go-karts to full throttle Indy cars – and everything in between – Project Cars 2 takes the player through the difficulties of modern Motorsports. The races are there to bring a true sense of competition by providing strategic cornering and acceleration, with a fleet of aggressive professional racers. Not only specified for hard-core racers, there’s a variety of sliders and options to help increase the odds for even the most amateur racers.
Customize to Your Liking
Decreasing lap numbers, giving yourself a boost with stability and traction control turned on, braking and steering assists, as well as the useful feature to decrease the AI difficulty and aggression; while you may not receive the full “racing sim” experience by tweaking these options, it does help ease the frustrations of the professional racing environment. Though designed as a simulated racer, players can easily use a casual approach to Project Cars 2 with the healthy dose of difficulty settings found in the Options menu.
Much like the custom race settings, in the multiplayer modes, you are able to host a number of events with anywhere up to 32 players in a race. A vast amount of customization is available, changing the class of vehicles, the weather and weather patterns, the track and how many laps, on to of tons of other settings. Championships, tournaments and other eSports focused events litter the lobbies creating a true sense of competition available to those outside of the AI challenges.
Players are free to customize many different race options to give a truly unique racing experience not found in most other racers.
Conclusion
Project Cars 2 adopts the formula that brought Slightly Mad into the arms of car lovers everywhere. By pushing the focus on a broader selection of Motorsports, powerful cars and ambitious courses effected by a wide range of weather patterns and settings, the new generation of racing just became deeper than ever. While the car list doesn’t stretch beyond the limits of previous racing simulators who have featured close to a thousand different racing machines – Project Cars 2 does offer a broad selection, nonetheless, respectfully dipping into the wide array of each motor sport featured throughout the Career Mode.
With tons of customizing options, difficulty settings, a moderate selection of racing modes and online competition, and the aforementioned vehicle selection, Slightly Mad’s enhanced sequel is exactly that. An impressively polished adaption to the franchise, adding exciting events like Rallycross, Indy Racing and high-speed oval courses, with a mix of randomized weather occurrences properly keeps the series right on track for continued success.
