Over the past ten years, racing video games have made remarkable progress. Titles like Forza Horizon 5, Gran Turismo 7, and the recently released The Crew Motorfest have all made a significant impact in the AAA racing game category. Gamers often ponder, what’s the best racing game to play now? Could The Crew Motorfest be the standout of the decade? In this article, we’ll thoroughly explore this question.
The Top Racing Game of the Decade
The last decade has been a transformative period for racing games. Developers have pushed the boundaries of what’s achievable in this genre. As we set out to crown the “Racing Game of the Decade,” we’ll closely examine a select group of titles, each competing for the prestigious title based on their contributions to the genre.
Three titles immediately come to mind in the discussion of the best racing game: Forza Horizon 5, Gran Turismo 7, and The Crew Motorfest. Many enthusiasts believe that The Crew is the top racing game of the decade. But is this assertion valid? Is it the frontrunner for the best racing game? Before we reach a conclusion, let’s first delve into what exactly The Crew Motorfest has to offer.
What Exactly Is The Crew Motorfest?
In The Crew Motorfest, players immerse themselves in the summer festival, transforming the O’ahu island into a virtual racing playground. Here, players have the freedom to drive cars, pilot planes, and navigate boats anywhere the game permits.
- The game features various challenges that test players’ speed as they race through checkpoints scattered across the open world.
- Additionally, there are more structured races organized into themed Playlists.
- The Weekly Main Stage introduces new thematic experiences every week, such as the European Velocita Main Stage, focusing on European cars.
From its origins as an underground street racing game in 2014 to its evolution into a sanctioned motorsport TV show format with The Crew 2 in 2018, The Crew Motorfest has once again taken a new direction. It now revolves around a lively summer car culture festival.
Is The Crew Motorfest the Best Racing Game of the Decade?
Determining the best game in its genre involves considering various factors. One of the most crucial aspects is game development, and it appears that The Crew Motorfest may fall short in this regard.
- Its predecessors, The Crew 1 and 2, gained immense popularity due to their thrilling gameplay and expansive open-world settings.
- As you might recall, The Crew 2 allowed players to traverse the entire United States of America. Yes, the entire continent (though at a smaller scale).
- However, The Crew Motorfest has curiously limited the gameplay area to the relatively small O’ahu island.
While it’s arguable whether The Crew is the best, the decision to reduce the playable area in Motorfest makes it more challenging to claim it as the frontrunner for the best racing game of this decade. Nevertheless, there are other factors to consider, especially since it’s a racing game with a primary focus on the driving experience.
Motorfest, Forza Horizon, or Gran Turismo 7?
Determining the “best” racing game can vary based on personal preferences. Different players prioritize different aspects of gameplay. Nevertheless, we can compare The Crew Motorfest with other prominent racing titles by considering several critical factors contributing to a game’s overall quality. Here’s a breakdown of these key aspects:
Graphics and Realism
- Gran Turismo 7 stands out for its meticulous attention to detail and realism in graphics and physics. It strives to provide a simulation experience with stunningly lifelike car models and environments.
- Forza Horizon 5 strikes a balance between realism and accessibility, offering an open-world setting with breathtaking landscapes and immersive weather effects.
- The Crew Motorfest boasts vibrant graphics, enhancing visual appeal. However, when it comes to realism, it may not match up to the level achieved by GT7.
Gameplay and Physics
- Gran Turismo 7 places a significant emphasis on realistic driving physics and simulation, catering to car enthusiasts seeking an authentic driving experience.
- Forza Horizon 5 leans toward a more accessible and enjoyable gameplay experience, finding a middle ground between simulation and arcade-style mechanics.
- The Crew Motorfest tends to focus on an arcade-style experience with less concern for realistic physics. It encourages a more relaxed approach to racing. The unique feature of driving planes and speedboats is exciting, but the reduction in playable area in Motorfest has somewhat diminished this aspect’s enjoyment.
