For starters, there’s Ghostwire: Tokyo, Tango Gameworks’ first-person action-adventure open world title, which takes players to a haunted verson of Tokyo, where you’re charged with hunting and dealing with all manner of supernatural entities as part of your attempts to save the city.

Another major title for subscribers to look forward to is Hot Wheels Unleashed 2: Turbocharged, Milestone’s acclaimed arcade racer, which launches last October. Finally, there’s also Death Note Killer Within, a multiplayer social deduction game for 10 players set in the Death Note universe, which publisher Bandai Namco has confirmed will be available day one via PS Plus at launch.

All three games will be available starting November 5 for subscribers of all PlayStation Plus tiers, which means you have until November 4 to claim October’s games.

On March 20th, Supermassive Games’ The Quarry joins the service for the cloud and consoles, followed by Evil West on March 21st. March 26th sees Terra Invicta, the massive strategy title from the creators of XCOM’s Long War mod, releasing on Game Preview for PC players. Diablo 4 is perhaps the biggest release, coming to consoles and PC on March 28th.

Hot Wheels Unleashed 2: Turbocharged and Open Roads are coming on the same day and playable on cloud, consoles and PC. Finally, April 1st kicks off with the addition of Ark: Survival Ascended for cloud, PC, and Xbox Series X/S. On April 2nd, F1 23 is playable via EA Play on the cloud while Superhot: Mind Control Delete arrives for subscribers on the cloud, consoles and PC.

The titles leaving on March 31st include Hot Wheels Unleashed and MLB The Show 23 (which makes sense considering the addition of their sequels). Infinite Guitars is also going away, though Game Pass subscribers can avail of 20 percent discounts to purchase the titles.

#10. TT ISLE OF MAN: RIDE ON THE EDGE 3

Owing to its very nature as a hardcore superbike racing sim, TT Isle of Man: Ride on the Edge 3 is not, like its predecessors, a game with widespread appeal, but for fans of the sport and racing sims in general, there’s a lot to love here. Its rough production values, lack of variety in content, and less-than-stellar visuals do leave a little something to be desired, but with incredible physics and driving mechanics, a rewarding sense of challenge, and incredible sense of speed, TT Isle of Man: Ride on the Edge 3 has an excellent foundation.

#9. MONSTER ENERGY SUPERCROSS: THE OFFICIAL VIDEOGAME 6

Milestone has a grip on the bike racing simulation genre in a way no other developer in the industry does, and Monster Energy Supercross 6 was yet another feather in the developer’s cap in 2023. From significant improvements to the physics and handling systems to an impressive level of polish and attention to detail, from a solid selection of new and returning modes to a much stronger balance between authentic simulation and accessible fun, Monster Energy Supercross 6 is a promising glimpse of how the series can continue to improve with future instalments.

#8. MOTOGP 23

MotoGP 23 is a perfect example of how a game can benefit from a bevy of iterative improvements as much as it can from a smaller number of radical revolutions. Rather than trying to reinvent the wheel, it builds on its predecessors’ foundations by making notable improvements across the board, from the new Career mode to the introduction of more newcomer-friendly mechanics, while continuing to exhibit the same authenticity and love for bikes that Milestone’s games are so often associated with.

#7. LEGO 2K DRIVE

A Mario Kart-inspired open world arcade racer making use of the Lego license? With an elevator pitch like that, any game is bound to turn its fair share of heads, and LEGO 2K Drive mostly makes good on its promises. Though it can feel a bit shallow and repetitive, the underlying systems and design deserve credit. Maps are colourful and tightly designed, driving mechanics are tight and strike a nice balance between skill and accessibility, and vehicle building and customization in particular can offer up hours upon hours of enjoyment. It may not have been a revelation, but LEGO 2K Drive is a solid enough racer than genre fans of all ages can enjoy.

#6. RIDE 5

Yep, another Milestone-developed bike racing sim, and easily the one that impressed us most this year. The RIDE franchise has continued to push the envelope with its visuals, authenticity, and technical achievements with each new instalment, and RIDE 5 didn’t disappoint on that front either. On top of that, with notable improvements to the Career mode, the addition of new elements like Rivals and your very own HQ, the introduction of dynamic weather, a new Race Creator option, and a continued push for accessibility and approachability, RIDE 5 once again proves why Milestone’s franchise is the undisputed king of bike racing sims.

