E3 2014: Driveclub Hands-On Preview – Cruisin’ the Globe

Driveclub was originally supposed to launch only months after the PS4, but after developer Evolution Studios evaluated where they were and where they wanted to be, they realized more time was needed. The release date was pushed to Fall 2014, which disappointed many, but will the extra development time result in a much better game? Based on my experience at this year’s E3 and the last, I would say definitely.

The first thing made immediately clear to me while playing Driveclub was how gorgeous the game is. Running at 1080p, not only are the cars more detailed than any other racing game I’ve played, but the environments are staggering. Unlike many other racing games that feature real-world tracks and urban environments, Driveclub is mostly comprised of tracks set in nature. I drove through a temperate area filled with trees and beautiful vistas, as well as a desert-like environment. The developer answering questions while I played noted that the environments are all rendered in 3D, and there are times where you can see thousands of trees on your screen while flying by at over 150 miles per hour. It’s a sight to behold.

Handling is an important part of any racing game, and in one word Driveclub‘s is individualistic. The Evolution Studios employee I was speaking to described it as neither arcade-like or simulative, but rather in-between; I concur. Hard breaking before turns and taking a perfect apex didn’t seem to work well for me, leading to me racing from behind early on. Attempts to drift like I would in a game like Need for Speed similarly resulted in disaster. I have a strong racing game background, and by the end of two tracks I still felt uncomfortable in Driveclub’s cars. Given more time, I would have figured it out, but just be aware that this is a game that is trying to create its own identity. It doesn’t feel like anything else on the market.

The feeling of driving each car largely comes down the experience of the development team when testing the cars in real-life. In the real world, each car has a distinct personality; an Aston Martin feels nothing like a Ferrari, and a McLaren stimulates the senses in a different way than a Zonda. The same applies in this game. There are subtle qualities in each car, from the driving behavior to the auditory experience. Given the game’s moderate selection of cars, you’ll be able to feel what it’s like to be in each of these beasts for yourself.

Unlike many simulators, traction control, stability, and brake strength are automatically adjusted as you race around in Driveclub. If you’re a great racer, the cars will slowly tune themselves to offer more control to the player; assists will plummet to near non-existence. If you’re new to racing games, the modifiers will adjust to assist you around the course until they feel you’re getting a good handle of things. I’m not sure how I feel about it since I’ve only spent 30 minutes with the game, but Evolution Studios really wants players, new and pro, to be on equal footing, and this is one way to accomplish that.

With the added development time Evolution Studios has not only been able to transform the game into an even more visually impressive one, but also been able to work on some post-launch content. Shortly after release, a big patch will become available for free which adds a dynamic weather system. You’ll not only see varying intensities of rain while you drive, but portions of the map might not rain at all while others are hit by near-flood. The game’s selection of point-to-point tracks where you cover long distances lend themselves well to this system.

DriveClub E3 2014 Weather Screenshots

If there’s one thing to be said about Driveclub, it’s that it isn’t trying to emulate what other racing games are doing. It has circuits, but many of its tracks are open-world and point-to-point. Its graphics are arguably going to be the best of any racer in 2014—although Project Cars looks mighty good. And, well, it doesn’t feel like other racing games. If you love cars, and want to cruise around and enjoy them while passing opponents, Driveclub will offer a unique option.

Driveclub will release on October 7th exclusively for the PS4. Some content will be available for PS Plus subscribers at no cost.