We reviewed DRIVECLUB

Driftwood
Tuesday, October 7, 2014 | 3:00 PM
66 comments

GSY Review PS4

It’s all about motor-sports here at the end of 2014 and, after Xbox One’s most recent outing, it’s time to look at PlayStation 4’s exclusive and aptly named DriveClub. After a burst of videos and no less than two live streams, Gamersyde is finally ready to pass judgment on Evolution Studios latest racer. While the review comes with a new set of 1080p videos, among other details, but we’re also happy to announce that we’ll be holding another live stream on launch day starting at 10:15 pm where we can answer any additional questions. Due to time constraints the full review is only available on the French side of Gamersyde but do enjoy the new videos and our conclusion below.

Verdict

DriveClub is not a perfect title across the board at release but it’s very ambitious none the less. Technically, the developers have done a remarkable job of managing the atmospheric effects, even though full weather still has yet to be implemented – at least for a few weeks, but the handling of lighting is one of the most realistic and impressive implementations to date. Crucially the gameplay doesn’t let us down either with a broad range of content on offer to complement its variety of events that left us fighting for each and every star in true arcade spirit. The driving model is not without its subtleties as we quickly discovered as we gained access to upper class cars. Tracks are rich and well designed despite the lack of “stage races”. We hope that the addition of future content and patches will eliminate some of the minor issues we have with the game. Of course, for those concerned, we can’t forget that a chunk of the game will be made available to PS+ subscribers on day 1 as well. We’ll be eager to hear what the rest of the community thinks of the game!

Up side
Visually remarkable 90% of the time
Incredibly rich cloud simulation system (with more weather effects on the way)
A perfect blend of arcade and semi-realism
Handling varies greatly by car
Solid track design
A huge selection of tracks (counting reverse variations that’s 55 courses!)
Variable race conditions that change the dynamics of each race
Beautiful landscapes galore
Each of the available views feels great – cockpit is especially well implemented
Emulation of online challenges while offline
The promise of future content (weather, photo mode, replays, new circuits, etc)
The BAC Mono and the McLaren P1
Club Gamersyde – because we're worth it!

Down side
Noticeable aliasing
Visually limited damage model
Engine sounds are disappointing
Just one color in the builder mode
AI can be frustrating
Lack of different routes
The music
Some rather random penalties
Lack of private parties
No replay mode at launch (but soon!)

BlimBlim's thoughts

I strongly agree with our “test master” Driftwood but, as a relatively average virtual driver, I’d like to note some of the more frustrating aspects of the game. The fact that each car handles uniquely is, in general, a good thing but it also makes some of the later challenges almost impossible without the right vehicle which may not even be available until later in the game. I don’t mind restarting events dozens of times in a car game but when it turns out that my failure was mostly due to the car, particularly when coupled with overly aggressive AI, well, I found myself quickly switching the PS4 off to do something else. Another interesting point; the cloud cover system is not reset when you choose to restart an event which is an incredible achievement. What it means is basically that, for one run, you might have the sun in your face while the next will be entirely shrouded in cloud cover. Still, as this makes such a difference in terms of track visibility, it seems like an odd choice since it is impossible to experience the same conditions in any two races. For a game based heavily on the social link between players and the inherent competition one would expect that everyone would enjoy the same conditions for a specific event. Don’t think for a second that I dislike the game, however, as, when everything goes well and thankfully that’s most of the time, it is an absolutely stunning game both in terms of gameplay and visuals.