#5. THE CREW MOTORFEST

After two instalments in the mainland United States, with The Crew Motorfest, Ubisoft’s open world racing franchise took players to the island of Oahu, and it turned out to be absolutely the right decision. Courtesy of a much more varied, vibrant, and colourful world that is teeming with gorgeous vistas to take in, The Crew Motorfest benefits from excellent festive vibes that make it a much more engaging experience, while a smart, new structure for the main content and improvements to the driving mechanics also make for more enjoyable racing mechanics. It might not be the competitor to Forza Horizon’s throne that it was perhaps being positioned as, but it’s still a hell of a racer that fans of the genre will enjoy.

#4. F1 23

Codemasters’ annual F1 franchise has been one of the best racing sim experiences around for a long time now, and 2023’s instalment was another predictably excellent one. With its loot-driven F1 World experience, F1 23 offers a different flavour of content than most of its predecessors have been known for, while the return of F1 21’s story mode, Braking Point, also proves to be a triumphant one. That, combined with improvements to the underlying driving mechanics made for an excellent all-around package, even if the game does still feel a bit stagnant where its visuals and Career mode are concerned.

#3. EA SPORTS WRC

The WRC license switched lanes to Codemasters and EA Sports this year, and the former leveraged its expertise with rally racing simulators to deliver another excellent outing for the licensed series. EA Sports WRC captures the adrenaline-fueled thrill of rally racing better than most other games have managed in the past, while it also offers a smattering of contents across its many modes, tracks, vehicles, and more. Admittedly, the experience can be dragged down at times by issues such as bugs and a few modes that feel a little undercooked, but by and large, EA Sports WRC has laid down an excellent foundation for Codemasters to build on with future instalments in the years to come.

#2. HOT WHEELS UNLEASHED 2: TURBOCHARGED

The fourth Milestone-developed game to earn a place on this list, and without a shadow of doubt, the best of the lot. Hot Wheels Unleashed 2: Turbocharged is an excellent evolution of its already solid predecessor. That sense of speed and arcadey thrill that the first game boasted is not only present and accounted for here, but shining brighter than ever before, while also touting stunning visuals, incredible track design, a vast array of customization options, and new driving and movement options like jumps, dashes, and more. Ultimately, it’s an iterative improvement rather than a radical one, and the single player offerings do leave a little something to be desired, but the final product is one that improves on the first game in some key ways.

#1. FORZA MOTORSPORT

The Forza Motorsport franchise had been dormant for longer than most would have expected, but in 2023, it finally made its comeback with what was billed as a reboot. Whether or not it turned out to be the undisputed king of racing sims might still be up for debate, thanks in large part to a divisive new structure for its campaign, but there’s so much else here that we can’t help but be impressed with. New weather effects, a healthy offering of content (especially in the multiplayer department), stunning visuals and attention to detail of the sort that only this franchise can manage, crucial improvements and tweaks to the moment-to-moment mechanics- the list goes on and on. Even though it doesn’t hit the highs that many of its predecessors are remembered for, Forza Motorsport is still a triumphant return for Turn 10’s long-running franchise.

Forza Motorsport

Developer Turn10 has established itself as one of the best names when it comes to delivering racing games that are not only realistic in a visual sense but also from a functional viewpoint. The latest Forza Motorsport is emblematic of those strengths, and this simulation racer improves upon what came before in all the right ways. Right from the visual presentation to the new dynamic daytime systems to the carefully recreated cars, Forza Motorsport is a consistently impressive experience that can take up dozens upon dozens of hours.

Hot Wheels Unleashed 2: Turbocharged features a host of new content over its predecessor, including over 130 vehicles, bringing ATVs, motorcycles, and other new vehicle classes to the game. On the race courses side of things, the title features five new settings: an Arcade room, a revamped Backyard area, a Mini Golf Course based on the Wild West, a Dinosaur Museum, and a Gas Station with a diner.

Taking part in races will allow players to earn and invest skill points in a new skill tree composed of three branches, allowing players to improve their boost capabilities, handling, or the ability to navigate obstacles. The game also brings with it single and double jumps and a new lateral dash ability.

Milestone has a host of content planned for Hot Wheels Unleashed 2: Turbocharged, including new vehicles and settings. The content was elaborated through a roadmap revealed back in September. For more details on the game, check out our review.

Over 130 Vehicles

While the first game launched with 66 vehicles, Hot Wheels Unleashed 2: Turbocharged is bigger. It has more than 130 vehicles available at launch, nearly double that of its predecessor. A full list is pending, but some are returning from the first game along with new additions, like the Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat Widebody from the Fast and Furious saga. There are also new types like all-terrain vehicles and bikes for even more racing options.