Car Selection and Customization
- Forza Horizon 5 and Gran Turismo 7 offer extensive rosters of cars from different eras and manufacturers, along with deep customization options. These features appeal to car enthusiasts who relish fine-tuning their vehicles.
- The Crew Motorfest presents a wide variety of cars but has fewer customization options compared to the other two games.
Game World and Exploration
- Forza Horizon 5 excels in this category, boasting an expansive open-world map based on Mexico. It offers diverse landscapes and activities beyond racing, including exploration, stunt challenges, and cooperative gameplay.
- The Crew Motorfest’s predecessor, The Crew 2, initially excelled in this aspect. However, Motorfest’s decision to reduce the game map to only an island has disappointed dedicated fans.
- Gran Turismo 7 focuses more on track-based racing and may place less emphasis on open-world exploration than the other two titles.
Multiplayer and Social Features
- Forza Horizon 5 is renowned for its robust online multiplayer, cooperative play, and community events, fostering social engagement within the racing community.
- The Crew Motorfest emphasizes online multiplayer, cooperative gameplay, and competitive events, creating a social racing experience.
- Gran Turismo 7 offers online multiplayer but may lean slightly more toward single-player modes and individual skill development.
Story and Progression
- Forza Horizon 5 incorporates a loose narrative into its open-world design, giving players a sense of progression and motivation to explore.
- Gran Turismo 7 may prioritize skill-based progression and achievements over a traditional narrative.
- The Crew Motorfest offers a narrative-driven experience, with missions and objectives tied to the game’s story, centered around the summer car culture festival.
The Crew Motorfest: The Pros and Cons
Now that we’ve compared The Crew Motorfest with its competitors, let’s take a closer look at what makes it stand out and where it falls short.
Pros
- Vibrant Graphics: The Crew Motorfest boasts vibrant graphics that enhance the visual appeal of the game.
- Varied Gameplay: Unlike some of its competitors, The Crew Motorfest offers a diverse range of vehicles and activities. Players can not only race cars but also pilot planes and sailboats, adding variety to the gameplay.
- Social Racing Experience: The Crew Motorfest emphasizes online multiplayer and cooperative gameplay, making it an ideal choice for players who enjoy racing with friends and engaging in competitive events.
- Narrative Element: The inclusion of a narrative-driven experience with missions and objectives tied to the summer car culture festival sets it apart from some other racing games.
Cons
- Reduced Gameplay Area: One of the major drawbacks of the game is its reduced gameplay area. This limitation can be very disappointing for fans of the previous games.
- Realism: While The Crew Motorfest excels in graphics and offers a vibrant gaming environment, it falls short in terms of realism. For players seeking a highly realistic driving experience, titles like Gran Turismo 7 might be a better choice.
- Customization: The Crew Motorfest provides a decent selection of cars but may have fewer customization options than games like Forza Horizon 5 and Gran Turismo 7. Players who enjoy fine-tuning and customizing their vehicles extensively might find this aspect lacking.
The Verdict: Is The Crew Motorfest the Frontrunner?
After considering the pros and cons, it’s evident that The Crew Motorfest has its strengths. However, it falls short in areas like reduced gameplay area and realism, which might be critical factors for some players.
For us, The Crew Motorfest is not the frontrunner for the best racing game of the decade. We have a deep appreciation for The Crew 2, but it’s hard not to feel a bit let down by Motorfest. The Crew 2 was already an incredible game, and we expected more from its successor. Unfortunately, Motorfest doesn’t quite measure up regarding the fun factor.
The frontrunner for the best racing game of the decade ultimately depends on individual preferences.
- If you prioritize social gameplay, diverse vehicle options, and an immersive narrative, Motorfest could be a top contender.
- However, if you lean towards realism, extensive car customization, and a larger open-world map, titles like Gran Turismo 7 and Forza Horizon 5 might be more appealing.
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