We could spend the entire review pointing out what’s wrong in The Crew. No one expects characterisation on a par with The Last of Us in a driving game, but what’s on offer here is about as engaging (and predictable) as a drive in a Renault Twingo, with much of the dialogue seemingly lifted from a rejected The Fast & The Furious script. Meanwhile, the narrative, which focuses on your journey as a former street racing gang member looking to avenge your brother’s murder, does little to engross. Players start our driving a Street ride and subsequently open up Dirt, Performance, Raid, and Circuit variants Photograph: Ubisoft PR And at times, particularly during off-road treks, its limitations are painfully apparent – frustrating, in fact, when it causes you to repeatedly fail a mission. But the driving dynamics are simple and the model never engages you in the way that FH2 or even Driveclub does.
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As you level up and install upgrades, as well as unlock the other categories of cars, things do improve. The Crew offers three options, ranging from hideously assisted to an erratic but liveable Hardcore mode. There are notable touches, such as the detailed textures covering a downtown lamppost, the sunset over a rocky desert horizon, or the high tree count for most of the game’s wooded areas, but there can also be a functional, almost last-gen feel to the graphics. The immediate disillusionment, particularly for anyone coming to this from Forza Horizon 2 – this generation’s closest competitor to The Crew – are the visuals. At least until you’ve spent a few good hours in the driving seat. The real experience, when you get past the rousing CGI advert, is a disappointment.
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And all this within a vast world populated by hundreds of online players. All this in thrilling vehicles ranging from muscled up V8s to supercars to raid-prepared rides. There is a breathless, beautifully rendered sequence in which a four-car team working in perfect automotive unison eludes the police while snaking through downtown New York traffic, blasting along sprawling American highways, and conquering the rough terrain of the wild west. Watch the gorgeous promotional CGI sequence after loading up The Crew and you’ll witness what could may be the best driving game ever made. Ubisoft PC/PS4 (version tested) /Xbox 360/Xbox One £45 Pegi rating: 12+