Vehicle Categories

All vehicles are divided into six categories based on their role and how good they are in given terrain and tracks. Rocket is for vehicles that specialize in high-speed straights, like race cars. Streetcars and bikes fall under the Swift category, which are light vehicles offering strong agility and acceleration. Drifters are your muscle cars for, well, driving. Off-Roads are strong across different terrain types and encompass jeeps, quads and whatnot. The monster trucks and vans fall under Heavy Duty, providing some weight when needed. Finally, there’s Balanced, the middle of Rocket and Swift, with equally good speed and handling.

New Abilities

Drift and Boost return, allowing players to drift through corners and hit the NOS for some added speed. However, two new abilities have been added with Turbocharged – Lateral Dash and Jump. The former lets you dash out of the oncoming obstacles or even bump into other vehicles, potentially running them off the road. Jump is pretty straightforward for leaping over obstacles, other cars, etc. The best part is that double Jump is also a thing for even more height, which is nice.

Rarity System Changes

The first game’s Rarity system tied directly into a car’s stats. Legendary vehicles typically had higher base stats than other rarities, and upgrading to Legendary was key for continued success. In Hot Wheels Unleashed 2, the Rarity system remains, but it won’t affect a vehicle’s stats but their chance to appear in the new shop.

The Store

Blind Boxes are seemingly gone in Hot Wheels Unleashed 2. Instead, players will purchase new vehicles from the shop. Every 30 minutes, the shop’s selection will refresh, and a fresh assortment of six to 25 vehicles (based on one’s level) will appear. If you don’t like your choices, they can be refreshed again by spending coins. Not a bad alternative, though you’ll still be rolling dice and relying on RNG for higher-rarity vehicles to appear.

Overhauled Customization

The first game’s Skill System was considered restrictive, leading to the sequel completely revamping car customization. When starting, you have only one perk slot, which you can freely interchange. Upon upgrading your vehicle’s category from Stock to Powered, the second and third perk slots become available to add more perks. Upgrading it again to Ultimate unlocks the fourth, fifth and sixth slots for six perks. Use four of the same type, and a seventh unique perk becomes available.

There are three perk types – Handling, Boost and Obstacles. Handling is all about speed, acceleration and handling. Boost focuses on your boost speed, charge and capacity, while Obstacles will make you invulnerable to different obstacle types. The latter sounds good when you’re new to the game, but it’s better to replace an Obstacles perk with more boost or speed. Regardless of the perks chosen, each has pros and cons, so weighing these is essential while racing.

Five New Environments

There are five new environments to race in, each unique in different ways. There’s Arcade, set in an arcade with escalators, air hockey and more. Backyard is your typical backyard with a ladder and porch. Mini Golf Course, despite its name, offers a Wild West motif, while Diner takes place in a restaurant/gas station with a nearby van. Finally, there’s also Museum with massive models of dinosaurs. The Track Room, where custom tracks are built, can also be raced in. Each environment offers an array of track types, from jumps to loops, for players to race through.

Terrain Types

Even more interesting is the variety of terrain since they can affect your vehicle’s performance. When racing through the Mini Golf Course, you’ll have to contend with sand and dirt, which Offroad vehicles could excel at. Take a bike through the grass in the Backyard, and you’ll have to manage understeer. Overall, each environment offers opportunities to try different vehicles or modify your racing strategy.

New Campaign

A story-driven campaign probably isn’t something you’d associate with a Hot Wheels racing game, but Turbocharged has one, complete with cutscenes and characters. It seemingly concerns saving the city from monsters, with the two leads accompanied by a professor and robot. It may or may not be to your test – time will tell. Given the lack of information surrounding the mode, we’ll have to wait and find out.

Elimination, Drift Master and Waypoint Modes

Other modes include the new Waypoint, Elimination and Drift Master modes for fun new challenges. Waypoint is about crossing checkpoints by discovering the fastest route – you’re not bound to a specific path, so go crazy. Elimination sees the car in last place knocked out periodically, turning the race into a fight for the last player standing. Finally, Drift Master, to the surprise of no one, is all about drifting and racking up the most number of points.

Cross-Platform Multiplayer

Players can look forward to cross-platform multiplayer (except on the Nintendo Switch) when playing online in the sequel. You can also create a party before jumping into races, thus allowing players to group up. It’s a small change, but still highly appreciated. Split-screen multiplayer also returns for those who prefer racing with friends locally.

Livery and Sticker Editors

Those who enjoyed customizing the look of their vehicles should be happy to hear that the Livery Editor is returning. There’s also a new Sticker Editor to create decals, which can be shared online.

Track Builder

It wouldn’t be Hot Wheels without the option to make tracks. The Track Builder thus returns, allowing you to snap together various modules for a custom race track. New modules and features are included, and you can share tracks online and download other players’ creations.

