The game's title is not wrong.
Its strongest and distinctive point is without a doubt the havoc you can wreck with a bus or, on the other hand, the adrenaline of a last-second turn that managed to save your lightweight, nimble vehicle from being totaled. But all of this wouldn't be nearly as thrilling if it weren't supported by a complex destruction model -- second only to BeamNG's -- and a physics engine that can properly determine the outcome of a collision.
(A necessary clarification concerning what I find a good gauge for physics in a videogame is the predictability of the result of an interaction, not how true to life it is.)
There can't be chaos without order to disrupt. Likewise, there wouldn't be any fun in Wreckfest to be had if it were, despite the aforementioned qualities, a bad racing game.
The vehicle handling is slightly more leaning towards a realistic model that is accessible but still fun to master.
Progression in this game, surprisingly, doesn't just boil down to upgrading your ride. As destruction is part of the intended experience, the choice of whether or not to be engaged in such unsportsmanlike behavior becomes a dilemma before the start of every race. Races can be won by either arriving first place or being the last racer standing. To support this duality of speed and strength, the game offers the possibility to armor up to endure crashes and deal more damage to opponents at the expense of your increased vehicle weight and consequent speed loss. In addition, further tuning can be done through simple sliders before each race. Your car's suspensions, differential and braking can be adjusted for crossing certain types of terrain, and transmission can be tweaked to better deal with the track's shape. It's a simple system that adds enough depth to make racing an interesting prospect when corner-bombing your adversaries is promoted.
As far as it concerns maps, there's some variety in track characteristics to warrant experimentation in play style. Arenas -- maps made with demolition derby in mind -- are the most uninteresting by far. Shocking, right? Demolition derbies are probably, after all, the first thing you would associate with vehicles and destruction. Arenas are a straightforward route to experiencing destruction, but they strip you of all options but destruction. Some racetracks are proof that a middle ground for both classes -- speed and strenght -- and hybrids exists. For instance, an 8-shaped track can provide defined opportunities for ramming players in the lead in the intersection in-between the loops. Wreckfest is at its peak when a cat-and-mouse or a head-to-head dynamic ensues in races to the first place.
Its strongest and distinctive point is without a doubt the havoc you can wreck with a bus or, on the other hand, the adrenaline of a last-second turn that managed to save your lightweight, nimble vehicle from being totaled. But all of this wouldn't be nearly as thrilling if it weren't supported by a complex destruction model -- second only to BeamNG's -- and a physics engine that can properly determine the outcome of a collision.
(A necessary clarification concerning what I find a good gauge for physics in a videogame is the predictability of the result of an interaction, not how true to life it is.)
There can't be chaos without order to disrupt. Likewise, there wouldn't be any fun in Wreckfest to be had if it were, despite the aforementioned qualities, a bad racing game.
The vehicle handling is slightly more leaning towards a realistic model that is accessible but still fun to master.
Progression in this game, surprisingly, doesn't just boil down to upgrading your ride. As destruction is part of the intended experience, the choice of whether or not to be engaged in such unsportsmanlike behavior becomes a dilemma before the start of every race. Races can be won by either arriving first place or being the last racer standing. To support this duality of speed and strength, the game offers the possibility to armor up to endure crashes and deal more damage to opponents at the expense of your increased vehicle weight and consequent speed loss. In addition, further tuning can be done through simple sliders before each race. Your car's suspensions, differential and braking can be adjusted for crossing certain types of terrain, and transmission can be tweaked to better deal with the track's shape. It's a simple system that adds enough depth to make racing an interesting prospect when corner-bombing your adversaries is promoted.
As far as it concerns maps, there's some variety in track characteristics to warrant experimentation in play style. Arenas -- maps made with demolition derby in mind -- are the most uninteresting by far. Shocking, right? Demolition derbies are probably, after all, the first thing you would associate with vehicles and destruction. Arenas are a straightforward route to experiencing destruction, but they strip you of all options but destruction. Some racetracks are proof that a middle ground for both classes -- speed and strenght -- and hybrids exists. For instance, an 8-shaped track can provide defined opportunities for ramming players in the lead in the intersection in-between the loops. Wreckfest is at its peak when a cat-and-mouse or a head-to-head dynamic ensues in races to the first place.
theDriu
1 year ago