Review: GRID LEGENDS Speeds Right Past Mediocracy
Codemasters obviously knows how to make a driving game. Tight turns, fast cars, solid tracks, and well-paced objectives are core elements to a fine racing game. GRID Legends has all of these elements, but none of them feel totally well polished or unique enough to be engaging for very long. While the races feel fun gripping at first, that thrill wears thin and short when the game ends up being so much like many others before it.
One of the best parts of GRID Legends is the core driving. Going between a number of different classes of cars and dozens of cars in each class, there is a lot of variety. The different classes do have significant unique styles to them. Each class feels great, but none of them feel amazing. Each class seems either just a little too slippery, too grippy, too slow, or have too small of a turning radius, leaving me to not fall in love with any class of car. Again, the driving does feel good overall, but imperfect all the time.
To focus on the cars for a second, there are a lot of options like I mentioned above. But the roster here is a fraction of the size of other racing games’ rosters in the last few years. The cars all look good, but not show-stopping. I understand that this isn’t a simulation game and so the fidelity and massive roster aren’t key elements in the game, but there is a bit of disappointment when there are fewer cars and they don’t look as good as things like Forza or Gran Turismo.
Another great aspect of GRID Legends is the huge number of ways to play. Players can enjoy a story mode from a beginner’s perspective or a veteran's perspective. There are strong online modes that get players into the action quickly with real and A.I. players. Beyond the story are career modes that follow certain brands and other avenues. There are time trials, eliminations, races, and more. However, with all these options and ways to play, the sense of progression, rewards, and accomplishment feels lackluster and better played out in a dozen other games.
While it seems like I am hounding on GRID Legends a lot, it is still a fun game. The cars, races, and thrills of winning all culminate in a solid racing experience. But the game feels like something I would play in 2018 and it never goes beyond other games or tries something truly unique (except those hit-or-miss live-action cutscenes). If you love Codemasters, the GRID franchise, trying out every single racing game, or want a game that sits between simulation and arcade racing, then GRID Legends can be a good pick for you. Otherwise, there are a number of other games that can fulfill your racing needs in many more ways.