PC Requirements

In terms of PC requirements, you’ll need Windows 10 64-bit, 30 GB of installation space and DirectX 11, regardless of everything else. Minimum requirements include an Intel Core i5-4590, AMD FX-4350 or equivalent, 8 GB of RAM and an Nvidia GeForce GTX 1050 or Radeon RX 460. A Core i9-9900k, Ryzen 7 2700X or equivalent, 16 GB of RAM and a GeForce RTX 2070 Super or Radeon RX 6800 XT make up the recommended hardware. Overall, not the most demanding, but still higher than the first game.

Post-Launch Content

Like the first game, Hot Wheels Unleashed 2: Turbocharged has an extensive post-launch roadmap with not one but two Season Passes detailed. Season Pass Vol. 1 kicks off at launch with the Twin Mill Unleashed Edition and Acceleracers All-Star Pack, followed by the Speed and Style Pack on November 9th. The Fast X Pack debuts on December 14th, followed by the Acceleracers Expansion Pack on December 21st. Kicking off the new year is the Honda Modern Classics Pack on February 1st, followed by the Made In Italy Expansion Pack. Overall, that’s a whopping 25 vehicles and two new environments.

In Season Pass Vol. 2, there’s the Highway 35 World Race Pack on March 21 2024, followed by the Monster Trucks Pack on April 4th, and the Fast and Furious Expansion Pack on April 18th. May 16th sees the arrival of the Old But Gold Pack, while the Alien Encounters Pack arrives on May 23rd. The year ends with the Mercedes-Benz Pack on June 20th for 24 additional vehicles and two more environments. Milestone also says there will be free DLC for all base game owners.

"The first Hot Wheels Unleashed was a huge success, and we were really happy about it, but we also know that we can improve it still having a lot of stuff and new ideas to give to our players."

Hot Wheels Unleashed 2 adds new abilities like jumping and lateral dashes. How much will that impact the moment-to-moment gameplay? What kind of changes can we expect from the track design with those new movement options in mind?

The first Hot Wheels Unleashed was a huge success, and we were really happy about it, but we also know that we can improve it still having a lot of stuff and new ideas to give to our players. Making a sequel for a successful game is a big challenge, it is easy to break something that works well, but at the same time you do not want to put a number 2 on the cover and add some minor stuff. We worked hard to find the way to enrich the gameplay and don’t lose the Unleashed spirit.

The new game mechanics: Jump and Lateral Dash are the most “visible” news implemented in the game and also the elements that will change the gameplay completely. We already saw people doing amazing “stunts” in the previous game, and we are very curious to see what they are going to do with these two new amazing tools.

How much variety will Hot Wheels Unleashed 2 offer across its variety of vehicles, especially with the addition of motorbikes and ATVs?

We have added new vehicles in Unleashed 2, the player can enjoy new cars and trucks but also, for the first time, bikes and ATVs. On day one the game will have a roster of over 130 vehicles, we learned a lot about our audience from the first game and we built the selection of Vehicles based on their feedback and suggestions. Of course, like in the first game, there will be a good mix between Hot Wheels Originals and Hot Wheels license from the real world.

Can you talk us through the changes that Hot Wheels Unleashed 2 is making with its customization and upgrade mechanics? How much depth can players expect from those systems?

One pillar of the first Hot Wheels Unleashed was that is possible to win with every car, it is a toy world, and it doesn’t matter if you play with a supercar or with the garbage truck, you can win anyway. In Hot Wheels Unleashed 2 we worked more around this concept creating categories of Vehicles that are capable of winning but at the same time have different gameplay traits; for instance, the Rocket are faster, the Heavy Duty are more, well heavy, and difficult to move out from the track, etc. In the game, there are five categories. It is also possible to upgrade the vehicle using in-game currency to improve its performance and unlock more perks.

I’m speaking about perks because every vehicle has a perk three to unlock, and in this way, any player can customize their garage according to their playstyle because the perks are small gameplay modifiers.

"One pillar of the first Hot Wheels Unleashed was that is possible to win with every car, it is a toy world, and it doesn’t matter if you play with a supercar or with the garbage truck, you can win anyway. In Hot Wheels Unleashed 2 we worked more around this concept creating categories of Vehicles that are capable of winning but at the same time have different gameplay traits."

What are the biggest improvements you’ve made with Hot Wheels Unleashed 2’s track editor toolset?

