Wreckfest Review (Xbox One)

Some racing games need to you be the first to cross the finish lines, while others just want you to at least reach it

Every time i get my greedy little hands on a racing game, two variables pop to mind. In one of them I have this hyper-realistic racing games where you actually have to respect all the driving lessons you may or may not have taken. On the other hand, it could be one of those games where you don’t care about the rules, and are only interested in coming out first at the end of a round.

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Of course, I always forget that there is a very small niche of racing games where you totally throw the driving lessons out the window and are all about demolishing the opposition. Obviously, I’m talking about demolition derby simulators, and Wreckfest is probably the best to have come out in memorable history.

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The mayhem

Basic instincts kick in whenever I play racing games, and I usually try to maneuver myself between those in front of me, or I never try to cut corners because that would usually mean I would lose precious time. Of course, Wreckfest makes me forget all those basic survival instincts, and I end up forged to go all Mad Max. Obviously, this is the game’s main selling point, as it is impossible to win a race without going full on berserk mode behind the steering wheel.

This game makes a physics compendium proud

The bigger an object is, the harder it is to maneuver, but it also sucks to get caught in its path.  While this may sound like inertia lesson 101 for some, Wreckfest takes full advantage of it , along with every other principle you may have picked up accidentally during classes. Hitting walls feels realistic enough, smashing into tire barriers sends them flying in a way that looks just right, and even the grip your car has with the surface seems to differ when you switch between grass, gravel and asphalt.

From 4 wheels to no wheels

Of course, what kind of racing game with a deep-rooted physics engine behind it would it be if it didn’t have realistic car destruction? Wreckfest shines at this department, as the cars behave in an extremely realistic manner when hitting solid surfaces, or being hit by opponents. Of course, if you’re not so good at driving games, it goes without saying that you’ll be minced meat for the AI, let alone other players. Because of that, the game lets you switch between two car destruction modes, one of which is extremely realistic, while the other one caters to those that have played less demolition-centered titles. The difference between the two is that while the realistic mode is indeed realistic, being bad at driving and avoiding enemy impacts mean you might end up turned into a tin foil ball before you finish the first lap. The other vehicle destruction mode is far more forgiving, allowing your vehicle to take an almost paranormal amount of punishment, and still manage to drive.

Some cars are meant to be winners, while others are meant to be tin cans

No racing game can call itself decent without a decent vehicle roster, and a way to customize them the way you want. Wreckfest has both, but it doesn't impress too much as far as this department is concerned. None of the cars are licensed, but in true demolition derby fashion, you’ll definitely recognize classic models (which in real life would probably be used in demolition derbies anyway). As far as car customization is concerned, you can tweak both your vehicle’s looks as wlel as performance. However, both customization options are rather lacking. Admittedly, why bother giving a car a neat polish if  it will end up looking like a crushed soda can 5 minutes later?

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Game modes galore

Despite what was mentioned above, you aren’t limited to racing using just cars. Farming equipment, double-decker buses, golf karts and motorized couches are also part of the roster, but some of these are limited to only certain game modes. Regardless of which game modes you choose, getting first to the finish lines is pretty much the standard victory condition. However, it is worth mentioning that some game modes do reward doing extra damage to your opponents along the way. That being said, you might as well try to pump those numbers up, because the scores you get by playing clean are just rookie numbers.

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The Good

The Bad

Conclusion