DriveClub Hands On Impressions – A Racing Game That’s Made for Everybody

Evolution Studios have introduced a brand new racing IP called DriveClub which was first announced at the PlayStation 4 reveal back in February. DriveClub is a new franchise that plans to take social levels to the next level in the racing genre.

With Sony’s new hardware platform, Evolution Studios has decided to take a break from Motorstorm and create a new racing IP. DriveClub is more of a realistic game that doesn’t feature much of destruction physics or anything like that. At this year’s E3, I’ve managed to get my hands-on DriveClub. Many people have been wondering how does DriveClub feels, play and what kind of racing game is it exactly? Let’s find out.

Presentation

DriveClub presents itself as a car enthusiasts racing title, however, not to the same extent as the Gran Turismo series. The game focuses on beautifully crafted 3D models of cars that are so decorated that you can see every bit of fine detail such as bolts and fabric. In many ways, DriveClub reminded me of the Xbox’s popular racing franchise called Project Gotham Racing in terms of the game’s representation.

DriveClub has slick menus and has a very modern look to it, the cars are truly authentic and look great. However, I can’t make comments on the tracks due to the fact that I was actually paying more attention on the feel and the gameplay of the game. Overall, the game’s presentation fits the game well, its simple and not too busy, and it doesn’t need to be fancy because this is just a racing game.

Gameplay

DriveClub’s gameplay is simple but also has depth to it. The whole premise of the game is that you as a player can join a club with multiple people. When you do races online you score points for your driving style that contribute to the club that you’re participating for. The nice thing about DriveClub is that you can race, however; you want and you’re not punished if you like to cut corners, do fancy drifting action and so on. Everything that you do in the game whether you win or lose nets you a certain amount of points, which gives the player more freedom and fun when they’re racing.

Players may also accept random challenges against other club rivals in face-off events to see who’s better at either topping their speed or how good they are at drifting. The game is not actually about winning but rather playing and enjoying the experience on how you want to play due to the freedom that the game allows you to have.

Many people have been wondering how do the cars actually feel and if the game is a realistic racer in terms of simulation or arcade-style. Well, after playing around for about 30 or so minutes and having talked to the development team, I’ve came to a conclusion that DriveClub is a hybrid. It’s a simulator game in terms of the authenticy of the cars,  that is created for car-nuts in mind. However, the gameplay and handling of the cars is easy to learn as each of them is different depending on the build. The game is nowhere near the realistic level of  Gran Turismo in terms of actual racing and handling. Anyone can pick up the game, start racing and earn points.

If you’re obsessed with high-resolution detailed cars and want to have some casual fun then DriveClub would be the perfect answer. DriveClub has been created for everyone in mind and that includes, racing fans, casuals, hardcore and enthusiasts.  I really hope this answer some of your questions and concerns that many of you’ve had when it came to defining on what kind of racing game DriveClub is and who it’s aimed for.

Another big feature about DriveClub is that the game will also be updated every week with new events and content that the developers will provide post launch. During my interview and hands-on experience with the game, developers have told me that the game itself will be an enormous experience for every racing fan out there, especially with the post-launch content that will be provided.

The developers have also stated that the game has been in development for 18 months, and the game is in the polish stage. DriveClub will also try to achieve 60 FPS by the time it comes out. However, the creators have stated that they’re not 100% sure they will be able to achieve 60 FPS, although they’ll do their best to provide smoothest frame-rate possible when the game launches later this year along with the PlayStation 4.

Conclusion

Overall, DriveClub is an interesting addition to the racing genre. The game’s biggest drawn is definitely the authenticity of the cars with gorgeous fine details and social online aspects that will take racing games to the next level when it comes to competition and racing challenges. I am looking forward to seeing how Evolution Studios plans to expand the game’s content post-launch and how long they will be supporting the game for.

I am really glad that this game is a hybrid and not a clone to Gran Turismo in terms of simulation racing but rather a racing game that will be accessible to everyone and will be a new and unique experience for the PlayStation fans.