The editor is the feature that we are probably most proud of. In the first Hot Wheels, we had more than half a million tracks created by our players. In the new game, we added new special modules and we also improved the management of the track sections on the floor. As an important part of the game, the title features different types of terrains with different grips and we expect more tracks based on the floor.

With the addition of several new solo and multiplayer modes, Turbocharged is promising a variety of ways to play. How much of that did come about in response to feedback from the community?

I can say 100% we observe and listen carefully to what our community wants, and definitely, they want more game modes, especially online. So, we worked hard for it, and we also completely changed our online system in order to allow players to make a party before joining a race, also cross-platform.

What can you tell us about the game’s new story-driven campaign mode? Has it been designed as a sort of bedding-in experience to lead into the rest of the game’s offerings?

As a developer, approaching something new is always exciting, and creating a story-driven campaign was something new for us. The Campaign is similar in some ways to the first one, but it is improved in every aspect, and also with heroes, cut scenes, and everything you need for a good story. Follow our channels, soon we will show more about it.

Roughly how long will an average playthrough of the campaign mode be?

It is difficult to say right now, but we carefully listen to the feedback from our community and we created a better overall experience with more mid-term goals and less move to grinding.

The post-launch support for the original Hot Wheels Unleashed was excellent. Do you have similar post-launch plans in place for Turbocharged?

Definitely, we worked hard in the past to give our players exactly what they want. This time, with more experience, our plans are more ambitious but most of all centered on what our players want. The first announcement that we will reveal soon is going to be epic!

What frame rate and resolution will the game target on the PS5 and Xbox Series X/S?

We have 60FPS on all platforms, 4K resolution on PS5 and Xbox X, full HD on Xbox S.

"We observe and listen carefully to what our community wants, and definitely, they want more game modes, especially online."

What frame rate and resolution will the game target on the Switch in docked and undocked modes?

On Switch we have solid 30FPS Full HD in docked mode and HD undocked.

What are your thoughts on the Steam Deck? Do you have plans for any specific optimizations for the device?

Steam Deck is a very nice machine, normally Milestone’s game works natively very well on it.

Hot Wheels Unleashed 2: Turbocharged will feature two season passes, with planned content extending well into 2024. Grabbing the Deluxe Edition will get players access to Season Pass 1, will include the Twin Mill Unleashed Edition and Acceleracers All-Star pack in October, the Speed and Style pack in November, the Fast X Pack and Acceleracers expansion pack in December, and the Honda Modern Classics Pack and Made in Italy expansion pack in February.

The second Season Pass, available to those who pick up the Legendary Edition of the game, will feature the Highway 35 World Race pack in March, the Monster Trucks pack and the Fast & Furious expansion pack in April, the Old But Gold pack and Alien Encounters expansion pack in May, and the Mercedes-Benz pack in June.

Each expansion pack will include one new environment, four vehicles, and a player profile customisation set. The studio has also stated that it plans on releasing free content for Hot Wheels Unleashed 2: Turbocharged throughout this period.

Hot Wheels Unleashed 2: Turbocharged is coming to PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PC and Nintendo Switch on October 19.

The short 30-second trailer showcases some of the new game modes in Hot Wheels Unleashed 2: Turbocharged, including the new Elimination mode where the slowest vehicle in a race is eliminated every few seconds, or Drift Master, where players have to focus on maintaining long drifting lines.

Hot Wheels Unleashed 2: Turbocharged will also feature a new Waypoint mode that has players explore and uncover all of the secrets in the game’s five environments. The game mode will have players leaving the iconic Hot Wheels orange tracks behind in favour of more on-the-ground exploration as they race through checkpoints.

The single-player campaign in Hot Wheels Unleashed 2: Turbocharged will be a story-focused affair that revolves around Robert, Darla and their robotic assistant XR046, as they try to save the city. The campaign will feature animated cutscenes, as well as boss battles.

Hot Wheels Unleashed 2: Turbocharged is slated for release on October 19, and will be coming to PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PC.

Iconic cars from the Fast and Furious franchise, like the Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat Widebody will be available for players to drive in the game, and the developer has stated that more cars from the franchise will be coming as post-launch DLC.

The last time we saw Hot Wheels Unleashed 2: Turbocharged come up was with the release of its first official gameplay trailer back in June, showing off different vehicles and environments that will be available in the game.

Hot Wheels Unleashed 2: Turbocharged will feature 13 vehicles from across the Hot Wheels line-up, including all terrain vehicles and motorcycles. The game is also bringing with it the Jump and Lateral Dash abilities.

Hot Wheels Unleashed 2: TUrbocharged is coming to PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, and Nintendo Switch on October 19. Check out the PC hardware requirements for the game here.