Open-world racing game The Crew was a lot of things when it launched back in 2014, but a good game wasn’t one of them. It took Ubisoft the better part of a year to get it into a state that made it playable, let alone fun. And much like the company’s attempts with Rainbow Six Siege and For Honor it doesn’t shy away from turning a bad game good. That being said, there’s only so much developer Ivory Tower could do with The Crew. Nearly four years after its launch The Crew 2 is on the way with a release date of June 29. Here’s what you need to know about Ubisoft’s latest racing game.
The Crew 2 was made with fans
Design decisions consulted with the community of 13 million players of the original game, which released in 2014. There have been 20 plus updates and two expansions in three years for The Crew so you can expect a similar level of support for The Crew 2.
The Crew 2 borrows from Far Cry 5
This time around, you can create your own character and story. Unlike the first game, you won’t be playing an angry male protagonist seeking vengeance. Ivory Tower wants you to craft your own story as you go along. Furthermore, The Crew 2 returns to the US. Expect a host of iconic locales such as Lake Tahoe, Wolf Territory, Sequoia Park, Harlem West, and Jersey City. Not too dissimilar to certain elements in another Ubisoft game, Far Cry 5.
The Crew 2 racing styles and teams
In addition to this, there are four different styles of racing, supported by clubs referred to as ‘families’, each with a charismatic team coach to guide you. Ivory Tower visited real-world team leaders to hear their motivations, resulting in an authentic representation of the various racing scenes.
As for the vehicles themselves, you can test drive any vehicle, including top of the range super-cars, boats and planes, to get a feel for how they handle, without needing to spend in-game currency to try them out. Plus, you can switch instantly from aircraft to boat to car in any order you choose, whenever you choose, to seek the most exciting opportunities nearby.
Loot form an important of the game loop as does customisation. You can collect various grades of loot earned from top-placing positions in competition to customise the collection of vehicles at your virtual house in Miami.
Popularity plays a part in this as well. You’re bankrolled by the fictitious ‘LIVE’ media corporation putting you in front of millions of viewers, thousands of whom may become your biggest fans. The more followers you have grants you access to higher stake events with higher viewing figures and bigger cash rewards.
With June being a relatively uncrowded month and with the racing games that aren’t Gran Turismo and Forza Horizon being substandard, it will be interesting to see if The Crew 2 lives up to the hype.
Are you looking forward to The Crew 2? Let us know in the comments.
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