Gear.Club Unlimited 2 is the sequel to last year’s Gear.Club Unlimited on the Switch, developed by Eden Games. Though the first Gear.Club Unlimited was and expanded port of a mobile game, this year’s entry was built from the ground up as a Switch title. These titles have been satiating simulation fans on the Switch almost without competition since their conception. But is this year’s entry worth it for racing enthusiasts looking for a fix?

Let’s start with the most important aspect of these types of racing titles: the cars. Gear.Club Unlimited 2 has 51 cars from brands renowned the world round like Porsche, Lotus, and Mercedes. This is definitely the greatest achievement of the title and it’ll give gearheads something fun to sink their teeth into. The cars are all customizable from their performance down to the types of tires you can slap on them, which are also from recognized brands. The cars all look pretty good as well, with the light bending around all the notches and crannies. Though it is disappointing that there is no noticeable damage that your car takes while driving and crashing into guard rails as well as other cars. However, the sound feedback from the cars is on point and it really helps in making you feel like you’re driving in one of these cars.

"The cars all look pretty good as well, with the light bending around all the notches and crannies."

There is a story here but it’s not much to write home about. Essentially, you’re a test driver who starts to actually race. And you’re good at racing, so you keep racing. It’s not really riveting stuff and the dialogue you get during career mode reflects that. The presentation is also lacking, with only stills of characters giving you your exposition with no emoting. This probably won’t be a deal-breaker for most of you though. No one came into this game expecting a deep and engaging storyline. Really, the racing is what you’re here for. So how is it?

Gear.Club Unlimited 2 leans on the simulation aspect of racing but without fully committing. This isn’t a huge mark against it since this is a Switch exclusive and its main competition is a kart-racing title, but it should be known before you commit to the full package. The arcade-simulation-hybrid racing mechanics of the game may leave simulation enthusiasts put off. Even though you have to account for your acceleration as well as your handbrake usage and compensation for turns, the control you have over your car is a few steps away from a true simulation experience. You have a much more responsive amount of control over your car and can deal with accelerating and decelerating much faster than you could in games of its contemporaries.

It’s strange to say that more control is a bad thing, but in this case, I think it’s a step too far. The amount of control you have over your car with no tools of assistance on is pretty absurd for a game of this type. Simulation games should be punishing affairs for mistakes and require a certain level of mastery, whereas in this title you can start driving like a pro relatively quickly. Paired with the not-so-competitive AI, this makes the game seem pretty easy at times. This ends up being a case of wanting your cake and eating it too. But you can’t cater to one demographic without alienating another in this case.

"The driving can almost feel automated at times."

There are a few different locales that all do their part to add a bit of challenge to your gameplay. Along with your standard asphalt roads through scenic greeneries, you’ll end up driving through rain storms and over snowy environments. These do end up affecting your gameplay in pretty significant ways and you end up needing to compensate harshly to make it to the finish line. These do add some variety to the gameplay and make you really evaluate whether or not you have enough time to decelerate before that next snowy turn. And then, usually after driving smack-dab into the side of a guard rail, you have your answer.

As for those assistive tools I mentioned before, you’re given plenty of them, should you need them. You’ll have turn-assists, a guiding line, and even a rewind function in order to try over and over until you figure out how best to take corners. These features are a great addition for players who need them and I’m glad they’ve become standard in simulation racing games in recent times. They can end up being a double-edged sword though since they end up making the game far too easy, to the point of gameplay being boring. The driving can almost feel automated at times. Since the game starts you with all these effects on, I could easily see plenty of players quickly getting bored without knowing about the features being togglable.

Gear.Club Unlimited 2 is also wanting in the technical aspect.Load times are constant whenever you go to enter a race or go into the shop, which really get in the way of actual racing. These load times are also incredibly long, with wait times of around a minute each time. When the races themselves are so short, it really puts into perspective just how long you spend sitting there waiting for the game to let you play. Then once you finally get into a race, the framerate struggles to maintain 30 FPS. As your acceleration increases, you’ll usually find that the game chugs a bit in order to keep up with you. This issue is present when the Switch is in Handheld mode as well as Docked mode. This is pretty disappointing since that seamless feeling of speed is what racing games are all about.

"There is split-screen multiplayer and it is fun, though rendering two screens must be a Herculean task for the Switch since the frames can sometimes drop even lower than during single-player."

Gear.Club Unlimited 2 will also have multiplayer implemented at a later date via a free update. Hopefully, this aspect of the title will not suffer the same technical issues that plague the rest of the game. There is split-screen multiplayer and it is fun, though rendering two screens must be a Herculean task for the Switch since the frames can sometimes drop even lower than during single-player.

Gear.Club Unlimited 2 can give Switch fans the simulation racing fix they crave, but only for so long. After spending enough time with it, it becomes apparent that this is a title that isn’t trying to aim for a completely simulation-based gameplay style. Whether that is due to creative choices or due to the base of the game being from a mobile phone game, the fact remains that the gameplay of this title is not too far away its kart-racing brothers on the Switch.

