Eurogamer really likes the new Hardcore mode added in the February update. Martin Robinson saying he never quite warmed up to the game before, but he loves it now.
The hardcore handling that’s now been enabled is an optional extra that lets DriveClub really bare its teeth. It’s often said that behind every arcade racer there’s a deep simulation waiting to get out, and while DriveClub isn’t quite going to threaten the likes of Forza or Assetto Corsa, it’s certainly a much deeper, more challenging and more satisfying game when played without the safety net of all those invisible assists.
The difference is profound - brakes lock, tires loudly protest and if you approach a corner with the same eagerness as you might have in vanilla DriveClub you’ll find the scenery still rushing towards you at an alarming rate. DriveClub’s old weightiness is still very much there, but it’s been given more meaning and more subtlety - slam the anchors on in a Bentley and you’ll feel your finger squeeze down that little bit harder as you try to calm all that luxurious heft, while a Caterham now dances with more purpose as you push and pull its light frame around. At the flick of a switch, DriveClub becomes something else entirely - like seeing a McLaren P1 being flicked into track mode, its suspension lowering and that big scoop spoiler rearing up as it becomes a much meaner beast.
All of which means DriveClub feels like two games right now, and while the new update is grand it doesn’t quite manage to bring those two halves together. Playing with hardcore mode enabled is - unsurprisingly - hard, and while a new variable difficulty for events means you can numb the AI to the point where you can still compete with them, the leaderboards and friendly competition that’s at the backbone of DriveClub is currently meaningless. It’s next to impossible to get within half a dozen seconds of your old times - the old assists, it seems, played fast and loose with the laws of physics - and there’s no split leaderboards for those who still want to compete with the new handling model enabled.
Sounds intriguing. I fired up the PS+ version this morning, which made it start downloading the new update. So I’ll check it out when I go home.
I also noticed that there’s an option to buy the full version of the game for $15 for PS+ members now.
Gonna have to look into the new assist free handling. I like Driveclub a lot and the cars have terrific weight, but they do behave a bit oddly at times, maybe this will help that. Had no idea they had patched this in.
I feel bad for Driveclub since it really is a terrific racer, but the rocky launch just killed them.
EDIT: Just ran a couple races with the new handling, and what a difference! It’s very akin to a game like NFS:Shift now in that it really bridges into driving sim. Sure the model is less sophisticated than something like Gran Turismo, but the cars really handle very predictably as a car should.
The highest praise I can give to it is that I almost immediately switched to an in-car camera, since the game made more “sense” from that perspective now. Previously I had been playing from a rear bumper, a camera reserved for waggly arcade racing. If my old Logitech wheel actually worked with the PS4 I suspect I would be digging it out of the closet as we speak.
I would definitely recommend this to anyone who is “race-sim” curious at this point.
It’s $20 to upgrade with the Season pass and they’ve added so much content that it’s a total steal at that price. I’m really looking forward to the new city track.
To be clear, is that $15 to get the full game (the only option I see in the PS+ version) and then once you have that, an additional $20 to get the season pass?
2 years of PS+ membership and I had my first multiplayer experience on PS4. Thanks merryprankster! Sorry for not having the “headset” that came with the PS4 handy. I tried it when I first bought it, and it’s this little annoying earplug thing, and I’m not sure where I put it.
One thing that will take a lot of getting used to are those PS4 triggers. I’ve done so much racing with the 360 and XB1 controllers over the last two years, it’s going to take me some time to learn the sensitivity on these things and how much pressure I should use. There’s less travel on these triggers compared to Xbox controllers, so the same amount acceleration/brakes is compressed into a smaller distance from 0 to 100, and it will take me a while to learn to gauge that.
But I did buy the full game and season pass. I figure my PS+ membership is about to expire next week, and I like the new hardcore handling enough that this will be a good game to play around with on PS4 while I gaze enviously at the next few month’s free games for your guys.
Driveclub is on my list of games I’m considering getting for Christmas. If I have Forza Horizon 3 (which I played a lot) and The Crew (played a couple dozen hours) - is there much of a reason to consider Driveclub? I’m fairly sure I’d like it, but I think my pick would be better spent on a non-driving game since I’ve got good driving games on PC. I also have Dirt 4 and Dirt Rally, along with many older driving / racing games.
The Crew and Forza Horizon are driving games. CaRPGs, really. Driveclub is a racing game, and a very good one. The more relevant comparison in terms of whether it would appeal to you are the Dirt games you mentioned.
The real Driveclub evangelist around here is @merryprankster, who will presumably be along shortly with more specifics. :)
Driveclub has no open world whatsoever, so if that’s something that drove (heh) you to Forza and The Crew, you won’t find it in Driveclub.
It fills a niche, though. It’s just a series of challenges. Each challenge has predetermined cars. You need to learn those cars to beat the challenge. Some are easier than others, but some of the challenges can be fiendishly difficult. There’s no car customization, but each car handles uniquely and must be learned. I’m guessing the multiplayer is pretty thin these days.
I thought it was great, but I have to admit that I haven’t been compelled to return to it since its release.
I don’t mind losing the CaRPG aspects or the open world. I never really just drive for the heck of it in those games, it’s always to get to an event. I do think the mini USA aspect is cool in The Crew, but I’m mostly concerned with driving in races / challenges. I’m also fine with the cars being preset for the races. I don’t need to collect a hundred cars that I can change at will.
I really liked Driveclub and have come back to it a few times even years after it’s release but GT Sport has eclipsed it and is the premier racing game on the PS4 in my opinion. Driveclub probably has a more fleshed out single player “campaign” however I remember burning out on that about 50% of the way through. GTS does have a decent number of single player challenges and missions and even if you don’t like online racing GTS has really nailed that for the first time ever on console. It really is the best racing game on the PS4 and judging by the notifications I’m seeing from @merryprankster in game I’d bet he’d agree.
Yeah, I’d agree with @agapepilot on this one. Both Driveclub and GTS are about the driving itself (vs say open world or carPG) but I’d say GTS just does it better.
GTS also has terrific online race structure, something basically absent in Driveclub.
That said, I really like the physics model in Driveclub and I think the “hardcore” setting is probably one of the best arcadey sims I’ve played (eclipsing both NFS Shift and Forza Horizon in terms of physics).
If you are not interested in online and just want a fun single player racing game with solid physics I think a Driveclub is fine choice.
Sounds like I’d like either Driveclub or GTS (or both!). I think I will relegate them to the wishlist for now but it’s good to know I’ve got some good options on the PS4 when I’m looking for some new racing. I’ll look forward to going for your leaderboard times :-)
Wanted to play it for a long time, having played over 100 hours of FH3 and Crew. Finally with PS4 Pro I got it and yeah, it is quite amazing. First impression were horrible but once I drove some ferrari in a rain I fell in love.
I really wish Evolution would be making open world Driveclub 2 for PC/Xbone/PS4 right now instead of Onrush.
I only tried the game on Hardcore, but you played with me merryprankster, and I was having a really tough time with the game. Were you playing with a wheel? I had a tough time with the physics model with a controller.
I saw that you saw me and my nephew taking turns playing DriveClub @merryprankster. Unfortunately, I don’t have PS+ anymore, so we can’t join you for multiplayer. It’s single player only I’m afraid. It’s not worth paying $40 a year to play DriveClub with you on Thanksgiving. :P
