Electronic Arts and Codemasters give us the opportunity to take the wheel on PC in the new GRID Legends and experience its new car installment that arrives at the end of February. We tell you our experience in this preview.
Codemasters It is not just any car video game studio, it is responsible for sagas such as Formula 1, dirt and the remembered PLAY Race. So with this variety, the first question is: What type of driving are we going to face? Grid Legends will arrive on February 25 for PC, Xbox One, PS4 and Xbox Series and PS5, but in Geek Culture we had a previous access to the game with its story mode “Driven to Glory” in its PC version where we were able to clear up many doubts and We tell you in this preview.
Official Gameplay:
Without a doubt, Grid Legends It has an arcade racing style, and it’s something he’s sustained since his first game in the saga. This does not mean that it is something negative, but rather that it seeks to compete against its rivals. need for speed or the acclaimed Forza Horizon and not so much for fans of games like Forumula 1 2021, although it may feel after several hours of play, as in between two worlds and may not satisfy everyone.
the fort of Grid Legends is its story mode, the backbone of the game that in this edition is called “Driven to Glory”. The plot is narrated through sequences with real actors, as if it were an interactive series. Each one expresses their conflicts, they give interviews; Among them stands out, for example, Ncuti Gatwa, co-star of the series Sex Education. This campaign, with its cinematics, has a duration of 8 to 10 hours of play that gives it a plus and the feeling of something different from the real actors. In other Codemasters games we could see similar modes, but with 3D characters.
The story on the way to glory
The story begins with a driver who experiences a growth in his image by consecrating himself in amateur events and is called to try out for a big team. There you can smell in the distance that a rivalry will begin with his own teammate Seneca Racing, who does not welcome the arrival of a promising amateur.
Each episode of the story brings new challenges to complete, since we will be part of the Grid World Series, the main event in the game universe, where we can drive different types of vehicles, on closed or street circuits and visit various cities around the world where our skills will be put to the test to be the best in the category.
In this mode you are not going to choose the cars, but it is a completely scripted story where you have to win objectives. You are going to walk through different driving styles and circuits where we are going to be able to collect badges and money to later be able to progress.
stunning visuals
Graphically, the game looks amazing. We had a chance to test it on a mid-high end PC where we were able to run the game on Ultra, with consistent FPS and overall fluidity. The recreations of the cities and their characteristics are magnificent: London with the Big Ben Y Alpine Road where we see an impressive mountain range and beautiful green fields, that leave you with your mouth open. Playable cars are meticulously designed and look impressive, something that is always present in games created by Codemasters.
The gameplay has several improvements in the circuits to make them a bit more challenging than previous versions. Although the game has an arcade driving experience, the player can adjust the difficulty (which can be chosen from three options), as well as some driving parameters, such as the traction control, stability and ABS brakes.
We also tested the game with one of the most recommended wheels for racing games, but, at least in the story mode, we did not notice much difference in the difficulty of handling in varied track or weather situations. Obviously, it must be emphasized that the game is not finished, so these assessments may change with the final version.
Another important fact that makes the game much more entertaining is that the developers have polished their system “Nemesis“. This means that if we hit another driver too many times, he will start to be more aggressive with us. On higher difficulties, these can provide personal stories for each run: “We want to blur the line between AI and human drivers. So each AI pilot has a unique personality setting. We also have our choreographer, who adds human randomness to our AI; this allows them to make mistakes, crash, or experience mechanical failure. We want every race to feel unique.”, pointed out Chris Smith, creative director of Grid Legends.
What will come with the premiere
In addition to this mode that we tested, the final version will have more game modes. Career Mode, which will offer nearly 130 vehicles and 9 categories and the Touring, GT, Turner, Track Day and Open Wheel, which are added to the tracks with trucks, electric cars and drift.
Another addition that the game will have is the race creator mode, which allows us to have control over many aspects of the game such as the weather, car classes and type of tracks. It is a very used tool lately in racing games, since there are tracks created by the community that turn out to be very challenging.
multiplayer
the multiplayer will offer progression: as the player accumulates victories, they will have the possibility to race in special weekly and monthly events, that will offer exclusive rewards. An important plus of this installment is that it allows games online multiplayer crossplay between all platforms
To conclude, we can say that Electronic Arts you did well to buy Codemasters since, from this relationship, a future with many improvements is expected. Regardless, it feels like the game fell in the middle of its two competitors. In our opinion, it should go back to its roots and add the realism that it had achieved in the beginning with the TOCA Race Driver, with the destruction mechanics in the bodywork or the burnouts that popped the tires and melted the engine. In that way, you would be very different from your competition. Despite these observations, it is, without a doubt, a game to have in your library if you are a fan of adrenaline and speed.
Grid Legends, with its Driven to Glory story mode, will be released on February 25 in PC, Xbox One, PS4 and Xbox Series and PS5.