This game was reviewed on the Switch.

Just Cause 4

Rico Rodriguez is back, yet again, making explosions suffer for their crimes against humanity. This time around, he’s in Solis, South America, fighting against the Black Hand to learn more about his father. Along with the same epic scale and environmental design, not to mention Rico’s grappling hook shenanigans, Just Cause 4 will feature hostile weather conditions like tornadoes, blizzards and much more that tear up the surroundings. This forces the player to think on their feet and survive the ordeal. Just Cause 4 is out on December 4^th for Xbox One, PS4 and PC.

Assassin’s Creed Odyssey – Legacy of the First Blade

Not much is known about the first paid expansion for Assassin’s Creed Odyssey. In Legacy of the Hidden Blade, you’ll play as the first person to wield the legendary Hidden Blade. What new mechanics we can expect, where it takes place and even the release date are all pretty much up in the air. Regardless, it is an enticing adventure and will release as three episodes – the first is out in December 2018 for Xbox One, PS4 and PC.

Override: Mech City Brawl

It’s been a while since an outlandish mech fighting game has released. Override: Mech City Brawl seemingly covers all bases with 12 giant robots, a huge cityscape to wreck, numerous skill and styles and more. Along with a single-player campaign and local and online Versus modes, players can also partake in a unique 2 to 4 player co-op mode that sees each person controlling a different mech part. An over-the-top art style and awesome destruction make Override: Mech City Brawl worth watching out for when it releases on December 4^th for Xbox One, PS4 and PC.

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate

One of the biggest releases of the year is Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, Nintendo’s latest follow-up to the famous crossover fighting game series. Along with a new campaign mode called World of Light which sees players freeing their fallen allies, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate also features a new Spirits Mode. Spirits are essentially characters that provide boosts and other benefits to a fighter and it’s possible to use several at once. Spirits Mode involves battling other fighters with their own Spirits for victory. With Classic Mode, numerous tweaks and customization options for multiplayer and 74 characters to play with at launch, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate could be the series’ best yet. It’s out on December 7^th for Nintendo Switch.

PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds (PS4)

Regardless of all the controversies and complaints that PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds has faced in the past year, it’s still one of the most popular Battle Royale titles available. On December 7^th, it releases for PS4 and brings all three current maps – Sanhok, Erengel and Miramar – along with custom matches and Event Mode. So if you want another Battle Royale title on PS4 – yes, another one – then PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds may be the way to go.

Monster Boy and The Cursed Kingdom

The Monster Boy series has always stuck out for its aesthetic and Monster Boy and The Cursed Kingdom is no exception. Developed by Game Atelier and releasing for PC, Nintendo Switch, PS4 and Xbox One, Monster Boy and The Cursed Kingdom is actually influenced by Wonder Boy 3: The Dragon’s Trap released in 1989. In this side-scrolling adventure, players will have different animal forms to switch between, solving puzzles and eventually saving the kingdom from corruption.

Borderlands 2 VR

Yes, it’s Borderlands 2. But this time, it’s Borderlands 2 in VR! Borderlands 2 VR will be exclusive to PlayStation VR when it launches on December 14^th. Along with the same base campaign and four Vault Hunters, the VR version adds BAMF Time for slowing time down. This allows for dodging bullets and taking on multiple foes at once without getting overwhelmed. Several skills have also been reworked, taking BAMF Time into consideration. If that weren’t enough, vehicles can be driven in first person for the very first time.

Gear Club Unlimited 2

More than 1800 miles of roads, 250 races and over 50 licensed vehicles from manufacturers like Porsche, Dodge and McLaren await in Gear Club Unlimited 2. Releasing exclusively for the Nintendo Switch in December, the sequel promises a variety of environments like forests, deserts and coastlines to play through. Keep an eye out for it in December if you enjoyed the original.

Jagged Alliance: Rage!

Can you feel the rage? Classic turn-based tactics series Jagged Alliance is making a comeback with Rage which features a new aesthetic with the same band of crazy mercenaries. Taking place two decades after the first game, Jagged Alliance: Rage sees the player taking on an entire island of baddies. Two player co-op is supported and each mercenary has their own unique personality, backstory and abilities to take advantage of. The new Rage skills allow mercenaries to become more powerful as the battle wears on. Jagged Alliance: Rage is out on December 6^th for Xbox One, PS4 and PC.

Forza Horizon 4: Fortune Island

Playground Games’ Forza Horizon 4 was crammed full of content at launch and even with the plentiful updates, the developer will be offering even more with its first expansion Fortune Island. Heading to the North of the British Isles, players will deal with extreme weather conditions and terrain. Lightning storms are a given but cliff-side dirt roads and mountain switchbacks will also present hazards. More information on new missions, activities, Horizon Stories and more should be coming soon but for those who already own the Expansion Pass, Fortune Island arrives on December 13^th for Xbox One and Windows 10 PC.